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THE FIRST
MONTH IN THE NAME
OF THE FATHER AND THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, On this day the holy father Abba Bishora (Pisoura), Bishop of the city of Masil (the Meledj of the Copts and Metelis of the Greeks), became a martyr. This holy man became Bishop of the city of Masil, which is beloved of God, of the country of Egypt. When Diocletian was reigning and was persecuting the Christians, this holy man wished to pour out his blood for Christ’s sake. And he gathered together all the people, and set them before the Holy Offering, and taught them many righteous ordinances, and after this he informed them that he wished to pour out his blood for Christ’s sake. And they all, both great and small, wept, and said unto him, “What aileth thee that thou wouldst leave us? We are thy pupils; we will not permit thee to depart.” And they wished to prevent him, but they could not prevail upon him [to stay], and they allowed him [to depart]. And he committed them to Christ, and he embraced them, and he went out from them, and they set him on his way weeping bitterly as they went. And three bishops went with him, who were Baskos and Fenabikos and Theodore. And they went together to the city of the governor, and they confessed Christ before him, and he tortured them cruelly and multiplied their punishments. And when he knew that those bishops were the parents of Christians, now the bishops were bold and endured the tortures with great fortitude, for our Lord Christ confirmed them, the governor ordered [his men] to cut off the heads of the three bishops. And they cut off their heads with a sword, and they received their crowns of life in the kingdom of the heavens. And the holy body of Bishora (Pisoura) resteth to this day in the city of Nasel on the other side of the river. And on this day Fasiledes and 14,730 men and 7 women were martyred [with Fasiledes]. And on this day also is commemorated the miracle which took place in the city of Frumya in the country of Rome. This man, like the people from the country of the Greeks, was fired excessively with devilish envy of the signs and wonders, which used to appear in the church of the glorious angel Michael, the captain of the hosts of heaven. And they wished to turn the stream of water from the Nile, which flowed through the district on to the church, so that they might submerge it, and destroy the sacristan who had it in charge. And straightway Michael the captain of the heavenly hosts, the divine angel, appeared unto Nartinos, the sacristan of the church, and he drew nigh unto him, and said unto him, “Be strong, and fear not.” And he smote a rock with the staff, which was in his hand, and the rock was split open like a window, and the stream of water flowed out through it. And those who saw this marveled and praised God, and paid honor to Michael the archangel. And from that day to this that stream of water can be seen flowing through the rock, and not approaching in any way the church of the Archangel Michael. And on this day also died King Yasay (Yusyas, who lived in the eighteenth century) who finished his fight on a tree, and pleased God.
Glory
be to God Who is glorified in His Saints.
Amen. |
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