Michael 56 was patriarch of Alexandria; he was represented at the Council of Constantinople in 869/870 by his archdeacon and synkellos Ioseph 11: Nicetas, Vita Ignatii 544D (Μιχαὴλ ... τοῦ πάπα τῆς κατ' Αἴγυπτον Ἀλεξανδρείας). He is the unnamed patriarch of Alexandria who was the joint addressee with the patriarch of Jerusalem (Solomon 5) and the synkellos of Antioch (Anonymus 602) of a letter from the patriarch Photius (Photios 1) in spring 860, announcing his appointment: Photius, Ep. 289 (III 121 Laourdas-Westerink) (addressed τοῖς θεοφιλεστάτοις συλλειτουργοῖς). Again unnamed, he was the patriarch of Alexandria who was one of the joint addressees of an encyclical letter from Photios 1 to the chief sees of the East in early 867 inviting them to attend the Synod of Constantinople in 867 to depose pope Nikolaos 28 and urging them to be present in person (line 348): Photius, Ep. 2 (I 40 Laourdas-Westerink). According to Eutychius of Alexandria, Michael 56, the son of Bacam, from Burah, succeeded Sophronios 4 as patriarch of Alexandria in AH 233 (= 847/848), and was patriarch for twenty four years: Eutychius Alex. 1137D. He was in fact patriarch for ten years, from 860 to 870; cf. Grumel, Chronologie, p. 443. He died in AH 256 (= AD 869/870) and was buried in his home town of Burah; his successor, Michael II (PBE II), became patriarch in AH 258 (AD 871/872): Eutychius Alex. 1141C.

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