In 1582, after his time with the Maronites, Eliano was sent directly to Egypt in order to attempt once again to convert the Copts to Catholicism. With the financial backing of King Henry III of France and the help of Paolo Mariani, the French consul in Alexandria and a close associate of Coptic Patriarch John XIV, Eliano hoped that he could convince the Copts to conduct a synod that would mark an important first step toward full Coptic conversion. This chapter follows Eliano’s efforts to transfer the work he was conducting in Lebanon to Egypt. Eliano emphasized his textual skills and his ability to navigate the cultural landscape of Egypt. The chapter ends with Eliano finally convincing the Copts to hold a synod to debate ways to reconcile Catholic and Coptic theology and Christology. This chapter illustrates how, because of fears that Eliano’s Jewish past could still be his undoing, he became preoccupied with proving his sincerity by converting the Copts. However, his ability to do so hinged on his Jewish past as the font of his missionary toolkit.

This chapter begins with the Coptic synod and its subsequent unraveling. First, while many Coptic theologians approved it, the patriarch refused to recognize the accord. Secondly, the synod was rejected in Rome because it was seen as heretical. Moreover, when the mission’s patron, Henry III, changed consuls, the new consul Cristoforo Vento and Eliano came to blows. In turn, Vento told the Ottoman officials that a Portuguese Jew named David Moze had evidence that Eliano aimed to overthrow Ottoman authority in Egypt. Eliano was arrested and nearly executed. Upon his release, Eliano went to great lengths to prove that his arrest was not the machinations of a Jew who wanted to punish him for his apostasy. While Eliano was eventually able to return to his work with the Copts one he successfully proved that Vento and not Moze was the culprit of the conspiracy against him, the mission’s breakdown and the confrontation with the Jews that led to his arrest are reminders that Eliano’s Jewish past, however helpful it might have been in allowing him to scour religious texts and engage in theological debates, was always potential fodder for accusations of renegadism and opportunism.

In poor health, Eliano was no longer able to conduct missions. However, he continued to write to Egypt concerning others’ efforts to convert the Copts. Eliano’s letters reflect an obsession with securing his legacy given that he was arrested and fled Egypt twice. This chapter also explores Eliano’s 1588 autobiography. Instead of a complete autobiography, Eliano wrote a thirty-seven-page conversion narrative and exploration of his interactions with the Jews. Because Eliano could no longer leave Italy, he used his knowledge of biblical exegesis to recast his conversion as akin to that of the apostle Paul – arguably the most famous Jewish convert to Christianity – in order to demonstrate to his superiors that his conversion was sincere and that it was his purity in spirit, not his birth, that mattered. The final document that this chapter explores is the last extant letter in Eliano’s hand, a deathbed defense of Paolo Mariani written after Eliano had received his Last Rites. This letter expresses Eliano’s continual efforts to convert the Copts as well as his need to present himself as a Catholic, as he knew that death was imminent. This chapter ends with Eliano’s death on 3 March 1589.

Eliano arrives in Egypt in order to secure the Catholic conversion of the Coptic Orthodox Church. Within weeks, numerous Jews accused him of apostasy and renegadism. While Eliano was able to avoid intrigues by fleeing to the desert with the Coptic Patriarch, the breakdown of talks with the Copts meant that Eliano was back in Alexandria within a year of arriving. While his family seemed keen to avoid all contact with him, other Jews, angry with Eliano for having converted, accused him of blaspheming Islam and converting to Catholicism under spurious circumstances. They bribed the Ottoman governor, resulting in Eliano’s arrest. Eliano fled Egypt in duress and spent the winter of 1562–3 on Cyprus. The chapter ends with his return to Rome. Chapter 2 underscores just how entangled Eliano’s Jewish and Catholic identities were. On one hand, he was selected for this mission because of his experience with Semitic languages and his time as a merchant in Egypt. Yet, other Jews believed he was an opportunist who used his Jewish background for personal gain as a Jesuit. This tension remains a thread throughout the rest of the book, but evolves based on the given circumstances.