I would like to make a thread that everyone would share an interesting saint story or martyr that really means something in your life, or they are just enjoyable stories to remember! I would like for everyone to contribute! Please.
Forever,
Coptic Servent
Comments
His Christian name before entering the monastery was : Azzer Yousef Atta. He was born on the 8th of August 1902 , in Damanhour, to Christian parents , lovers of Church and Christian principals.
When he grew , it was his privilege to sit alone in his room and concentrate on reading the Holy Bible and studying religious subjects and Hymns. In July 1927 He decided to enter the monastery, so he resigned from his good civil position and was enrolled in El Baramous Monastery during the Era of Pope Kyrillos the fifth.
He remained for several months under probation, till he was accepted by the monastery leaders to join them as a monk . He was announced on the 17th of Amshir ( 24th February 1928) under the name of MINA EL-BARAMOSY . On the 18th of July 1928 he was appointed as Highomenous MINA El_BARAMOUSY . He continued for some time to study in the Coptic Faculty for Spiritual studies ( El Eklerikia ) . When he heard that he was promoted by POPE JOUANES to be appointed as a Church Bishop , he escaped to the monastery of Saint Shinouda in Souhag . But when he was ordered by the Pope to return back , he declared that he prefers to live in solitary. He was granted this request, under the supervision of the Senior member of EL Baramous Monastery Highomenous Abd El-Mesih El- Masoudy . He lived in solitary in a cave , one hour-walking apart from the monastery .
At the beginning of 1936, he lived in a wind mill, in the desert of Old Cairo, where he continued his daily prayers. In 1941 he was appointed as Head of Monastery Saint Samuel in Al-Kalmun Mountain near Maghagha. He renewed the monastery and its churches , built rooms for the monks of the monastery . Lots of well known spiritual men were his students in this monastery ( e.g. Father Andraws El Samou’ily ) .
In 1947, he moved to old Coptic Cairo, where he built the Church of Saint Mina the Martyr , with the little money he received . He practiced building by himself with the laborers. The elite of his students were appointed as bishops in the same church. In 1949 he established a house for the living of foreign students. He was known for his deep faith and continual worship . Patients from every where in Egypt came to visit him, he prayed for their healing . Because of his strong faith, God gave him the privilege of heeling , during his life, and still after he passed away.
The Holy Spirit chose him to be the POPE OF ALEXANDRIA , on the 10th of May 1959 (2nd of Beshans 1675).
On 28th of June 1959 he appointed Artibishop Gathlik for Ethiopia . A decree was held between both Egyptian and Ethiopian Churches to persist holy love between them.
In November 1959 he laid the foundation stone of the Big Monastery of Saint Mina in Mariuot Desert . A part of his Holy Relics was returned to the monastery . A Cathedral and 3 churches were also built in the huge area of the monastery .
In January 1965 He ruled the Committee of Eastern Orthodox Churches in Addis Ababa , which was the first (Masconic) and ( Non-Khalkadonic) committee for the Eastern Churches held in the recent era. The committee discussed important topics related to the Holy Services and Preaching in this era , also the relation between the attendant churches and other churches.
In the same year he upgraded the Big Cathedral of Saint Marcos in Cairo , which was built more than 100 years before , and decorated it with new paintings.
In 1967 He processed the holy Miron ,which was considered a very important event, as it was the 26th turn in the history of the Coptic Orthodox Church.
On the 2nd of April 1968 , The Holy Virgin , Saint Mary showed over the domes of Her Church of Zeitun in Cairo . It was a great Holy announcement , unprecedented since the Holy Spirit held on the Apostles fifty days after reprcussion . The Holy show was by huge resurrection lights that could not be predicted by human beings. This Holly Event dominated for several months, during which thousands of patients were healed from their severe illness : The blind eyes opened, the crippled walked, the evil spirits departed. God was glorified by all people of different religions and nations who obtained sympathy and faith .
In June 1968 Pope Kyrillos received the Holy Relics of Saint Marcos after being absent from his land Egypt for more than eleven centuries . The Holy Corpse was buried in a specially built grave , under the Alters of the Great New Cathedral of Saint Reways built by The Pope and was opened in a great holy festival attended by President Nasser and Emperor Hila Slasy of Ethiopia and delegates from most of the world Churches .
Pope Kyrillos the Sixth did not forget at any time that he is the poor monk Mina the solitary . His meals were so poor and simple. Many days he lived on dry bread and salt. In all his fastenings he used to have one single meal after sunset and the Holy Service which he used to hold every day. His dress was so simple. Slept very few hours.
He continued his daily prayers , starting early in the morning, followed by the Holy Service , praying in a low solemn voice, his head bent down , with closed eyes. Many times he could not stop his tears from falling . He was so humble , his door opened for any body who wanted to sit with him and talk about his problems. He was a guide to many lost souls . So many were saved by his prayers, so many were healed from their sickness, so many evil spirits departed those they possessed with simple prayers coming from his heart.
He used to pray almost the whole day, from the early morning till the late nights , in the church, in his room, during his meetings, during walking, even during eating , concentrating his mind and heart on GOD ,It was truly said that he is a man of prayers and miracles.
He bore so many hard experiences , in and out the church . he was the man for whom Saint Paul the Apostle said " All those who want to live in purity with Jesus Christ are attacked " . But Hand of God always saved him, none of those who opposed him ever won .
When at last The Almighty wanted to give an end to his sufferings, he was informed several times in dreams and holy announcements, which he declared to his intimates . He sickened shortly. On the day he passed out, he met some of his followers, when the last person departed , he raised the cross, that was always held in his hands and said " God shall guard you " , He entered his bed room and passed away . He was buried under the Alter of the new Cathedral.
His body was transferred in a great solemn festival to the Monastery of Saint Mina the Martyr in Mariuot , following his will, to be near the Great Saint, in a day when it rained and thundered in a way that never happened before .
Blessings of this Great Saint be with us. Glory of God for ever, Amen.
GBU
Forever,
Coptic Servent
He was left on the door of a monastary by his mom cause i think they were during a time of war..and she didnt want him to get killed (so every1 got killed in the war), and then the monks took him in and raised him. he was just a little boy like 7 or so and saw he was a little naughty, so the monks didnt want him playing around in the monastary and stuff, so they told him not to go to this upper room cause a scary old man lives there (they were just trying to scare him off).
But of course him being a curious kid, went up to the room despite their warnings, then when he went up there was a large statue of a cross with Jesus on it, when he saw the statue he thought the person on it was real and not just a statue, and he looked at him in amazement.
Marceleno saw that that He hardly had any clothes on, so he asked Him, would u like me to get you a blanket, because u seem cold, and Jesus on the statue, came to life, and said yes, so that night marceleno took his own blanket and went upstairs and put it on jesus while he slept cold with no blanket. then the next day during dinner time, he snuck food in his pockets and did not eat his own food, and then went upstairs, and told the man (Jesus), you look hungry so i got you some food and wine to drink, so jesus on the cross came down and took the bread and wine from marceleno, and thats why he is known as marceleno bread and wine. and also he looked at the crown of thorns on Jesus's head and the nails, and he told him, these probably really hurt u let me take them off for u, and so he took the nails and the crown of thorns off of jesus's feet.
marceleno used to spend most of his time in the upper room talking to jesus, while the monks were very mad at him, wondering what he was up to, because they saw him sneaking food in his pockets, and taking things and hiding them and they did not know what he was doing, and they were thinking of kicking him out of the monastary.
so 1 day jesus told marceleno, marceleno i love u so much, i was hungry and u fed me, i was thirsty and u gave me a drink, i was without clothes and cold and u gave me a blanket......etccc, what can i do for you marceleno. so marceleno told him 'i want to be with my mom', so jesus came down from the cross, took marceleno in his arms, and marceleno went to heaven.
meanwhile the monks were looking for him, and they never thought he would be in the upper room where they told him no to go, but they went there, and they saw Jesus, down from the cross, and Marceleno, dead in His arms, they all cried, and gave glory to God....
Forever,
Coptic Servent
GBU
Martyrdom of St. Mina (Menas) the Wonder Worker
From the Coptic Synaxarium for the 15th Day of the Blessed Month of Hathor
On this day we commemorate the martyrdom of St. Menas (Mina) who was called the blessed faithful. His father Eudoxius was a native of the City of Nakiyos and was its Governor. His brother was envious of him and he brought charges against him before the Emperor. The Emperor transferred him to Africa and appointed him Governor over it. The people were pleased with him because he was merciful and God-fearing. His story is as follows.
His mother Euphemia had no children. One day she went to church on the festival of Our Lady the Virgin Mary, Mother of God, at Attrib. She saw the children in the church wearing their beautiful apparels with their parents. She heaved a sigh and wept before the icon of St. Mary, entreating her to intercede for her before her beloved Son in order that He would give her a son. A voice came from the icon saying "Amen". She rejoiced in what she had heard and realized that the Lord had heard her prayers.
When she returned to her home and told her husband, he replied, "May God's will be done". The Lord gave them this saint and they called him Mina, from the word "Amen" which his mother heard coming out of the icon. Later on, his parents got another son and a daughter.
When he was growing up, his parents taught him how to write and they reared him in a Christian manner. When he was eleven years old, his father departed after a good old age and his mother died three years later. St. Mina devoted his life to fasting, prayer and a Christian way of life.
Because of everyone's love towards him and his father, they placed him in his father's position. In spite of that, he did not forsake his worshipping.
When Diocletian had renounced Christianity and issued orders to worship idols, many were martyred for the name of the Lord Jesus. The Saint left his position and went to the desert, where he stayed and worshipped God with all his heart.
One day he saw the heavens open and the martyrs crowned with beautiful crowns. He heard a voice saying: "He who toils for the name of the Lord Jesus shall receive these crowns". He returned to the city over which he was Governor and confessed the name of the Lord Jesus. Knowing that he belonged to a noble family, they tried to dissuade him from his faith and promised him honour and precious gifts. When he did not change his mind, they threatened him and the Governor ordered him to be tortured. When the Governor failed to turn him away from his faith, he sent him to his brother so that he might influence him but he also failed. Finally, the Governor ordered his head to be cut off, his body to be cast into a fire and his ashes to be scattered in the wind.
The body remained in the fire for three days and three nights, but it was not damaged. His sister came and gave the soldiers a lot of money and they let her take the body. She put it in a sack and intended to take it to Alexandria, as her brother had previously advised her. She embarked with her brother's body on one of the ships to Alexandria. On the trip sea beasts came out of the water and attacked the passengers abroad the ship. They were frightened and screamed with fear. The Saint's sister prayed to the Lord and asked for the intercession of her brother. While the passengers were in fear and confusion, fire went forth from her brother's body and burned the faces of the beasts. They dove immediately into the water and as they reappeared the fire burned them again. They finally dove and did not reappear.
When the ship arrived at the port of Alexandria, most of the people in Alexandria went out with the Patriarch to meet it. They carried the sacred body with honour and reverence and entered the city with a venerable celebration and placed it in the church, after they shrouded it in expensive shrouds.
When the time of persecution ended, the angel of the Lord appeared to the honourable Patriarch, Abba Athanasius the Apostolic. The Lord's command was to place the body of St. Mina on a camel and to take it out of the city without letting anyone lead it but to follow it from a distance until it stopped at a place that the Lord had designated.
They walked behind the camel until they arrived at a place called Lake Bayad, in the district of Marriot. There they heard a voice saying: "This is the place where the Lord wishes the body of his beloved Mina to rest". They lowered the body and placed it in a coffin, and situated it in a beautiful garden and many miracles happened through the body.
After a while, the people of Pentapolis (the five cities) rose against the cities around Alexandria. The people were getting ready to face the Barbarians and the Governor decided to take the body of St. Mina with him as his strong protector. He took the body secretly and through the blessings of this Saint, he overcame the Barbarians and returned victoriously.
The Governor decided not to return the body of the Saint to its original place and wanted to take it to Alexandria. On the way back, they passed by Lake Bayad, St. Mina's original place. The camel carrying the body knelt down and would not move, in spite of frequent beatings. They moved the body over another camel, but again this second camel did not move from its place. The Governor finally realized that this was the Lord's will. He made a coffin from decay-resistant wood and placed the silver coffin in it. He then returned it to its place, invoked St. Mina's blessings, and returned to his city.
When the Lord wanted to disclose the location of St. Mina's body, He did it in this manner. There was a shepherd in the desert who had a lamb with mange. It slipped down into the water of a well near the place of the Saint's body, then came out of the water and rolled over in the sand of that place, and instantly the lamb was healed. When the shepherd saw this miracle, he was amazed. He started to take from the sand, mix it with water and smear with it every lamb with mange or any other disease, and immediately, they were healed.
The news of these miracles spread in all the countries until the Emperor of Constantinople heard of them. He had an only daughter and she was leprous. Her father sent her to the place where the Saint's body was and enquired from the shepherd how these miracles were happening. She took from the sand, moistened it with water, smeared it on her body and slept the night in that place. In her sleep she saw St. Mina saying to her: "Arise early and dig in this place and you will find my body". When she woke up, she was cured. As she began digging she found the body of the Saint. She sent a word to her father who rejoiced greatly, thanked and glorified God.
The Emperor then sent men and money and built a Church in that place and it was consecrated on the fifteenth day of the Coptic month of Baounah.
When the Roman Emperors Arcadius and Honorius reigned, they ordered a city to be built there. Multitudes of people came to that church asking for the intercession of the blessed St. Mina. The Lord had honoured him with many signs and wonders that appeared from his body. When the Arabs came to Egypt, some of them attacked the city and the church was destroyed, only its ruins remained.
When His Holiness the late Pope Abba Kyrillos VI was ordained Patriarch, he took interest in building a large monastery in this area of Mariut in the name of St. Mina. He spent a great deal of money in building it. There are two churches in the monastery, visited by many Coptic worshippers for blessings and for praying. He also bought one hundred acres of land and built a fence around it. He ordained a number of monks who had high degrees of academic and religious education.
May the intercession of St. Mina be with us. Glory be to God forever. Amen.
Also from the Coptic Synaxarium for the 15th Day of the Blessed Month of Paoni: The Consecration of the Church of Mari Mina at Mariut
On this day is the commemoration of the appearance of the body of the honourable saint, and great martyr Mari Mina, and the consecration of his church at Mariut (Mareotis).
Now, the body of this saint was hidden, and the Lord wished to reveal it. It came to pass that there was a shepherd, who pastured his sheep near the place where the body of the saint was buried. One day, one of his sheep, which was sick of a skin disease (mangy), dipped itself in the water of a pond which was near that place. It then went out of the water, and rolled itself in the sand of that place, and it was healed straightway. When the shepherd saw this wonder, he marvelled, and took the sand of that place and mixed it with the water of the pond. He smeared every mangy sheep, or any that had a deformity, and they were healed immediately.
The report of this shepherd became widespread in all the regions of the empire, until the emperor of Constantinople heard of it. He had an only daughter who was leprous. Her father sent her there. She questioned the shepherd about how she could get rid of her illness, and he told her. She took some of that sand and mixed it with the water. She retired to her quarters and smeared her body with the mixture and slept that night in that place. She saw in a dream St. Mina and he told her, "Rise up early and dig in this place and you shall find my body." When she woke up from her sleep, she found herself healed. She dug in that place, and she found the holy body. She sent to her father to inform him about what had happened. He rejoiced exceedingly, thanked God and praised His Holy Name. He sent men and money and built a church in that place which was consecrated on this day.
When Arcadius and Honorius reigned they ordered a city to be built there which was called Mariut. The masses came to this church interceding with the blessed Mari Mina. God had honoured him by the miracles and wonders(1) that were manifested from his pure body, until the Moslems occupied the city and destroyed it.
The biography of this saint is mentioned under the 15th day of Hatour (see above).
May his intercession be with us and Glory be to God forever. Amen.
_______________
(1) That is why the church calls him the wonder worker.
GBU
Later in his life Anba Bishoy went to the desert of Shehet where he took his vows to monastisism and studied under Anba Bamwa. He devoted his life to God and prayer until he deserved the appearance of Jesus Christ.
Anba Bishoy is an Egyptian monk, and Bishoy is a Coptic name means "elevated". He was known by his wisdom, strength, modesty, courage, simplicity in appearance, deep thoughts, calmness and generosity to strangers. These are the highlights of his character.
King Constantine appeared to him in a dream one day and told him "If I had known all the honor bestowed on the monks, I would have left my kingdom to become a monk" Anba Bishoy answered by saying: "But you were the one that removed the worship of idols and Christianity was very prosperous during your reign, didn't Jesus give you anything ?"; Constantine answered "Yes a lot, but not the honor of the monks.
In his days, an old preacher appeared in the mountain of Ansina. He became so famous for his preaching that a lot of people gathered around him. It came to be that he lost his way and the devil misled him until the point when he denied the Holy Spirit. All this news reached Anba Bishoy who went to see him taking with him sacs each having three handles, something that amazed the old preacher, and he asked Anba Bishoy the reason for that and he answered "I have a trinity, and I do everything accordingly", and he started to explain to the people the words of the Bible until he convinced them all.
The saint fulfilled his life of flesh and wished he could see Jesus, and in the middle of that, he got a promise from God that He will appear to him on the mountain of Shehet. So, he gathered the monks and told them the good news. Everyone was filled with joy and they were waiting for that big event to happen. On the appointed day, everybody was in a great hurry rushing to see Jesus. On their way, they passed by man who was trying to join them but had great difficulty because of his age; so he stretched out his hand asking for help, but nobody stopped or even paid him any attention. When Anba Bishoy passed by him, he stopped and carried him on his shoulders, gradually he started to feel that his load was becoming lighter and lighter, then he realized that the old man was Jesus the Lord, the one that everybody ignored. Finally, he died in peace giving his soul the freedom to go and live with the one he always wanted to be with, and that is Jesus Christ.
i love saint bishoy!
On the Fifth day of the Blessed Month of Kiahk
On this day, St. Victor (Boktor) was martyred. He was born in a town, in the province of Assiut, east of the Nile. He was appointed a soldier in the city of Shaou (Shaw).
During that time the Edict of Diocletian was issued to worship and raise incense to the idols. When St. Victor refused to worship the idols, the Governor of Shaou called him and tried to befriend him, but when he failed to persuade him, the Governor finally cast him into prison. His parents came and encouraged him to face martyrdom.
Once again the Governor brought him from prison and ordered him to worship the idols, but St. Victor refused. When the Governor of Shaou failed to make him renounce his faith in the Lord Christ, he was enraged. He sent him to the Governor of the province of Assiut, along with some soldiers, and a message informing him of what had happened.
When the Governor of Assiut read the message, he summoned Victor. When Victor came before him, the Governor asked him, "Why did you disobey the Governor of Shaw? Know, if you listen to me, I shall place you in a high honor, and I shall write to the Emperor to appoint you as governor over one of the cities." The saint shouted with a loud voice, saying, "The kingdoms of the world vanish, the gold perishes, the cloth wears out, the beauty of the body will corrupt and be eaten by worms and will disappear in graves, therefore I would not forsake my Lord Jesus Christ, Creator of Heaven and Earth, and the Provider for everyone, to worship idols made of stone which are inhabited by devils."
The Governor was enraged and ordered him to be tied to the tails of horses and be dragged to the village of Ebesidia. There, they asked him again to worship the idols, but he refused. The Governor ordered him to be killed by throwing him in boiling water in the village of Mosha (Monshah), east of the village of Ebesidia (Ibsidya).
When they took him there, Victor asked the soldiers to wait in order that he might pray first. He extended his arms and prayed to the Lord. The Angel of the Lord appeared to him and promised him with many promises, and the everlasting blessings in the kingdom of heaven. Then St. Victor looked to the soldiers and told them, "Finish what you have been ordered to do." They bound him and cast him into the boiling water. He endured to the end, completed his good strife, and received the crown of the Heavenly kingdom.
Some Christians secretly recovered his body and hid it till the end of the Diocletian reign. When they revealed it, the people who saw it testified that they found the body whole, with not even one hair burned, and lying peacefully like a sleeping person.
They built a [glow=red,2,300]great church in his name[/glow], which still exists in the village of [glow=red,2,300]Mosha[/glow] (Monshah), province of Assiut. Many wonders and signs were manifested from his body and still appear to this day(1).
His prayer be with us. Amen.
The church that is mentioned in the last paragraph:
My Uncle is the priest of this church. What an honor! This is where he died and this is where his body still appears to this day!.