2100 W. Frontage Rd. • Palatine, IL . 60078

Volume 20 - NO. 9/10 - September/October 2005www.stmarysofchicago.com

An Insight

Suffering is a blessing. It is allowed by God to bring man to glory.

❈ Martyrs suffered … all their suffering will be forgotten “and God shall wipe away tears from their eyes,and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain forthe former things are passed away”. (Rev. 21:4)

❈ Their suffering will be comparatively light in comparison with the glory that results from it. As St. Paulsays: “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glorywhich shall be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18)

SUFFERING, A PATH TO GLORY“If so be that we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.” (Romans 8:17)

This was the name of a young Coptic womanwhose name found its place among the list

of martyrs. She sacrificed her life for the love ofChrist and the church. She lived in the thirdcentury during the reign of the wicked EmperorDiocletian.

Demiana’s father was called Mark and he was thegovernor of Al-Borollos, a province in Egypt. Shespent her childhood in her father’s palace. Shewas well educated, known for her beauty andgood character. As she grew, her faith alsogrew and her heart was over flooded with theDivine love.

Eventually, when her father talked to her aboutmarriage, her answer was: “Father, I have decidedto place my life in the hands of whom I love, alove that filled my heart so that there is no roomfor worldly love.” Her parents respected her decisionand built a palace for her at Al-Zafarous, where shelived with forty other devoted women whodedicated themselves to the Lord. They all lived inpeace for some years.

A WOMAN MARTYR Not all martyrs were men, some women shared this glory

An Appeal to Her FatherEmperor Diocletian, gave orders to burn incense

before the idols. Demiana’s father gave in to theEmperor’s orders. Upon hearing the news, Demianawas greatly distressed, she went to him and said: “Itwould have been tolerable to hear of your death thanto know that you have denied our beloved Savior.”

Demiana’s words filled her father’s heart withcourage and he dashed to meet Diocletian anddeclared his faith before him. The Emperor wasoutraged and commanded to cut off Mark’s head,and he earned the crown of martyrdom.

Her MartyrdomA few days later, Diocletian came to know that

young Demiana was the cause behind her father’sreturn to Christianity, so he issued an order for herarrest. The soldiers tried in vain to make Demianaand the forty virgins to deny their faith. Diocletiansentenced them to death, and they were beheadedfor the sake of their Savior. When they werebeheaded, a company of angles appeared bearing41 crowns and crowned the martyrs.

SAINT DEMIANASAINT DEMIANA

Saint Demiana AndThe 40 Virgins

“... were slain with the sword ...of whom the world

was not worthy” (Heb. 11:35-38 )

Congratulations To:

❖ Michael Bekheet & Christine Billatos.❖ Dr. Zkaria Towadrous & Dr. Mariana

Agaiby.

For their engagement. May the Lord crown their undertaking with joy and happiness

❖ Fr. Samuel Azmy & Tasony Sofie for the birth of their daughter Suzanna.❖ Shaheer &Suzy Erian for the baptism of their son Anthony.❖ Adel & Alice Doss for the baptism of their son Daniel .❖ Ryan & patricia Qualls for the baptism of their son Noah❖ Maged & Mariam Riad. for the birth of their daughter Youstina.❖ Sameh & Nahed Nawar for the birth of their daughter Catherine.❖ Hany & Dr. Nancy Youssef for the birth of their of their son David.❖ Albair & Manal Ibrahim for the birth of their son Mark.❖ Dr. Nader & Nabila Tobia for the birth of their son Stephen.❖ Dr. Ihab & Ragaa Aziz for the birth of their daughter Cheri.

May the Lord bless the newborn to grow in grace and stature before God and men.

Mark your Calendarand plan on attending our

annual fund raising banquet.

Sunday October 30, 20055:00 p.m.

The Catillion Banquet360 S. Creekside Dr., Palatine.

We count on your presence,so please be there.

Fr. Jacob Nadianfor the engagement of

his daughter Christine to Michael Bekheet.

CONDOLENCES:❖ Reposed in the Lord, the late Mr. Shoukry

Ibrahim, husband of Mrs. Camilia Ibrahim,father of Mrs. Maha and Dr. Manal anduncle of Dr. Wageeh Nessim and his sisterand borthers.

May the Lord repose his soul and console hisgrieving family.

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(Coptic New Year 1722)

Nayrouz is a Persian word meaning “New Year”. Ourchurch uses the term “Nayrouz Feast’ to refer to thecelebration of the “Coptic New Year.” It also refers tothe feast of the Coptic martyrs.

The main purpose of the celebration is to keepthe memory of our heroic martyrs, who gave theirlives for their faith, alive. We have to be alwaysreminded of how much they endured to keep thefaith which was once delivered unto the Saints.

Our church believes that martyrdom is thebeginning of its history. It started its calendar in theyear 284 A.D., the year in which Diocletian becameemperor of the Roman Empire. His reign was markedas the era of the worst persecutions of Christians.

Diocletian horrified the whole world with hispersecutions of the Christians. It was said that hewent to Egypt to personally torture and killChristians, till their blood reached his horse’s knees.

THENAYROUZ FEAST

THENAYROUZ FEAST

At that time thousands of Christians were martyred.

By doing so Diocletian, mistakenly believed thathe would wipe out Christianity. Little did he knowthat persecution allowed Christianity to grow andspread within the whole Empire. The crueltysuffered by the Christians at his hands, brought forththe real essence of Christianity.

The blood shed by the early Christians helped thefaith to spread more than by teaching and preaching.

As we celebrate the Nayrouz Feast,we would like to offer our congratulations

to our shepherd and teacher

H.H. Pope Shenouda III.May the Lord grant him health andkeep his life for many years to come.

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