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Saint Father Mikhael El Behairy's Life

Saint Father Mikhael El Behairy El Muharraqy (1848-1922) was a monk known for his humility, love, and miraculous abilities, having been a disciple of St. Anba Abraham. He dedicated his life to spiritual pursuits, often performing acts of kindness and labor, while enduring challenges with patience and faith. Canonized as a saint in 1963, his legacy continues to inspire many within the Christian community.

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1K views2 pages

Saint Father Mikhael El Behairy's Life

Saint Father Mikhael El Behairy El Muharraqy (1848-1922) was a monk known for his humility, love, and miraculous abilities, having been a disciple of St. Anba Abraham. He dedicated his life to spiritual pursuits, often performing acts of kindness and labor, while enduring challenges with patience and faith. Canonized as a saint in 1963, his legacy continues to inspire many within the Christian community.

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Saint Father Mikhael El Behairy El Muharraqy [1848-1922]

 He was a disciple of St. Anba Abraham, Bishop of Fayoum.


 Fr Mikhael was born in 1848 in a village in Minya Governorate, from righteous and virtuous
Christian parents full of God's grace,
 When he was 12, his father departed, and four years later his mother died.
 When his father passed away, he went to the roof crying. He saw his father ascending to
heaven, surrounded by angels.
 He called out, but an angel comforted him, saying, "Ask that your afterlife be like his," and
then they disappeared.
 He often listened to a visiting monk's stories about saints and monastic life. Guided by his
father of confession, he practiced monasticism at home from a young age.
 At 15, he worked on road construction. One night, he and a friend encountered hyenas, but
he mistook them for wild dogs and prayed
 He reassured his scared colleague and even petted them. As they neared the village,
barking dogs alarmed the villagers, who were amazed to see the hyenas behaving friendly
with the saint
 At 20, he became a monk at the Monastery of the Virgin Mary in Muharraq during Father
Paul presidency (Saint Anba Abraham).
 He lived on the path of his teacher Anba Abraham, so he had many virtues, most notably
humility and love.
 They called him in the monastery "the man of mercy and the father of the needy”
 He began binding books and repairing those in the monastery library and visitors' books. He
accepted any rewards and distributed them to the poor.
 His bookbinding led him to read more, and he encouraged monks to do the same.
 He was a virtuous teacher known for performing miracles then was ordained priest at age
26. God also gave him authority over evil spirits.
 Many sought his blessings from across the country. He preferred tranquility and solitude,
slept little, and spent nights in praise.
 Despite his ordination, he humbly cleaned the monastery churches and planted the orchard
nearby. Two palm trees still stand there carrying his name
 Since entering the monastery, he has abstained from meat, fasted until evening, and rarely
rested.
 He found no comfort in relaxation but loved to work, combining his labor and asceticism with
daily prayer and reciting psalms.
 In 1586, an evil rebel led to the expulsion of Abbot Anba Abraham from the monastery.
 Anba Abraam left the monastery with his disciples, requesting Father Michael al-Beheiri to
stay saying: "Let him stay at the monastery to avoid divine wrath and provide us comfort for
our work."
 The saint felt sad over leaving his father. Later, he faced pressure from the monks to leave
the monastery, but he endured these challenges quietly and patiently
 On one occasion, while preparing Korban, someone stole all his clothes and belongings. He
approached the abbot, covered in flour, seeking assistance as he had nothing to wear.
 Rather than providing new clothing, the abbot perceived the request as an accusation of
theft against one of the monks and reproached him. Subsequently, an old monk gave him an
old rough garment, which he then wore happily
 Another time, the abbot rebuked him for asking forgiveness for a monk's mistake. He
apologized and returned to his cell quietly. Later, when the monks tried to enter the church
for night prayers, the door did not open.
 The abbot realized it was because of how he had treated the saint, so he apologized to him.
The monk accompanied him back to the church, and the door then opened.
 Aging with austerity and devils attack, he lost his sight, had impaired hearing, and was
physically exhausted.
 Despite his blindness, he kept going to church daily. When his disciple suggested he rest
instead, he replied, "Son, the incense comforts me deeply, allowing me to see what no eyes
have seen and hear what no ears have heard."
 The saint used to say, "Go, blessed" when a monk entered his cell. No one understood until
his disciple insisted thinking there was a hermit with him
 The saint said, “I am a sinner, no hermits come to me” then he called out, "Come, blessed";
a large snake nearly 2 meters long emerged from behind the wall.
 The saint explained, "This snake is my companion. It shares my food, and I sleep on its
body with my head resting on it."
 After the saint departed, the snake left the cell, mourned its friend's absence by writhing in
the dirt, and eventually died of sadness.
 Fr Mikhaeil departed after a life devoted to spiritual endeavors in February 1922 and his
pure body is in his monastery, St Mary’s, El Moharrak
 The holy synod canonized him as a saint in 1963, May his prayers be with us all amen

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Fr Mikhael's resilience is highlighted by several adversities he faced, such as remaining in the monastery during a rebellion that led to the expulsion of Anba Abraham while enduring pressure from monks to leave himself . Additionally, he maintained a humble demeanor despite being reproached by the abbot over the theft accusation incident and quietly retreating to his cell after being unjustly rebuked . His endurance of such challenges without complaint reflects his deep commitment and perseverance in the monastic life .

Fr Mikhael's reputation as a virtuous teacher and saint stemmed from his devout life marked by humility, piety, and miracles. His personal experiences, like the serene interaction with hyenas, manifested his deep faith and trust in God. Additionally, miracles attributed to him, such as authority over evil spirits and opening a church door through intercession, reinforced this reputation . These aspects, coupled with his lifelong commitment to monastic ideals and spiritual guidance to others, solidified his legacy as a holy figure .

Fr Mikhael's spiritual beliefs and practices are exemplified in his interactions with animals, such as the incident with hyenas that he mistakenly viewed as wild dogs yet calmly interacted with them, showcasing his faith and trust in divine protection . Another instance is his relationship with a snake which became his companion, reflecting a harmonious existence with nature, rooted in his spiritual belief of seeing God’s presence in all creatures .

Father Mikhael's childhood visions, such as witnessing his father's ascent to heaven surrounded by angels, profoundly influenced his spiritual journey by instilling a sense of divine presence and assurance in life beyond earthly existence . These experiences, coupled with early exposure to monastic stories through visiting monks, encouraged him to practice monastic disciplines at home from a young age, setting the foundation for his future monastic life and spiritual outlook .

The role of Fr Mikhael's monastic community was crucial in shaping his legacy posthumously. The veneration of his life, articulated in stories of his piety and miracles, maintained by fellow monks and the wider monastic community, facilitated his canonization in 1963, affirming his sanctity . The ongoing influence of his ideals and recorded acts of humility, service, and divine encounters have perpetuated his story, embodying the communal acknowledgment and celebration of his virtues which is essential in the Orthodox tradition for sainthood . The preservation of his teachings and monastic contributions served to enshrine his life as an exemplary figure for future generations, indicating a collective effort in venerating and immortalizing his spiritual impact.

Fr Mikhael El Behairy exemplified humility and love by performing chores typically considered menial, such as cleaning the monastery churches and tending the orchard, despite his ordination as a priest . He was known as "the man of mercy and the father of the needy," distributing rewards and resources among the poor, and living a simple life dedicated to serving others .

Fr Mikhael's life was a testament to monastic ideals through his ascetic lifestyle, such as abstaining from meat, fasting until evening, and maintaining a minimalistic routine centered around prayer and psalmody . His commitment to service is evident in his acts of charity, like bookbinding to aid the poor, and how he prioritized community needs over personal comfort, thus living a life that exemplified the core values of humility, service, and self-denial in monastic traditions .

Fr Mikhael was deeply influenced by his father’s guidance and the spiritual mentorship of Anba Abraham. The vision of his father ascending to heaven instilled in him a strong yearning for a virtuous life . Anba Abraham’s teachings on monastic virtues and guidance particularly shaped his ascetic practices and commitment to humility and service as seen in his life within the monastery . These relationships provided a strong spiritual foundation that guided his choices and dedication to an ascetic lifestyle, emphasizing the importance of mentorship in religious life .

Fr Mikhael's unwavering devotion during physical decline, marked by blindness and exhaustion, underscores his spiritual fortitude and deep-seated faith. Despite his impairments, he continued to participate actively in church services, finding spiritual solace in the rituals . His comment on the comforting nature of incense reflects an inner vision far surpassing his physical limitations, highlighting an ascetic devotion that transcended bodily constraints and cherished spiritual experience above all . This persistence showcases the depth of his spiritual commitment and set an inspiring example within the monastic community.

Fr Mikhael's response to the theft of his clothes and belongings demonstrates his humility and non-materialistic values. Instead of reacting with anger or resentment, he sought assistance without accusing others, embodying a forgiving nature. Even when reproached incorrectly by the abbot, he quietly accepted an old garment from another monk, demonstrating his contentment with simplicity and grace in the face of adversity .

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