He was enthroned as a Pope of Alexandria on the second day of Pi Kogi Enavot, 863 A.M. (25 August 1147).
They were later rebuilt by the Coptic layman Abu El-Fakhr Salib Ibn Mikhail.
Although the name of the Emperor was not recorded, Carlo Conti Rossini identified him as Mara Takla Haymanot, arguing from this exchange that the true reason a new abuna was wanted was that Abuna Mikael refused to acknowledge the legitimacy of the new Zagwe dynasty.
[2] Pope John denied this request and was subsequently arrested and imprisoned for two weeks during the reign of the Fatimid caliph Al-Zafir.
During John's papacy, the expression Life-giving was added to the liturgical confession, which became: This is the Life-giving Flesh that Thine Only-Begotten Son, Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ, took from our Lady .... Pope John V died on 4 Pashons, 882 A.M. (29 April 1166 AD) after 18 years, 8 months, and 4 days on the Throne of Saint Mark.