Leaving His Cell - Life of Fr. Mettaos El-Suryani

Elevated to the rank of Protopresbyter (Hegumen) and Joining the Theological School for Monks in Helwan:

“Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.” (Matthew 5:15)

In the beginning of his monastic life, Fr. Mettaos lived as the ideal vigorous and committed monk. He loved his cell very much, while at the same time faithful to his work as sacristan of the church in all of its order and details in carefulness and keenness. When Bp. Theophilus saw the good characteristics of Fr. Mettaos, he wanted to make him his right arm in managing the affairs of the monastery. He decided to send him to the theological school for monks in Helwan and elevated him to the rank of a protopresbyter on Sunday 7/10/1951.

The main purpose for this school was to educate monks of the different Church teachings. When Bp. Theophilus suddenly asked Fr. Mettaos to prepare himself to go to the school for monks, Fr. Mettaos tried multiple times to excuse himself  and apologized due to his strong clinging to the life in the monastery and his great love for the cell life. But Bp. Theophilus was insistent and made up his mind regarding this. Due to Bp. Theophilus’ insistence and the principles of submission and obedience, Fr. Mettaos obeyed and began to prepare himself to travel to the school for monks in Helwan.

He prepared his personal and simple belongings and packed them in a small blag. He bid farewell to his beloved cell with tearful eyes, waiting and hoping for that moment when he would return to it another time.

Fr. Mettaos travelled with Bp. Theophilus from the monastery to Cairo and from there to Helwan for the school for monks. He was praying in depths as his Master prayed before, “nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” (Luke 22:42).




The virtuous father and great scholar, the late Hegumen Mikhail Mina El-Baramosy was the superintendent and supervisor of the theological school for monks in Helwan at the time. Upon the recommendation of Bp. Theophilus abbot of the monastery to Hegumen Mikhail Mina, Fr. Mettaos was put in the fourth year right away without going through the first three years (5 years of education in this school). In regard to this, our beloved Father told us how Bp. Theophilus took him by the hand and handed him over to Hegumen Mikhail Mina and said to him, “I want Fr. Mettaos to become a Fr. Angelos El-Muharraqy” (the Thrice Blessed H.G. Bp. Maximos, former Metropolitan of Kaliobeya). At that time he was well known as he was the secretary of the monastery of the Virgin Mary El-Muharraq.


Fr. Mettaos developed a loving and respectful relationship with all of the Fathers who were studying with him in this school. Among the distinguished Fathers who studied with him in the same class were:

-Monk Timothaos (Timothy) El-Makary (the late H.G. Bp. Timothaos, general bishop)
-Monk Boules (Paul) El-Baramosy (the late H.G. Bp. Makarios, former bishop of Qena)
-The late Monk Mankarios El-Muharraqy
-The late Monk Maximos El-Suryani the Great

It is worth mentioning that at the time, our beloved Father was confessing to Hegumen Mina El-Baramosy the Hermit (the Thrice Blessed, the late H.H. Pope Kyrillos VI). In his education in the school for monks, he was an example of the outstanding student and the monk who was committed to the monastic rites.

Fr. Mina El-Baramosy the Hermit (Pope Kyrillos VI)

During the holiday period for the Feast of the Nativity and Theophany, the Fathers the monks returned to celebrate the feasts with their brothers. When the feasts passed, all the Fathers the monks returned back to the school except for Fr. Mettaos who stayed in his monastery refusing to go back. This was due to his great love for the monastery and the life of stillness and solitude that he adored.

Whenever Fr. Mettaos met with H.G. Bp. Theophilus, the latter would begin saying, “Father, we want you in the school, every time Fr. Mikhail sees me, he asks, ‘My Father, where did you take Fr. Matta? My Father, where did you take Fr. Matta?’” Because of Bp. Theophilus’ continuous insistence, Fr. Mettaos told him his famous words, “Sayedna, I came to become a monk to live as a monk in a monastery and not as a student in a school!!!” And this is how he settled in his refreshing monastery, and in the bosom of his beloved cell that was very close to his heart.