Pope Mettaos I, 87th pope of Alexandria
Claim to fame: He grew up Christian, memorizing psalms and liturgical responses while working as a shepherd for his father’s sheep. He was inclined to asceticism from an early age and became a monk in Abu Fana monastery and was ordained a priest in the monastery of the Virgin St Mary. Later, he went to St Anthony’s monastery and served as a deacon without telling anyone he was a priest. One day while he was serving in the sanctuary, a hand came out of the altar and censed him three times. The elders of the monastery realised that he was a priest and one day would be patriarch. He escaped from the monastery for fear of vainglory and went to Jerusalem and worked as a hired hand, spending his nights in prayers. He was sent to prison by the governor, and afterward, was unanimously ordained patriarch. He tried to escape by using scissors to cut off his tongue, but the Lord healed him, and he was ordained pope. God had grated him the gift of healing the sick.
Quote: By humility and the fear of the Lord. Are riches and honour and life. (Pro 22:7)
Fun fact: Whenever pope Mettaos stood before the altar, his face would shine with a heavenly light and saw the Lord Christ standing before him.