Description and research notes
Official Patriarchal letter signed by His Holiness Pope Cyril IX, Coptic Orthodox Patriarch of Alexandria (1928–1952). Dated 17 September 1943 and issued from the Patriarchate in Alexandria, the document is written in formal Arabic chancery style and expresses personal thanks to Dr. Tawfiq Hijazi for medical services. The letterhead features the crowned Coptic Patriarchal emblem, printed in green, with bilingual (Arabic–French) institutional titling.
Authentic Cyril IX signatures are rare, and surviving Patriarchal letters from the 1940s are typically held in church archives rather than private hands. This example is unusually well preserved, with intact emblem, clean ink, and no loss of text. The content reflects the Patriarchate’s active engagement with Egypt’s medical and civic communities during the World War II period.
This document ranks among the most desirable Coptic Church administrative pieces of the 20th century. It bridges Egypt’s royal-era ecclesiastical structure with the cultural and social dynamics of wartime Alexandria and serves as a cornerstone artifact for both religious and governmental documentary history.