BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//ST. MARY AND ST. MENA - ECPv6.16.3//NONSGML v1.0//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for ST. MARY AND ST. MENA
REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H
X-Robots-Tag:noindex
X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:UTC
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:+0000
TZOFFSETTO:+0000
TZNAME:UTC
DTSTART:20210101T000000
END:STANDARD
END:VTIMEZONE
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20220520T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20220520T170000
DTSTAMP:20260615T215712
CREATED:20220503T113318Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220503T115557Z
UID:11047-1653033600-1653066000@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:-COMMEMORATION OF THE MARTYRDOM OF MASTER (MOALLEM) MALATI
DESCRIPTION:May 20\, 2022 – Bashans 12\, 1738 \nOn this day also\, of the year 1519 A.M. (May 19th.\, 1803 A.D.)\, the church commemorates the martyrdom of Master (Moallem) Malati. He was a scribe to Ayyoub Beck El-Defterdar\, of the Mamaliks of Mohammed Beck Abu El-Dahab. When the French occupied Egypt\, they formed a department to look after national problems\, and made Moallem Malati a general manager to it with the consent of the Christian and Moslem members\, for his great managerial ability and wisdom. After the French had been driven out of Egypt\, Moallem Gergis El-Gawhary\, Moallem Wasef\, and Moallem Malati were protected by the rulers of Egypt. However\, in a disturbance at the time of Taher Pasha\,the governor of Egypt\, they arrested Moallem Malati\, and cut off his head at Bab Zoweila in Cairo\, and he received the crown of martyrdom. May his intercession be with us and Glory be to God forever. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/commemoration-of-the-martyrdom-of-master-moallem-malati-2/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20220520T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20220520T170000
DTSTAMP:20260615T215712
CREATED:20220503T113231Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220503T115605Z
UID:11045-1653033600-1653066000@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:-DEPARTURE OF POPE MARK THE SEVENTH\, THE 106TH PATRIARCH OF ALEXANDRIA
DESCRIPTION:May 20\, 2022 – Bashans 12\, 1738 \nOn this day also\, of the year 1485 A.M. (May 18th.\, 1769 A.D.)\, Pope Mark the Seventh\, the one-hundred and sixth Patriarch of Alexandria\, departed. He was from the city of Klosna\, in the district of El-Bahnasa. His name was Simeon\, and he went to the monastery of St. Antonios at a young age. He stayed there for a time and visited often the monastery of St. Paul in mount Nimra\, where he became a monk and was ordained a priest. When Pope Yoannis the Seventeenth (The 105th. Patriarch) departed\, he was chosen to succeed him on the Patriarchal Chair. They brought him from the monastery and ordained him Patriarch on Sunday\, the 24th. of Bashans\, 1461 A.M. (May 30th.\, 1745 A.D.) on the day of the feast of the entry of the Lord Jesus to Egypt. This Pope was kind\, with a very beautiful voice\, and was very fluent in speech. After two years of his enthronement\, there was a mutiny among the soldiers. Many of the princes were killed\, some escaped to upper Egypt\, and some escaped to the Arabian Peninsula. The Pope suffered a great deal in these days\, from inside the church and from outside. God removed these tribulations after it had lingered for a time. \nThis pope ordained Abba Peter\, a Metropolitan over Upper Egypt\, to shepherd his flock from the snatching wolves. At the end of his days\, Abba Yoannis the 14h.\, Metropolitan of Ethiopia the 103rd.\, departed. A delegation was sent by the king of Ethiopia\, came to the Pope asking to ordain a Metropolitan for them. The Pope ordained Abba Yousab the 4th.\, six months before his departure\, and Abba Yousab left Egypt to his Chair in Ethiopia\, after the departure of Pope Mark. He departed when he was residing in the church of the virgin\, in the monastery known as Adawiyya\, in El-Maadi near Cairo. Before he delivered up his soul\, he saw St. Antonios and St.Paula at the second hour of Thursday. \nThe church was celebrating the feast of St. Demiana\, the commemoration of Archangel Michael\, and the departure of St.John Chrysostom. Right after his departure\, they took his body by a boat to the monastery of St. George\, and placed it in the convent under the shrine. On Friday\, the 13th. of Bashans\, Metropolitan Yousab of Ethiopia\, Abba Peter bishop of Upper Egypt\, and all the archpriests\, priests\, deacons\, and lay leaders washed the face of the departed Pope: his hands and his feet with rose water. They prepared him with precious spices\, put on him his priestly clothing\, and placed him in a coffin. They carried him in a procession to the church of St. Marcurius (Abu Saifain)\, where they prayed over him as befitting his honor and buried him in the tomb of the Patriarchs. He stayed on the Patriarchal Chair for twenty-three years\, eleven months and eighteen days\, and the Chair was vacant five months and five days after his departure. He was a contemporary to El-Sultans Mahmoud I\, Osman III\, and Moustafa III. May his prayers be with us. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/departure-of-pope-mark-the-seventh-the-106th-patriarch-of-alexandria-2/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20220520T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20220520T170000
DTSTAMP:20260615T215712
CREATED:20220503T113140Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220503T115146Z
UID:11040-1653033600-1653066000@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:-COMMEMORATION OF THE APPEARANCE OF A CROSS OF LIGHT ABOVE GOLGOTHA
DESCRIPTION:May 20\, 2022 – Bashans 12\, 1738 \nOn this day also\, of the year 351 A.D.\, during the time of St. Kyrillos (Cyril)\, Patriarch of Jerusalem\, and during the reign of Emperor Constantius\, the sign of the honorable Cross appeared in the sky at the third hour of the day. The sign of the cross was surrounded with a light which exceeded the light of the sun\, covering the area above Jerusalem\, from Golgotha to the mount of Olive. All those who were in Jerusalem saw it\, and they all rushed to the church of the resurrection\, and were astonished and overwhelmed from the greatness of the sign. Many believed at that time. The Patriarch wrote to Emperor Constantius saying: ‘In the days of your blessed father\, the sign of the Cross made of stars\, appeared in the middle of the sky\, and in your days\, the sign of the Cross appeared also surrounded with great light. He forbade him from following the heresy of Arius. He also made this day a memorial in Jerusalem and one of the feasts celebrated there\, and all other churches followed this tradition until today. For through the Cross we received the Salvation\, and it is our armor against all our enemies if we armored ourselves with it in a strong faith.’ May the blessing of the Cross be with us. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/commemoration-of-the-appearance-of-a-cross-of-light-above-golgotha-2/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20220520T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20220520T170000
DTSTAMP:20260615T215712
CREATED:20220503T113055Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220503T115333Z
UID:11035-1653033600-1653066000@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:-COMMEMORATION OF THE RELOCATION OF THE RELICS OF ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
DESCRIPTION:May 20\, 2022 – Bashans 12\, 1738 \nThis day also marks the commemoration of the relocation of the relics of St. John Chrysostom (Of the Golden Mouth)\, from the city of Cuma\, where he departed to the city of Constantinople\, in the year 437 A.D.\, with honor and respect befitting him. They laid him in the church of the holy Apostles\, and this was during the reign of Emperor Theodosius II. Empress Eudoxia\, the wife of Emperor Arcadius\, had exiled St. John\, for he prevented her from attending the church and partaking from the Holy Mysteries\, because she took by force a garden owned by a widow\, and for other reasons. God avenged because of the Empress’ evil deeds; she became sick and spent large sums of money. The Saint had departed in his exile and the Empress went to his tomb\, wept\, and asked his forgiveness. She was healed. The biography of the Saint is under the 17th. day of the month of Hatour. May his prayer be with us. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/commemoration-of-the-relocation-of-the-relics-of-st-john-chrysostom-2/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20220520T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20220520T170000
DTSTAMP:20260615T215712
CREATED:20220503T113014Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220503T115326Z
UID:11033-1653033600-1653066000@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:-COMMEMORATION OF THE CONSECRATION OF THE CHURCH OF ST. DEMIANA
DESCRIPTION:May 20\, 2022 – Bashans 12\, 1738 \nOn this day\, the church commemorates the consecration of the church of the virgin St. Demiana. This pure and fighting virgin was the daughter of Mark\, who was the governor of El-Borollus\, El-Zaafran and the valley of Saisaban. She was the only child of her parents. When she was one year old\, her father took her to the church that was in the monastery of El-Maima. He offered gifts there so that God might bless this daughter and keep her safe Him. When she was fifteen years old\, her father wanted to get her married. She refused and told him that she had vowed herself a bride for the Lord Christ. When she found that her father was pleased of her decision\, she asked him to build her an isolated palace\, so that she could worship God with her virgin friends\, and right away he did what she asked. He built the palace where she and the forty virgins lived in. They spent their time by reading the Holy Bible and praying fervently to God. Shortly after\, Emperor Diocletian sent for Mark her father and ordered him to worship the idols\, but he refused at first. However\, after some persuasion\, Mark obeyed him and worshipped the idols\, forsaking the creator of the universe. When Mark returned\, and St. Demiana knew of what her father had done\, she rushed to meet him without a greeting saying: What have I heard about you? I wished I have Heard the news of your death\, and not knowing that you have forsaken God who have created you and worshipped what is made by hands. If you insist on what you have done and you do not relent by denouncing the idols\, you are not my father\, and I am not your daughter. She also said to him: It is better for you\, O my father\, that you die a martyr and live with Christ in heaven forever\, than you live as a pagan here and die with the devil in hades forever. Then she left him. Her father was moved by what she said and wept bitterly. \nHe went in hurry to Diocletian and confessed the Lord Christ before him. When Diocletian could not change his mind\, he ordered him to be beheaded. When Diocletian knew that the one who turned Mark away from worshipping the idols was his daughter Demiana\, he sent to her a prince to persuade her at first\, and if she did not obey\, he would cut off her head. The Prince came to her with an entourage of one hundred soldiers armed with all instruments of torture. When he arrived to her palace\, he went to her and said: I am an envoy sent by Emperor Diocletian. I came to ask you\, according to his orders\, to worship his gods\, so he might grant you whatsoever you wish. St. Demiana shouted at the prince saying: Curse the messenger and he who sent him. Are you not ashamed to call stones and wood gods that only dwelt by devils? There is no other God in heaven or on earth except the one God\, the Father\, the Son and the Holy Spirit\, the Creator\, Who has no beginning and no end\, the Omnipresent\, and the Omniscient God\, who will throw you in hell for eternal condemnation. As for me\, I worship my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and His Good Father and the Holy Spirit\, the Holy Trinity. I profess Him\, depend on Him\, and in His name I die and by Him I will live forever. The Prince became angry of what she said\, and ordered her to be placed in the body press. Her blood poured out on the ground\, and the virgins were standing\, weeping for her. Then they put her in prison\, where the angel of the Lord appeared to her and touched her body with his celestial wings and healed her from all her wounds. The Prince was creative in the ways he tortured St. Demiana\, sometimes by rending her flesh\, or placing her in boiling grease and oil. In all that\, the Lord strengthened her and raised her up whole. When the Prince saw that his efforts were of no avail and the steadfastness of this pure virgin\, he ordered her to be beheaded with all the virgins with her. \nThey all received the crowns of martyrdom. (The account of her martyrdom is mentioned in the thirteenth day of the month of Tubah) The Prince returned to Antioch\, the city of the Emperor. The faithful came and gathered the bodies of the martyrs and kept them until the end of the days of persecution and the reign of the righteous Emperor the Christ-loving Constantine the great. He ordered to destroy the idol temples and built many churches after the names of the martyrs. He gathered the bodies of the martyrs in every place and placed them in the churches. He endowed the churches with the necessary income to maintain them. When Constantine knew of all what had happened to St. Demiana\, and how she endured for a long time in the valley of El-Saisaban\, he delegated his blessed mother St.Helena to take burial clothing\, go to El-Zaafran\, and build a church in the name of St. Demiana and the forty virgins\, there. St. Helena came to the valley\, went up to the palace\, and found that the bodies were unharmed. She found St. Demiana in the place where she used to sit and around her the forty virgins. She kissed the body\, taking the blessing of the Saint and wrapped the bodies with expensive shrouds. She gathered the craftsmen and architects\, tore down the palace\, and built instead a well built tomb (Cellar) underground. She laid the body of St. Demiana on an ivory bed\, and covered her with a precious bedspread and laid the forty virgins around her in it. Then she built a small and beautiful church which had one dome on the top of it. The church was consecrated by Pope Alexandros\, the nineteenth Patriarch of Alexandria\, on the 12th. of Bashans. \nHe also ordained a saintly bishop\, priests\, and deacons to serve in the church day and night in prayers. The bishop of this area\, El-Zaafran and El-Borollus\, was martyred and his body was placed in this church among the bodies of other martyrs. Abba Yoannis\, Bishop of El Borullus\, said in his book\, The History of the Church: The church was destroyed in the 8th. century by one of the Arab rulers\, who built in its place a palace for his residence. At this time\, the water of the Mediterranean sea flooded the Delta of the Nile river until it reached the city of Samannoud to the western side of the church that called Zion by the old citadel. This flooding was caused by the deterioration of the barrier\, which held back the sea water. When the news reached the king Hassan Ibn Atahia\, he was saddened because this district brought the government much money because it was rich in its highly priced aromatic plants. One of his close aids\, who was a Jew\, told the king to bring the Patriarch of the Copts and order him to pray in faith to return everything to where they were before the flood. God assisted this Patriarch through the help of one of the holy men who was known as El-Toffahi in this trying time. The Patriarch prayed in the church at Samannoud in the presence of the king. Then the Patriarch went out of the church raising the Cross. The people were saying Lord have mercy and the holy man\, El-Toffahi\, behind him. Instantly\, the water receded to the north before them. The Patriarch\, behind him El-Toffahi\, the priests\, the people\, and the king continued to walk until they arrived to El-Zaafran where they erected tents for the king beside the destroyed palace\, under which the body of St. Demiana along with the bodies of the forty martyrs were kept. \nThe Patriarch prayed and knelt to the ground with all the people with him. At this moment\, a great miracle and sign occurred that amazed everyone. A great wind blew in the sea and the waves became very high\, which caused great quantities of sand to form a great barrier with the power of God almighty which was stronger than the original one. Then the winds calmed down.The Patriarch returned to the king\, who received him with honor and told him: O Patriarch\, ask from me\, something to do for you. The Patriarch replied: I need your assistance in building a church in this place because it contains the bodies of Saints who were martyred\, for they refused to worship idols. The king ordered that the place be cleaned. The Patriarch opened the door of the cellar\, went down\, and found the forty bodies of the martyrs around the bed of St. Demiana. The king ordered at once to build a church with one dome\, which was consecrated by the Patriarch on the 12th. day of Bashans. The news of this church spread in all the country and the people came with their offerings to it. The church was consecrated for the first time during the reign of Constantine and the second time was on this day. The king ordered that no one disturb the Copts\, so it was a peaceful and tranquil time in all Egypt. The king returned to his palace in Misr (Cairo) and always asked the Patriarch to visit him periodically. He came to visit the king with great honor till his departure. The king of Egypt at that time was Hassan Ibn Atahia\, who was just\, loved the churches\, and treated the bishops and the monks with great respect. He loved Pope Khail the first\, the forty-sixth Patriarch of Alexandria (743 – 767 A.D.)\, and came often to visit him. He discussed the affairs of the country with him. May the prayers of St. Demiana be with us. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/commemoration-of-the-consecration-of-the-church-of-st-demiana-2/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20220519T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20220519T170000
DTSTAMP:20260615T215712
CREATED:20220503T112922Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220503T115320Z
UID:11028-1652947200-1652979600@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:-DEPARTURE OF ST.PAPHNOTIUS (ST.PAPHNUTI)\, THE BISHOP
DESCRIPTION:May 19\, 2022 – Bashans 11\, 1738 \nDeparture of St.Paphnotius (St.Paphnuti)\, the Bishop On this day also St. Paphnuti\, the Bishop\, departed. He became a monk in the wilderness of St.Macarius. He exerted himself in asceticism and worship and lived his monastic life eating dry beans and fasted for days. He learned how to read and write\, and learned the doctrines of the church. He was ordained a priest\, and stayed in the wilderness for thirty-five years. His virtues became known to everyone\, and Pope Philotheos I\, the sixty-third Patriarch of Alexandria\, called him\, and ordained him bishop. He did not change his clothing except on the day of celebrating the Eucharist\, then he put on his sackcloth that made of hair again. His spiritual fighting and asceticism were so intense that his body languished and he became ill. He asked God in his prayer: O My Lord Jesus Christ\, do not take away from me Your blessings for the sake of my office of bishop. The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said: You know that when you were in the wilderness\, there was no one to take care of you in your sickness\, there was no one to minister to you\, you could not find medications to relieve you\, but God supported\, sustained you\, and kept sickness away from you. However\, you are now in the world\, and there are many who can take care of you\, and offer you medications in your sickness. He was a bishop for thirty two years. When the day of his departure drew near\, he called the priests and the deacons\, handed over to them the sacred property of the church and all its possessions\, and told them: Behold know that I am departing to the Lord Christ. I have walked among you\, and the Lord Jesus to Whom I am about to stand before\, testifies that I have never taken even one dinar from all the money which came to me from the bishop’s office. He blessed them\, then departed in peace.May his prayers be with us and glory be to God forever. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/departure-of-st-paphnotius-st-paphnuti-the-bishop-2/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20220519T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20220519T170000
DTSTAMP:20260615T215712
CREATED:20220503T112840Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220503T115315Z
UID:11023-1652947200-1652979600@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:-MARTYRDOM OF ST.THEOCLIA\, THE WIFE OF ST.JUSTUS
DESCRIPTION:May 19\, 2022 – Bashans 11\, 1738 \nMartyrdom of St.Theoclia\, the wife of St.Justus On this day\, St. Theoclia\, the wife of St. Justus (Whose commemoration is on the 10th. day of Amshir) was martyred. After the Roman Emperor Diocletian had sent them to the Governor of Alexandria\, he separated them. He sent St. Justus to Ansena (Antinoe)\, where he was martyred\, and he sent St. Theoclia to Sa El-Hagar. When the Governor saw\, her he was astonished\, for those who leave the kingdom preferring to die instead. He first tried to persuade her\, but she refused to accept his words saying: I have left my kingdom\, accepted the separation of my husband since my youth\, and I have been comforted for my son for the sake of the Lord Christ\, so what could you give me? He ordered her to be beaten until her flesh was torn and then placed her in prison. The angel of the Lord appeared to her\, comforted and strengthened her. When the prisoners witnessed that her wounds had been healed\, they believed in the Lord Christ\, and they received the crown of martyrdom. Then the Governor ordered her beheaded and she received the crown of martyrdom. Some believers came\, paid the soldier silver\, took her body\, shrouded and placed it in a coffin until the end of the days of persecution. May Her prayers be with us. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/martyrdom-of-st-theoclia-the-wife-of-st-justus-2/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20220518T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20220518T170000
DTSTAMP:20260615T215712
CREATED:20220503T112801Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220503T115309Z
UID:11021-1652860800-1652893200@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:-DEPARTURE OF THE THREE HEBREW YOUNG MEN : HANANIAH\, AZARIAH\, AND MISHAEL
DESCRIPTION:May 18\, 2022 – Bashans 10\, 1738 \nDeparture of the Three Hebrew Young Men : Hananiah\, Azariah\, and Mishael On this day is the commemoration of the departure of the three young men the Saints: Hananiah (Ananias)\, Azariah (Azarias) and Mishael (Misael). These Saints were the sons of Jehoiakim king of Judah. They were exiled by Nebuchadnezzar to Babylon.\nWhen Nebuchadnezzar chose some of the exiled young men to be in his service. These young men and Daniel\, their cousin\, among those who were chosen. Ashpenaz the master of the eunuchs gave them other names: he gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar\, to Hananiah : Shadrach; to Mishael : Meshach; and to Azariah : Abed-Nego. These young men purposed in their heart that they would not defile themselves with the portion of the king’s delicacies\, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore they requested of the chief of the eunuchs that they might not defile themselves. The chief of the eunuchs said to them\, I fear my lord the king\, who has appointed your food and drink. For why should he see your faces looking worse than the young men who are your age? Then you would endanger my head before the king. They said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over them: Please test your servants for ten days\, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our countenances be examined before you\, and the countenances of the young men who eat the portion of the king’s delicacies; and as you see fit\, so deal with your servants. So he consented with them in this matter\, and tested them ten days. And at the end of ten days their countenance appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king’s delicacies. As for these four young men\, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.\nNow at the end of the days\, when the king had said that they should be brought in\, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. When the king interviewed them\, and among them all none was found like Daniel\, Hananiah\, Mishael\, and Azariah; therefore they served before the king. And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them\, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm\, and he appointed them governors on all the provinces of Babylon. (Daniel 1:8-20) When the king made an image of gold\, and the three Hebrew young men did not worship it\, those envious of them\, accused them before the king that they did not worship the image.\nThe king brought them and asked them about that and they confessed that they only worship the true God. He commanded them to be casted in a burning fiery furnace. The Lord sent His angel\, who protected them and made the fire as a cool dew although it burnt the men that threw them in the fiery furnace. When the king saw that\, he believed in their God and promoted them in the province of Babylon. On the tenth day of Bashans\, while they were praying\, and kneeling down\, they gave up the spirit at the hand of the Lord. A great earthquake occurred. The king was terrified\, and inquired from Daniel about what had happened\, who told him that the three Hebrew young men had died.\nThe king came to the place and mourned them. He ordered that three beds made of ebony be made\, and their bodies be wrapped in silk\, and then placed on the beds. He also ordered a bed made of gold for himself\, so that when he died\, they would place him on it among them. Pope Theophilos\, the 23rd. Patriarch\, built a church after their names and wanted to relocate their bodies to it. He delegated St. John the short and sent him to Babylon. When he arrived to the place where they were buried\, he heard a voice saying: The Lord has ordained that our bodies remain in this place\, but because of your labor of love\, when you return\, say to the Patriarch to fill the oil lamps with oil on the night of the consecration of the church\, and the power of God will be revealed. When he returned\, and told the Pope\, he did as he was commanded\, and the oil lamps (Kandeels) lighted up. They glorified God\, and completed the consecration after the names of these Saints.May their prayers be with us and glory be to God forever. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/departure-of-the-three-hebrew-young-men-hananiah-azariah-and-mishael-2/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20220517T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20220517T170000
DTSTAMP:20260615T215712
CREATED:20220503T112638Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220503T115302Z
UID:11014-1652774400-1652806800@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:-DEPARTURE OF ST.GABRIEL THE EIGHTH\, THE 97TH PATRIARCH OF ALEXANDRIA
DESCRIPTION:May 17\, 2022 – Bashans 9\, 1738 \nOn this day also of the year 1319 A.M. (May 14th.\, 1603 A.D.)\, Pope Gabriel the eighth\, the 97th. Patriarch of Alexandria\, departed during the reign of Sultan Ahmad the first\, the Ottoman. He was from Meer\, and became a monk in Anba Bishoy monastery in the wilderness of Sheahat (Scetis). His name was Shenouda\, and was ordained Patriarch on sunday the 16th day of Baounah 1303 A.M. (June 20th.\, 1587 A.D.). The enthronement celebration was headed by Anba Zacharias\, Bishop of Jerusalem\, and Anba Kyrellos El-Khiami\, in the church of St. Mercurius in Old Cairo. At the time of his ordination\, the Copts were divided\, and they chose for themselves four patriarchs\, and they deposed him. He returned later on to his Chair at the time of Sultan Mourad the third\, the Ottoman and his papacy was confirmed. \nIt came to pass (As was written in a document in St. Antonios monastery) that he decreed that the fast of the Apostles must start on the 21st. of Baounah until the 5th. of Abib\, and that there should be no fasting during the three days of Nineva\, the Advent fast should start on the first of Kiahk\, and that the fast of the Virgin be left optional. All the Copts at that time approved what he had decreed. However\, after his departure\, they returned back to the old tradition of fasting. \nHe departed in the monastery of the Virgin Mary known as El-Sourian\, after he had been on the throne of St. Mark for fifteen years\, ten month\, and twenty four days. \nMay his prayers be with us and glory be to God forever. Amen
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/departure-of-st-gabriel-the-eighth-the-97th-patriarch-of-alexandria-2/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20220517T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20220517T170000
DTSTAMP:20260615T215712
CREATED:20220503T112603Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220503T115258Z
UID:11012-1652774400-1652806800@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:-DEPARTURE OF POPE YOANNIS THE ELEVENTH\, THE 89TH PATRIARCH OF ALEXANDRIA
DESCRIPTION:May 17\, 2022 – Bashans 9\, 1738 \nOn this day also of the year 1168 A.M. (May 4th.\, 1452 A.D.) Pope Yoannis the eleventh\, the 89th. Patriarch of Alexandria\, departed. He was known as Yoannis El-Maksi for he was from El-Maksa in Cairo. His name was Farag before his ordination. He was enthroned Patriarch on the 16th. of Bashans\, 1143 A.M. (May 11th.\, 1427 A.D.). He sat on the throne of St. Mark for 24 years\, 11 month\, and 23 days. His residence was in the patriarchal cell in Haret Zewala. When he departed\, he was buried in the tomb of the monastery of El-Khandak. The Chair remained unoccupied after his departure\, for four month and six days. He was contemporary to the rulers El-Ashraf\, El-Aziz\, El-Zaher\, and El-Mansour. He encountered many hardships that required the intervention of the kings of Ethiopia who threatened the Egyptian government to cut the flow of the Nile because of the persecution of El-Nasara (The Copts\, the Nazarenes). The Patriarch was forbidden to communicate with the kings of Ethiopia and Nubia without the permission and knowledge of the rulers of the government. \nMay his prayers be with us. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/departure-of-pope-yoannis-the-eleventh-the-89th-patriarch-of-alexandria-2/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20220517T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20220517T170000
DTSTAMP:20260615T215712
CREATED:20220503T112519Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220503T115252Z
UID:11010-1652774400-1652806800@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:-DEPARTURE OF ST. HELENA\, THE EMPRESS
DESCRIPTION:May 17\, 2022 – Bashans 9\, 1738 \nOn this day of 327 A.D.\, St. Helena the Empress\, departed. She was born in the city of Raha (Edessa) for Christian parents about the year 247 A.D. They brought her up in a Christian manner\, taught her the doctrine of the church and the religious ethics. She was very beautiful. When Emperor Constantius the First\, Emperor of Byzantium\, came to the city of Raha\, and heard about this Saint\, he sought her out and married her. She gave birth to Constantine who became the first Christian Emperor. She raised him up well\, and taught him philosophy\, wisdom and knighthood. During the reign of her son\, she saw a vision at night as if one said to her: ‘Go to Jerusalem and search carefully for the Honorable Cross and the Holy places.’ When she informed her son about this\, he sent her with many soldiers to Jerusalem. \nShe searched for the wood of the Honorable Cross until she found it along with the other two crosses whereon the two thieves were crucified. She wanted to know which was the cross of the Lord Christ. St. Macarius\, bishop of Jerusalem\, told her that it was the cross that was written on the top of it: ‘This is Jesus\, king of the Jews.’ She asked him that she wished to see a miracle to make sure that it was the cross of the Lord. By the Will of God\, a procession of a dead man was passing by at that time. She placed the other two crosses on the body of the dead man\, but he did not rise. When she placed the third cross\, straightway the dead rose up. Her faith increased and her joy multiplied. She built many churches as it is written under the 17th day of the month of Tout. She gave the needed money to build the churches to St. Macarius\, she took the honorable Cross and the nails and returned to her righteous son Emperor Constantine. He kissed the Cross and placed it in a case made of gold and decorated with precious stones\, and placed some of the nails in his helmet. \nSt. Helena led a righteous life\, and she endowed many endowments for the churches\, monasteries and the poor. She departed at age of eighty. May her prayers be with us. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/departure-of-st-helena-the-empress-2/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20220516T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20220516T170000
DTSTAMP:20260615T215712
CREATED:20220503T112443Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220503T115248Z
UID:11005-1652688000-1652720400@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:-DEPARTURE OF ST.DANIEL THE ARCHPRIEST OF SHEAHAT (SCETIS)
DESCRIPTION:May 16\, 2022 – Bashans 8\, 1738 \nOn this day also the holy father Anba Daniel the Archpriest of Sheahat (Scetis)\, departed. He was perfect and pure father. When his fame was noised abroad\, many came to him among whom was St. Anastasia disguised in a man’s apparel. She became a nun\, and lived in a cell near him for 28 years and no one knew who he (She) was. One day\, the Saint saw a person whose name was Olagi (Eulogius)\, who worked as a stone cutter for a Karat of gold each day. With a very small portion of this he lived and with the remainder he fed the poor without saving any thing. When Abba Daniel saw his good fight and the excellence of his deeds\, he asked God to give Olagi more money to increase his deeds of mercy. God answered his prayer\, and Olagi found a treasure when he was cutting the stones\, which he took and went to Constantinople. With the newly found money he became a minister to the Emperor\, and forsake the deeds of mercy. When St. Daniel heard about this\, he went to Constantinople\, and found what had become of Olagi\, and that he had abandoned his deeds of mercy. Then the Saint saw in a vision as if the Lord Christ is sitting judging among the people and that he commanded to crucify St. Daniel and demanded from him the lost soul of Olagi. When the Saint rose up from his sleep\, he went back to his monastery\, and entreated God to bring Olagi back to his former state. The angel of the Lord appeared to him and rebuked him for rejecting God’s judgement of His creation. Afterwards\, the Emperor of Constantinople died and another reigned who dismissed Olagi and took his money and wanted to kill him. He escaped in order to save his life and returned to his town to cut the stones as before. Anba Daniel met Olagi and told him all what had happened to him because of him. Many hardships befell St. Daniel because of the faith\, and God manifested many miracles through him. He knew in advance the time of his departure from this world\, he gathered all the monks around him\, commanded\, strengthened\, and comforted them and then departed in peace. \nMay his prayers be with us and glory be to God forever. Amen
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/departure-of-st-daniel-the-archpriest-of-sheahat-scetis-2/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20220516T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20220516T170000
DTSTAMP:20260615T215712
CREATED:20220503T112406Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220503T115244Z
UID:11003-1652688000-1652720400@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:-MARTYRDOM OF ST.JOHN OF SENHOUT
DESCRIPTION:May 16\, 2022 – Bashans 8\, 1738 \nOn this day St. John of Senhout\, departed. He was born in Senhout\, his father’s name was Macarius and his mother’s name was Anna. It came to pass that when he was tending the sheep flock of his father\, the angel of the Lord appeared to him\, showed him a crown of light and said to him: ‘Why are you sitting here while many others are persecuted\, now rise up and go to the city of Atrib (Banha)\, struggle for the Name of the Lord Christ’; then the angel gave him the salutation of peace and departed from him. He bade farewell to his parents\, went to the Governor\, and confessed the Lord Christ before him. The Governor delivered him to one of the soldiers to entreat him kindly that perhaps he would change his mind and be obedient to him. However the Saint performed several miracles before the soldier that made him also believe in the Lord Christ and received the crown of martyrdom by the hands of the Governor. The Governor became angry and tortured the Saint with every kind of torture\, but the Lord strengthened him and made him to endure it. Then the Saint was sent to Ansena (Antinoe)\, where he was again tortured. At the end they cut off his head by the sword. Julius El Akfahasy took his body\, shrouded\, and sent it to his town Senhout. The people received him with hymns and praise\, and placed him in the church. The body of the Saint now is located in Shoubra El-Khema in Egypt. \nMay his prayers be with us. Amen
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/martyrdom-of-st-john-of-senhout-2/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20220515T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20220515T170000
DTSTAMP:20260615T215712
CREATED:20220503T112148Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220503T115239Z
UID:10989-1652601600-1652634000@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:-DEPARTURE OF ST. ATHANASIUS THE APOSTOLIC\, THE 20TH POPE OF ALEXANDRIA
DESCRIPTION:May 15\, 2022 – Bashans 7\, 1738 \nOn this day of the year 89 A.M. (373 A.D.) the great Pope Anba Athanasius the apostolic\, the 20th. Pope of Alexandria\, departed. He was born to pagan parents about the year 295 – 298 A.D. It happened that when he was in school\, he saw some Christian children acting the Christian rituals some as priests\, some as deacons and one of them as a bishop. He asked their permission to participate with them\, but they refused saying: ‘You are pagan\, and you are not allowed to mix with us.’ He answered them: ‘I am from now on a Christian.’ They rejoiced with him\, they made him a patriarch over them in the play\, they enthroned him on a high place\, and they offered him honor and respect. At that time pope Alexandros passed by\, when he saw them\, he said to those who were with him about Athanasius: ‘This child would be in a great position one day.’ When Athanasius’ father died\, his mother brought him to Pope Alexandros\, who taught them the principles of the Christian faith and baptized them. They gave their money to the poor\, and stayed with the Pope\, who taught Athanasius the church subjects\, and ordained him deacon and made him a personal secretary. The gifts of the Holy spirit increased in him. He was chosen Patriarch on the 8th. of Bashans of the year 44 A.M. (May 5th.\, 328 A.D.) after the departure of Pope Alexanderos. \nPope Alexanderos had recommended Athanasius\, his deacon\, for the Papacy\, who lived with St.Antonios the father of the monks and followed his example in asceticism. He manifested his brilliancy in exposing ‘Arius’ in the universal council\, when Arius said about Christ that he was ‘similar’ in essence with the Father\, St.Athanasius said: ‘One in essence with the Father.’ In this fashion he manifested his excellence. St. Athanasius hid himself in the mountains\, after the departure of Pope Alexanderos for he believed of his unworthiness to this serious and important position. The people sought him until they found him\, and brought him to the bishops\, and was ordained Pope in 328 A.D. The historian Socrates testified about him saying: ‘Athanasius fluency in speech and his outspokenness in the council of Nicea brought over him all the hardships that he encountered in his life.’ After he became a Pope\, he ordained for Ethiopia its first Metropolitan whose name was Anba ‘Salama’. The church of Ethiopia have followed the church of Alexandria since that time. The spiritual and religious state in Ethiopia had established and settled since that time. \nSt. Athanasius was exiled away from his Chair five times:\n1. The First Exile: Arius\, after he had been excommunicated\, tried to return to Alexandria\, by sending a misleading and flattering letter to Emperor Constantine\, which touched him. The Emperor asked Pope Athanasius to take him back. Athanasius refused to accept him because that would be a contradiction to the decision of the Universal Council. The Arians accused Pope Athanasius with these charges:\n1. That he supported Pope Philominus who rebelled against the government.\n2. That he broke the communion cup of the priest Eskira\, and destroyed his altar.\n3. That he killed bishop Arsanius\, and used his arms in sorcery.\n4. That he also raped a nun. \nThe Pope cleared himself from the first charge. A council was assembled in Tyre\, most of the attendants were Arians\, were against Athanasius to look into these charges. In the second charge\, the Lord moved the priest Eskira’s heart\, who had conspired with them to testify falsely against him\, and he cleared the Pope from that charge. With regard of the third charge\, Arsanius the bishop\, who had agreed with them to accuse the Pope falsely for his murder\, came to the council. Pope Athanasius kept him in an adjacent room. The Arians brought two arms of a dead person and claimed that they were the arms of Arsanius. Then Arsanius was brought in\, and showed his arms to the council and declared his regrets. The Arians said that Athanasius was a sorcerer and he was able to make arms for him. They became violent against Arsanius who left the council and went to the Emperor. Then they looked in the matter of the rape\, they brought a harlot who claimed that Athanasius raped her. One of the entourage of Pope Athanasius\, a priest called Timothy said to her: ‘How dare you to say that I came to your house\, and overpowered your will?’ She thought that the priest was Athanasius for she did not know him\, and she said: ‘You are’. At once the false claim was exposed. Athanasius could not meet the Emperor because of the interferences of the Arians\, who accused him before the Emperor that he prevented the export of the wheat from Alexandria to the Emperor. The Emperor gave his order to exile Athanasius to Trefe (Treves) in France in February 5th.\, 335 A.D. where its bishop had met him with great honor. \nArius died a horrible death as Socrates said: ‘God made Arius to die in a public washroom\, where his bowels poured out of his body\, and the people regarded his death as a punishment from the Divine Justice.’ When the Emperor heard about the death of Arius\, he recognized the innocence of Athanasius\, and recommended while he was on his death bed\, in the year 337 A.D. that Athanasius be returned to Alexandria. After the departure of Constantine\, the Empire was divided\, Constantine II over France\, Egypt became under the rule of Constantius\, and Constance over Italy. With the mediation of Constantine\, the Pope returned in the year 338 A.D. The people of Alexandria received him with great joy. \n2. The Second Exile: \nThe Arians did not stop at that\, but assembled a council\, where they excommunicated Athanasius. They appointed instead someone called Gregory\, and they sent their decision to Julius\, Bishop of Rome. Pope Athanasius assembled a council in Alexandria in 340 A.D. where he protested against the Arians\, then he wrote a letter to all the churches to declare his innocence. However\, the Arians influenced Philogorius to help to install their appointed Patriarch Gregory to take over the churches of Alexandria\, and they also influenced Emperor Constantius. The people of Alexandria were horrified\, and decided to resist\, but the Arians attacked the churches in Alexandria on Good Friday\, raped and slained many worshipers. Pope Athanasius sought the help of all the churches in the world\, left his Chair\, and traveled to Rome. A council was assembled in Sardica\, where they declared:\na. The innocence of Pope Athanasius\nb. Confirmed the cannons and the Creed of faith of the Council of Nicea.\nc. They excommunicated the Arian bishops.\nd. Deposed Gregory from his office. \nThey delegated two bishops to meet Emperor Constans\, the ruler of Italy\, who agreed on what the council had decided\, and threatened his brother Emperor Constantius with war if he did not return Athanasius to Alexandria. At the same time\, some Egyptian radicals rose up and killed Gregory in 349 A.D. Athanasius returned for the second time to his Chair\, and the people received him with joy. Gregory the Theologian\, the writer of the liturgy\, described this reception saying: ‘The people came as the flood of the Nile\,’ and he also pointed out to the palm branches\, the carpets\, and the many clapping hands. \n3. The Third Exile: The Arians did not like the return of Athanasius to Alexandria\, and waited unwillingly until the death of Emperor Constans. The Arians accused Athanasius before Constantius that he collaborated with Magneutius who was the enemy of the Emperor. Constantius obtained a condemnation of Athanasius and his exile from a council assembled at Arles and another one at Milan. The soldiers went to the church of St. Mary which was built by Pope Theonas (The 16th. Patriarch). Athanasius was praying the Vespers service. The soldiers rushed inside the church to arrest him\, but God blinded them from recognizing him from the rest of the people and the lamps were extinguished. Athanasius escaped and went to the desert\, and remained for sometime with the monks. The Arians appointed George of Cappadocia\, bishop on Alexandria\, but the Orthodox refused to accept him and anathematized him. He took over all the churches and its properties. Nevertheless\, the pagans whom he persecuted\, killed him and burnt his body. \n4. The Fourth Exile: After the death of Constantius\, Julian his cousin became Emperor. He wanted to rally the people of Alexandria so he returned Athanasius. Athanasius assembled a council in 362 A.D.\, and provided conditions for the acceptance of the Arians that wish to return to the church. He also gave a special attention to the preaching among the pagans. This was not appreciated by Emperor Julian\, who loved and supported the pagans. He ordered the arrest of Athanasius. Athanasius went out of Alexandria\, and took a boat to Upper Egypt. The Governor followed him in another boat\, and when he approached the boat of Athanasius\, he asked about the boat of the Pope. They said to him that he was not too far away. The Governor went on his way in hurry but he did not find Athanasius\, for he hid himself in another place. Those around the Pope were greatly saddened because of the much tribulations that befell him. Athanasius told them\, that in times of persecution\, he felt great inner peace and that God took care of him and embraced him with His grace more than any other time in his life. He also said: ‘The persecution of Emperor Julian is like a summer cloud that will go away.’ While they were in these conversation\, the news came to them that Julian was killed in his war with the Persians\, and that he was killed by St. Mercurius (Abu Sefain)\, and that he said just before his death: ‘You have overcome me\, O You son of Mary.’ \n5. The Fifth Exile: Jovian became Emperor after Julian had been killed\, then Valens became Emperor and he was Arian. In 367 A.D. Valens ordered the exile of Athanasius again. Athanasius was forced to leave Alexandria and hid in the tomb of his father. Meanwhile\, the Emperor killed 30 bishops who were pro-Athanasius. The Emperor saw the determination of the Copts\, and decided to lift the persecution\, and to return Athanasius to his Chair in 368 A.D. Although Athanasius reached the age of 72\, he did not compromise in performing his duties. For his steadfastness and his firm stand for justice\, the world described him by the saying: ‘Athanasius against the world.’ He wrote several books about the Arians\, on the Incarnation\, and other subjects. Abba Cosma (The 44th. Patriarch) praised these publications by saying: ‘I ask anyone who would find the books of Athanasius to write them on paper\, and for those who could not find paper\, to write them on their clothes.’ \nAthanasius was the first Pope to wear the monastic tunic from the hand of St. Antonios. He made it the uniform for bishops and patriarchs. He was the one who ordained St. Antonios a priest\, and then Archpriest. He departed in peace after he had been on the Apostolic Throne for forty five years. May his prayers be with us\, and glory be to God forever. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/departure-of-st-athanasius-the-apostolic-the-20th-pope-of-alexandria/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20220514T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20220514T170000
DTSTAMP:20260615T215712
CREATED:20220503T112059Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220503T115235Z
UID:10984-1652515200-1652547600@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:-DEPARTURE OF FATHER PAPHNUTE OF EL-BANDARAH
DESCRIPTION:May 14\, 2022 – Bashans 6\, 1738 \nOn this day also\, Father Paphnute who was from El-Bandarah\, departed. May his prayers be with us and glory be to God forever. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/departure-of-father-paphnute-of-el-bandarah-2/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20220514T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20220514T170000
DTSTAMP:20260615T215712
CREATED:20220503T112022Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220503T115231Z
UID:10982-1652515200-1652547600@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:-DEPARTURE OF ST. MACARIUS OF ALEXANDRIA
DESCRIPTION:May 14\, 2022 – Bashans 6\, 1738 \nOn this day also of the year 395 A.D.\, the blessed father St. Macarius of Alexandria departed. He was a contemporary of St. Macarius the great (Senior)\, the father of the monks\, and for this reason\, he was called St. Macarius\, the Junior. He became a monk at one of the monasteries near by Alexandria. For his asceticism\, he became the father and the spiritual guide for all the monk’s cells in the area that near by Alexandria\, so he was also called the father of the cells. He practiced many worships and possessed many virtues in his ascetic life. Among these practices\, he once stayed for five days with his thoughts in heaven\, occupied with early Saints\, prophets\, angels\, apostles and the Lord Christ\, while he was standing on his sleeping mat. After two nights\, the devils started to scratch his feet\, twisting themselves as snakes around his feet. They also showed him fire in his cell\, however with patience\, the fire and the phantoms disappeared. On the fifth day\, he could not control his thoughts with regards to the needs of life. This happened so that he would not become proud of what he had spiritually achieved. He said to himself: ‘I have remained in the ascetic life for 50 years\, and they had not been like these five days.’ After he had managed the schools of those were seeking to be baptized\, he lived alone (Recluse) in the year 335 A.D. in el-Natroun desert\, where he became the abbot of all the monasteries in this desert. \nIt happened that he walked in the desert for several days in unpaved road\, and was placing sticks of reed during the way to help him recognize the way to come back. When he wanted to return\, he found the devil had removed all the sticks to mislead him. When he became thirsty\, God sent him a wild cow\, and he drank from its milk\, until he returned to his cell. One day a hyena came to him and pulled his garment. He followed her to her den\, and it brought out her three young ones. He found that they were all malformed\, and was amazed from the intelligence of the animal. He prayed and put his hands on them\, and they were healed. The hyena disappeared for a while\, and she came back with a sheep skin which he used to sleep on until his departure. At one time\, the thoughts of pride disturbed him until he was weary of it. These thoughts invited him to come to Rome to heal the sick there\, instead of them suffering the travel to him. He slept in his cell\, and extended his feet outside the cell\, and said to his thoughts: ‘You can travel now if you can.’ When his thoughts went on disturbing him\, he carried on his shoulder a basket full of sand\, and walked in the desert until he became physically tired\, the thoughts of pride left him\, and he rested. \nOnce\, he went to the monastery of St. Pachomius in a layman’s garment\, and stayed there during the forty days of Lent. No one saw him eating or sitting down. He was making baskets of palm leaves while he was standing. The monks said to St. Pachomius: ‘Cast out this man from here\, for he is not human.’ He asked them to be patient until God reveals his story to them. St. Pachomius inquired of God about him\, and God told him that he was St. Macarius of Alexandria. They were all happy to hear that\, they welcomed him and received his blessings. When he found that his virtues have been revealed\, he returned to his monastery. It happened that it did not rain for some time in Alexandria\, and the Patriarch called him. When he arrived to Alexandria\, the rain started to fall\, and it continued to rain until they asked him to stop it. He prayed and God stopped it. Emperor Valens exiled him with St. Macarius the great to one of the islands. They guided its people to the Christian faith\, and then they returned to their monasteries. He considered that the virtue that was revealed and became known to everyone\, was rendered useless. When he heard that someone had a virtue that he did not have\, he practiced this virtue until he mastered it more than him. He completed his life in a good spiritual conduct until he reached a good old age\, and departed in peace. May his prayers be with us. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/departure-of-st-macarius-of-alexandria-2/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20220514T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20220514T170000
DTSTAMP:20260615T215712
CREATED:20220503T111945Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220503T115226Z
UID:10977-1652515200-1652547600@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:-MARTYRDOM OF ST. ISAAC EL-DEFRAWI
DESCRIPTION:May 14\, 2022 – Bashans 6\, 1738 \nOn this day\, St. Isaac El-Defrawi was martyred. He was born in the city of Defra\, district of Tanta. When he grew up\, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a vision\, and told him to go to the town of Towwa\, district of Beba\, to receive the crown of martyrdom. He instantly went to his parents to bid them farewell\, they wept and forbade him from doing that. The angel of the Lord appeared to him again and took him out of the town. When he arrived to Towwa\, he professed his faith before the Governor saying: ‘I believe in the Lord Christ’. The Governor placed him under guard until he had returned from the city of Nakyos. It happened when St. Isaac was passing by\, with the soldier\, a blind man\, was sitting on the wayside\, asked him to give him sight. He said to him: ‘Do not say give me\, but let it be according to your faith’\, and then he prayed to the Lord Christ for his sake\, and the man was given sight straightaway. When the soldier saw that\, he believed. When the Governor returned\, the soldier confessed the Lord Christ before him\, he ordered to cut off his head\, and received the crown of martyrdom. \nThe Governor became angry at St. Isaac\, and tormented him severely\, then sent him to the city of El-Bahnasa to be tortured there. It happened when he was in the boat\, he asked for a drink\, and a sailor gave him little of water\, and the man was with one eye. The Saint took some of the water and poured it over him\, and the man received the sight in his blind eye immediately. When the Saint arrived to El-Bahnasa\, the Governor tortured him severely\, but the Lord comforted and healed him and finally the Governor ordered him to be beheaded\, and he received the crown of life. Some of the faithful took his body and carried it to his town Defra and buried him there. Then they built a church after his name. May his intercession be with us. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/martyrdom-of-st-isaac-el-defrawi-2/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20220513T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20220513T170000
DTSTAMP:20260615T215712
CREATED:20220503T111905Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220503T115222Z
UID:10975-1652428800-1652461200@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:-MARTYRDOM OF ST. JEREMIAH THE PROPHET
DESCRIPTION:May 13\, 2022 – Bashans 5\, 1738 \nOn this day\, the prophet Jeremiah\, one of the major prophets\, the son of Hilkiah the priest\, was martyred. He prophesied in the days of Josiah son of Amon\, king of Judah and Jehoiakim son of Josiah. God had chosen him for He said: ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations’ (Jr 1:5). He rebuked the children of Israel for they left the worship of God and rejected His Commandments. He warned them of the anger of God if they did not return on their transgressions. When he saw their hard hearts and the fast approaching judgement of the Lord\, he prayed fervently weeping so that God might forgive the sins of his people. God rejected his prayers with regard to those who did not obey him\, and He moved Nebuchadnezzar to besiege Jerusalem. His soldiers conquered it under the leadership of Nebuzardan who killed many of them inside the city. After they had taken all the precious possessions of the temple\, the king’s palace\, and the nobles of the people\, they took with them all those who were left alive to Babylon. Among those who were driven to exile was the prophet Jeremiah. Nevertheless\, when Nebuzardan saw him bound with the rest\, he set him free. He then wrote his ‘Lamentations’ for the destruction of the city of Jerusalem\, the temple and the exile of his people for 70 years in babylon. This Prophet prophesied about the coming of Our Lord and Savior\, and His sufferings and passion. His life ended when the jews themselves stoned him in Egypt\, and he died a martyr in prison. May his prayers be with us and glory be to God forever. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/martyrdom-of-st-jeremiah-the-prophet-2/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20220512T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20220512T170000
DTSTAMP:20260615T215712
CREATED:20220503T111819Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220503T115218Z
UID:10969-1652342400-1652374800@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:-DEPARTURE OF POPE YOANNIS THE FIFTH\, THE 72ND PATRIARCH
DESCRIPTION:May 12\, 2022 – Bashans 4\, 1738 \nOn this day also of the year 882 A.M. (April 29th.\, 1166 A.D.)\, Pope Yoannis the fifth\, the 72nd. Patriarch of Alexandria\, departed. He was John the monk from the monastery of Abu-Yehnis (John). He was enthroned on the 2nd. of El-Nasi (Intercalary days)\, year 863 A.M. (August 25th.\, 1147 A.D.) He was a holy\, righteous\, and pure man. In his days\, the Copts (El-Nasarah – Christians) were persecuted by the Moslem governors (Emams) and Khalifas\, and many were killed or sold as slaves. A monk named ‘Bashnouna’ from the monastery of St. Macarius was martyred on the 24th. of Bashons year 880 A.M. (1164 A.D.) and his body was burned for he refused to change his faith. The bones of this Saint were preserved in the church of Abu-Serga. They also destroyed the church of St. Mina in Haret El-Rome\, and the church of El-Zohari and many other churches in different parts of Cairo after they plundered what was in them. But God permitted these churches to be rebuilt by the Coptic layman Abu El-Fakher Salib Ebn-Mikhail. The Patriarch was arrested during the days of El-Aadel Ebn El-Selar and was imprisoned because he refused to ordain a Metropolitan for Ethiopia instead of its Metropolitan who was still alive. The metropolitan name was Anba Michael El-Atfihi who was ordained by Pope Macarius. The Pope was released two weeks later because of the death of El-Aadel. During the days of this Patriarch\, the words ‘Life-giving’ was added to the 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 …’ He departed after he had been on the throne of St. Mark for 18 years\, 8 month\, and 4 days. May his prayers be with us and glory be to God forever. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/departure-of-pope-yoannis-the-fifth-the-72nd-patriarch-2/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20220512T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20220512T170000
DTSTAMP:20260615T215712
CREATED:20220503T111741Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220503T115214Z
UID:10967-1652342400-1652374800@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:-DEPARTURE OF POPE JOHN (YOUHANNA) THE FIRST\, THE 29TH PATRIARCH OF THE SEE OF ST. MARK
DESCRIPTION:May 12\, 2022 – Bashans 4\, 1738 \nOn this day of the year 221 A.M. (April 29th.\, 505 A.D.)\, Pope John the first\, the twenty ninth Pope of Alexandria\, departed. This father was born in Alexandria to Christian parents\, and was attracted since his youth to the monastic life. He became a monk in the wilderness of St.Macarius\, and he was chosen Patriarch after the departure of his predecessor Pope Athanasius the second. He did not accept but was taken by force by the bishops\, priests\, and lay leaders and ordained him on the first of Babah of the year 213 A.M. (September 29th.\, 496 A.D.). After his enthronement\, he gave special attention to education and preaching for the edification and the steadfastness of the faithful in the Orthodox faith. He was the first Patriarch to be chosen from among the monks. The Roman Emperor in Constantinople\, at that time\, was the righteous Emperor Zenon. For this reason the hand of the Patriarch was strengthened in spreading the Orthodox faith in all of Egypt. The Emperor sent all the needs of the monasteries from wheat\, oil\, wine and money to renew the buildings of their cells and to restore their churches. All the days of this pope were days of peace and tranquility. When he finished his good course\, he became sick for a short time\, and then departed in peace\, after he had been on the throne of St. Mark for eight years and seven month. May his prayers be with us. Amen\,
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/departure-of-pope-john-youhanna-the-first-the-29th-patriarch-of-the-see-of-st-mark-2/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20220511T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20220511T170000
DTSTAMP:20260615T215712
CREATED:20220503T111218Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220503T115205Z
UID:10958-1652256000-1652288400@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:-DEPARTURE OF POPE GABRIEL IV\, THE 86TH PATRIARCH OF ALEXANDRIA
DESCRIPTION:May 11\, 2022 – Bashans 3\, 1738 \nOn this day also of the year 1094 A.M. (April 1378 A.D.)\, Pope Gabriel the fourth\, the 86th Patriarch\, departed. He was the abbot of the monastery of El-Moharrak. He sat on the apostolic throne on the 11th day of Tubah\, 1086 A.M. (January 6th\, 1370 A.D.). \nHe was a great scholar and righteous ascetic. During his time\, in the year 1370 A.D.\, a great light appeared during the night which looked like a day light and lingered until dawn. In 1371 A.D.\, there was a great flood in the river Nile valley which threatened to drown all the land. \nHe was contemporary of El-Sultan Shabaan and El-Sultan Ali Ebn-Shabaan El Mansour. He sat on the throne for 8 years\, three months\, and twenty two days. He was buried beside Simeon the shoe maker. May his prayers be with us and glory be to God forever. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/departure-of-pope-gabriel-iv-the-86th-patriarch-of-alexandria-2/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20220511T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20220511T170000
DTSTAMP:20260615T215712
CREATED:20220503T111135Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220503T115155Z
UID:10953-1652256000-1652288400@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:-DEPARTURE OF ST. OTIMUS\, THE PRIEST
DESCRIPTION:May 11\, 2022 – Bashans 3\, 1738 \nOn this day also\, St. Otimus the priest was martyred. He was born in Fowwa\, and because of his righteousness\, he was ordained a priest for his city. He taught and confirmed the faithful in the faith. Afterwards\, he moved to mount Ansena. When Emperor Diocletian incited the persecution against the Christians\, the account of this Saint reached Arianus the governor of Ansena. He brought him and offered him to worship the idols\, and the Saint did not hearken to his orders. He tortured him much\, but the Lord strengthened him. When the Governor became weary of his torturing\, he ordered him to be burned. He was burned and received the crown of martyrdom. \nHis body was taken by a God fearing priest\, who shrouded the body and hid it in a place until the end of the time of persecution. They built him a church where God revealed many miracles. It is believed that his body still exists in the city of Kalabsha near El-Santa. May his prayers be with us. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/departure-of-st-otimus-the-priest-2/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20220511T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20220511T170000
DTSTAMP:20260615T215712
CREATED:20220503T111050Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220503T115114Z
UID:10951-1652256000-1652288400@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:-DEPARTURE OF ST. JASON\, ONE OF THE SEVENTY DISCIPLES
DESCRIPTION:May 11\, 2022 – Bashans 3\, 1738 \nOn this day St. Jason\, one of the seventy disciples who were chosen by the Lord\, departed. He ministered with the disciples before the passion of the Savior\, and performed many signs and wonders. Then he was supported by the grace and power on the day of Pentecost. \nHe was born in Tarsus\, and was the first to believe from this city. He accompanied St. Paul on his evangelical missions\, and journeyed with him to many countries. He was arrested with St. Paul and Silas in Thesalonica\, and when they had taken security from Jason and the rest\, they let them go. (Acts 17:9) \nHe was ordained bishop by St. Paul over Tarsus where he shepherded the church of Christ with the best of care. He preached the Gospel also in the city of Korkiras\, many believed on his hands and he baptized them. He built for them a church in the name of St. Stephen the Archdeacon. \nWhen the Governor of the city knew about this\, he arrested him and imprisoned him. He met seven thieves in the prison\, taught them the faith and baptized them. They confessed their faith in the Lord Christ openly before the Governor who put them in a caldron filled with tar and sulphur\, they departed and were granted the crown of martyrdom. \nThen\, the Governor brought St. Jason from the prison\, and tortured him with much torture but he was not harmed. The daughter of the Governor watched this torture from her window and she believed in the Lord Christ\, the God of St. Jason. She took off her jewelry and ornaments and distributed them among the poor\, and confessed that she was Christian and believed in the God of Jason. Her father became angry\, he threw her in prison\, and ordered to throw arrows at her. She gave up her pure spirit in the hand of Christ whom she loved. \nThe Governor sent St. Jason to one of the islands to be tortured there. He took a boat with some soldiers to this island\, and God drowned them all and saved St. Jason\, who continued to teach and preach for many years until another Governor was installed. The new Governor brought him and the Christians who were with him\, and tortured them much. When the Governor saw that his torture did not harm their bodies\, he and all those in his city also believed in the Lord Christ Who only Has the power to protect His chosen one. The Saint baptized them all\, taught them the commandments of the Gospel\, and built for them churches. God performed through him many miracles and signs. He departed in a good old age. May his prayers be with us. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/departure-of-st-jason-one-of-the-seventy-disciples-2/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20220510T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20220510T170000
DTSTAMP:20260615T215712
CREATED:20220503T105700Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220503T105700Z
UID:10948-1652169600-1652202000@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:-DEPARTURE OF ST.TADROS (THEODORE)\, THE DISCIPLE OF ST.PACHOMIUS
DESCRIPTION:May 10\, 2022 – Bashans 2\, 1738 \nOn this day also St. Tadros (Theodore) the disciple of St. Pachomius\, the father of the spiritual monastic communal life (Coenobitic system)\, departed. He became monk at a young age under the guidance of Anba Pachomius and showed great asceticism\, with extraordinary obedience\, so that St. Pachomius loved him and he delegated him to preach to the brethren. \nWhen St. Pachomius departed\, St. Tadros replaced him. He was a good example in meekness and patience. When he completed his course\, and finished his strife\, he departed to the Lord whom he loved. May his prayers be with us. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/departure-of-st-tadros-theodore-the-disciple-of-st-pachomius-3/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20220510T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20220510T170000
DTSTAMP:20260615T215712
CREATED:20220503T104017Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220503T104035Z
UID:10945-1652169600-1652202000@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:-DEPARTURE OF ST.TADROS (THEODORE)\, THE DISCIPLE OF ST.PACHOMIUS
DESCRIPTION:May 10\, 2022 – Bashans 2\, 1738 \nOn this day also St. Tadros (Theodore) the disciple of St. Pachomius\, the father of the spiritual monastic communal life (Coenobitic system)\, departed. He became monk at a young age under the guidance of Anba Pachomius and showed great asceticism\, with extraordinary obedience\, so that St. Pachomius loved him and he delegated him to preach to the brethren. \nWhen St. Pachomius departed\, St. Tadros replaced him. He was a good example in meekness and patience. When he completed his course\, and finished his strife\, he departed to the Lord whom he loved. May his prayers be with us. Amen
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/departure-of-st-tadros-theodore-the-disciple-of-st-pachomius-2/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20220510T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20220510T170000
DTSTAMP:20260615T215712
CREATED:20220503T103847Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220503T103847Z
UID:10942-1652169600-1652202000@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:-DEPARTURE OF THE RIGHTEOUS JOB
DESCRIPTION:May 10\, 2022 – Bashans 2\, 1738 \n\nOn this day the righteous Job departed. He was a righteous man in his generation and upright in his time\, as the bible testified about him: ‘… there is none like him on the earth\, a blameless and upright man\, one who fears God and shuns evil?’ (Job 1:8) The devil envied him and asked God to allow him to harm Job and to destroy his wealth. God allowed that\, because of His foreknowledge of the patience and perseverance of Job and that he would be an example and a model for those who come after him as the bible said: ‘You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord’ (James 5:11). In one day\, Job lost his sons and daughters\, his cattle\, and all his wealth. In addition\, the evil one also stricken his body with a Leprosy from his head to his feet. In all this Job offered thanksgiving and praise to God\, and never murmured or grumbled against his Creator. All what he said was: ‘May the day perish on which I was born’ (Job 3:3). He said also about the loss of his children: ‘The LORD gave\, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.’ (Job 1:21) ‘In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong’ (Job 1:22). \nThe thing that hurt Job the most\, was the harsh words of his wife and his friends. His wife advised him to blaspheme\, but Job refused\, and rebuked her saying: ”You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God\, and shall we not accept adversity?’ In all this Job did not sin with his lips’ (Job 2:10). \nJob remained sick for 30 years until he was purified as gold is purified with fire. At last the Lord spoke to him from the clouds and healed him from his sickness and doubled the wealth he had and gave him other sons and daughters. He lived to a good old age and departed in peace. May his prayers be with us. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/departure-of-the-righteous-job-2/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20220509T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20220509T170000
DTSTAMP:20260615T215712
CREATED:20220503T103620Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220503T103620Z
UID:10939-1652083200-1652115600@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:-NATIVITY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY\, THE MOTHER OF GOD
DESCRIPTION:May 9\, 2022 – Bashans 1\, 1738 \nOn this day the church celebrates the birth of the pure Virgin St. Mary\, the Mother of God (Theotokos)\, through whom Salvation came to mankind. She was born in the city of Nazareth\, where her parents lived. Her father was grieved in his heart for he could not offer an offering to God for he did not have any children. In the fullness of time according to the Divine Will\, the angel of the Lord was sent to announce Joachim\, her father\, while he was on the mountain praying\, and said to him: ‘The Lord will give you offspring through whom salvation comes to the world.’ \nImmediately he went down the mountain believing what the angel told him\, and he told his wife Anna of what he saw and heard. She rejoiced\, gave thanks to the Lord\, and vowed that the child who was to be born to her would become a servant in the house of the Lord all the days of her/his life. She conceived\, and gave birth to this Saint and called her Mary who had become the Queen of all women of the world\, and through her we have received the grace. May her intercession be with us\, and glory be to God forever. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/nativity-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary-the-mother-of-god-2/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20220508T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20220508T170000
DTSTAMP:20260615T215712
CREATED:20220503T103134Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220503T103504Z
UID:10933-1651996800-1652029200@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:-MARTYRDOM OF THE GREAT SAINT MARK\, THE APOSTLE\, THE EVANGELIST OF THE LAND OF EGYPT
DESCRIPTION:May 8\, 2022 – Baramouda 30\, 1738 \n\nOn this day\, which coincided with the 26th. of April 68 A.D.\, the great apostle St. Mark\, the evangelist of the land of Egypt\, was martyred. He was the first Pope of Alexandria and one of the Seventy Apostles. \nHis name was John\, as the Holy Bible says: ‘He came to the house of Mary\, the mother of John whose surname was Mark\, where many were gathered together praying’ (Acts 12:12). He was the one that the Lord Christ\, to Whom is the glory\, meant when He said: ‘Go into the city to a certain man\, and say to him\, The Teacher says\, My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples’ (Matthew 26:18). \nHis house was the first Christian church\, where they ate the Passover\, hid after the death of the Lord Christ\, and in its upper room the Holy Spirit came upon them. \nThis Saint was born in Cyrene (One of the Five Western cities\, Pentapolis – in North Africa). His father’s name was Aristopolus and his mother’s name was Mary. They were Jewish in faith\, rich and of great honor. They educated him with the Greek and Hebrew cultures. He was called Mark after they emigrated to Jerusalem\, where St. Peter had become a disciple to the Lord Christ. St. Peter was married to the cousin of Aristopolus. Mark visited St. Peter’s house often\, and from him he learned the Christian teachings. \nOnce Aristopolus and his son Mark were walking near the Jordan river\, close by the desert\, they encountered a raving lion and a lioness. It was evident to Aristopolus that it would be his end and the end of his Son\, Mark. His compassion for his son compelled him to order him to escape to save himself. Mark answered\, ‘Christ\, in whose hands our lives are committed\, will not let them prey on us.’ Saying this\, he prayed\, ‘O\, Christ\, Son of God protect us from the evil of these two beasts and terminate their offspring from this wilderness.’ Immediately\, God granted this prayer\, and the two beasts fell dead. His father marvelled and asked his son to tell him about the Lord Christ. He believed in the Lord Christ at the hands of his son who baptized him. \nAfter the ascension of the Lord Christ\, he accompanied Paul and Barnabas to preach the Gospel in Antioch\, Seleucia\, Cyprus\, Salamis\, and Perga Pamphylia where he left them and returned to Jerusalem. After the Apostolic Council in Jerusalem\, he went with Barnabas to Cyprus. \nAfter the departure of Barnabas\, with the order of the Lord Christ\, St. Mark went to Afrikia\, Berka\, and the Five Western cities. He preached the Gospel in these parts\, and believed on his hands most of its people. From there\, he went to Alexandria in the 1st. of Bashans 61 A.D. \nWhen he entered the city\, his shoe was torn because of the much walking in preaching and evangelism. He went to a cobbler in the city\, called Anianus\, to repair it. While he was repairing it the awl pierced his finger. Anianus shouted in Greek saying ‘EIS THEOS’ which means ‘O\, ONE GOD’. When St. Mark heard these words his heart rejoiced exceedingly. He found it suitable to talk to him about the One God. The Apostle took some clay\, spat on it and applied it to Anianus’ finger\, saying in the Name of Jesus Christ the Son of God\, and the wound healed immediately\, as if nothing happened to it.Moses\, who brought the children of Israel out of Egypt\, and gave them the Law\, the captivity of the children of Israel to Babylon\, and the prophecies that foretold the coming of Christ. \nAnianus invited him to go to his house and brought to him his children. The Saint preached and baptized them in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. \nWhen the believers in the Name of Christ increased and the pagan people of the city heard that\, they were raged with anger and thought of slaying St. Mark. The faithful advised him to get away for a short while for the sake of the safety of the church and its care. St. Mark ordained St. Anianus a Bishop for Alexandria\, three priests and seven deacons. He went to the Five Western Cities\, remained there for two years preaching\, and ordained bishops\, priests\, and deacons. \nHe returned to Alexandria where he found the believers had increased in number\, and built a church for them in the place known as Bokalia (The place of cows)\, east of Alexandria on the sea shore. \nIt came to pass\, when he was celebrating the feast of the Resurrection on the 29th day of Baramudah\, year 68 A.D.\, the same day coincided with the great pagan Celebration for the feast of the god Syrabis\, a multitude of them assembled and attacked the church at Bokalia and forced their way in. They seized St. Mark\, bound him with a thick rope and dragged him in the roads and streets crying\, ‘Drag the dragon to the place of Cows.’ They continued dragging him with severe cruelty. His flesh was torn and scattered everywhere\, and the ground of the city was covered with his blood. They cast him that night into a dark prison. \nThe angel of the Lord appeared to him and told him: ‘O Mark\, the good servant\, rejoice for your name has been written in the book of life\, and you have been counted among the congregation of the saints.’ The angel disappeared\, then the Lord Christ appeared to him\, and gave him peace. His soul rejoiced and was glad. \nThe next morning (30th of Baramudah)\, the pagans took St. Mark from the prison. They tied his neck with a thick rope and did the same as the day before\, dragging him over the rocks and stones. Finally\, St. Mark delivered up his pure soul in the hand of God\, and received the crown of martyrdom\, the apostolic crown\, the crown of evangelism\, and the crown of virginity. \nNevertheless\, St. Mark’s death did not satisfy the rage of the pagans and their hatred. They gathered much firewood and prepared an inferno to burn him. A severe storm blew and heavy rains fell. The pagans became frightened\, and they fled away in fear. \nThe believers came and took the holy body\, carried it to the church they built at Bokalia\, wrapped it up\, prayed over him and place it in a coffin. They laid it in a secret place in this church. The prayers of this great Saint and honorable Evangelist be with us and Glory be to our God forever. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/departure-of-st-erastus-the-apostle-3/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20220507T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20220507T170000
DTSTAMP:20260615T215712
CREATED:20220503T103257Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220503T103257Z
UID:10935-1651910400-1651942800@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:-DEPARTURE OF ST.ACACIUS\, BISHOP OF JERUSALEM
DESCRIPTION:May 7\, 2022 – Baramouda 29\, 1738 \nOn this day also\, St. Acacius\, Bishop of Jerusalem\, departed. He was a pure and righteous man. He was persecuted for a long time\, and God wrought many signs and wonders by his hands\, then departed in peace. \nHis prayers be with us and Glory be to our God forever. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/departure-of-st-acacius-bishop-of-jerusalem-2/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20220507T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20220507T170000
DTSTAMP:20260615T215712
CREATED:20220503T102518Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220503T102518Z
UID:10928-1651910400-1651942800@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:-DEPARTURE OF ST.ERASTUS\, THE APOSTLE
DESCRIPTION:May 7\, 2022 – Baramouda 29\, 1738 \nOn this day\, St. Erastus\, one of the Seventy Apostles\, departed. He received the grace of the holy spirit in the upper room of Zion with the Disciples. He preached\, ministered\, and suffered along with them frequently. \nThey laid the hands on him\, and ordained him bishop for Jerusalem. He taught there and in many other places\, and God worked great signs and wonders on his hands. As example he changed bitter salty water to sweet water. \nHe labored with St. Paul the apostle in his many journeys\, for he ministered unto him. He is mentioned in chapter nineteen of the Acts of the Apostles. After he reached a good old age\, he departed in peace. \nHis prayers be with us. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/departure-of-st-erastus-the-apostle-2/
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR