In
the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. One God, Amen.
Introduction
The reposed monk, Hegumen Mettaos el-Syriani, was
a great pillar of monasticism both at the level of the Syrian monastery in
particular and on that of general Coptic monasticism. He arrived at the
monastery as a young youth not exceeding twenty-two years of age and lived in
the monastery for approximately sixty years of continuous ascetic worship.
He lived in a modest cell inside the monastery and
when the opportunity arose, the monastery built him an individual cell next to
the eastern wall of the monastery’s garden, from the early sixties he lived
there until the remaining years of his monasticism as a “shut-in” (motwa7ed).
Hegumen Mettaos read books of the monastic fathers like “Paradise of the
Fathers”, John Climacus, John of Dalyatha “the Spiritual Elder”, Mar Isaac the
Syrian and others. And he struggled diligently to follow their example and
footsteps. He tried to live monasticism in its essence as taught to us by our
fathers and not merely in appearance and on the surface. His approach was very moderate and he used to
say, “The middle way saved many without exhaustion.” Not only did he focus on the physical aspects
of the ascetic life such as fasting, prostrations, and his personal quite time
with his Creator; he was also occupied with spiritual virtues as well.
We mourned greatly his
departure, for he left a great void in the monastery. For he was our spiritual
father and the confessor for almost half of the monks of the monastery. He was
comforting in his words
and wise in his guidance. He loved everyone and so everyone loved him, so that
he won the respect of all. He lived in the wilderness during most of his
monastic period, and was a disciple of the elder fathers and learned from the
books of the great monastic fathers. All his words, advice and guidance to his
sons were from the books and sayings of the fathers that are full of grace and
life.
Fr. Mettaos was a
source of consolation to any monk in the monastery who was upset for any
reason. If a monk was in a spiritual warfare of any type, he would go to him
exhausted and joyless, leaving rested and cheerful due to the graceful and
beneficial words that come from his (Fr. Mettaos) blessed lips, and the peace
that fills his heart, mind and his angelic face that is abundant with peace.
The words, “Thanks be
to God” never ever ceased from coming out of his lips despite how hard and
severe his efforts and illnesses were. And his face was that of an angel radiating
peace and acceptance despite his pain and diseases, especially near the end of
his life where God tested him with a great number of difficult diseases. His
eyesight and health were gone but God gave him spiritual insight and the wisdom
of Didymus, who lost his physical sight and God gave him spiritual sight so
that he became a great teacher and head of the School of Alexandria at the
height of its glory and greatness for many years (Didymus the Blind).
We rightly call Fr.
Mettaos the ideal monk and the lover of wilderness, and the spiritual father
that is moderate in his guidance, the possessor of spiritual insight,
unmatched. Who thanked God concerning every condition, for every condition and
in every condition. He was a good example and we learned a lot from him. We ask for
his intercessions on our behalf and for the Syrian monastery (Der-el-Suryan) and
that he may remember us before the throne of grace and that we may meet in
Heaven.
We present to your our
dear reader this book on the life and sayings of this virtuous father, hoping
that it becomes a source of blessing to you and to all readers. And we thank
all those who laboured in the process of bringing this aromatic story and the
deep monastic contemplations into light.
Through
the intercessions of our pure mother St. Mary and through the prayers of our
beloved father H.H. Pope Shenouda III, father of monks of this generation.
H.H. Bishop Mettaos
Bishop of the Syrian Monastery
Thanks so much.
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