Church ‘officially’ strips St. Macarius's Ash’eyaa of priesthood

CAIRO - 5 August 2018: The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria ordered Sunday stripping Monk Ash'eyaa al-Makary of his sacerdotal rank, for “inappropriate” actions he committed which contradicted with the monastic behavior and life.

In a statement signed by Pope Tawadros II, the Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, the Orthodox Church revealed that a monastic investigation was conducted with Ash’eyaa by a special committee formed by the Monastic Committee and the Monasteries Affairs of the Holy Synod.

The church’s statement did not explain the ‘inappropriate actions’ committed by Ash’eyaa; instead it expelled him from the St. Macarius Monastery in Wadi El-Natrun, to return to his birth name ‘Wael Saad.’

The head of St. Macarius Monastery, Bishop Epiphanius, was found dead and covered in blood on July 29, however, Church spokesman Boulis Halim denied any links between the expulsion of Ash'eyaa and the murder, saying that investigation is still ongoing.

The church said the former monk was investigated for the accusations issued against him and the inappropriate actions he committed which contradicted with monastic behavior and life, and violated the commitment to the principles and vows of monasticism including voluntary poverty, obedience and virtue.


The statement of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria ordering to strip Monk Ash'eyaa al-Makary of his sacerdotal rank, for “inappropriate” actions he committed

Following investigation, the Church decided, according to the statement to strip Ash’eyaa from his sacerdotal rank, and to expel him from the St. Macarius Monastery.

It also decided to deprive him from his monastic name to consequently restore his original name Wael Saad Tawadros. Moreover, the former monk will be urged by the church to repent, according to the statement.

Claims that monks Yacoub al-Makary, and Ash'eyaa have been deprived of their monasticism, had circulated on Facebook recently.

St. Macarius Monastery announced last year that monk Yacoub al-Makary was expelled, warning against engaging in any financial deals with him as he had collected donations to build a convent in Wadi al-Natrun under the name The Virgin and Bishop Caras.

Makary had been expelled last February by Bishop Epiphanius due to problems between them before he could gather signatures of his colleagues to stay, and declared obedience to the bishop.

On the other hand, Pope Tawadros II issued a set of rules regulating monasticism on Thursday, including halting all applications for monasticism in Orthodox convents in Egypt for a year starting August 2018. Monasticism and priesthood will be withdrawn from any individuals who had established convents without acquiring consent from the patriarchy, deactivating all bishops’ social media accounts, among other strict regulations.