Pope John I (II) of Alexandria (died
29 April, 505) was the
Coptic Pope and
Patriarch of Alexandria from
496 until his death. He was a
Miaphysite.
He is counted as
John II by the
Eastern Orthodox Church, which acknowledges
John Talaia as
John I, but as
John I by the Copts who reject Talaia.
John was born in
Alexandria to
Christian parents. He became a monk in the
Nitrian Desert, at the
Monastery of Saint Macarius the Great.
Against his will, he was consecrated
Pope and
Patriarch of Alexandria on
29 September, 496, following the death of
Athanasius II. He was the first
Alexandrine bishop to be chosen from among the monks from the desert monasteries rather than from the learned clergy of Alexandria. He reigned for eight years and seven months.
During his time as Patriarch, he is recorded as having secured gifts of wheat, wine, and oil for his former monastery from the Emperor.
He was a firm opponent of the
Council of Chalcedon and held communion with those who accepted the
Henotikon of
Emperor Zeno without imposing a formal anathema on Chalcedon. By doing so, he largely kept the church in peace, although also continuing the schism of the
Acephaloi, who opposed both the Council of Chalcedon and the conciliatory approach of the Henotikon.
He is commemorated in the
Calendar of Saints of the
Coptic Church on the 4th day of Pashons, the day of his death.
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