Celui que j'ai cité dans ma réponse sur l'autre topic ? C'est Benjamin d'Alexandrie :
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Ier_d%27Alexandrie
Benjamin devint patriarche en 626, alors que l'Égypte était dominée par les Perses représentant le roi Khosro II. En 630, le pays fit retour à l'Empire byzantin ; l'empereur Héraclius imposa comme patriarche d'Alexandrie de l'Église byzantine et comme préfet d'Égypte l'évêque Cyrus de Phase, chargé d'obtenir la réunification des Églises chrétiennes par la négociation ou par la force. S'ensuivit une décennie de persécutions violentes contre l'Église copte, au cours de laquelle le pape Benjamin dut se réfugier en Haute-Égypte et errer de monastère en monastère pour échapper à une arrestation. Son frère Mennas fut torturé au feu et finalement noyé dans le Nil par les agents de Cyrus de Phase.
La conquête musulmane de l'Égypte (640-642) mit fin à cette persécution. Benjamin put regagner Alexandrie fin 643 ou début 644 muni d'un sauf-conduit du général musulman Amr ibn al-As. Il eut un entretien avec celui-ci, sur lequel il fit paraît-il grande impression. Il établit de bonnes relations avec les nouveaux maîtres du pays, malgré le tribut de plus en plus élevé imposé aux Coptes, et fut reconnu comme le seul chef et représentant de la nation chrétienne d'Égypte, avec des pouvoirs judiciaires.
Le pape Benjamin s'employa ensuite à restaurer les églises et monastères de l'Église copte et à rétablir son unité en réintégrant notamment des évêques qui avaient signé la Plêrophoria de Cyrus de Phase (Cyrus de Nikiou, Victor de Phiom). Il reconsacra le monastère de Saint-Macaire-le-Grand et y fit placer le crâne de saint Marc, qu'il avait pu récupérer malgré les tentatives des Byzantins de l'emporter à Constantinople.
L'article anglais est un peu plus exhaustif :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Benjamin_I_of_Alexandria
In 623 A.D. the Persians captured Egypt. The Copts were prevented from practicing their religion, and their human and national rights were denied. Nevertheless, some Copts felt relief because alien Patriarchs were no longer appointed by Byzantium to oppress the Egyptian church. However, during that era the Persians ruined and destroyed many churches and monasteries.[2]
The Byzantines regained control in 628. In 631, Cyrus, the Chalcedonian bishop of Phasis, was appointed by the Byzantine Emperor Heraclius as both the Melkite patriarch of Egypt[2] and as the prefect in command of the military forces of that province of the empire. His duties in the latter position included curbing religious separatism in the province, by persuasion if possible but by arms if necessary. Benjamin, who was Cyrus's rival in the see of Alexandria, fled the city and sought refuge in the wilderness of St. Macarius, then in Upper Egypt. When persuasion failed, Cyrus began to use force. It was during this time that Benjamin's brother Mennas joined the rebellion against the rule of Cyrus for which he was eventually executed.[3] Cyrus also confiscated the property of all clerics who followed the fugitive Benjamin, and many churches in Egypt were turned over to the Melkites by force.
The Arab Muslim general 'Amr ibn al-'As began his campaign to conquer Egypt in 639, eventually invading Alexandria itself on September 17, 642. History does not record whether the members of the Coptic church assisted the Arabs in this campaign, although it is known that they did help the Melkites. During this time some individuals took the opportunity to ransack and burn churches. St. Mark`s Church on the seashore was plundered, as well as the churches and monasteries that were surrounding it.[3] 'Amr issued a safe conduct to Benjamin to return. Benjamin took some time in returning, eventually arriving at the end of 643 or the beginning of 644. Benjamin seems to have received funds from Sanutius, the ruler of Thebaid, for the rebuilding of the Church of St. Mark. Benjamin worked to bring back order to the affairs of the church, improve the morale of the Coptic population which had been devastated by the actions of Cyrus, and restore churches that were damaged during the recent conflict.[4] He then left Alexandria again, to meet with 'Amr.
In the historic meeting between these two individuals, 'Amr is quoted as having said that he had never seen such an impressive man of God as Benjamin. The exact details of the meeting between these two parties remain unknown. The meeting was however conducted with a dignity which was not witnessed during the Asian battles. At the end of the conference, 'Amr restored to Benjamin all the rights that he had been denied by the Byzantines, and recognized him as the sole representative of the Egyptian people. The Copts were however made to pay a higher tax (gezya). Benjamin for his part publicly prayed for 'Amr and addressed him with admiration.[1]
Benjamin worked to restore the Coptic church by renewing some of the policies which had been put in place by his predecessor Pope Damian of Alexandria. He also established amicable relations with 'Amr and the conquerors of Egypt. The Christian population of Egypt, however, remained divided between the Copts, Melkites, and other groups after the Arab conquest. Benjamin did however eventually prove successful in restoring a degree of unity to his fragmented population. Several Copts who had fled to the Libyan Pentapolis returned. A number of those who had left the Coptic church under duress for the Melkite church during the occupation, including the bishops Cyrus of Nikiou and Victor of Phiom, returned to the fold. He also exercised his new legal and judicial functions, even in accord with the Byzantine legal system, to the satisfaction of the new Islamic authorities.[1]
