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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for ST. MARY AND ST. MENA
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TZID:UTC
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20220503T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20220503T170000
DTSTAMP:20260616T115733
CREATED:20220503T100933Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220503T101959Z
UID:10912-1651564800-1651597200@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:-COMMEMORATION OF SAINTS BABNUDA (PAPHNUTE) THE HERMIT\, THEODORE THE WORSHIPPER\, AND THE 100 MARTYRS
DESCRIPTION:May 3\, 2022 – Baramouda 25\, 1738 \nThis day also marks the commemoration of Sts. Babnuda (Paphnute) the hermit\, Theodore the worshipper\, and the One hundred martyrs\, who were martyred in Persia. \nTheir prayers be with us and Glory be to our God forever. Amen
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/commemoration-of-saints-babnuda-paphnute-the-hermit-theodore-the-worshipper-and-the-100-martyrs/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20220502T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20220502T170000
DTSTAMP:20260616T115733
CREATED:20220503T100335Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220503T100827Z
UID:10908-1651478400-1651510800@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:-DEPARTURE OF POPE SINUTHIUS (SHENOUDA I)\, 55TH POPE OF ALEXANDRIA
DESCRIPTION:May 2\, 2022 – Baramouda 24\, 1738 \nOn this day\, of the year 596 A.M. (April 19th.\, 880 A.D.)\, the great father Pope Sinuthius (Shenouda I)\, 55th Pope of the See of St. Mark\, departed. This holy father was a monk in the monastery of St. Macarius. He advanced in righteousness and worship\, and was ordained archpriest for the monastery. \nShortly after\, he was chosen for the Patriarchate with the recommendation of the people and bishops. He was enthroned on the 13th day of Tubah 575 A.D. (January 8th.\, 859 A.D.)\, and great tribulations and severe persecutions befell him. God performed through him many signs and healed many grievous sicknesses. \nOnce there was a drought in the city of Mariout for three years\, the wells dried up and the farm land became barren. This father came to the church of St. Mina\, celebrated the Divine Liturgy\, and supplicated God to have mercy upon His creation. At the setting of the sun of that day\, the rain began lightly then ceased. This father entered his room and stood up praying and he said: ‘O My Lord Christ\, have mercy on Thy people with the riches of Thy compassion\, and let them be filled with Thy good pleasure.’ Before he finished his prayer\, mighty thunders and lightnings started\, and the rain descended like a flood\, until the wells\, the vineyards\, and the farms were filled with water. The people rejoiced\, glorifying God the wonder worker. \nWhen this father was in the wilderness visiting the monasteries\, the Arabs of Upper Egypt came to the desert of Scetis to plunder the monasteries and kill the monks. The Pope took his staff that had the sign of the cross on it and he went forth to meet them\, when they saw the Cross they retreated and fled away. (The account of this wonder is mentioned in the 9th day of Baramoudah \nSome men\, in a village called Boukhnessa\, one of the villages of Mariout\, said that He Who suffered for us was only a man and that the Divinity had departed from Him. This Pope wrote a letter and sent it during the Holy Fast (Lent) to be read in all the churches. He said in it\, ‘God the Word suffered for us in His Body\, and His Divinity was not separated from His humanity\, not for a twinkling of an eye. The pain and suffering did not touch and affect the Divinity\, as when you hammer a red hot iron\, the iron suffers from the hammering but not the flame. For the passion of the Humanity to be of value\, the Hypostatic union with the Divinity was a must\, and through this passion Christ redeemed all the humanity.’ \nAlso\, some men from the city of El-Balyana\, and their bishops\, said that the Divine Nature died. When the father heard that\, he wrote to them saying: ‘The Nature of God\, the Word\, is unknowable\, intangible\, and impassable for it was impossible for the pain to affect its essence. The participation of the Divinity with the humanity in passion is moral participation\, to give a value to these sufferings\, to pay the debt of the humanity to God the Omnipresent\, and that would only be possible if the Divinity would participate morally without affecting His essence. So we say ‘Holy God\, Who was crucified for us\, have mercy upon us.” When his letter reached them\, they turned from their error\, and the bishops came and confessed the true and right faith before the Pope and asked for forgiveness. \nPope Shenouda I\, cared greatly for the churches\, their buildings\, and their needs. He also cared for the places wherein pilgrims sojourned\, and what money has left to him\, he gave to the poor and the needy. \nWhen he finished his good course\, he departed in peace. He stayed on the Chair of St. Mark for 21 years\, 3 months and 11 days.His prayers be with us. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/departure-of-pope-sinuthius-shenouda-i-55th-pope-of-alexandria/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20220501T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20220501T170000
DTSTAMP:20260616T115733
CREATED:20220503T100057Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220503T100057Z
UID:10905-1651392000-1651424400@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:-MARTYRDOM OF ST. GEORGE\, PRINCE OF MARTYRS
DESCRIPTION:May 1\, 2022 – Baramouda 23\, 1738 \n\nOn this day\, of the year 307 A.D.\, the great among the martyrs St. George\, was martyred. He was born in Cappadocia; his father’s name was Anastasius\, and his mother’s name was Theobaste. When he was twenty years old\, his father died\, and he went to Emperor Diocletian to take over his father’s position. He found that the Emperor had apostatized the faith and ordered the worship of idols. George was sorrowful\, and he gave all his wealth to the poor and needy and set free his slaves. \nWhen he saw the edict of the Emperor against the Christians\, he became raged and tore it. They took him before the Emperor\, and he cried in their middest saying: ‘For how long you shall pour your anger against the innocent Christians\, and force those who know the true faith to adopt the faith that you are in doubt of because it is fraudulent? So\, either you believe on this true faith\, or at least do not disturb with foolishness those who are steadfast in it.’ The Emperor asked Mephnanius\, one of his ministers\, to pacify and persuade him. He asked him: ‘Who taught you to be daring like this.’ The Saint answered: ‘It is the truth\,’ then started to explain it to him. The Emperor interrupted\, reminding the Saint with the ranks that he bestowed on him\, and promised him with more if he denied his Christ. The Saint refused with pride all these vain propositions. The Emperor tortured him severely\, but the Lord strengthened him and healed all his wounds. \nWhen the Emperor was weary of torturing him\, he brought a magician\, whose name was Athanasius\, who gave the Saint a cup full of poison to drink. St. George made the sign of the cross over the cup then drank it. When no harm came upon him\, the magician believed in the Lord Christ\, and received the crown of martyrdom. The Emperor became raged and ordered to squeeze him until he delivered up his soul\, and they cast his body out side the city. \nThe Lord Christ raised him up\, and the Saint returned to the city. When the people saw him\, three thousand and seven hundred souls believed. The Emperor ordered to cut off their heads and they received the crown of martyrdom. \nWhen St. George stood before Emperor Diocletian\, along with seventy kings that were sitting around him\, they asked the Saint: ‘We wish you to make these chairs that we are sitting on to put forth leaves\, and bear fruit.’ The Saint prayed to the Lord Christ\, the Lord accepted his supplication and the chairs put forth leaves and bore fruit. \nThey took him once to a cemetery and asked him to raise the dead therein. He prayed to the Lord Christ. The Lord raised them and after they talked to them\, they returned to their graves and died. \nA poor woman\, brought her son\, who was blind\, deaf and dumb\, he prayed to the Lord Christ then made the sign of the cross over him\, and he was healed right away. \nDiocletain\, during all that\, went on torturing St. George\, until he was weary and bored of that. He started to be pleasant to the Saint and promised to give him his daughter in marriage if he would offer the incense to his gods. The Saint pretended that he accepted his offer\, and the Emperor rejoiced and brought him into the royal palace. While St. George was praying the Psalms\, the Empress heard him and asked him to explain to her what he had said. He began to interpret to her all the events from the creation of the world to the Incarnation of the Lord Christ\, and his words entered her heart and she believed in the Lord Christ\, to Whom is the Glory. \nThe Emperor ordered to call upon all the men of the city to gather\, in order to see Saint George offering the incense to the Emperor’s gods. When multitude gathered by the idols\, Gawargios (George) stood and cried at the idols in the Name of the Lord Christ the Savior of the world. The earth opened its mouth and swallowed all the idols. The Emperor and all those who were with him were ashamed and he returned to his palace full of fury and wrath. The Empress told him: ‘Didn’t I tell you not to oppose the Galileans\, for their God is strong and mighty?’ The Emperor was exceedingly wrath with her\, for he knew that St. George had brought her also to his faith. The Emperor with rage ordered to comb her body with a steel comb\, then cut off her head\, and she received the crown of martyrdom. Finally\, Diocletian decided to put an end to the humiliation that befell him\, so he ordered to cut off the head of St. George\, and he received the crown of martyrdom. A Christian took the body\, wrapped it in expensive shrouds\, and took it to the city of Lydda\, his home town\, and they built a great church on his name there. His intercession be with us and Glory be to our God forever. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/martyrdom-of-st-george-prince-of-martyrs-2/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20211116T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20211116T170000
DTSTAMP:20260616T115733
CREATED:20210528T093621Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210528T093621Z
UID:5571-1637049600-1637082000@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:- Martyrdom of St. Baslantya
DESCRIPTION:September 16\, 2020 – Tout 6\, 1737 \nOn this day also the holy Saint Baslantya was martyred in the days of Diocletian the infidel. When this pious Christian lady was only nine years old\, she was arrested\, her hands and feet were bound and she was cast into the fire\, but she did not get burned because of the mighty power of God. At her prayers\, God caused water to come down and she drank\, and then she committed her soul to God. May her prayers and blessings be with us all\, and Glory be to God forever. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/martyrdom-of-st-baslantya/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20210930T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20210930T170000
DTSTAMP:20260616T115733
CREATED:20210528T100157Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210528T100157Z
UID:5623-1632988800-1633021200@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:- Departure of St. Theopesti
DESCRIPTION:September 30\, 2020 – Tout 20\, 1737 \nAlso today we commemorate the departure of St. Theopesti. She was married and had a son. Her husband died while she was still young. She took it upon herself to become a nun. She started to practice the spiritual life. She persisted in fasting and continual prayers and worshipping day and night. She went to the saintly father Abba Macarius\, bishop of Nekios\, she bowed to him and took his blessings\, then she asked him to pray on her and put on her garb of monasticism. The bishop advised her to try herself for a year and he promised her that would put on her the garb of monasticism after that year. \nShe went to her house and enclosed herself in a small room and closed its door\, and then made a small opening in it. Her son\, who was then twelve years old\, was taking care of her needs. She embarked in strenuous worships with asceticism and devotion. The year elapsed\, and the bishop had forgotten that he had promised this saint that he would put on her the garb of monasticism. He saw her in his sleep in a shining figure\, telling him\, My father\, how did you forget me till now\, and I am passing away tonight? and he saw as if he were awake. He prayed on her the prayer for ordaining monks\, and he did not find a Kalansowa (cover for the head)\, he took off his own and put it on her head. Then he put on her the holy Eskeem. He asked his disciple for another Kalansowa and put it on. She had a silver cross in her hand which she gave to him saying: �Accept this from your disciple.� And it was said that when he awakened\, he found the cross in his hand and he looked attentively at the cross which was beautifully made. He was amazed and glorified God. \nEarly in the morning he went with his disciple to the house of this blessed woman. Her son received him crying with tears. When he asked him why he was crying\, he replied saying\, My mother called me in the middle of the night and bid me farewell and told me whatever the bishop tells you\, do and do not break it. I will depart this night to go to the Lord Christ. She prayed over me and advised me saying: �Keep all that I commanded you and do not go against the opinion of our father\, the bishop\, and here now I am in your hands.� The bishop came to where the saint was lying and knocked on the door\, but she did not answer. He said this blessed saint had departed indeed\, and he ordered his disciple to open the door. When the bishop entered\, he found she had given up her soul. She had on her the Eskeem that he had put on her in his vision and also the Kalansowa that he had on. His eyes were filled with tears. He praised and glorified God who works out the satisfaction of His saints. The bishop shrouded her as was the habit of the monks and called the priests who carried her to the holy church and prayed over her with great honor. There was in the city a paralytic infidel man\, suffering from evil spirits. When he heard the chanting of priests\, he asked his people to carry him and take him where the body of the saint was. When they brought him to the church\, he drew near to the holy body with faith and he was cured instantly. The devil came out of him\, and he became well straightaway. He and his people believed in the Lord Christ and the bishop baptized them. And everyone who had a disease or a deformity would come to the church and touch the holy body and would be healed immediately. And when the governor heard about these wonders\, he and most of the city believed in the Lord Christ. He came to the church and carried the body and buried it with honor. May his prayers and blessings be with us all\, and Glory be to God forever. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/departure-of-st-theopesti/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20210930T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20210930T170000
DTSTAMP:20260616T115733
CREATED:20210528T100129Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210528T100129Z
UID:5621-1632988800-1633021200@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:- Martyrdom of St. Malatini the Virgin
DESCRIPTION:September 30\, 2020 – Tout 20\, 1737 \nOn this day also is the commemoration of the martyrdom of St. Malatini the Virgin. May her prayers be with us all. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/martyrdom-of-st-malatini-the-virgin/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20210930T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20210930T170000
DTSTAMP:20260616T115733
CREATED:20210528T100101Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210528T100101Z
UID:5619-1632988800-1633021200@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:- Departure of Pope Athanasius the Second\, the Twenty-Eighth Patriarch of the See of St. Mark
DESCRIPTION:September 30\, 2020 – Tout 20\, 1737 \n\nOn this day of the year 512 A.D.\, departed the righteous father St. Athanasius the Second\, the twenty-eighth patriarch of the See of St. Mark. This father was the steward of the churches of Alexandria. When the saintly father Abba Peter departed\, the bishops and elders and the people agreed to ordain him patriarch for what they had known about his orthodox faith and knowledge. He was a good man\, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith. When he became patriarch\, he shepherded the flock of the Lord Christ exceedingly well\, and he protected them from the snatching wolves with his teachings and prayers. He sat on the Episcopal throne for three years and nine months. Then he departed in peace. May his prayers be with us all. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/departure-of-pope-athanasius-the-second-the-twenty-eighth-patriarch-of-the-see-of-st-mark/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20210929T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20210929T170000
DTSTAMP:20260616T115733
CREATED:20210528T100031Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210528T100031Z
UID:5617-1632902400-1632934800@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:- Commemoration of St. Gregory\, Patriarch of the Armenians
DESCRIPTION:September 29\, 2020 – Tout 19\, 1737 \nOn this day we commemorate the martyrdom of St. Gregory\, Patriarch of the Armenians\, who became a martyr without bloodshed. He made himself a slave of the country of the Armenia in the days of King Dertades about the year 270 A.D. This king was not Christian. When he came into the temple to offer up incense to the idols\, he summoned the saint to offer up incense with him\, but he would not do it. The king inflicted upon him severe tortures and finally cast him in an empty pit. The Saint lived there for fifteen years. \nNear the pit lived an old widow\, and she saw in a vision someone telling her to make bread regularly and cast it into this pit\, and she continued to do this for fifteen years. It happened that the king ordered the killing of the virgins of Arbsima and Ghabata\, and their friends. Because he wished to marry St. Arbsima\, he became exceedingly sad at her killing\, and he was attacked by a serious illness from which he did not recover until his sister saw in a dream someone telling her\, Unless you bring up Gregory out of the pit\, your brother will not be cured. They brought the saint out of the pit\, and he prayed over the king\, and he was cured from his sickness. May his prayers and blessings be with us all\, and Glory be to God forever. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/commemoration-of-st-gregory-patriarch-of-the-armenians/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20210928T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20210928T170000
DTSTAMP:20260616T115733
CREATED:20210528T100002Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210528T100002Z
UID:5615-1632816000-1632848400@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:- Commemoration of Stephen the Priest and Niceta the Martyr
DESCRIPTION:September 28\, 2020 – Tout 18\, 1737 \nOn this day also is the commemoration of Stephen the priest\, and Niceta the martyr. May their prayers and blessings be with us all\, and Glory be to God forever. Amen
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/commemoration-of-stephen-the-priest-and-niceta-the-martyr/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20210928T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20210928T170000
DTSTAMP:20260616T115733
CREATED:20210528T095933Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210528T095933Z
UID:5613-1632816000-1632848400@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:- Martyrdom of St. Bropharius
DESCRIPTION:September 28\, 2020 – Tout 18\, 1737 \nOn this day we celebrate the martyrdom of St. Bropharius. He was a comedian and jester and non-Christian. When Constance\, the son of Constantine departed\, Julian the infidel reigned after him and was killed by St. Macarius. This infidel was the nephew of Constantine. On his birthday\, he gathered jesters\, comedians\, and people of the circus; Bropharius was one of them. The infidel emperor ordered him to imitate the Christians. When he came to the ritual of the holy baptism and made the sign of the Cross over the water in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit\, the Lord enlightened his mind and he perceived a divine grace coming down on the water and light shone from it. He immersed into the water three times\, then went up from it and put on his clothes. He confessed that he became Christian. The Emperor rebuked and threatened him. Then the emperor promised to give him many gifts. In spite of that\, the Saint went on saying\, I am Christian. I am Christian. Finally\, the emperor ordered his neck to be cut off and he earned the crown of martyrdom. May his intercession be for us all. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/martyrdom-of-st-bropharius/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20210927T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20210927T170000
DTSTAMP:20260616T115733
CREATED:20210528T095858Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210528T095858Z
UID:5611-1632729600-1632762000@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:- Departure of St. Theognosta
DESCRIPTION:September 27\, 2020 – Tout 17\, 1737 \nOn this day also departed the blessed Theognosta. She lived in the days of the righteous Emperors Honorius and Arcadius. It happened one day that an envoy came with gifts from the King of India to the two emperors. On the way back\, they found this Virgin Theognosta holding in her a hand a book which she was reading. They seized her and took her back with them to their country. She became the head of the King’s attendants and his wives. One day\, the son of the King fell sick with a grievous sickness. She laid him in her bosom and made over him the sign of the Cross\, and he recovered immediately. This report spread throughout that land\, and since that day she was set free. \nWhen the King went to war\, there came upon him thick clouds and fog\, and knowing of the sign of the Cross that St. Theognosta used to make\, the King made the sign of the Cross over the winds and it became clear again\, and with the sign of the Cross\, he vanquished his enemies. When the King returned home from the war\, he bowed down at the feet of the Saint\, and asked her for the holy baptism for him and for the people of his city. She told them that it was not for her to baptize. They sent to Emperor Honorius to inform him of their acceptance of the faith and asked him to send a priest to baptize them. He sent to them a priest who was a saintly anchorite\, and he baptized them all and he gave them the Holy Body and Blood of our Lord Christ. The virgin rejoiced for his coming and they blessed each other. She built a monastery for herself and many virgins who desired to go into the monastic life. \nWhen the priest returned to the Emperor and related to him how the people of the city entered into the faith of our Lord Christ\, he rejoiced exceedingly. The Emperor agreed with the Archbishop to ordain the priest a bishop and to send him back to them\, and they rejoiced greatly. They had built a big church and they need pillars. There was a large temple for idols which had pillars so they took them to build this church. The rest of the people of this city joined the faith of the Lord Christ. The virgin rejoiced for all that had happened then departed to that nunnery among the virgins. May her prayers and blessings be with us all\, and Glory be to God forever. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/departure-of-st-theognosta/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20210927T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20210927T170000
DTSTAMP:20260616T115733
CREATED:20210528T095821Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210528T095821Z
UID:5609-1632729600-1632762000@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:- Feast Day of the Appearance of the Honorable Cross
DESCRIPTION:September 27\, 2020 – Tout 17\, 1737 \nOn this day the church celebrates the appearance of the Honorable Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was revealed by the lover of God\, Queen Helena\, mother of Emperor Constantine\, from under the pile of Golgotha\, after she ordered its removal. As to the reason for how this great pile of dirt came into being\, it was thus: the Jewish leaders when they saw all the signs and wonders which were made manifest from the sepulcher of our Savior\, such as raising the dead and healing the sick\, became angry\, and they sent forth throughout Judea and Jerusalem ordering all the people to cast the sweepings of their houses and the dirt over the sepulcher of Jesus of Nazareth. And they continued to do so for more than two hundred years\, until it became a very great heap. \nWhen St. Helena came to Jerusalem\, and asked the Jews about the whereabouts of the Cross\, they did not inform her. Finally\, some of them told her about an old Jew called Judas who knew the place. She called him\, and he denied at first but when she urged him\, he told her about the pile. She ordered its removal and the Holy Cross was found. she built a church for it and consecrated it and celebrated it on the seventeenth day of the month of Tute. All Christian people make pilgrimages to that place every year as they do in the feast of the Resurrection. \nA certain Samaritan called Isaac\, as he was traveling with his family among the people going to Jerusalem\, reproved the people for taking such trouble in going to Jerusalem to worship a piece of wood. Among the people was a priest whose name was Okhidus. While traveling along the road\, they became thirsty. They found no water and they came to a well where the water was foul and bitter. The people became dismayed. Isaac the Samaritan started mocking them saying\, If I witness a power by the name of the Cross\, I will become a believer of Christ. The priest Okhidus was moved with divine zeal and prayed over that foul water and made the sign of the Cross on it\, and it became sweet. All the people and their animals drank\, but when Isaac drank\, the water was bitter and wormy. He regretted and cried and came to the saint\, Father Okhidus\, and he bowed down at his feet and believed in the Lord Christ. Then he drank from the water\, and he found it sweet. That water had the power of becoming sweet for the believers and bitter for the others. A cross of light appeared in the well and a church was built there. \nWhen Isaac the Samaritan arrived in Jerusalem\, he went to its bishop who baptized him and his family. The appearance of the Honorable Cross at the hands of Queen Helena was on the tenth of Baramhat. And because this always comes during fasting\, it was substituted by the fathers for the Seventeenth of Tute which is the day of consecration of its church. Glory and worship be to Jesus Christ our Lord forever and ever. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/feast-day-of-the-appearance-of-the-honorable-cross/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20210926T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20210926T170000
DTSTAMP:20260616T115733
CREATED:20210528T095747Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210528T095747Z
UID:5607-1632643200-1632675600@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:- Transfer of the Relics of St. Chrysostom (of the Golden Mouth)
DESCRIPTION:September 26\, 2020 – Tout 16\, 1737 \nOn this day also the church commemorates the transfer of the relics of St. John Chrysostom (of the Golden Mouth) from the city of Komanah\, where he died in exile\, to Constantinople thirty years after his departure\, which was in the year 437 A.D. during the reign of Emperor Theodosius the Small. May his prayers and blessings be with us all\, and Glory be to God forever. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/transfer-of-the-relics-of-st-chrysostom-of-the-golden-mouth/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20210926T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20210926T170000
DTSTAMP:20260616T115733
CREATED:20210528T095705Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210528T095705Z
UID:5605-1632643200-1632675600@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:- Commemoration of the Consecration of the Sanctuaries of the Resurrection
DESCRIPTION:September 26\, 2020 – Tout 16\, 1737 \nToday we celebrate the consecration of the sanctuaries of the Resurrection in Jerusalem in the year 326 A.D. In the twentieth year of the reign of Emperor Constantine and after the meeting of the Holy Council at Nicea\, Quee Helena told her son Constantine that she had vowed to go to Jerusalem to get the blessings of the holy places and to search for the wood of the life giving Cross. He rejoiced at this and gave her much money\, and he sent with her a large number of soldiers. When she arrived there and received the blessings of the holy places\, she searched for the wood of the Cross and found it after much toil. She praised it with great praises and paid to it much reverance and honor. She commanded the building of the sanctuaries of the Resurrection – the Golgotha\, Bethlehem and the manger\, the fortress of Zion\, Gethsemane and the sanctuaries\, and other holy places – and that they be inlaid with pearl and covered with gold and silver. \nThere was in Jerusalem a saintly bishop who advised her not to do that saying\, For after a while foreign people will come and seize this place and destroy it and take the precious stones and the silver and the gold. But is preferable to build good and strong buildings and the remainder of the money be given to the poor and the needy. She accepted his words and gave him the money and set him in charge of the work. When she returned back to her son and told him what she had done\, he rejoiced\, and sent large sums of money and commanded to pay the workers their wages in full so they would not complain. When the building of the holy places was finished in the thirtieth year of the reign of Emperor Constantine\, he sent vessels and precious vestments for the altars. He sent word to the Archbishop of Constantinople and to St.Athanasius\, the Pope of Alexandria to take their bishops and to go to Jerusalem where they would meet the Archbishop of Antioch and the Bishop of Jerusalem. \nThey tarried there until the sixteenth of the month of Tute\, when they consecrated all the altars that had been built. On the seventeenth day they marched with the Honorable Cross around all the holy places and they worshipped God therein\, and gave offerings\, and they glorified the Cross and honored it. Then they returned to their chairs. May their prayers be with us all. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/commemoration-of-the-consecration-of-the-sanctuaries-of-the-resurrection/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20210925T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20210925T170000
DTSTAMP:20260616T115733
CREATED:20210528T095631Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210528T095631Z
UID:5603-1632556800-1632589200@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:- Transfer of the Body of St. Stephen the Archdeacon
DESCRIPTION:September 25\, 2020 – Tout 15\, 1737 \nWe celebrate on this day the transfer of the body of St. Stephen the archdeacon and protomartyr. Very many years had passed since his martyrdom\, more than three hundred. After the reign of Emperor Constantine and when noble worship has spread\, St. Stephen\, the Striver and martyr\, appeared to Lucianus in the village where the honored body was buried and which was called the Village of Gamaliel\, near Jerusalem. He appeared to him several times and told him his name and where his body was buried. That man went to the bishop of Jerusalem and informed him of what he had seen in his sleep. The bishop rose up and took him with two bishops and the people of the church and went to the place where the body was and when they dug the ground\, a mighty earthquake took place. The coffin wherein the holy body was lying was revealed. There came out from it the odor of a magnificent spice. They heard voices of angels praising God and saying\, Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace\, good will toward men. This praise was repeated three times and the bishops bowed down before the coffin. They carried it away in the midst of songs and hymns and candles until they came to Zion. And after this\, a man whose name was Alexander and who was from Constantinople\, built a church for St. Stephen in Jerusalem and placed the holy body in it. \nFive years later\, Alexander departed\, and his wife buried him by the side of the coffin of the Saint. And eight years later\, Alexander’s wife decided to go to Constantinople and to take her husband’s body with her. She came to the church\, and she took the coffin wherein the body of St. Stephen had been laid thinking that it was the coffin wherein was her husband’s body. She carried it away to Ascalon\, and there she embarked with it in a ship to Constantinople. In the middle of the sea she heard singing and many praises coming from the coffin\, and she marvelled exceedingly. She rose up and examined the coffin and she knew that it was the coffin wherein the body of St. Stephen\, and this was the Will of God\, so she gave thanks to the Lord and went on her way until she arrived in Constantinople. \nThen she went to the King and informed him about what had happened. The King\, the archbishop\, priests and the people of the city went forth to the ship\, and they carried the coffin on their heads to the royal palace. And both on the ship and in the royal palace\, God made manifest many signs. \nThey laid the holy body in a palanquin carried by two mules\, and when they came to a place called Constantinious\, the two mules stopped. When they beat the mules\, they did not move but they heard the voice of one of them saying\, It is meet to place the Saint here. All those who saw and heard this marveled and they knew that He who had made the donkey of Balaam speak was He who had made this animal carrying the body of the Saint speak. The King ordered that a church be built for the Saint in that place. And they laid therein the pure gem\, the holy body of St. Stephen\, the apostle and the martyr. May his prayers and blessings be with us all\, and Glory be to God forever. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/transfer-of-the-body-of-st-stephen-the-archdeacon/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20210924T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20210924T170000
DTSTAMP:20260616T115733
CREATED:20210528T095600Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210528T095600Z
UID:5601-1632470400-1632502800@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:- Departure of St. Agatho the Stylite
DESCRIPTION:September 24\, 2020 – Tout 14\, 1737 \nOn this day departed St. Agatho the Stylite. He was from the city of Tenis. The name of his father was Matra and his mother’s name was Mariam. They were righteous and feared God\, and they loved to give alms and gifts to the poor and needy. The thought of monasticism moved in his mind continually. When he was thirty-five years old\, he was ordained priest\, he devoted himself and served the church continually. He asked the Lord Christ by day and by night to facilitate for him his departure from this world\, and to help him to depart to the desert. The Lord Christ answered his request and he went out from the city and came to Ternot (Mareot) and then to the desert where the angel of God appeared to him in the form of a monk who journeyed with him and brought him to the monastery of St. Macarius in Scete. He came to the holy old men Abba Abraham and Abba Gawargah and he became their disciple and lived with them for three years. After this they took him before the altar and in the presence of Hegomen Abba Yoanis\, they remained three days in prayer over his garb of monasticism. Then they dressed him in the holy Eskeem. From that hour he exerted all his efforts in continuous fasting and prayer and fought a great fight. He used to sleep on the ground till his skin cleaved to his bones. He read continually the history of the striving of Abba Simon the Stylite\, and he thought of leading a solitary life. He took counsel with the holy fathers concerning that\, and they approved his opinion. They prayed for him and then he left and came near the city of Sakha where he dwelt in a little church. the believers built a place for him on a pillar and he went up on it and labored strenuously leading an ascetic life for fifty years. \nIn his days there appeared a man in whom there was an obstinate devil and who led many people away. He used to sit in the midst of church and the people would gather around to hear him\, and they carried branches of trees. Abba Agatho sent for the posseddsed and had him brought to him\, and he prayed over him. He cast out the devil who used to lead the people astray. \nSimilarily\, a woman claimed that St.Mina conversed with her and she commanded the people of her city to dig a well after the name of St. Mina to heal everyone who bathed therein. St. Agatho prayed over that woman until he cast out from her that unclean spirit and St. Agatho commanded the people to cover up that well with earth. At the hands of this holy man\, St. Agatho\, God worked many miracles\, and he healed very many sick people and cast out devils. The devils appeared to him in the form of angels\, singing sweet songs and imparting blessings unto him\, but by the might of the Lord Christ he knew their guile\, and he made the sign of the Cross over them\, and they flew away defeated. \nWhen God wished to give him rest from the labors of this world\, he fell sick shortly and delivered up his soul into the hand of God. All the people who had benefited from his sermons and teachings and gathered around him and wept bitterly. This holy father lived for one hundred years\, of which he spent forty years in the world and ten years in the desert and fifty years in solitude upon that pillar. May his prayers and blessings be with us all\, and Glory be to God forever. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/departure-of-st-agatho-the-stylite/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20210923T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20210923T170000
DTSTAMP:20260616T115733
CREATED:20210528T095504Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210528T095504Z
UID:5599-1632384000-1632416400@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:- Commemoration of the Miracle made by St. Basilius\, Bishop of Caesarea of Cappadocia
DESCRIPTION:September 23\, 2020 – Tout 13\, 1737 \nOn this day also is the commemoration of the great miracle made by St. Basilius\, Bishop of Caesarea of Cappadocia with a young man who loved his master’s daughter. Satan\, his enemy and the enemy of the human race\, deceived him and made him resort to a magician who made him write a covenant to deny the faith and to surrender completely to Satan that he might grant him his wish. Satan kindled lust in the heart of the girl\, and she loved the young man exceedingly. She asked her father insistingly not to object to her marriage to that young man. Eager for his honor and fearing for her life\, he married her to him. \nWhen she had spent with him many days\, and had seen that he did not enter the church or partake of the Holy Sacraments\, or make the sign of the Holy Cross over himself\, she revealed to him her doubt about his faith and his love to God. He told her what had happened to him\, and how he had written to Satan a covenant of obedience till death. She cried exceedingly and rebuked him for his deed and straightaway\, he took him to St. Basilius\, Bishop of Caesarea\, who listened to his confession and saw his grief and desire to go back to the life of worship\, fellowship\, and righteousness. St.Basilius asked him to stay with him for a while in seclusion\, fasting and praying. He shut him up in a room near him for three days. On the third day St. Basilius visited him and he made known to him that the evil spirits did not cease disturbing and fighting him in many ways. He strengthened him\, calmed him down\, gave him food and prayed for him. He asked him to keep staying in seclusion for for praying and fasting. After a few days\, he came back to visit him again. The young man told him that he did not see any more but he still heard their cries and threats. He fed him again and prayed for him and left him to the life of seclusion to fight and pray\, and the bishop went to pray for him also. And this went on until forty days were completed. When the Saint came to him and asked him about his state\, he told him that he saw him (the Saint) fighting against Satan on his behalf\, and he vanquished him and finally was victorious. \nThe Bishop gathered all the priests and the monks and prayed for that young man all night. On the following morning he led him into the church while everyone was crying\, Lord have mercy upon us\, and they continued to cry out until that writing\, which the young man had written as a covenant to deny the faith and to surrender to Satan\, fell down in the midst of all the people. \nThe Bishop\, the young man and his wife\, and all the people were exceedingly glad. The Bishop blessed that man and administered to him the Holy Sacraments. The man and his wife departed to their house full of joy for their salvation\, and exalted for the remission of their sins. They praised God and thanked St.Basilius by whose prayers they were saved. May his prayers and blessings be with us all\, and Glory be to God forever. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/commemoration-of-the-miracle-made-by-st-basilius-bishop-of-caesarea-of-cappadocia/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20210923T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20210923T170000
DTSTAMP:20260616T115733
CREATED:20210528T095407Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210528T095407Z
UID:5597-1632384000-1632416400@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:- Departure of Pope Mattheos the Second\, Patriarch of the See of St. Mark
DESCRIPTION:September 23\, 2020 – Tout 13\, 1737 \nOn this day of the year 1182 of martyrs\, departed the exalted father Abba Mattheos the Second\, the Ninetieth of the Popes of the See of St. Mark. He was a monk in El-Muharraq monastery. His selection and ordination for the papacy was in the year 1169 of martyrs and he sat on the throne of St. Mark for thirteen years and then departed in peace. May his prayers and blessings be with us all. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/departure-of-pope-mattheos-the-second-patriarch-of-the-see-of-st-mark/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20210922T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20210922T170000
DTSTAMP:20260616T115733
CREATED:20210528T094401Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210528T094401Z
UID:5595-1632297600-1632330000@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:- Transfer of Relics of St. Aklimos and His Companions
DESCRIPTION:September 22\, 2020 – Tout 12\, 1737 \nOn this day also we celebrate the transfer of the relics of St. Aklimos the amrtyr and his companions to the city of Alexandria. May their prayers and blessings be with us all\, and Glory be to God forever. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/transfer-of-relics-of-st-aklimos-and-his-companions/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20210922T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20210922T170000
DTSTAMP:20260616T115733
CREATED:20210528T094323Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210528T094323Z
UID:5593-1632297600-1632330000@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:- Assembly of the Third General Council at Ephesus for Trying Nestor\, Archbishop of Constantinople
DESCRIPTION:September 22\, 2020 – Tout 12\, 1737 \nOn this day of the year 431 A.D. assembled the Holy Council at Ephesus which was attended by two hundred bishops. It was the third of the Ecumenical Councils. This was in the twentieth year of the reign of Theodosius the Small\, the Son of Arcadius\, the son of Theodosius the Great. \nThey assembled because of the heresy of Nestor who was Archbishop of Constantinople. He believed that St. Mary did not give birth to the incarnated God\, but only to a man\, and that afterwards the Son of God dwelt in him\, not the dwelling of unity but just the dwelling of desire and will\, and therefore\, Christ had two Natures and two Wills. \nSo these fathers convened and they debated that with him\, and they showed him the He\, was born of the Virgin\, was the incarnated God\, as the angel said\, God be with thee; He who shall be born of thee is Holy and shall be called the Son of the Highest. (Luke 1:28-32) And according to the saying of Isaiah\, Behold\, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son\, and shall call his name Emmanuel\, (Isaiah 7:14) and also\, His name shall be called Wonderful\, Counselor\, the Mighty God\, the Everlasting Father. (Isaiah 9:6) St.Cyril discussed this with him saying\, Natures cannot be separated after they have become one by their unity\, and we believe that the Word of God which became man has One Nature only. But Nestor would not turn from his teaching nor change his mind. St.Cyril with the whole Council rebuked him and threatened that they would excommunicate him. He would not accept the words of the Council\, and they therefore excommunicated him and exiled him from his chair. \nThey confirmed that the Virgin St. Mary had given birth to the Incarnated God thw Word. They drew up the Canon and laid down the Laws. These are the laws of the faithful till this day. If it is said that the Nestorians do not say that today\, we reply saying because they have mingled with the Christians of the East\, and that some of them have turned from their erroneous opinion.We beseech our God and our Lord and our Savior Jesus Christ to guide us in the way of salvation – to whom be praise and glory and worship now and ever. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/assembly-of-the-third-general-council-at-ephesus-for-trying-nestor-archbishop-of-constantinople/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20210921T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20210921T170000
DTSTAMP:20260616T115733
CREATED:20210528T094246Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210528T094246Z
UID:5591-1632211200-1632243600@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:- Martyrdom of St. Wasilides
DESCRIPTION:September 21\, 2020 – Tout 11\, 1737 \nOn this day was martyred St. Wasilides who was a minister and provider for the kingdom of Rome\, over which he acted as counsellor. He had many slaves and fellows. Emperor Numerianus married Wasilides’ sister\, Patricia\, the mother of Theodore Bandelewos\, and had another son called Yustus. Wasilides had two sons: Awsabyos (Eusebyus) and Macarius. When the Persians waged war against Rome\, Emperor Numerianus sent to them his son Yustus with Awsabyos\, Wasilides’ son. Then he went to fight another enemy and was killed in that war. His kingdom was thus left vacant without one to administer its affairs. They had chosen among the soldiers for war a man called Agripada\, a shepherd\, and they set him over the royal horses stable. He was a mighty man in action\, bold in his dealings. One of the Empror’s daughters looked at him and took him for her husband. She made him Emperor and called him\, Diocletian. In a short while\, he forsook the Lord God of Heaven and worshipped idols. When Wasilides heard this\, he felt very sad\, and he did not return to serve the Emperor. \nAs to Yustus\, the son of Numerianus\, and Awsabyos (Eusebius)\, the son of Wasilides\, they returned from the war with triumphant victory. When they saw that the Emperor had deviated from the true faith\, they were exceedingly sorry and drew their swords and wanted to slay Diocletian\, the infidel Emperor\, and to appoint Yustus\, Numerianus’ son\, Emperor\, thus returning the kingdom to its owner. But Wasilides prevented them from doing this. Then he gathered his army and slaves and informed them that he wished to lay down his life for the sake of Christ’s name. They all answered saying\, We also will die with you. They all agreed and stood before Diocletian who feared them tremendously\, for they were the owners of the kingdom. So Herminius\, Victor’s father\, advised him to banish them to Egypt to be tortured there. He sent them each to a different city with Abadir and Irai his sister\, Awsabyos (Eusebius)\, and Macarius\, Claudius\, and Victor. And Theodore Bandelewos was nailed to a tree. As to Wasilides\, he was sent to Masrus\, the governor of the Five Western Cities; and when Masrus saw him\, he marvelled exceedingly why he had left his kingdom and his glory. Our Lord Christ sent His angel and lifted him up by the Holy Spirit to heaven\, and showed him the spiritual dwellings and his soul was comforted. As to his slaves\, some were set free\, and some were martyred with him. St. Wasilides endured terrible tortures\, on a squeezing machine with wheels at times\, and at others his body was combed with iron combs. Then he was lifted onto a spiral device with a saw and thrust on an iron bed. Masrus\, the governor\, did not leave out any means of torturing him. when he saw that he remained steadfast in his faith\, he ordered his men to cut off his holy head\, and he received the crown of martyrdom in the kingdom of heaven in return for the earthly kingdom which he had forsaken. May his prayers and blessings be with us all\, and Glory be to God forever. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/martyrdom-of-st-wasilides/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20210920T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20210920T170000
DTSTAMP:20260616T115733
CREATED:20210528T094212Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210528T094212Z
UID:5589-1632124800-1632157200@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:- Commemoration of St. Passin and Her Children
DESCRIPTION:September 20\, 2020 – Tout 10\, 1737 \nOn this day also is the commemoration of St. Passin and her three children. May their prayers and blessings be with us all\, and Glory be to God forever. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/commemoration-of-st-passin-and-her-children/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20210920T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20210920T170000
DTSTAMP:20260616T115733
CREATED:20210528T094135Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210528T094135Z
UID:5587-1632124800-1632157200@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:- Martyrdom of St. Matrounah
DESCRIPTION:September 20\, 2020 – Tout 10\, 1737 \nOn this day St. Matrounah\, who was a maid-servant to a Jewish lady\, was martyred. She was of Christian parents\, and her mistress used to entice her to adopt the Hebrew religion\, but she refused and that is why her mistress used to humiliate her\, ill treat her\, and over-burden her with servitude. On some days she accompanied her mistress to the Hebrew Assembly\, then returned and went to the Christians’ church. And when her mistress asked her where she had been and why she did not enter their assembly\, the Saint replied\, God has departed far away from the synagogue that is yours\, how shall I enter it? Whereas the place that should be entered is the church which the Lord Christ had bought with His blood. Her mistress was angry at this and beat her harshly\, then imprisoned her in a dark place where she spent four days without food or drink. She then took her out and beat her sorely\, then she returned her to her imprisonment where she died. After her death\, her mistress\, (because she feared that the government would hold her accountable for her blood)\, took her to the top of her house and threw her down so that it would be said that she had fallen by chance. She was accursed by God\, her feet slipped and she fell down\, died and went to Hell. As to the Saint\, she went to the eternal bliss. May her intercession be for us. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/martyrdom-of-st-matrounah/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20210919T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20210919T170000
DTSTAMP:20260616T115733
CREATED:20210528T094057Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210528T094057Z
UID:5585-1632038400-1632070800@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:- Martyrdom of St. Pisoura the Bishop
DESCRIPTION:September 19\, 2020 – Tout 9\, 1737 \nOn this day was the martyrdom of the holy father\, the Bishop Abba Pisoura. He was the bishop of the city of Masil\, which is beloved of God. When Diocletian went back to worshipping the idols and started persecuting the Christians\, this holy man wished to shed his blood for Christ’s sake. He gathered together all the people before the altar and advised them concerning the commandments of the Lord\, and then informed them that he wished to obtain the crown of martyrdom for the sake of the Lord’s name. They all wept\, the young and the old\, saying\, To whom will you leave us\, our father\, as orphans? They wanted to prevent him from doing so\, but when they could not\, they let him go after he committed them to the Lord Christ. He left them bidding him farewell with much tears. Three bishops agreed with him; they were Baskos\, Fenabikos\, and Theodore\, and they all went together to the city of the governor and confessed Christ before him. So he tortured them cruelly\, especially when he knew that they were bishops and fathers to the Christians. The bold bishops endured the tortures with patience for the Lord Christ fortified them. Finally the governor ordered that the heads of the four be cut\, and they received the crown of life in the kingdom of God. As to the body of Saint Pisoura\, it rests at present in St.George’s Church in Old Cairo. May their blessings and prayers be with us all\, and Glory be to God forever. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/martyrdom-of-st-pisoura-the-bishop/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20210918T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20210918T170000
DTSTAMP:20260616T115733
CREATED:20210528T094018Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210528T094018Z
UID:5583-1631952000-1631984400@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:- Martyrdom of St. Dimides
DESCRIPTION:September 18\, 2020 – Tout 8\, 1737 \nOn this day also was the martyrdom of St. Dimides. He was from Dersheba of the chair of Dantu. He loved the church\, was kind to the poor and visited the sick. A luminous amn appeared to him and commanded him to go to receive the crown of martyrdom and promised him heavenly rewards. He rejoiced greatly and left his parents and went forth from the city. He prayed to God to help him to endure the torture for His Name’s sake. \nHe came to the city of Attribis and confessed the Lord Christ before the governor\, who tortured himseverly. Then he sent him to Lucianus\, the governor of Alexandria. When he was on the boat\, the Lord Christ appeared to him\, comforted him\, encouraged him and promised him everlasting happiness and his soul rejoiced. Lucianus tortured him with different kinds of tortures\, then gave the order to cut off his head\, and he received the crown of martyrdom. The people of his city came and took away his body and paid great honors to it. May his blessings and prayers be with us all\, and Glory be to God forever. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/martyrdom-of-st-dimides/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20210918T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20210918T170000
DTSTAMP:20260616T115733
CREATED:20210528T093941Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210528T093941Z
UID:5581-1631952000-1631984400@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:- Departure of Moses the Prophet
DESCRIPTION:September 18\, 2020 – Tout 8\, 1737 \nOn this day also departed the righteous Moses\, the head of the prophets. He labored with the people of God till death and delivered up himself for them. It was he who worked miracles and wonders in Egypt and in the Red Sea\, and who was not pleased to be called the son of Pharoah’s\, who brought him up when his parents left him on the banks of the river because they were afraid of Pharoah who had commanded the slaughter of all male children of the Hebrews. When the daughter of Pharoah found him by the river\, she took him and reared him as her own son. When he had completed his forty years\, he saw an Egyptian slay one of the Hebrews and straightaway he avenged the Hebrew and slew the Egyptian. The next day he saw two of the Hebrews fighting and he attempted to make peace between them. He who was in the wrong told him\, Do you want to slay me as you did slay the Egyptian yesterday? Because of this Moses fled to the land of Midian where he married and begot two sons. (Exodus 2) When he was eighty years old\, a fire appeared to him in a bush\, but the bush was not consumed. When he moved close to behold this great sight\, the Lord spoke to him from the bush and commanded him to bring out the people of Israel from the land of Egypt. \nGod worked at his hands the ten plagues upon the Egyptians\, the first was the river which turned into blood and the last was the slaughter of the first born of the Egyptians. (Exodus 7-12) He brought the people out\, and he divided the Red Sea and made them pass through it\, and then he brought back the water over their enemies. He brought down for them Mana in the desert for forty years\, and he made the water flow from a rock\, and in spite of that they grumbled against him and many times they wanted to stone him. But he was long suffering with them\, and he prayed to God for them\, and because he loved them greatly\, he said to God\, If Thou wilt not forgive this people their transgression\, then blot out my name from Thy book. (Exodus 32) The Book testified that he spoke with God five hundred times as a man talks with his friend\, and he was called the mouthpiece of God. When Moses came down from Mt.Sinai\, after being with God\, with the two tables of testimony in his hands\, his face was shining. The children of Israel were afraid to come near him\, so he put a veil on his face when he came near to talk to them. \nWhen he was one-hundred and twenty years old\, God commanded him to commit the leadership of the people to Joshua\, the son of Nun\, his disciple. (Deuteronomy 34:9) He called him and commanded him with the commands of god and his Law\, and informed him that he was the one to bring the people into the Promised Land. After Moses had made the Tabernacle of Witness and everything which was in it as God had commanded him\, he died in the mountain and was buried there\, and God hid his body so the children of Israel would not find it and worship it because the Book testifies there never rose up a prophet in Israel as Moses. When Satan wished to reveal the body\, Michael the archangel rebuked him\, and prevented him from doing so as St. Jude testifies in his epistle (Verse 9). May his prayers be with us all. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/departure-of-moses-the-prophet/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20210918T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20210918T170000
DTSTAMP:20260616T115733
CREATED:20210528T093901Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210528T093901Z
UID:5579-1631952000-1631984400@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:- Martyrdom of Zacharias the Prophet
DESCRIPTION:September 18\, 2020 – Tout 8\, 1737 \nOn this day St. Zacharias\, the priest\, was martyred by the hand of Herod the King. When the Archangel Gabriel announced to to him the birth of John his son\, he did not believe his word and the angel made him dumb and not able to speak until the child was born (Luke 1:18-22) He remained dumb until the day of his birth\, and when they named him\, he asked for a writing table and wrote that his name would be John. Then he spoke\, and praised God. (Luke 1:63-79) The Holy Gospel gave testimony concerning him\, that he and his wife were righteous\, walking in the Law of God without blemish. \nWhen our Lord Christ was born\, and the wise men came to worship Him\, Herod was troubled and feared for his kingdom. For this reason\, he gave the order to slay all the children of Bethlehem\, from two years old and under\, so he would kill the Lord Christ among them. The angel of God appeared to Joseph in a dream saying\, Take the child and flee to Egypt. St. Joseph took the child Jesus and St. Mary\, His mother\, and went to Egypt as the angel of the Lord had told him. \nBut John’s mother took him and fled to the mountain where she dwelt\, bringing him up for six years. After her departure to Heaven\, the child remained in the desert till the day of his appearance to Israel (Luke 1:80) It was said that during the slaughter of the children\, Herod thought that John was the Christ. He sent requesting him from his father Zacharias who said\, I do not know where the child is. They threatened to kill him\, but he did not heed. Herod ordered his soldiers to slay him. It was also said that when Herod sought John to slay him\, Zacharias escaped with him to the sanctuary and put him on the altar and when they caught up with him\, he told the soldiers\, From here I accepted him from the Lord\, and thereupon the angel of God snatched away the child\, and took him to the desert Zifana. when they did not find the child\, they slew Zacharias between the temple and the altar. (Matthew 23:25) \nZacharias the priest\, son of Barachias\, is not Zacharias the prophet who was one of the twelve minor prophets. This prophet was not martyred but died and his body was found without decay. May his prayers be with us all. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/martyrdom-of-zacharias-the-prophet/
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DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20210917T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20210917T170000
DTSTAMP:20260616T115733
CREATED:20210528T093825Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210528T093825Z
UID:5577-1631865600-1631898000@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:- Departure of St. Severianus\, Bishop of Gabla
DESCRIPTION:September 17\, 2020 – Tout 7\, 1737 \nOn this day also departed the righteous holy father\, Abba Severianus\, Bishop of Gabla in Greece. The name of his father was Blaryanos. He studied the earthly wisdom of the Athenians and then went to Caesarea for higher studies. He returned to Rome where he studied the doctrines of the Church\, and learned the Old and New Testaments in a few years. After this his parents departed and left him a great wealth. He wished to give it all to Christ so that he might receive it back a hundred-fold. He built a hotel to house the strangers\, the poor\, and the afflicted\, and planted gardens to have the fruits distributed to the poor. His name was given to these places after his departure from this world. His uncle who was the governor of that city informed Emperor Honorius that he had squandered all his money for the name of the Lord Christ to receive from Him back a hundred-fold as He had promised in His Holy Gospel. The emperor was pleased. He invited him and commanded him not to leave the palace. He used to take him along to the church. In those days Pope Yonakendios was sitting on the chair of Rome\, and it was revealed to him by God that Severianus would be in charge of a large group. The Pope loved and honored him\, and wished not to be separated from him\, and he was loved by everyone. \nWhen St.Severianus (Sawiros) saw that everyone honored him\, he became afraid of losing his labor\, so he decided to escape from earthly honors secretly. The angel of the Lord appeared to him and commanded him to go to the city of Gabla and there he would become father to many souls. After having put on the garb of the monks\, he departed by night and with him was his disciple\, Theodore. God sent to him a light to guide him to his destination. There was a monastery led by a holy abbot who learned in a vision about the coming of St.Severianus. He went out and welcomed him and told him about his vision. His fame reached that region and a countless number of people came to him. The Emperor Theodosius had one of the monasteries renewed for him to live in as the angel had determined for him. He became the comforter of many souls. He continued to teach and instruct the monks until they became saints like angels. \nGod performed many wonders at his hands. The daughter of the governor of Gabla had an evil spirit dwelling in her and the spirit said to her father\, If you drive away Severianus from this place\, I will get out of your daughter. When her father informed the saint about that\, he wrote him a paper saying: In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ\, get out of her. When he returned to his daughter with this paper\, straightaway the devil screamed and left her. Once some magicians agreed with some soldiers to break into his monastery\, but they were smitten with blindness and they remained like this for three days until the saint prayed for them to be cured. \nPhilatheus\, the Bishop of the city\, learned in a vision from God that St.Severianus (Sawiros) would succeed him on his chair and he said this to his people. When St.Severianus was ordained\, he looked after his people in the best way. There was in that city a Jew called Sektar who was proud of his knowledge. He came to the saint and debated with him until finally he was convinced of the correctness of Christianity and the faith in the Lord Christ; many other magicians also believed. During his days\, Egypt became as proud of its monks as Constantinople was of Saint John Chrysostom (of the Golden Mouth). When the Persians declared war against Honorius and Arcadius\, they sent to St.Severianus asking for his prayers for the kingdom. He sent back to them saying\, If we belong to Christ\, and our kingdom belongs to Christ\, we have no need for armor or spears or troops. And he reminded them of what the Lord had done with those previous kings who pleased Him. \nWhen Empress Eudoxia was angry with Chrysostom (of the Golden Mouth)\, she brought St.Severianus with others for the trial of St.Chrysostom. He admonished her saying\, John Chrysostom (of the Golden Mouth) did nothing worthy of banishment\, but she would not hearken to him. He wrote many discourses and sermons which still exist in the church books till now. He waxed old reaching the age of one hundred years. Ten days before his death\, the angel of God appeared to him and informed him of the day of his departure from this world. He gave advice to his people and then departed in peace. His pure body was prepared as was met and was placed in the sepulchre. His departure was two years before that of St.John Chrysostom (of the Golden Mouth). May his prayers be with us all\, and Glory be to God forever. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/departure-of-st-severianus-bishop-of-gabla/
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DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20210917T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20210917T170000
DTSTAMP:20260616T115733
CREATED:20210528T093738Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210528T093738Z
UID:5575-1631865600-1631898000@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:- Martyrdom of Saints Agathon\, Peter\, John\, Ammon and Ammona and their Mother\, Rebecca
DESCRIPTION:September 17\, 2020 – Tout 7\, 1737 \nOn this day also was the martyrdom of Saints Agathon\, Peter\, John\, Ammon\, and Ammona and their mother\, Rebecca. They were from Kemola of the district of Kus. Our Lord Jesus Christ appeared to them and informed them of what would happen to them and how they would receive the crown of martyrdom in the city of Shoubra which is near Alexandria\, and that their bodies would be carried to the city of Nakarha in the district of Behairah. The Saints rejoiced at this vision\, and they rose up early and gave all their possessions to the poor. \nAgathon\, their eldest brother\, was a man of high position in the city and was loved by everyone. Rebecca\, their mother\, encouraged them and incited them to bear the torture patiently for the name of the Lord Christ. Then they came to the city of Kus and confessed their belief in Christ before Dionysius\, the governor\, who tortured them severely. He started with their mother who bore the torture patiently and with joy\, and then tortured her five children. When he was weary of torturing them\, he was advised to send them to Alexandria so that they might not lead other people astray\, for they were loved by everyone. Because of them\, many confessed their belief in Jesus Christ and received the crown of martyrdom. \nWhen they were brought before Armenius\, the governor of Alexandria who learned about their case\, he tortured them very severely. He hacked their bodies\, cast them in a boiler\, squeezed them with wheels\, then crucified them upside down. From all these sufferings\, our Lord Christ saved them until the governor and all his people were ashamed. \nFinally\, he ordered to have their heads cut off and to have their bodies drowned in the sea. God sent forth an angel to a rich man from the city of Nakarha and commanded him to take the bodies of the saints and the man was exceedingly glad for that. He came to where the bodies were\, gave the soldiers much silver and took the holy bodies. When he laid them in the church\, he heard a voice saying\, This is abode of the saints. The bodies remained there till the time of persecutions passed\, then their existence was revealed and a big church was built for them. God made manifest from their relics\, signs\, and wonders. Then they transferred the bodies to the city of Sonbat\, where there is a church known as\, The Five and Their Mother or El-Sitt Refka (Lady Rebecca). Many visit this church every year to get their blessing. May their intecession be for all. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/martyrdom-of-saints-agathon-peter-john-ammon-and-ammona-and-their-mother-rebecca/
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DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20210917T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20210917T170000
DTSTAMP:20260616T115733
CREATED:20210528T093701Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210528T093701Z
UID:5573-1631865600-1631898000@stsmaryandmenari.org
SUMMARY:- Departure of St. Dioscorus the Twenty-Fifth Pope of Alexandria
DESCRIPTION:September 17\, 2020 – Tout 7\, 1737 \nOn this day of the year 451 A.D.\, departed the blessed father and the great hero of the Orthodox faith\, Saint Discorus\, the twenty-fifth Pope of Alexandria. His departure took place on the island of Gagra\, after he had fought a good fight defending the Orthodox faith. \nWhen he was summoned to the Council of Chalcedon by the order of Emperor Marcianus\, he saw a great assembly of six hundred and thirty bishops. Saint Discorus said\, In whom is faith lacking that it is necessary to gather this great assembly? They told him\, This assembly has been convened by the emperor’s command. He replied\, If this assembly has been convened by the command our Lord Jesus Christ\, I may stay and say what God gives me to say; but if this assembly has been convened by the emperor’s command\, let the emperor manage his assembly as he pleases. When he saw that Leo the Archbishop of Rome was teaching that Christ has two natures and two wills after His unity\, he spoke to confute this new belief. He stated that our Lord Jesus Christ is one\, He who was invited to the wedding as a man and changed the water into wine as God\, and that the two natures were not separate in all of His works. Quoting Pope Cyril\, he said\, The union of the Word of God with the flesh is like the union of the spirit with the body\, and like the union of fire and iron: even if they are of two different natures\, by their unity they became one. Similarly\, our Lord Christ is one Messiah\, one Nature\, and one Will. None of those who were gathered at that assembly dared to contradict him. Among them were some who had attended the Council of Ephesus\, which had been convened against Nestor. They informed the Emperor Marcianus and the Empress Belkarya that no one disobeyed their commands concerning the faith of except Dioscorus the Patriarch of the City of Alexandria. They brought him\, and the senior bishops of the Council debated and discussed the matter till it was evening\, but St. Dioscorus would not deviate from his Orthodox belief. \nThe emperor and empress were irritated at this\, and the empress commanded to smite him on his mouth\, and to pluck out the hair of his beard\, which was done. He took the hair and the teeth that had dropped out\, and sent them to Alexandria saying\, This is the fruit of Faith. When the rest of the bishops saw what had happened to Dioscorus\, they agreed with the king\, being afraid of undergoing the same fate. They signed the document of the belief that Christ has two distinct and separate natures. When St.Dioscorus knew this\, he sent for the document pretending that he wanted to sign it too. But when he read the document\, he wrote at its foot that he excommunicated them all as well as everyone who deviated from the Orthodox Faith. The king was enraged and he commanded to banish him to the Island of Gagra\, along with St.Macarius\, the Bishop of Edko\, and two others\, and the Council of Chalcedon was resumed. \nWhen they took St.Dioscorus to the island of Gagra\, its bishop\, because he was a Nestorian\, met him with contempt and disdain. But God performed at the hands of St.Dioscorus so that all obeyed him and magnified his greatness because God honors His chosen ones in every place. St.Dioscorus told St.Macarius\, his companion in exile\, You shall receive the crown of martyrdom in Alexandria. He sent him with one of the believing merchants to Alexandria\, where he earned the crown of martyrdom. \nSt.Dioscorus\, having ended his good fight\, departed from this worthless life and received the crown of eternal life. He departed in the island of Gagra where his body was laid. May his blessings and prayers be with us all. Amen.
URL:https://stsmaryandmenari.org/event/departure-of-st-dioscorus-the-twenty-fifth-pope-of-alexandria/
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