The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-05-15
The Egyptian COpt who Sue
cessftGlay Deceived 81 Pope q
of Rome.

A few weeks ago there died at Spo-
leto, Italy, o man who at one time sue
cessfully deceived a Pope of Rome, and
seanda1ized the whole Roman Catholic
church. His name was Abraham CASH
our, and he was an Egyptian COpt. The
Sol of a fruit peddler at Cairo, he was
brought to Italy, and educated at the
college of the propaganda. Here he
gave out that his father was ofimmense
wealth and great influence with the
Egyptian viceroy, and that If he (the
SOM were made patriarch of the Egyp-
tian Copts, the schismatic Copts would
i'm a mass abjure their schism and re-
turn to the fold of the new church. Leo
XII, who was then the Pope, was de-
ceived by this report, cOnseeFated the
young CashiOur as patriarch, installed
him in elegant apartments, and provided
him with all the surroundings suitableto
his new rank. The patriarch received
the cardinals, patricians and embassa-
doris, while the people crowded around
his carriage to kiss his O~utstretched
hand. 1t was observed, however, that
the new patriarch was very slow to go
and take possession of his patriarchate.
He fingered about Rome evidently en-
Toying the homage he was receiving.
1t was observed that the letters he had
shown to the pope as coming to him
from Egypt, were written on pOntificial
paper, and suspicious beingaroused, the
pope appointed a priest, Canestrari by
name to watch him.
CashiOur, seeing that his star was be-
ginning to pale, decided to start for
Egypt with the priest. Of course, all
this was before the days of railroads
about 1828-and the patriarch travelled
slowly along in his state carriage. He
traversed the southern part of the pom
titcial states, Sicily and Malta, every
where hOnOred and feted, and distribu-
ting, as he passed, benedictiOns from
the window of his coach.
In due course of time the ship con-
veying the patriarch and priest arrived
at the port. of Alexandria, and Cashiour
sent Canestrari in advance to arrange
with the consular corps and the local
authorities for his ceremonial disembark-
ment. Either he did this in sheer des-
peration or he had some faint hopes that
he might still carry on his imposture.
But he career Unsuccessful fraud was at
an end. MOhamet Ali, on hearing that
Rome had sent, with great pomp, q pa
triarch whose mission was to bring
back the schismatic COpts to the Romish
church, flew into a passion; declared
that the new patriarch was an imposter,
and threatened to impale him if he dar-
ed to come on shore.
So Canestrari took Cashiour back to
Rome, were the unhappy Copt was tried
by inquisition and sentenced to eccles-
iastical degradation and to imprison-
ment for life.
For o than twenty years he linger-
ed in prison, until, in 1849, the short
lived Roman republic of that day set at
liberty all the prisoners found in the
dungeons of the inquisition. CashiOur
was among them, but a year later he de-
cided to throw himself on the mercy of
Plus TX, who then had just remounted
his throne.
The pontif was touched by this mark
of confidence, pardoned the penitent
imposter, and even permitted him to
resume the ecclesiastical garb and to
say mass. He also assigned him a pen
sion of 500 francs. For q time CasIliour
lived at Rome, but finally left the met
sopolis for SpoietO, where he could sup
port life more economically. His death
brought to it's close a strange and che
CURED careeF. At this date, with the
general use of Geographic and mail
facilities, such an imposture would be
imnOssihiA. 49,.