The Martyrdom of Saint Mari-Mina, the Wonder Worker On this day St. Mina, who is called the blessed faithful, was martyred. His father, Eudoxius, was a native of the city of Nakiyos (Nikiu) and was its Governor. His brother was envious of him and he brought charges against him before the Emperor. The Emperor transferred him to Afrikia and appointed him Governor over it. The people were pleased with him because he was merciful and God-fearing. His mother Euphemia had no children. One day she went to church on the feast of our Lady, the Virgin, the Mother of God, at Attribes. She saw the children in the church wearing their beautiful clothes with their parents. She heaved a sigh and wept before the icon of Our Lady St. Mary, entreating her to intercede for her before her beloved Son, in order that He would give her a son. A voice came from the icon saying, "Amen." She rejoiced in what she had heard and realized that the Lord had heard her prayers. When she returned to her home and told her husband about it, he replied, "May God's Will be done." The Lord gave them this saint and they called him Mina, according to the voice that his mother heard. When he grew, his parents taught him reading and writing and they reared him in a Christian manner. When he was eleven years old, his father departed at a good old age. Then his mother departed three years later. St. Mina devoted his life to fasting, praying and to living a Christian life. Because of everyone's love towards him and his father, they placed him in his father's position. In spite of that, he did not forsake his worshipping. When Diocletian had reneged Christianity and issued his orders to worship idols, many were martyred for the Name of the Lord Christ. St. Mina left his position and went to the desert, where he stayed many days worshipping God with all his heart. One day he saw the heavens open and the martyrs crowned with beautiful crowns. He heard a voice saying, "He who toils for the Name of the Lord Christ shall receive these crowns." He returned to the city over which he was Governor and confessed the Name of the Lord Christ. Knowing that he belonged to a noble family, they tried to dissuade him from his faith and promised him honors and precious gifts. When he did not change his mind, they threatened him and the Governor ordered him to be tortured. When the Governor failed to turn him away from his faith in the Lord Christ, he sent him to his brother so that he might influence him but he failed also. Finally, he ordered his head to be cut off with the sword, his body to be cast in the fire and his ashes to be scattered in the wind. The body remained in the fire for three days and three nights, but it was not harmed. His sister came and gave the soldiers a lot of money and they let her take the body. She put it in a sack made of fronds and decided to go to Alexandria, as her brother had previously advised her. She embarked with her brother's body on one of the ships to Alexandria. During their trip, sea beasts came out of the water and attacked the passengers aboard the ship. They were frightened and screamed with fear. The Saint's sister prayed to the Lord and asked for the intercession of her brother. While the passengers were in fear, fire went forth from her brother's body and burned the faces of the beasts. They dived immediately into the water and as they reappeared, the fire burned them again. They finally dived and did not reappear. When the ship arrived at the city of Alexandria, most of the people went out with the father, the Patriarch. They carried the holy body with reverence and honor and entered the city with a venerable celebration and placed it in the church, after they shrouded it in expensive shrouds. When the time of persecution ended, the angel of the Lord appeared to the honorable Patriarch, Anba Athanasius, the Apostolic. The angel informed him of the Lord's command which was to place the body of St. Mina on a camel and to take it out of the city without letting anyone lead it, but to follow it from a distance until it stopped at a place that the Lord had designated. They walked behind the camel until they arrived at a place called Lake Bayad, in the district of Marriot. There they heard a voice saying, "This is the place where the Lord wishes the body of his beloved Mina to be placed." They lowered the body and placed it in a coffin, then they situated it in a beautiful garden and many miracles happened through the body. Later on, the people of Pentapolis (the five cities) rose against the cities around Alexandria. The people were getting ready to face the Berbers, and the Governor decided to take the body of St. Mina with him to be his deliverer and his strong protector. He took the body secretly and through the blessings of this saint, he overcame the Berbers and returned victorious. The Governor decided not to return the body of the Saint to its original place and wanted to take it to Alexandria. On the way back, they passed by Lake Bayad, St. Mina's original place. The camel carrying the body knelt down and would not move in spite of frequent beatings. They moved the body over another camel, but again this second camel did not move from its place. The Governor finally realized that this was the Lord's command. He made a coffin from decay-resistant wood and placed the silver coffin in it. He then returned it to its place and invoked St. Mina's blessings, then returned to his city. When the Lord wanted to disclose the location of St. Mina's holy body, He did it in this manner. There was a shepherd in the desert. One day a sheep with mange slipped down into the water of a well near the place of the saint's body. The sheep then came out of the water and rolled over in the sand of that place, and instantly the sheep was healed. When the shepherd saw this miracle, he was amazed. He took some of the sand and mixed it with water and smeared it over every sheep with mange, as well as on those with other infirmities, and immediately they were healed. The news of these miracles spread in all the countries until the Emperor of Constantinople heard of them. He had an only daughter and she was leprous. Her father sent her to the place where the saint's body was and she inquired from the shepherd how these miracles were happening. She took some of the sand, moistened it with water, smeared it on her body and slept the night in that place. In her sleep she saw St. Mina saying to her, "Arise early and dig in this place, and you will find my body." When she woke up, she found herself cured. She began digging as she was told and she found the holy body. She sent word to her father, informing him of the news. The Emperor rejoiced exceedingly, thanked the Lord and glorified His Name. He then sent men and money and built a church in that place and it was consecrated on the fifteenth day of the Month of Baounah. When Arcadius and Honorius reigned, they ordered a city to be built there. Multitudes of people came to that church asking for the intercession of the blessed St. Mina. The Lord had honored him with many signs and wonders that appeared from his pure body. When the Arabs came to Egypt, some of them attacked the city and the church was destroyed, only ruins remained. When His Grace, the late Pope Abba Kyrillos the Sixth was ordained Patriarch over the See of St. Mark, he took interest in building a large monastery in this area (Marriot) in the name of St. Mina. He spent a great deal of money in establishing it. There are now many churches in the monastery, visited by many Orthodox worshippers who go there to receive blessings and to pray. He also bought one hundred acres of land and built a fence around it. He ordained a number of monks who had a high degree of scientific and religious education. The intercession of Mari-Mina be with us and Glory be to our God forever. Amen.

https://youtu.be/Ifb9S69CQ48

We had a confusion when we had a trouble .. weakness.. and pain .. And complain and ask .. and why and when and how it finish .. And after what our Lord ends in his time and wisdom .. We discover that otherwise we would not have grown up. Prayer .. and wisdom .. and .. strength .. and you are more worthy of our Lord .. Copied. Please remember us in your prayers. بندخل الضيقة في حيرة..وضعف..وألم.. و بنشكي ونسأل..ليه وإزاي وإمتي تخلص.. وبعد ما ربنا ينهيها في وقته و حكمته.. نكتشف إنه لولاها ما كنّا زدنا.. صلاة..وحكمة..وقوة..وإتكال أكتر علي ربنا.. منقول. فضلا اذكرونا في صلواتكم.

Do not leave this world before you guarantee your eternal life, Christ alone is the one who guarantees you this eternal life. لا تترك هذا العالم قبل ان تضمن حصولك علي الحياة الابدية، السيد المسيح وحده هو الذي يضمن لك هذه الحياة الابدية.

Our weekday masses this week will be: Wednesday 10:00-12:00 Friday 10:00-12:00 God bless you all

+ Adel Armool & Nancy Naguib Wedding + LIVE STREAM + 21/10/17 + https://youtu.be/EpZswOkRhzs

بسبب أمانته حياته أتغيرت ... عادل 29 سنه ، عامل فى شركة مقاولات ، كان شغال فى مشروع فى البحر الأحمر ، مرتبه لا يتعدى ال 3000 جنيه فى الشهر ولو فى حوافز أو مكافئات ممكن يكمل ال 3800 ، عادل كان راضى بنصيبه ودايما بيقول أحسن من مافيش وماحدش لاقى شغل وكويس قوى اللى انا فيه ده ، أول يوم فى شهر تسعه حس بألم شديد جدا جدا ، راح كشف ، الدكتور قاله المراره عندك ملتهبه جامد ، ولازم تتشال ، بس قبل ما نشيلها هاتاخد علاج لأخر الشهر عشان يخفف الإلتهاب ، وتكاليف العمليه 7000 جنيه. يعنى زياده عن ضعف مرتبه ، عادل شرح ظروفه للدكتور بإن مرتبه مش هايكفى تكاليف العمليه ، دا غير ان لسه فى مصاريف معيشه وعلاج ، خصوصاً ان عادل كل اللى كان محوشه بعته لأبوه فى البلد عشان يبنوا بيه البيت بعد ما كان مهدد بالسقوط لانه كان بالطين ، المهم الدكتور سمع ظروف عادل وقاله انا هاحاول اتفاوض مع المستشفى تنزلك المصاريف شويه ، ومن انهرده لأخر الشهر ربنا يحلها ... خرج عادل من عند الدكتور مخه مقلوب ، ويجيبها شمال يمين مش راضيه تتعدل أبدا ، مقفوله من كل حته ، جرب يستلف ويقسط السلفه على كذا شهر ماحدش من صحابه وافقوا لانهم نفس حالته الماديه ، وماحدش معاه المبلغ ده ... عادل من الشخصيات المرتبطه جدا بربنا ، بينه وبين ربنا علاقه شديده قوى ،برغم من ان ربنا مش واهبه أى ماديات ولا وسائل راحه فى حياته ولا حتى مكانه إجتماعيه كبيره ، لكنه واهبه أعظم شئ الرضا .... عادل كان دايما يقول الحمدلله ، كل مشكله وضيقه يقع فيها دايما يقول الحمدلله وواثق ثقه شديده فى ربنا ان كله للخير ... المهم بعد دوخه من عادل على أى صرفه يعرف يجمع بيها مبلغ العمليه بردو ماعرفش ، الدكتور اتصل بيه يوم 23 /9 وبلغه ان المستشفى رفضت تخفيض المبلغ ، سأله انت جمعت كام .. قاله انا مستنى المرتب هايكون 3000 وانا معايا 500 يبقى 3500 ... قرر الدكتور انه يسلفه باقى المبلغ 3500 جنيه ويقسطه براحته بعد كدا ، وكأن ربنا سمع صلاة عادل الحاره وحنن قلب الدكتور .. وحددوا معاد العمليه يوم26/9، بعد الكشف على حالة عادل.. يوم 24/9 نزل المرتب ، راح عادل سحبه كله وحطه فى المحفظه وراح البيت ... وصل بيتهم إكتشف ان المحفظه وقعت بالفلوس بكل حاجه ... حزن عادل حزن شديد جدا ، صراخ شديد منه لربنا وصلاه بدموع حاره بعتاب قوى يهز جدار التجربه الصعبه ... أنهى صلاته بكلمتين ... واثق فيك نام عادل وتانى يوم الموافق 25/9 نازل الصبح الساعه 7.30 رايح الشغل ، لقى محفظه واقعه فى الشارع فيها 10000 جنيه ورق فئة 200 ، ومافيهاش أى إثبات شخصيه لصاحبها ، طبعا أى واحد فى حالة عادل السيئه كان إفتكر ان ربنا بعتله المحفظه دى عوضاً عن فلوسه اللى وقعت ومكافئه لتحمله التجربه وصبره .. لا عادل مافكرش كدا ، دا أخد المحفظه وقرر انه يسلمها لقسم البحر الأحمر .. دخل القسم وطلب انه يبلغ عن محفظه مفقوده .. الظابط شاف حالة عادل على قده ، فا قاله بلهجه شديده ،أركن بس على جنب، لانه كان مشغول مع رجل أعمال ذو شأن كبير .. بلاغ رجل الأعمال عباره عن ... فقدان محفظه تحتوى على 10000 جنيه ورق فئة 200.. سمع عادل وقام صارخ بفرح .. يابيه انا لاقيت محفظتك فى الشارع ، وكنت جاى اسلمها أهى . رجل الأعمال أستغرب جدا قاله انت اسمك ايه قاله عادل .. الظابط قاله عادل مين ، رد عادل بأسمه الثلاثى .. الظابط قاله انت ضاعت منك محفظه إمبارح ، قاله اه رد الظابط وقاله محفظتك اهى ، شاب لاقاها امبارح وجه سلمها وفيها مبلغ 3000 جنيه .. فرح عادل جدا ، ومابقاش عارف يشكر الظابط ولا يشكر الشاب اللى لقى محفظته ، ولا يشكر الحظ الحلو انه بعتله المحفظه دى فى طريقه عشان يلاقى محفظته ... لكن فى النهايه فرح جدا رجل الأعمال بتصرف عادل ، وأهداه 2000 جنيه مكافئه ، وبعد ما عرف ظروفه وان الفلوس اللى كانت فى محفظة عادل فلوس العمليه ، قرر رجل الاعمال بتحمل كافة مصاريف العمليه ، وعشان أمانته قرر تعينه أمين مخازن عنده فى الشركه بمرتب 6000 جنيه فى الشهر .. حكمة الله لا يعلمها سوى الله ، ولكن تأكد ان الله يحبك كثيراً ولا يفعل شئ ضدك ، فقط ثق به.

The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace. Exodus 14:14

الصليب هو الطريقة الوحيدة التى يكون فيها الميت واقفا ويده مفتوحة دليل على محبته ، فالوقوع على الارض علامة الضعف. منقول. فضلا اذكرونا في صلواتكم. The cross is the only time when the dead man stands upright with his hands open as a sign of his love, for falling on the ground is a sign of weakness. Copied Please remember us in your prayers

We thank God for his work with us. Today, the Church celebrated the success of its children in various stages of study, from the GCSE to the PhD, asking God for success for our children. نحن نشكر الله علي عمله معنا ،احتفلت الكنيسة اليوم بنجاح ابنائها في المراحل الدراسية المختلفة بداية من GCSE وحتي الدكتوراة، طالبين من الله دوام التوفيق لابنائنا.

#coptic #copticwedding #weddingphotography #copticorthodoxchurch #copticorthodox #copticchurch #copticart #copticicon #weddingphotographer #sepiaweddingphotography

“that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3:10‬

At the Church of St Mary and St Mina in Stockport at the Midnight Praises.

Finally blue skys and sun! #heatonmoor #bluesky #Englishsummer #churchsteeple

+ The Feast of St. Bishoy + On this day, St. Bishoy, whose memorial is honorable, the star of the desert, departed. He was born in a town called Shansa in Egypt, and he had six brothers. His mother saw an angel in a vision saying to her, "The Lord says to you, give Me one of your children to serve Me." She answered, "Lord, take whoever you want." The angel took the hand of Anba Bishoy, who was thin and his body was frail. His mother told the angel, "My Lord, take one who is strong to serve the Lord." "This is whom the Lord has chosen," answered the Angel. Later on, St. Bishoy went to the wilderness of Shiheet and became a monk by the hand of Anba Bemwah (Bamouyah), who also ordained St. John "Yehness" the Short a monk. St. Bishoy struggled in much asceticism and many worships that made him worthy to see the Lord Christ. The saint fulfilled his life of flesh and wished he could see Jesus, and in the middle of that, he got a promise from God that He will appear to him on the...

#Coptic #awareness #day #concert #davidsharp #choir

Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they do.

+ Fr Matta el Meskeen + This is what we should pray approaching Good Friday tomorrow +

#bestTimeofTheYear #HolyWeek

“For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭84:10‬

Today, His Grace Bishop Missael elevated Dr. Rafat Saad to the rank of Deacon and crowned St. Mary & St. Mina’s CONAFA squad as 2016 champions! More at ukmidcopts.org/news