Our Need for Christ
- Born Youssef Iskandar in Banha Qalyubia Governorate in September 20th, 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 8th, 2006.