Our Saints
Saint Mary
St. Mary's life on earth was sixty years. She spent twelve years of them in the temple, thirty years in the house of the righteous St. Joseph, and fourteen years in the care of St. John the Evangelist, as the Lord commanded her saying, "Woman behold your Son," and to St. John, "Behold your Mother. No other personality from the New or the Old Testament has been glorified like St. Mary.
She has been raised in status above the Cherubim and the Seraphim, for she has said through the Holy Spirits, "...behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name." (Lk 1:48-49).
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The blessing of our blessed Saint Mary be with us. Amen.
Saints Cosman & Demian
“Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you;
Not as the world gives do I give to you.
Let not your heart be troubled,
Neither let it be afraid.”
(John 14:27)
0n the twenty-second day of Hatour, the Coptic Orthodox Church commemorates the martyrdom of Saints Cosmas and Damian. Saints Cosmas and Damian’s mother, Theodata, along with her three other sons, Anthimus, Londius, and Abrabius, were also martyred on this day.
Theodata was left to raise her five sons on her own. She became a widow while the children were still at a young age. She raised the boys in a Godly home, teaching them to be compassionate, merciful, and loving.
Cosmas and Damian both studied medicine. Because of their altruistic nature instilled in them by their mother, they treated the sick free of charge. Therefore, the two brothers became known as the “moneyless saints.” Anthimus, Londius, and Abrabius chose a life of monasticism and lived their lives in the desert.
While Cosmas and Damian were healing the sick, they were also preaching and spreading the Word of God.
This was during the reign of Diocletian, who renounced the Christian faith and commanded everyone to worship idols. When Diocletian heard that the brothers were spreading the Word of God, he ordered that they be brought before the Governor of the city.
Cosmas and
Damian were severely tortured by the Governor for their defiance of the law. The
Governor also summoned Anthimus, Londius, Abrabius, and their mother Theodata, to appear before him and raise incense to idols. However, they immediately refused, for their love of God was strong.
He ordered them to be tortured by squeezing them between drums. When they experienced no harm, he cast them into a burning furnace for three days and three nights. Then he placed them on redhot iron beds. Through all this, however, they remained unharmed as the Lord raised them up whole, revealing His glory and the honor of His saints.
Throughout all their tortures by the Governor and the Emperor, Theodata through her faith constantly encouraged and comforted her sons. The Emperor reprimanded her, but she scolded him for his cruelty and the worshipping of idols. He ordered that her head be cut off and Theodata received the crown of martyrdom.
The next day the Emperor ordered the heads of Saints Cosmas, Damian, and their brothers be cut off and they received the Crown of Life in the Kingdom of Heaven.
At the end of the era of persecution, many churches were built in the name of these saints and God made manifest many signs and wonders therein.
Their prayers be with us and Glory be to our God forever. Amen.