By announcing that he is now Archbishop Maximus of the True Orthodox Christians, a onetime deacon from Shubra has set yet another cat among the pigeons, reports Nader Habib Last Sunday Max Michel, the lay name of , sparked a major controversy when he announced he was now Archbishop of True Orthodox Christians, taking the name Maximus I. That the announcement came when Pope Shenouda III is abroad -- he is currently in the US receiving medical treatment -- made the controversy all the more acute. On Wednesday the Coptic Orthodox Church issued a statement warning Copts against "Max Michel" and his splinter church in Muqattam, clarifying that he had obtained his religious rank from a US-based splinter group that had broken away from any of the recognised Orthodox churches. Maximus has had a turbulent history with the Coptic Orthodox Church. Born on 3 November, 1949, in Al-Gharbiya Governorate, as Max Michel Hanna, he graduated from the Clerical College of the Coptic Orthodox Church in 1973. But in May 1976 -- while serving as a deacon at St Mina Church in Shubra, Cairo -- he was dismissed following a conflict with Kamal Habib (later to become Anba Beimen). In a voice recording on Pope Shenouda III's web site, posted some time ago, the Pope says that in 1981 -- when the crisis between Shenouda and President Sadat was coming to a head, Michel made statements to the effect that God had abandoned the Coptic Church and had handed it over to him, and went on to designate himself as patriarch. Pope Shenouda adds that it was said that Michel had ordained two bishops as well as a number of priests. Speaking to Al-Ahram Weekly Maximus said that after leaving the church he began to hold meetings in houses with a number of young people. As these meetings increased, and the number of people attending grew, he was advised by "security men" to establish an association to legalise the gatherings. On 28 September 1992 he established a charity association under the name St Athanasius. The association has a number of branches in Egypt, the latest of which is headquartered in Moqattam. He adds that the association covers only preaching; in other words, it does not practice rituals such as communion, baptism or other sacraments. "I had to belong to a church," said Maximus, "and I was seeking at the same time to resume my studies. I studied Orthodox theology at St Elias College in Nebraska, where I joined the Holy Synod [of the American Diaspora of True Orthodox Christians]. "After I had finished my studies and obtained my doctorate the college president, Professor Melchizedek, the Bishop of Nebraska, asked if I would be ordained as assistant bishop, and I agreed. I was then attacked by some angry Copts. Melchizedek consequently ordained me as a bishop and a new bishopric was founded in the name of St Athanasius in Egypt and the Middle East. For a whole year things were stable. The situation became explosive only recently, when Coptic satellite channels attacked me in a series of programmes, accusing me of being a false bishop, having a false PhD, being an imposter." Maximus added that he then took "refuge in the Holy Synod to which I belong, and was promoted to Archbishop. This enables me to establish a synod and to ordain. I thus ordained two assistant bishops last Sunday." He considers the difference between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches as no more than administrative. The Catholic church, he says, has one Pope and one synod, while the Orthodox churches of the world have tens of local synods. "As for Pope Shenouda III", adds Maximus, "he heads only the synod of the Coptic church, which represents [just] four or five per cent of the 250 million Orthodox people in the world... I have not been ordained through Pope Shenouda's synod." "I was ordained by receiving succession from the synod of America, which is affiliated to the See of Constantinople." Maximus does not mince his words when criticising Pope Shenouda III, whom he suggests bears much responsibility for sectarian tensions in Egypt. "Throughout the past 30 years," says Maximus, "there was strong discrimination against those who disagreed with Pope Shenouda, such as Father Matta El-Meskeen." Maximus appears keen to present himself as one of the late monk's students. However, Father Basilius, spokesman of Abu Maqar Monastery where Father Matta served as spiritual guide, insists "Max Michel is not a real student of Father Matta, just a reader of his books." Another point of contention between Maximus and the Coptic Church is that he calls for bishops to be allowed to marry, against the stipulations of all Orthodox churches: "We received priesthood from the apostles, who themselves were married. When the Council of Nicea issued a decree stipulating that bishops not marry, it was a recommendation and not a stipulation," says Maximus. On domestic policy Maximus "trusts in the Egyptian government, especially President Mubarak, who is always fair with Copts". And on Israel: "Orthodox people the world over do not acknowledge Israel. So if I decided to visit Israel, I would go only to visit the holy places trodden by Jesus Christ." So far Maximus has established 10 parishes in different parts of Egypt -- including Muqattam, Shubra, Heliopolis, Fayoum, Beni Sweif, Alexandria, Assiut, Sohag and Port Said. Regarding Pope Shenouda, he insists that "I respect him since he was my teacher. Unfortunately, my message was misunderstood. But I am not a weak man, I am not afraid of anyone and I am not supported by the US as some people believe. I depend on my church's people, whether they are in Egypt, in the US or elsewhere. Because I am affiliated to the Orthodox Church in the US I had to take an authentication from the American Embassy in Cairo." On the TV programme Al-Beit Beitak last Saturday Anba Bishoi, who accompanied the Pope on his medical trip abroad, said in a telephone interview that no Orthodox church in the world accepts married bishops and that Max Michel had been ordained by bishops who had broken away from their Orthodox churches, and was working with priests whom the Coptic Church had defrocked. Shortly after Pope Shenouda returns to Egypt, added Anba Bishoi, "We will hold a press conference." In a reply to an official inquiry on the matter made to Pope Shenouda by the Interior Ministry he replied that the Coptic Church does not acknowledge Maximus's church. Max Michel, the Pope added, follows evangelical Pentecostal thought and is backed by some Coptic immigrants to the US. On Wednesday, in the most recent statement issued by the Coptic Church, Max Michel's move to found a theological college was described as invalid and unacceptable.
