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   1. The Departure of St. Bessarion, the Great. On this day, the great ascetic father, St. Bessarion, departed. He was born in Masr (Egypt) to Christian parents. When he grew up, he longed for the monastic life, so he went to Anba Anthony (Antonius), under whose direction he remained for a while. Then he went to Anba Macarius, and stayed under his guidance for a while. Later on, he wandered about in the desert, never lodging in a place with a roof. He possessed absolutely nothing of this world, and he had only one coarse hairy sack-cloth. He used to carry the Gospel, and went round the cells of the monks crying. If they asked him the reason for his weeping, he would reply, "My riches have all been stolen, and I have escaped from death. My family have fallen from honor into disgrace." His words referred to the great loss that befell the human race by the fall of the first father Adam by breaking the first commandment. Those who did not understand what his words...

   1. The Martyrdom of Thirty Thousand Christians in Alexandria. On this day, is the commemoration of the martyrdom of the thirty thousand Christians in the city of Alexandria. When Emperor Marcianus banished Pope Dioscorus to the island of Gagra, he appointed Brotarius, a Patriarch, in his place. The bishops of Egypt refused to have a fellowship with him. They assembled a council against him, the Council of Chalcedon, and the tome of Leo. Brotarius became raged and with the aid of the government forces he attacked and plundered the monasteries and churches. Then he confiscated all their endowments for himself and he became wealthy. Thieves attacked him during the night, killed him, and plundered what he had. His friends sent to the Emperor saying, "The followers of Dioscorus were the ones that killed the Patriarch that was appointed by the Emperor." The Emperor became furious and sent a number of his soldiers, who killed about thirty thousand Christians in ...

  1. Departure of Hezekiah the King On this day, the righteous King Hezekiah son of Ahaz the King, departed. He was of the seed of David, of the tribe of Judah. There was no king appointed over the children of Israel, like this righteous man, after David. The other kings worshipped the idols and built altars for them. After becoming King, Hezekiah destroyed the idols, and demolished their altars, therefore God rewarded him for more than what he had done. In the fourteenth year of his kingdom, Sennacherib, King of Persia, came and besieged Jerusalem. He was a great and very powerful king, and all the other kings in his time were afraid of him. Hezekiah also feared him, and sent him large sums of money, but Sennacherib was not satisfied with them. Instead, he threatened and intimidated Hezekiah, and he reviled, with his unclean tongue, God, the Glorious and Most High, saying, Do not be deceived by your God that you are depending on him saying, ...

   1. The Relocation of the Body of St. Simon (Simeon) the Stylites to the city of Antioch. On this day, St. Simeon (Simon) the Stylites, departed. He was from Syria and he had shepherded his father's flocks since he was young. He regularly attended the church. The Grace of God moved him and he came to one of the monasteries, where he stayed and worshiped God in great asceticism. He exerted himself with much fasting and excessive thirst. Then he tied a rope around his loins until it pierced his flesh, and a repulsive smell came out of him. When the other monks were offended by his smell, he left the monastery and came to a pit where he dwelt for a short time. The abbot of the monastery saw in a vision, as someone was telling him, "Why did you send away My servant Simon? Seek him, and bring him back," as if the voice was rebuking them for his dismissal from the monastery. The abbot informed the brethren of this vision and they became troubled and they began t...

  The Departure of St. Pa'esa (Athanasia). On this day, St. Pa'esa, departed. She was born in Menouf, to pious and rich parents. When her parents died, she turned her house into a shelter for the poor and the sojourner. She accepted everyone that came to her fulfilling their every need until she ran out of money. Evil people gathered around her, and turned her mind to the ungodly way. She turned her home into a house of prostitution. When this news reached the elders of Shiheet, they sorrowed for her with great sorrow. The elders called upon St. John the short, and asked him to go to her, as an act of mercy, and to aid her in saving her soul, in turn for the good that she had done for them. The saint obeyed the elders and asked them to support him with their prayers. When St. John came to where she lived, he asked her maid to announce his presence. When the maid informed her, Pa'esa adorned herself, and called him in. As he was walking, he was saying, "Eve...

   1. The Commemoration of the Translocation of the Relics of St. Andrew, the Apostle. On this day, the church commemorates the relocation of the relics of St. Andrew the apostle from Syria to Constantinople, at the order of the righteous Emperor Constantine. He built for his name a beautiful altar and consecrated it on this day. May his prayers be with us. Amen.       2. The Martyrdom of St. Ouarshenoufa (Warshenofius). On this day also, St. Ouarshenoufa (Warshenofius) was martyred. He was well learned, righteous, and pious. When they asked him to become a bishop, he fled to the city of Tahmoun (Galgamoun, or Dalgamoun), and spent the night there with two God loving, Christian brothers. The Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and told him to go to the governor, and confess Christ before him. When he woke up, he told the two brothers about the vision. They all agreed to go together to go to the governor. They came to the governor, confes...

  The Departure of St. Mary Magdalene. 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 th...

  1. The Consecration of the Church of St. Abba Fam. On this day, was the consecration of the church of St. Abba Fam. May his intercession be with us. Amen. 2. The Martyrdom of St. Apamon (Abba Amoun). On this day also, St. Apamon (Abba Amoun), who was from the city of Tarnut, was martyred. This saint came to Upper Egypt, and he saw the tortures which were being inflicted by the infidels upon the holy martyrs. He went to Arianus, the governor of Ansena (Antinoe), and confessed the Lord Christ before him. Arianus tortured him severely, by beating him, combing him by iron combs, and drove sharp long nails through his body. The Lord Christ strengthened and healed him. Then, Arianus sent him to Alexandria. The angel of the Lord appeared to him, encouraged, and strengthened him. There he was tortured much and many were martyred because of him. Among them was a virgin, whose name was Theophila, she came and stood up before the governor, confessed the Lord Christ, and admonished hi...

  1. Repose of St. Joseph the Carpenter On this day, the righteous man St. Joseph, the carpenter, 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 sixte...

  The Departure of St. Thecla. 1. On this day, St. Thecla, who was contemporary to St. Paul the Apostle, departed. When St. Paul went forth from Antioch and came to the city of Nicomedia, there was a certain believer, whose name was Sefaros, took him to his house. Many gathered together to hear St. Paul's teaching. When this virgin Thecla heard St. Paul's teaching, she looked out from the window of her house so that she might hear more of his teachings. Her heart was pleased with his teachings, and she followed the apostle. Her father and her family were grieved and wanted to prevent her from following St. Paul to his meetings. When she did not heed their counsel, her father presented her situation to the governor, to prevent her from listening to St. Paul's teachings. The governor brought the apostle Paul, examined his teachings, and when he could find no cause for complaint against him, he shut him up in prison. St. Thecla took ...