The

Martyrdom of St. Marina, of Antioch.

30th July – 23rd Abib

On this day also, is the commemoration of the martyrdom of the blessed St. Marina, who overcame the Devil. She was one of the daughters of the nobles of Antioch. Her parents were pagan. When her mother died, her father sent her to a nanny to raise her, who was a Christian. She taught Marina the Faith of Christ. When Marina reached the age of fifteen years, her father died. One day she heard her nurse talking about the biography of the martyrs and what glory they receive in the Kingdom of Heaven. She longed to become a martyr in the Name of the Lord Christ. One day St. Marina went out of her house with her maiden servants, and on her way she passed by Lopharius Ebrotus, the governor, who admired her much when he saw her. He ordered her brought to him. When the soldiers came to her, she told them that she was Christian. In turn, when they told the governor this, he was distressed for he liked her, and he had her brought to him by force. He offered her the worship of the idols and asked her to forsake God, but she refused. Then he asked her, “What is your name? and from where are you?” She told him, “I am Christian. I believe in the Lord Christ, and my name is Marina.” He tried to persuade her by many promises and promised to marry her, but she did not heed him. When she cursed and insulted him, he ordered her body scraped with iron combs, then rubbed with vinegar, salt and lime, which they did. Nevertheless, she endured with patience. They cast her in prison, thinking that she was about to die. Immediately the angel of the Lord came, and healed all her wounds. While she was standing up praying, and her hands were extended in the form of a cross, a huge and terrifying serpent came forth. When she saw it she was frightened and her whole body trembled. The serpent swallowed her up, and her soul almost departed from her. She made the sign of the cross and prayed while she was in the belly of the serpent. It split open and fell on the ground dead. St. Marina went out unharmed. The next morning, the governor ordered her brought to him. When he saw that she was well, he marvelled much, and told her, “Marina, your sorcery has become evident today, so listen to me. Worship the gods and much good would be for you, and I will give you all that I have promised you.” She looked to him and to the dumb idols with contempt and said, “I worship the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, the God of heavens and earth, and what- ever you wish to do with me, do, for I will not heed you.” The governor ordered her hanged on the wheel, the squeezing wheel, and squeezed very tightly. They did so, then cast her in prison. The angel of the Lord came to her, and healed her. Then the Devil appeared to her and said, “O Marina, if you obey the governor that would be for your good for he is merciless, and he wishes to erase your name from the face of the earth.” She realized that he was the Devil. Straightway she caught the hair of his head, and she took an iron rod and started to beat him, saying, “Stop it O Satan.” Then she bound him with the sign of the cross, not to depart from before her until he told her all about what he does to the human race. When she pressed him, he told her, “I am the one who makes adultery, stealing, blasphemy, and earthly desires, good and desirable to the human. And if I do not overcome him, I steer sleep and laziness against him, so he will not pray and ask for the forgiveness of his sins.” The Saint straightway expelled him. When the governor saw her he marvelled much, then he ordered to uncover her body, and to fill a large cauldron with melted lead, and to immerse her in it. When they did so, she asked the Lord to make this a baptism for her. The Lord sent his angel in the form of a dove. She immersed while saying, “In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, one God Amen.” A voice from heaven called her and said, “O Marina you have been baptized in the baptismal water.” She rejoiced exceedingly, and those who were present heard what had happened to the saint. Many of them believed, and the governor ordered to cut off their necks, and afterwards ordered to cut off St. Marina’s holy head. The executioner took her and went outside the city, then told her, “My lady Marina, I see the angel of the Lord and with him a crown of bright light.” She said, “I ask you to tarry on me until I have prayed.” She extended her arms and prayed fervently, then told the executioner, “Do what you have been ordered to do.” She bowed her neck to the executioner who told her, “I could not do so.” The saint told him, “If you do not do so, you would not have a share in the Kingdom of God.”

When he heard what she said, he took the sword and cut her neck off then he cut his neck also while he was saying, “I believe in the God of St. Marina.” He fell down beside her and he received the crown of martyrdom in the Kingdom of Heaven. The Lord had manifested from her body many signs and healing miracles. Her body is presently located in the church of the Lady the Virgin Mary in Haret El-Roum.

May her prayers and intercession be with us and Glory be to God forever. Amen.

+ The Martyrdom of St. Abanoub.

31st July – 24th Abib

On this day, St. Apanoub (Abba Nob) was martyred. He was born in the city of Nehisa (District of Talkha). His parents were pure and merciful and they reared him in the fear of God. When Diocletian incited the persecution against the Christian, St. Apanoub was twelve years old, and he desired to shed his blood for the Name of Christ. One day he went to the church, and he heard the priest teaching the believers, strengthening them in the Faith, warning them from worshipping the idols, and encouraging them to deliver themselves over to death for the sake of the Lord Christ. He returned to his house, and set before him all what his father had left him of gold, silver, and apparels and told himself it is written, “The world is passing away, and the lust of it.” (I John 2:17) Straightway he rose up, and gave all his money to the poor and needy, then went to Samanoud, walking along the river bank. He confessed the Name of the Lord Christ before Lucianus the governor, who tortured him severely. Then he hung him up upon the mast of his ship head downwards. The governor sat down to eat and to drink, and the vessel which was in his hand became a stone. The angel of the Lord came down from heaven, released the saint, and wiped up the blood that was running down from his nose and mouth. The governor and his soldiers were greatly disturbed. Strong winds blew, that made the ship to sail fast to Athribis. When they arrived, the soldiers unfastened their belts, and cast them before the governor, then confessed the Lord Christ and they received the crown of martyrdom. The governor of Athribis tortured St. Apanoub (Abba Nob) severely, then sent him to the city of Alexandria. There, he was tortured until he delivered up his pure soul and received the crown of martyrdom. St. Julius El-Akfahsi was present, he wrote the biography of St. Apanoub, took his body and sent it with some of his men to his hometown Nehisa.

Many churches were built in his name. Many signs and miracles were manifested from his body which is now located in his church in the city of Samnanoud. May his prayers be with us. Amen

Repose of St. Joseph the Carpenter

2nd August - 26th Abib

On this day, the righteous man St. Joseph, the car- penter, who was worthy to be called the father of Christ in the flesh, departed at a good old age. The Holy Gospel bore witness that he was a righteous man, and God chose him to be betrothed to the all-pure, our lady, the Virgin St. Mary. When he finished his course, his strife, his toil in the journey together with the Lord and the Virgin Lady from Bethlehem to the land of Egypt, and the tribulations that befell him from the Jews, he departed in peace. When the time came for him to depart from this world, to the world of the living, the Lord Christ was present at his departure, and laid His hand upon his eyes. He extended his arms, and delivered up his soul, and was buried in the tomb of his father Jacob. All the days of his life were one hundred and eleven years; forty years before his marriage, fifty-two years married, and nineteen years a widow. His departure was in the sixteenth year of the advent of the Lord Christ. May his prayers be with us. Amen.

The Departure of St. Mary Magdalene.

4th August - 28th Abib

On this day, St. Mary Magdalene, departed. The Lord Christ cast seven demons out of her, she followed Him, and she served Him during His passion, crucifixion, death, and burial. She came early with the other Mary to the sepulcher, and saw the stone had been rolled back and the angel was sitting on it. When they became frightened the angel told them, «Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not her; for He is risen.« )Matthew 28:1-7( The savior appeared to her and told her, «Go to my brethren, and say to the, I ascend to my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.« )John 20-17( She came and told the disciples about the resurrection of the Lord, and after the ascension of the Lord, she remained ministering to the disciples. She received the gifts of the Spirit of Comfort, fulfilling the prophesy of Joel the prophet which said, «And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.« )Joel 2:28(

This saint preached with the disciples, and brought back many women to the Faith of Christ. The apostles ordained her a deaconess, to teach the women, and to assist in their baptism. She received many insults and humiliation from the Jews, and she departed in peace while she was still ministering unto the disciples. May her prayers be with us and Glory be to God forever. Amen.

Fourth Sunday of Abib John 11: 1 -45

“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live” (25)

+ “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” Very brief message. Just few words. It is a full prayer. It is carrying all the memories. The Lord loved Lazarus, who lived a pleasing life to the Lord. It shows the present with the sickness and pain, but has a hope for the future. A hope through the faith in the Lord and His love who can heal the sickness. Your relation to God should has this close friendship, joy and love. Let us learn how could Lazarus live this amazing life of friendship and love in the Lord Jesus.

Friendship .. Is it difficult to build such amazing relationship with the Lord Jesus? Surprisingly, the Lord himself looks for your friendship, but many times you refuse this relationship. God deal with us many times as children need to be chastised not as criminals who should be punished or slaves who have no value.

Adam in the paradise is hiding with shame but the Lord call him in love “Where are you?” (Gen 3: 9).

Moses, the Lord used to talk to him face to face. Amazing friendship which made Moses dare to ask to see God’s Face (Gen 33:18). He also in a lot of love can ask for the forgiveness to the people of Israel (Gen 32:11).

Elijah, he could in love and boldness order heaven not give rain and heaven obeys him (1Kings 17:1). Indeed, God can be a friend, but not as other friends. He can be a friend to Jacob, but not to Esau who rejected God’s Love and friendship. The Lord can be a friend to Abel, but not with Cain. There are those who refuse God’s friendship and. They do not want this commitment. God’s friendship doe not go along with their desires and goals. The Lord knocks on your door. Many do not open or respond. They have different life, friends and ambitions which do not go along with God’s friendship. They also could be postpon- ing taking this commitment. The relationship with God fills the heart with deep love and peace.

The Lord loved Abraham so much. The Lord was happy to reveal to Abraham what He is planning for Sodom (Gen 18) and was accepting Abraham intercession to forgive if only ten righteous only.

God’s friendship still does not give you absolute guarantee to get all what you want. The Lord did not fulfil His promise to give a son to Abraham until he was 100 years old. The Lord who loves Moses did not accept his wish to see promised land and asked him not to talk about this issue again (Deuteronomy 3). Not all we ask will fit with our Lord’s good plan for us. St John the beloved disciple, the Lord entrusted him to care for His mother St Mary. The Lord loves Mary, Martha and their brother Lazarus. The Lord used to rest in their house. Even so the Lord has pointed to Martha that she is worried and troubled for many matters (Luke 10:41). Also, the Lord did not respond quickly the two sisters message that their brother is sick.

In this loving relationship, we also submit to God’s Will. How difficult to love if you are selfish? This is the type of worldly love. When you love a person in a worldly way, you ask this person to be yours. You cannot tolerate and shortcomings. God’s Love is different. The Lord want you to trust His promises but also the Lord does not force you against your will. He is the Good Shepherd Who leads His sheep to the green pastures. In Him we have joy and resurrection.

The Christian martyrs proceed to death with joy as if going to heavenly wedding.

Paul and Silas were praising the Lord in the prison while chained (Acts 16:25). The relationship with God gives different meaning to sadness, pain and death.

Even when Lazarus dies the Lord talks about Joy “And, I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe” (John 11:15). Do you have such faith and joy in your rela- tionship with God?

+ “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live”

When you live with God you will always live in the thought of Resurrection. Daniel in the Lion’s den was surrounded by death but was living in the new life and resurrection.

The Three Young Men in the fire furnace going through death but they will full of real joy as the Lord accompanied them. You may have many problems in your life. Be assured, the Lord is promising you Resurrection and Life. Have peace in the Lord. Let God work inside and with you. Do not lose your peace and get stressed or angry. You may just be adding more fire you your problems. God works quietly. The Lord works easily in the quiet hearts which submit to Him more than working with angry noisy persons.

There at Lazarus grave there were many people. Mary and Martha were crying pleading, if You have been here, my brother would have not died. They still cling to the past. Resurrection needs that we look ahead. There were many friends crying trying to comfort the two sisters. Good feeling, “rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn” (Roman 12:15). However, people cannot give you the inner peace you need. The disciples were there saying “let us go that we may die with him”. They still have not understood what the Lord meant that Lazarus is asleep. Death for the was an end. There was also the Lord Jesus Himself. “Jesus wept”. He was His dear friend. He wept for their mourning, even the Lord knows what He is going to do. The Lord stood there ordering them to take away the stone. “Lazarus, come forth”. “He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live”.

Father Tadros Yacoub

Therefore, the sisters sent to Him, saying:

“Lord, behold, he whom you love is sick”. [3] No prayer could be simpler than this short prayer. It is full of confidence and submission of the matter into hands of the Lord Jesus Christ. They were satisfied to present the case to Him without asking for anything, without requesting the Lord to come to solve the matter and support them. Probably, they did not ask Him to go to them because of what they had heard a little bit earlier (in the previous chapter) how the Jews in Jerusalem had tried to stone Him; and how He had gone beyond the Jordan to disable them from achieving their intentions. Therefore, the sisters did not wish to put Him in a dangerous, life threatening situation. At the same time, Lazarus was a friend of the Lord’s and so they were satisfied with informing Him of their brother’s sickness. They were confident that the Lord would do something. The sisters neither mentioned the kind of sickness, nor their relationship to Lazarus who was their brother. They just indicated that he is the one ‘whom You love’. We know that the Lord loves all mankind; everyone could sense His gentleness, tenderness and love. However, the expression used by the sisters reveals that the Lord Jesus Christ devoted a special loving relationship with the sick. The sisters did not indicate in their message if the sickness was serious. They might have done so to avoid disturbing Him.

* Why did they not act as the honorable centurion- He left his sick one and went to the Lord. Why they did not get to Him instead of sending Him a message? They had great trust in the Lord and they had strong family ties. Besides, they were weak women overwhelmed with sorrow1!

St. John Chrysostom

* It is enough for you to know, for You are not like those who love and forget. If God did not love sinners, He would not have descended from the heavens to the earth2.

St. Augustine

When Jesus heard that, He said: “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, That the Son of God may be glorified through it”. [4] The Lord proclaimed that this death was not a final one in this life. It was a temporary one that was allowed so that God may be glorified through His power to raise the dead. Some scholars consider that the word ‘glorified’ is used here to indicate an act that a person willingly does due to his love and wish to serve others even though it appears to be below his actual rank. This word is often used in this sense throughout St. John’s Gospel. Such acts do not impose obligations on others. This is especially true when the Lord speaks about the crucifixion as the glory of the Son and the Father, where the Son sacrifices Himself to grant the redemption and eternal glory of sinners. Our Savior is eternally driven by His love to work miracles. Often the subject of the raising of Lazarus from the dead is associated with the glory of the Lord’s cross for this miracle anticipate and prepared for His eventual crucifixion.

* We appropriately get astonished at the sisters of Lazarus. After they had heard that their brother’s sickness would not end in death. They found him dead. However, they were not shaken when events proved contrary to that. In spite of everything, they hurried to the Lord and did not utter a bad word1.

* Notice that the Lord states that the glory due to Him and to His Father is one and the same: ‘for the glory of God’; then Lord goes on to say: ‘that the Son of God may be glorified through Him’.

St. John Chrysostom

* Glorifying God does not add anything to the honor due to Him. Yet it adds to our honor, this is clarified by the Lord’s words: ‘not unto death’. For even that visible death is not death in itself but rather was used to perform a miracle leading people to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Consequently, they would escape from the real death2.

St. Augustine

Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus’. [5]

The reference here is to the Lord’s love for Martha as she is the older sister, then to Mary and Lazarus. The Lord felt comfortable with the family as a whole. Each member felt he had a personal relationship with the Lord who cared and loved them. Each member felt that he had a special place in the Lord’s embrace and love.

* If you were to ask: ‘Why did the Evangelist state clearly here that the Lord loved Lazarus?’ Our response would be: ‘So that we may not be disappointed nor abandon the Lord when good men, who are steadfast in virtue and loved by God, get sick3’

St. John Chrysostom

* One is sick and two are sorrowful: however, the One who loves them is the Rescuer of the sick. He is even more powerful as He raises the dead and comforts those who mourn4.

St. Augustine

St. Joseph the Carpenter (Fiancé of Virgin Mary)

2nd August - 26th Abib

During the holy days of the Nativity Fast, as we prepare ourselves to receive the Word Incarnate, we tend to focus on the Baby Jesus and His blessed mother Virgin Mary. We sing praises to our Lord Jesus Christ and we venerate St. Mary as we chant the Kioahk Praises. In the churches, replicas of mangers are up and the icons of the Nativity and the Holy Family take center places. In all this festivity, we tend to overlook the role of a very important member of the Holy Family during these events, St. Joseph the carpenter. Born in Bethlehem of Judea, St. Joseph came from the royal lineage of King David. Both St. Luke and St. Matthew mark his descent from David, the greatest king of Israel (Matthew 1:1-16 and Luke 3:23-38). The Scriptures do not tell us why or when originally St. Joseph left Bethlehem and chose Nazareth to be his place of residence, but it tells us that he was a carpenter (Matthew 13:55).

According to tradition, when St. Mary, who was dedicated to the temple, completed twelve years in the sanctuary and could not stay there any longer, the priests announced through Judea that they wished to find in the tribe of Judah a respectable man, to espouse her. St. Joseph was among the candidates. A miracle revealed the choice of St. Joseph God had made. When the priests gathered twelve righteous men from the tribe of Judah and took their staffs inside the sanctuary, a dove flew up and stood on the staff belonging to St. Joseph. They immediately knew that this was God’s will. The righteous St. Joseph took St. Mary to his house. Both spouses intended for this betrothal to be virginal marriage.

When St. Joseph discovered St. Mary was pregnant, he knew the child was not his. St. Joseph knew that a woman accused of adultery could be stoned to death. Being a compassionate man, full of love he did not want to defame her for “Love covers all sins” (Proverbs 10:12). Being sensible and discreet he did not show annoyance nor behaved in anger but behaved with prudence “A fool’s wrath is known at once, But a prudent man covers shame” (Proverbs 12:16) and decided to put her away secretly (Matthew 1:18,19).

“But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit…” Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife.” (Matthew 1:20-24) St. Joseph did not doubt the angel of the Lord but in full faith accepted his words and kept St. Mary with him.

A few months later, Caesar Augustus issued a decree ordering the entire world to be registered everyone in his own city. For St. Joseph and St. Mary, this meant to travel from Nazareth of Galilee to Bethlehem of Judea. Upon their arrival in Bethlehem “the days were completed for her to be delivered ….” and “there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:1-7). St. Joseph was there with St. Mary at the birth of our Lord. He was there when the shepherds came to greet the Newborn. He witnessed the wise men offering gifts to the Child. He took full responsibility of the Mother and Child.

St. Joseph was a modest man not with great means for when the time came to present the Child Jesus to the Temple to be circumcised he offered the sacrifice of two turtledoves or a pair of pigeons, allowed only for those who could not afford a lamb (Luke 2:24). He was present at the temple, saw Simeon the elder carry the Child and prophesy about Him. Both St. Joseph and St. Mary marveled at those things spoken of the Lord and they both received Simeon blessings.

St. Joseph was man of faith, obedient to God in every way. When the angel of the Lord appeared to him and told him “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him” (Matthew 2:13). He did not hesitate but immediately left everything he owned, all his relatives and friends, and fled to Egypt, a strange country. He took full responsibility of the Child although he is not His real father. It did not occur to him that his own life and the life of St. Mary were not in danger, but only the Child. He could have resented this move but he did not. In all obedience he went to Egypt and waited there submissively until the angel of the Lord told him it was safe to go back (Matthew 2:13-23).

Upon their return from Egypt, the Holy Family settled again at Nazareth. St. Joseph supported himself and his family by his work. We do not know many details about their life in Nazareth except that they faithfully followed the religious practices commanded by the Law. Being a pious man St. Joseph traveled with his family each year to Jerusalem to observe the Passover, “His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover” (Luke 2:41).

St. Joseph raised the Lord Jesus, loved Him and cared for His safety. St. Matthew records an incident that took place when our Lord Jesus Christ was twelve years old. On their way home to Nazareth after celebrating the Passover in Jerusalem, St. Joseph and St. Mary discovered the absence of the Lord Jesus from among the company. Anxious for His safety they immediately returned to Jerusalem to look for Him. Three days had passed until they found Him sitting among the teachers at the temple listening to them and asking them questions. St. Joseph definitely treated the Lord Jesus as his own son; For the people of Nazareth had said of the Lord, “Is this not the son of Joseph” (Luke 4:22).

This incident of the Passover is the last account mentioning St. Joseph in the Holy Gospels. Tradition tells us that St. Joseph had died before Jesus entered public ministry. Our Lord was about sixteen years of age when His foster father St. Joseph departed. The Lord Christ was present at his departure, and laid His hand upon his eyes. St. Joseph extended his arms and delivered up his soul. He was buried in the tomb of his father Jacob. All the days of his life were one hundred and eleven years. His departure was on the twenty-sixth day of the month of Epep.

Blessed Baptism

Baby Martin )Wannes) son of Michael & Dina Attala

St Mary’s Church - Sunday 23rd July 2023

Blessed Baptism

Baby Christie daughter of Fawzy & Sylvia Fawzy

St Mary’s Church - Sunday 23rd July 2023