Pope John VIII of Alexandria was the 80th leader of the Coptic Orthodox Church, serving from 1300 until his death in 1320. Born in Meniat Bani-Khosaim as Yohanna Ben-Ebsal, he originally lived as a monk at the Monastery of Shahran before his elevation to the papacy. His reign was marked by significant challenges for the Christian community in Egypt, including heavy taxation and the closure of numerous churches throughout the country.