Patriarch
Saint Meletius of Alexandria was born on the island of Crete, between 1535 and 1540. He studied in Venice and Padua; after taking monastic vows, he opened a school for the ancient Greek language. Later, he became the abbot of a monastery and the metropolitan of Cyrene.
In 1590, he was elected Patriarch of Alexandria. During his time, issues arose regarding debts to the sultan and proselytism from the Jesuits, against whom he fought. Meletius made efforts to unite the Copts with the Orthodox Church.
He spent his entire life battling papism and unionism, delivering numerous sermons and teachings, which formed a collection of discourses. Participating in the Constantinople Council in 1593, he contributed to the establishment of the patriarchate in Moscow.
Meletius Pigas actively participated in the affairs of Orthodoxy in Western Russia and Poland, writing numerous letters and messages. He passed away in 1601 at the age of 52. After his death, he was glorified by the Alexandria Orthodox Church, and in 2003, his memory was included in the diptych of saints of the Russian Orthodox Church.
