Skip to main content

Kiahk 1 : The Departure of St. Peter Elrahawy, Bishop of Gaza and The Consecration of the Church of the Saint Abba Shenouda.

 

 1. The Departure of St. Peter Elrahawy, Bishop of Gaza.

This day marks the departure of St. Peter Elrahawy (the Iberian), Bishop of Gaza. He was born in the year 49 A.D. in the City of Raha (Edessa)(1) to a noble family. When he was twenty years old, his parents gave him to the Emperor Theodosius II, to be one of his attendants. But because he had forsaken the world and its glories, he practiced asceticism and worship while living in the king's palace. He had parts of the relics of the holy martyrs of Persia with him.

Abba Peter left the royal court and became a monk in a monastery. He fought a great spiritual fight. Shortly after, they ordained him Bishop of Gaza and its surroundings, against his will. It was said that when he celebrated his first Liturgy, blood flowed from the Holy Body and filled the Paten.

Abba Peter took the body of St. James, the mangled(2), and relocated it to a monastery in the city of Raha. When Marcian the Chalcedonian Emperor, started persecuting the Orthodox Bishops, Abba Peter took the body of St. James and came to Egypt where he dwelt in a monastery in El-Bahnasa. There he met the holy man Abba Isaiah the Egyptian.

After the end of Emperor Marcian's reign, Abba Peter went back to the land of Palestine and went on confirming the believers.

One day while he was celebrating the Divine Liturgy, a few of the people present in the church were conversing about earthly matters and were distracted from listening to the prayers. The angel of the Lord appeared to him and reproached him because he did not admonish those who were talking in the church.

Emperor Zeno heard of him and longed to see him, but was not able to do so because Abba Peter did not like the glory of this world. Abba Peter went to the area between Jerusalem and Damascus in Palestine, called Gaur(3) On the feast day of St. Peter(4), 17th Pope of Alexandria, Abba Peter celebrated the Divine Liturgy during which St. Peter appeared and told him, "Christ the Lord is calling you to be with us." Abba Peter called the people and commanded them to be firm in their Orthodox Faith, then he stretched out his hand and delivered up his soul in the hands of the Lord.

His prayers be with us. Amen.

 

 


 

2. The Consecration of the Church of the Saint Abba Shenouda.

On this day also, is the commemoration of the consecration of the church of the great saint, Abba Shenouda (Shenoute) the Archimandrite(5).

His prayers be with us and Glory be to our God forever. Amen.

_______________

(1) El-Raha or Urfa is an ancient city in modern Iraq. It is said that it was Ur of the Chaldees, home of Ibraham.

(2) His martyrdom is on the 27th day of Hatour (P. 171).

(3) Designation of that part of the Syrian Groben which constitutes the Jordan valley.

(4) His martyrdom is on the 29th day of Hatour (P. 176).

(5) His biography and departure is on the 7th day of Abib.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Amshir 14 : The Departure of St. Severus (AKA Saint Sawiris), Patriarch of Antioch and the Departure of St. James (Yacobus), 50th Pope of Alexandria.

   1. The Departure of St. Severus (St. Sawiris), Patriarch of Antioch. On this day of the year 538 A.D., the holy father St. Severus (AKA St. Sawiris), Patriarch of Antioch, departed. He was from Asia Minor. His grandfather, whose name was also Severus, saw in a vision someone telling him, "The child who is for your son will strengthen Orthodoxy, and his name will be after your name." When his son had this saint, he called him Severus. He was taught the Greek wisdom and church subjects. Once, the saint was strolling outside the city, a shut-in saint came out of his cave crying, "Welcome to you Severus, teacher of Orthodoxy, and Patriarch of Antioch." Severus marvelled at how he called him by his name, for he did not know him before, and how he foretold what would become of him. Severus grew in virtue and became a monk in the monastery of St. Romanus. The fame of his righteousness and his ascetic life spread out. When the Patriarch of Antioch departed, t
Post a Comment
Read more

Hator 5 : The Appearance of the Head of St. Longinus, the Soldier, and the Martyrdom of St. Timothy and the Relocation of the Body of St. Theodore, the Prince, to Shotb.

  1. The Appearance of the Head of St. Longinus, the Soldier. On this day was the appearance of the head of St. Longinus the Soldier who pierced the side of our Savior, when He was on the Cross. Emperor Tiberius Caesar sent a soldier to Cappadocia to cut off the head of this saint, as it is written in the 23rd day of the month of Abib. The soldier fulfilled the order and brought the head to Jerusalem, and handed it to Pontius Pilate. Pilate showed the head to the Jews, who rejoiced at his deed. Pilate commanded that the head be buried in some of the piles of dirt outside Jerusalem. There was a woman who had believed at the hands of St. Longinus when he preached in Cappadocia. During his execution, she stood, weeping, and witnessed his martyrdom. Later on she became blind. So, she took her son and departed to Jerusalem to be blessed by the holy places, and the holy sepulchre, hoping that she might regain her sight. When she arrived in Jerusalem, her son died. She became ve
Post a Comment
Read more

Mesra 21 : The Commemoration of the Virgin, the Mother of God

Mesra 21, On this day, the church celebrates the commemoration of the All pure St. Mary, the Mother of God the Word, who intercede for us before her beloved Son. May her prayers be with us. Amen. #Stmary #SaintMary #BabyJesus
Post a Comment
Read more