Our Lady, the Virgin Mary, the Theotokos
Her mother Anna was childless until
God answered her prayers and gave her St Mary, the Mother of God God sent His honorable angel Gabriel to announce to Joachim, her father, the blessed birth of the Virgin
She entered the temple and was consecrated to God when she was 3 years old
At the age of 12, St Mary was betrothed to St Joseph the carpenter
Archang el Gabriel appeared to her to deliver the Annunciation that the Son of God was to be incarnated from her for the salvation of the world
St Mary hurried to serve St Elizabeth, who was previously barren, when she found out that she was pregnant.
There she expressed the famous
Magnificat (Song of Mary)
She persuaded our Lord Jesus to help the hosts at the wedding at Cana of Galilee and there He performed His first ministerial miracle
She endured pain and agony when her Son Jesus our Lord was crucified for us, suffered and was buried to save us
St Mary was 60 years old when she departed from this world
She was 12 years old when she left the temple. She spent 34 years in Joseph's house, until the Ascension of the Lord, and 14 years with St. John the Evangelist, according to the commandment of the Lord
Assumption of the body of the Virgin is celebrated on Mesra 16 (August 22)
She has been performing countless miracles over the ages, and has appeared to many people including apparitions to thousands of Egyptians at churches that bear her name St Mary is honored and exalted above all of God's creation.
She is our faithful intercessor before our Lord Jesus Christ.
Saint Shenouda the Archimandrite
His birth was foretold by St Mary and Archangel Michael
He was brought up by faithful Christian parents and he practiced strict fasting and prayer as a child
St Shenouda became a monk and because of his holiness, he was elected to succeed his uncle, St Bigoul, as Abbot of the monastery
He practiced severe monastic asceticism, struggled in spiritual vigils, and loved solitary life
He followed the monastic communal rules that were formulated by St.
Pakhomious, and he added to them a pledge which each monk had to recite and sign before joining the monastery.
He encouraged some of his monks to withdraw to the desert in solitude after spending a few years in communal monasticism, but without completely severing their ties with the monastery.
Under his leadership, the monastery grew to 3,000 times its original size.
Membership soared from 30 monks to 2,200 monks and 1,800 nuns.
St Shenouda played a major role in teaching against heresies and defending the faith.
He accompanied Pope Cyril the Great (24th) to the 3" Ecumenical Council at Ephesus (431 A.D.), where Nestorius was tried for heresy, and was excommunicated and exiled
He was a national leader and community reformer, who fought for the poor & the oppressed, and served his community's needs on every level
St. Shenouda is the most outstanding Christian writer in the Coptic language.
He left behind a great number of letters and
sermons
During his life, he was visited by prophets, saints, and by the Lord
Jesus Himself
He departed on Apip 7(July 14) in the year 452A.D. He was 118 years old.
Saint Thomas the Anchorite
He was born to pious parents who raised him in the fear of God
He dedicated his life to constant prayer and contemplation.
He persevered in fasting and disdained bodily lusts.
St Thomas lived in a cave in the widerness
He shunned attention, and loved solitude
His life was an example of wisdom and spiritual vigilance
The angels and saints used to visit him and encourage him
Purity of heart and holiness were among his virtues, which made him worthy to see God and speak with Him !
He was granted the gift of healing the sick and casting out demons
St Thomas the Anchorite was also granted the gift of prophecy, including the prediction of the day of his own departure, and that of St Shenouda, who was his good friend
He gave St Shenouda a sign that would reveal his departure and entrusted him with his burial
St Shenouda and his disciples buried St Thomas in the same cell in which he used to dwell and which later became a monastery carrying his name
Archangel Raphael attended the burial procession of St Thomas
He departed on Bashans 27(June 4) in the year 452 A.D. His age exceeded 120 years when he departed
Many people from everywhere
frequent his monastery to celebrate his memory and to have the blessings of his prayers. Many miracles have been performed through his prayers, and he often appeared in the church during the prayers of the liturgy.