Toward the end {{oriental}}[[Image:Sdemiana.jpg|thumb|Classic Coptic icon of Saint Demiana and her companions, the third century A.D., forty virgins]]The holy and glorious [[Virgin-Martyr]] '''Saint Demiana'''(in Arabic الشهيدة دميانة), the chaste and fighter [[Church of Alexandria (Coptic)|Coptic Orthodox]] virgin, was [[martyr|martyred ]] with her companions, the Fourty Virgins the Forty Virgin-Martyrs, on [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobi Tobi ] 13 ([[January 22).== Biography ==[[Image:Sdemiana.jpg|thumb|Saint Demiana]] How many of us ever stand up and tell other people what we believe about Jesus Christ? How many of us are really convinced that our faith is so completely a part of what we are that is worth proclaiming happily to those who question us? Being one ) toward the end of Jesus' disciples can not be easy, for as Jesus once said:  "''Beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils... You will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, and bear testimony before them and the Gentilesthird century A.D.. Do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you will say... It will be given to you in that hour... You will be hated by all for my name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.''" (Matthew 10:17-22)

Demiana loved to pray and read the holy books in the seclusion of her room. She often cried, while praying, as she felt the love of her Savior the Christ fill her little heart.

When Demiana was old enough, her father wanted her to get married to one of his noble friends, but Demiana refused. She said that she gave herself up as a bride to Christ, and that she intended to live without marriage all her life, so she could serve the Lord Jesus Christ. Demiana also asked her father to build a house for her on the outskirts of the city, so that she could live in it, with her friends, as a [[nun ]] away from the world and its temptations.

Knowing her deep desire for a righteous life, her father reluctantly granted Demiana her wish, and built her a large palace. Demiana changed the palace into a [[convent]], and lived in it with forty of her friends. They were all unmarried girls, and the Lord's hand was with them, giving them strength and comfort.

At that time [[Diocletian]], the Emperor, began to torture and kill the Christians who refused to worship his idols (Apollos and Artemis). When Marcos was invited to kneel before the statues and offer incense, he refused. But Diocletian convinced him by promising to give him a higher position in the Roman Empire.

When Demiana heard that her father had knelt before the idols, she left the palace and went immediately to him. She said, "How could you deny your Savior who shed his blood to save you, and kneel down to stone idols dwelled in by satan. ? What you did, my father, is cowardly and shameful." When Marcos heard his daughter's words he came back to his senses. He said, "Woe to me, how could I fall in the Devil's trap and worship those idle idolatrous statues."

Then he got up immediately, and went to Diocletian. He [[Sign of the Cross|crossed ]] himself in the name of the [[God the Father|Father]], the Son, and the [[Holy Spirit ]] in front of everybody, and cried with a loud voice, "Let every one know that I worship the God of heaven and earth, my only God and Lord Jesus the Christ." Diocletian was troubled and tried his best to change Marcos' mind, but this time the Holy Spirit had filled his heart, and he testified even boldly that he was willing to die than to deny his Savior. Diocletian got really became infuriated, and ordered the soldiers to kill him.

When the Emperor learned that it was Marcos' daughter Demiana who had changed her father's mind, he ordered one of his commanders to take one hundred soldiers and attack the palace. "First, try to convince her to worship our idols,", said Diocletian. "But, if she refuses, threaten her, torture her, and even kill her so that she will be an example for the other Christians."

When Demiana saw the soldiers approach the palace, she prayed to God to strengthen their faith until death. Then she told her friends, "If you are willing to die for Jesus' sake you can stay, but if you cannot stand the torturing of the soldiers, you would do better to hurry and escape right now." The forty virgins answered that they would not lose the eternal life just to enjoy a few moments in this evil world.

Few years later, when King [[Constantine the Great|Constantine]] (the first Christian king) came to power, he sent his mother Queen Helena [[Helen]]a to Demiana's palace. Helena buried all the bodies that she found in great honor. She put Demiana's body on a bed made of ivory and decorated it with silk linen, and in the same place she built a church.

Saint Demiana has also a great Coptic Orthodox convent in Belkas , Egypt, and many Coptic Orthodox churches in Egypt bear her name.

'''Source:''' [http://www.copticchurchgeocities.netcom/classesAthens/synexAcropolis/7989/demiana.php?month=5&day=13&btn=View&lang=#3 html Coptic Orthodox Synaxarium (Book of Saints)]

* [http://www.stdemiana.org/ Saint Demiana Coptic Orthodox Church in San Diego, California, USA]* [http://www.copticchurch.net/classes/synex.php?month=5&day=13&btn=View&lang=#3 The Martyrdom of St. Demiana]* [http://www.andrewfanous.com/StDemiana.htmSt. Demiana]* [http://www.saintdemianachurchzeitun-eg.org/ Saint demiana.htm Apparitions in the Church of St. Demiana Church in San Diego, CaliforniaCairo, USAEgypt]* [http://wwwen.zeitun-egwikipedia.org/demiana.htmwiki/Demiana Saint Demiana on Wikipedia] [[Category:Egyptian Saints]][[Category:Martyrs]][[Category:Non-Chalcedonian Saints]][[Category:Saints]][[Category:Ante-Nicene Saints]][[Category:3rd-century saints]]