Metropolitan Athanasius (1923–2000) was the Coptic Orthodox bishop of Beni Suef and El-Bahnasa in Egypt from 1962 until his death in 2000.

His family was known by the name qassis (meaning "priest") because of the large number of Coptic clergy it had produced over at least six generations.

On September 9 of the same year, Pope Kyrillos VI ordained Macarius al-Suryani as the new bishop of Beni Suef and added El-Bahnasa to this bishopric, giving him the name of his predecessor.

[2] In the 1960s, Bishop Athanasius founded The Daughters of Saint Mary in Beni Suef, an order of serving nuns who played a role in various social projects in the community.

[3] Dr. Maurice Assad, former Secretary-General of the Middle-East Council of Churches,[4] wrote "Bishop Athanasius was known for his weekly Bible study meetings in Beni Suef which were always attended by hundreds of people.

The papal committee left only the spiritual authority to Pope Shenouda III, but not the rule of the church.

In 1992 and 1994 the bishop was absent from patriarchal anniversaries, but during the Christmas celebration in January 1999 he was welcomed by Pope Shenouda in the Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Cairo and received from the church goers a standing ovation.