hurting him.[1] In the later years of Hakim, when his fanaticism of self-deification was ripe, his persecution of the Copts was very severe. All Christian services were silenced, except in the remoter monasteries; there was a wholesale destruction of churches; Christians were ordered to wear heavy crosses and were subjected to various humiliations. A little while before he was assassinated, Hakim changed his policy towards the Christians, and ordered the rebuilding of their churches, and the removal of the worst of their restrictions. This is attributed to the favourable impression he had received when visiting Zacharias in prison, and observing the deference that was shown to the little old man in shabby clothes.
Zacharias died about the year 1012. He was succeeded by Chenouda, a monk of St. Macarius, whose simony in the sale of bishoprics was worse than that of any of his predecessors. The patriarch acted on the theory that on the death of a bishop his personal property passed over to the Church. Since Hakim's decree of toleration and restitution the Copts had enjoyed rest from persecution by the government; but now they were pillaged by their own patriarch, who practised both extortion and bribery, disgracing the free and peaceful times with corrupt Church government. Some mitigation of the evil was accomplished by a nobleman named Bekr. This generous reformer worked for the relief of the bishops. To that end he promised to pay to Alexandria the customary dues of the clergy[2]—which were made up out of the bishops' fines on appointment—if the bishops in turn would undertake to give up their exactions. The bishops demurred, and Chenouda after signing tore up the document on which the terms of this offer were set forth. A scene of confusion followed. In the end Chenouda ordered Bekr to be arrested and publicly beaten.
This disgraceful patriarch dying in the year 1047 was
