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THE SIXTH
MONTH IN THE NAME
OF THE FATHER AND THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, On this day Saint Minas the monk became a martyr. This saint was from the country of ‘Akmim (Akhmim) in Upper Egypt; his parents were Christians and they were tillers of the ground. This saint wished to array himself in the garb of the monk, and to reject this world, and he became a monk in one of the monasteries of the city of ‘Akmim (Akhmim); he used to fast frequently for two days at a time, and he took no thought for his food and drink. And after this he departed to the district of Esmunayn, and dwelt there in a monastery for seven and twenty years, leading a life of devotion to God, and fighting the fight; and he never went outside the door of that monastery. And when the Muslims reigned in the land of Egypt, and he heard concerning them, and how they said, “God hath no son of His Nature and Godhead, who sprang from Him,” he was very sorrowful because of this thing. And having been blessed by the abbot of the monastery who prayed over him, he went forth and departed to the city of Esmunayn, and he stood up before the captain of the Muslim soldiers, and said unto him, “Is it true that ye say that God hath no son of His Nature and Godhead?” And the captain said unto him, “Yea, we remove from God this thing, and we do not confess it.” And Saint Minas said unto him, “It is right for thee not to confess Him if He were the son of carnal union and seed, but His is not this; He is the Light proceeding from Light, [and] God, in truth, proceeding from God, in truth.” And the captain said unto him, “O monk, this, in our Law, is infidelity.” And the saint answered and said unto him, “Know thou that the Holy Gospel saith, ‘He who believeth in the Son hath everlasting life, and that he who believeth not shall not see life, but the wrath of God shall descend upon him’” (John iii, 36). Because of this the captain was exceedingly angry, and he ordered the soldiers to cut off his head with the sword, and to hack his body in pieces, and to cast him into the river. And certain believers took his body and prepared it carefully for burial, and they performed a service of commemoration for him as it were this day. Salutation to Minas, Bishop of ‘Akmim (Akhmim). Salutation to Moses, the chief of the fathers, who died on this day on Mount Nebo. Glory
be to God Who is glorified in His Saints.
Amen. |
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