{{oriental}}[[Image:StMina.gif|frame|Coptic icon of St Mina Menas the Wonders MakerWonder-worker]]The holy, glorious and right-victorious [[Martyr]] St. '''Menas ''' (or ''Mina - ''; 285-309 A.D.), the [[Martyr]] and [[Wonder-worker]], is one of the most well know known Egyptian saints in the East and the West, due to the many miracles that are performed through his [[intercession and prayers for us]]s. His [[feast day ]] is celebrated every year on Hathor 15 [[November 11]] (or in the [[Church of Alexandria (Coptic)|Coptic]] month = church on [[November 11Coptic Calendar|Hathor]] or 15 ([[November 24]])).

His father==Life==Saint Menas was born in Egypt in 285 A.D., a ruler of one of in the administrative divisions city of EgyptNiceous (Nakiyos or Nikiu), died when Menas was fourteen years old. At which lies in the age vicinity of fifteen Menas joined the armyMemphis. He was given a high rank because of His parents were real [[ascetic]] Christians; his father's reputation name was Audexios (or Eudoxius) and his mother's name was appointed in AlgeriaAufimia (or Euphemia). Three years later he left On the army longing to devote his whole life to Christfeast of St. He headed towards [[Theotokos|Mary]], the desert mother who did not have any children was praying in front of the [[icon]] of the Virgin with tears that God would give her a blessed son. A sound came to live a different kind of lifeher ears saying "Amen," and thus she called her son Menas.

After spending five years as a hermitHis father, he saw in a revelation ruler of one of the [[angels]] coronating administrative divisions of Egypt, died when Menas was 14 years old. At the martyrs with glamorous crownsage of 15, and longed to join those martyrsMenas joined the army. While he He was thinking about it, he heard given a voice saying: "Blessed are you Abba Menas high rank because you have been called for of his father's reputation and was stationed in Algeria. Three years later he left the pious army longing to devote his whole life from your childhoodto [[Christ]]. You shall be granted three immortal crowns; one because of your celibacy, He headed towards the second because desert to live a different kind of your asceticism, and the third for your martyrdomlife."

Immediately After spending five years as a [[hermit]], he felt as if saw in a revelation the [[angels]] crowning the earth under him was vanishingmartyrs with glamorous crowns, and he was overwhelmed with great eagerness to be carried away longed to heavensjoin those martyrs. In a mood of valor While he hurried to the rulerwas thinking about it, declaring his Christian faith. His endless sufferings and the tortures that he went throughheard a voice saying: "Blessed are you, Abba Menas, because you have attracted many been called for the pious life from your childhood. You shall be granted three immortal crowns; one because of your [[celibacy]], the paganssecond because of your asceticism, not only to Christianity, but also to and the third for your martyrdom."

===The Saint's Body===The saint's assassins tried to burn his relics but they failed. The saint's body remained in Immediately he felt as if the fire for three days and three nightsearth under him was vanishing, and he was not harmedoverwhelmed with great eagerness to be carried away to heavens. His sister came and gave the soldiers In a lot mood of money and they let her take valor he hurried to the bodyruler, declaring his Christian faith. She embarked with her brother's body on one His sufferings attracted many of the ships heading pagans, not only to AlexandriaChristianity, where they placed the saint's body in the church therebut also to martyrdom.

When ==Relics==The saint's assassins tried to burn his [[relics]] but failed. The saint's body remained in the time of persecution endedfire for three days and three nights, during and was not harmed. His sister came and gave the papacy of soldiers money and they let her take the Coptic Pope Athanasius of Alexandria, the believers loaded the saintbody. She embarked with her brother's body on a camel and headed towards one of the western desert (after an angel appeared ships heading to the Patriarch informing him to do so). At the spot that the Lord had designated, the camel stopped and wouldn't move again. Right there, near a water wellAlexandria, where they buried him (that place is the same as where [[Saint Mina Monastery in Mariut|placed the saint's present-day Coptic Orthodox monastery]] is located at body in the end of Lake Mariut, not far from Alexandria, Egypt)church there.

Later onWhen the time of persecution ended, during the Berbers papacy of Pentapolis rose against [[Pope]] [[Athanasius of Alexandria]], the cities around Alexandria. The people were getting ready to face believers loaded the Berbers, saint's body on a camel and headed towards the governor decided western desert (after an angel appeared to take the body of St. Menas with Patriarch informing him to be his deliverer do so). At the spot that the Lord had designated, the camel stopped and his strong protectorrefused to move. He took There, near a water well, they buried the saint's body secretly and through . That place is the same as where [[St. Mina Monastery (Mariut, Egypt)|the saint's present-day Coptic Orthodox monastery]] is located at the blessings end of this saintLake Mariut, not far from Alexandria, he overcame the Berbers and returned victoriousEgypt.

The governor decided not to return Later on, the body Berbers of Pentapolis rose against the saint cities around Alexandria. The people were getting ready to its original place face the Berbers, and wanted the governor decided to take it to Alexandria. On the way back, they passed by Lake Mariut, body of St. Menas' original placewith him to be his deliverer and his strong protector. The camel carrying He took the body knelt down secretly and would not move in spite of frequent beatings. They moved through the body over another camelsaint's blessings, but again this second camel did not move from its place. The governor finally realized that this was he overcame the Lord's command. He made a coffin from decay-resistant wood Berbers and placed the silver coffin in it. He then returned it to its place and invoked St. Menas' blessings before returning to his cityvictorious.

===The Discovery governor decided not to return St. Menas' body to its original place (in Mariut) and wanted to take it to Alexandria. On the way back, they passed by Lake Mariut, St. Menas' original place. The camel carrying the body knelt down and would not move in spite of His Body===It happened frequent beatings. They moved the body over another camel, but this second camel did not move from its place. The governor finally realized that while a shepherd this was feeding his sheep in that area, the Lord's command. He made a sick lamb fell on coffin from decay-resistant wood and placed the groundsilver coffin in it. As He then returned it struggled to get on its feet again, its scab was curedplace and invoked St. The story spread quickly and the sick who came Menas' blessings before returning to this spot recovered from whatever illnesses they had just by laying on the groundhis city.

During that time, the daughter of Zinon, the Christ-lover Emperor at ConstantinopleLater, his burial place was revealed when a shepherd was leprous. His advisors suggested feeding his sheep in that she should try that place, area and she dida sick lamb fell on the ground. At night the Saint appeared As it struggled to the girl and informed her that his body is buried in that placeget on its feet again, its scab was cured. The following morning, she bathed in story spread quickly and the well and was healed. She related her vision about St. Menas sick who came to her servants and that he cured herthis spot recovered from whatever illnesses they had just by lying on the ground.

ImmediatelyWhen [[Arcadius]] and [[w:Honorius (emperor)|Honorius]] reigned (383–408 and 393-423), Zinon they also ordered the saint's body to be dug out, and that a church large city to be built thereand named after the saint. Not only that, but when Arcadius and Honorius reigned they also ordered that <ref>[http://www.stmina-monastery.org/abu_mena.htm a large city to be built there and named after the saintAbu Mena (Abu Mina)]. </ref> Sick people from all over the world, used to would visit that the city and were healed by the intercession of St. Menas, the Miracle-maker. That is evident from the numerous little clay bottles on which his name and picture are engraved. These were discovered by archeologists in diverse countries around the Mediterranean world, such as Heidleburg in Heidelberg, Germany; Milan, Milan in Italy; Dalmata, Dalmata in Yugoslavia; Marseille, Marceille in France; Dengela, Dengela in Sudan, ; and Jerusalem. Visitors from these cities and others would buy these bottles, usually containing oil or water for blessing, and take them back to their relatives.

Mrs. The historian Edith L. Butcher (a historian) recorded that destruction started to take place in the city, and its inhabitants were degraded after the Arab conquest. During the period after Haroun El-Rasheed ([[Islam|Muslim ]] ruler), the Berbers attacked the city and burned a large portion of it. At the time of El-Mamoun (Muslim ruler) , he ordered to put that the entire city be taken down, and then he used its numerous marble pillars to build his palace and mosques. It is only in the twentieth 20th century that international missions began to search for the city and the church (now a UNESCO World Heritage Site). The remainders of it, no doubt, demonstrates the glory of the Coptic past.

As soon as Pope [[Cyril VI (Atta) of Alexandria|Cyril (Kyrillos) the Sixth]] was installed on St. [[Apostle Mark|Mark]]'s Throne, he began to put the foundations of a great [[Saint Mina Monastery in Mariut|monastery]] close to the remains of the old city. Thus, in his blessed days, God's will had permitted the old monastery of St. Menas to be was resurrected, and the Copts were able to visit it once again and to be blessed by the saint. What is even more interesting is that Pope Kyrillos VI stated in his will that his body should not be buried in the new famous Cathedral of St. Mark in Cairo, but in the monastery of his personal friend and intercessor, St. Menas the Miracle-maker!. ==Reference==*<references /> ==Sources==* [http://www.stmina-monastery.org/stmina.htm St. Mina] ([[Coptic]])* [http://www.stmina-monastery.org/inotherchurches.htm Beyond the Coptic Orthodox Church] (Coptic)

==External Linklinks==* [http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?FSID=103277 Martyr Menas of Egypt] ([[OCA]])* [https://www.goarch.org/chapel/saints?contentid=285 Menas of Egypt] ([[GOARCH]])* [http://www.westsrbdio.org/prolog/my.html?month=November&day=11 The Holy Great-martyr Menas] (''[[Prologue of Ohrid]]'')* [http://www.stmina-monastery.org/ St. Mina Monastery in Mariut on the Web](Coptic)* [[w:Saint Mina|Saint Mina]]. Wikipedia.* Great [[Synaxarion|Synaxaristes]]: {{el icon}} ''[http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/1149/sxsaintinfo.aspx Ὁ Ἅγιος Μηνᾶς ὁ Μεγαλομάρτυρας «ὁ ἐν τῷ Κοτυαείῳ»].'' 11 Νοεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.