Welcome to the Monastery of Saint Macarius

Born Youssef Iskandar in Banha Qalyubia Governorate in September 20^th, 1919
He graduated in Pharmacy from the University of Cairo in 1944
He entered the monastery of Saint Samuel the Confessor in 1948
In 1951, he was ordained a priest against his will.
Move out into Wadi El Rayan in the late 1950s. By 1960, seven other monks had joined him. The community expanded to twelve by 1964.
He was twice nominated to become Coptic Pope, but was not chosen in either case.
He was also a theologian, and author of 181 books and hundreds of journal articles on Biblical exegesis, Ecclesiastical rites, spiritual and theological matters, and much more.
Pope Kyrillos VI sent them to Wadi El Natrun in 1969 to develop the monastery of St. Macarius the Great.
By 1981 Fr. Matta had over eighty monks in the monastery.
Fr. Matta El Meskeen (Fr. Matthew the Poor) departed to the LORD in June 8^th, 2006.