Even still, Decius tried to appeal to the saint to raise incense to the gods by telling him how much he loved him. St. Mercurius daringly replied, “Being tortured for the name of Christ is a great honor for me. I have voluntarily taken off all of your perishable honors and dignities. As a Christian, all I want is to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. My master and king, I have told you that I will never take your advice. Save yourself the trouble and do not ask me again. I am ready not only to suffer, but also to die for His holy name. Therefore, whatever you want to do to me, do not hesitate.”
Category: Saints
A detailed and incredible account of the life of St Verena
This is taken from Coptic reader on 14th September, 2024. On this day (14th September), the missionary saint, the pure bride of Christ, and the teacher of cleanliness and hygiene, St. Verena, departed. This saint was born in the village of Garagous, in the Theban region, to Christian parents. They called her "Verena" which means… Continue reading A detailed and incredible account of the life of St Verena
The extraordinary reality of St Porphyrios’ prayers!
We have heard from many people that they felt Papouli’s prayer as serenity and solace, as relief and happiness, as a sense of bliss and peace, something that drove away every trouble and anguish, something that caused a feeling of safety and assurance, and a disposition to praying and glorifying God.
One of the most incredible miracles in Elder Porphyrios’ life!
Preparing the foundations for building the Holy Convent on those low hills was very expensive and time consuming. As a consequence, when Papouli began the project of building the monastery, he faced financial difficulties. We discussed the difficulties, but we found no solution as “without money nothing can be done that needs to be done.” Nevertheless, Papouli was not someone who would get easily disappointed. He never gave up since he had great faith that God would help him to face any difficulty. He usually said, “What is impossible for people, is possible for God.”
St. Pisentius, Bishop of Qift
On this day (20th July) Anba Pisentius, Bishop of Qift, departed. This saint was born in the village of Shamir, district of Armant, about the year 284 of the martyrs (568 A.D.) to pious Christian parents who raised him up with evangelical principles. He learned the church subjects since his young age and memorized many of the holy books. He longed for the monastic life so he went and became a monk in the monastery of Abi FAM on mount Shamah. He was discipled at the hands of the saint Anba Elijah the great and spent most of his monastic life on el-Asas mount.
He loves me more than my parents!
Mary Kontogianni Ioannidou, the program producer for the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (maybe not currently), relates about her relationship with Elder Porphyrios: Even if you have read nothing about God, in knowing such a man, you are assured not only that God exists but also that Christ is the only truth, “yesterday, today and forever.” Elder Porphyrios’ humility was something inconceivable in human terms, it allowed his spiritual children, to worry him and to grieve him. This happened without his love being diminished in the least.
10 wonderful extracts of the teachings of Elder Porphyrios
“How can I stop smoking? I tried many times but I didn’t manage it.” “Every time you have the desire to smoke, say ‘Lord, have mercy on me.’ Prayer to Christ is the solution to each and every one of our problems. Do you see that even this parrot, this beautiful bird that I keep here in my room, has see that even this parrot, this beautiful bird that I keep here in my room, has learned to say, ‘Lord have mercy on me.’”
Fr Mikhail Ibrahim – “The man of prayer”
Introduction Fr. Mikhail was born Mikhail Ibrahim Youssef on April 20, 1899. He was born in the village of Kafr Abdu, Quisna situated north of Cairo. He was one of five sons. His parents taught them the life of prayer, prostrations, and humility. Fr. Girgis, the priest of the church in Kafr Abdou, influenced young… Continue reading Fr Mikhail Ibrahim – “The man of prayer”
“Glory be to You O Lord, I am a sinner. Glory be to You.” – A great miracle of Mother Erene
Mrs Maria Gerges Fanous, who resides at 1 Malak Shahata St, Al-Andalos/Al-Marg relates: I used to suffer from tonsillitis every three months. Each time I would have a high fever and a terrible sore throat in addition to pain in my legs and all over my body. Despite my suffering every winter and the urgency of undergoing surgery since I was a child in grade four, I avoided the operation out of fear.
5 PDF books about the life and miracles of Bishop Makarios of Qena
Bishop Makarios was the saintly bishop of Qena. A man of austere asceticism, an anchorite of his own right, a lover of the people, a man of fervent prayer, one who had an ineffable adoration and devotion for the divine liturgy, a strict faster, a wise confessor, a comfort and solace of the distressed, a friend and converser of the saints especially the Theotokos, a lover of silence, a true God-bearing elder, a modern St Macarius of the wilderness of the Sheheet, a promoter of the psalms, a clairvoyant, one who forsook sermons and gave love instead, a friend of the poor and suffering, and a worker of a great deal of miracles - healing incurable and curable illnesses, granting babies to the infertile, solving marital issues, saving Copts from civil injustice and a helper in the time of the stress of exams.
The Art of Orthodoxy 