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Day 29 of the Blessed Coptic Month of Babah, may God make it always received, year after year, with reassurance and tranquility, while our sins after forgiven by the tender mercies of our God my fathers and brothers.
Amen.
The Twenty-Ninth Day of the Blessed Month of Babah
Martyrdom of St.Demetrius the Thessalonican
On this
day, the great St. Demetrius, was martyred, in the days of Maximianus the
Emperor. He was a pious Christian young man from the city of Thessalonica.
He learned various subjects, and most of all, those of the Orthodox Church.
He taught and preached diligently in the Name of the Lord Christ. He converted
many to the faith. Some made accusations against him to Emperor Maximianus
who ordered that he be brought to him. It happened that when he came before
the Emperor, a wrestler whose body was strong and huge, and who surpassed
the people of his time in strength, was present. The Emperor loved this
man and was proud of him to the point that he specified a large sum of
money for whoever could vanquish him. A Christian man whose name was Nostor
came from among the people who were present at that time and asked St.
Demetrius to pray for him and to make the sign of the Cross with his holy
hand over his body. The saint prayed and made over him the sign of the
Holy Cross which makes those who believed therein invincible. Nostor went
and asked to fight that fighter about whom the Emperor was boasting. Nostor
fought him and vanquished him. The Emperor was very sorry and ashamed.
The Emperor wondered how Nostor conquered him. He asked the soldiers for
the secret behind that. They told him that a man called Demetrius prayed
over him and made the sign of the Cross over his face. The Emperor became
angry with the saint and ordered that he be beaten until he offered incense
to his idols and worshipped them. When St. Demetrius disobeyed them the
Emperor ordered his men to thrust spears at him until his body would be
torn to pieces and he would die. They told the saint that to frighten him
and make him turn away from his faith in the Lord Christ and worship the
idols. He told them, "Do whatever you please, for I will neither worship
nor offer incense except to my Lord Christ the True God." The soldiers
drove the spears into him until he delivered his pure soul.
When they threw away his holy body, some Christians took it and laid it in a coffin made out of marbles. The body remained hidden until the end of the days of persecution, when the one who had hidden it revealed it. A great church was built for him in Thessalonica, and they laid his body therein. Many great signs were made by his name. Each day, sweet oil was distilled from his body which cured those who used it with faith, especially on the day of his feast. On his feast day, the oil flowed in a larger quantity than on any other day, and it dripped from the walls of the church and the pillars. Though the gathering was huge, they all received their share, from what they took off the walls and put in their containers. Those of the righteous priests who had seen this told and testified to that.
May his prayers and blessings be with us all, and Glory be to God forever. Amen.