Mke - January

***Children of Bethlehem (Toba 3)

On Toba 3rd, the children of Bethlehem were martyred. During the days of Herod the king, behold wise men from the East came to Jerusalem. They came to King Herod’s palace searching for the child saying; "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him." When Herod heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests, he inquired of them "where the Christ was to be born?" So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea according to the prophecy of Micah the prophet ‘But you, Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel ." Herod sent the wise men to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also." But he intended to go and slay the Child. The wise men went to Bethlehem and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was lying. And when they had come in, worshiped the Child and they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way . Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying: "A voice was heard in Ramah , lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted, because they are no more ." For the tomb of Rachel, Jacob’s wife was nearby Bethlehem. May the blessing of the intercession of these martyred children be with us all. Amen.

Ⲁⲝⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲝⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲝⲓⲟⲥ: Ⲛⲓⲁ̀ⲗⲟⲩ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉ Ⲃⲏⲑⲗⲉⲉⲙ

***St. Demiana and the & 40 Virgins

(Madeeha in Coptic Reader)

Ⲁⲝⲓⲁ ⲁⲝⲓⲁ ⲁⲝⲓⲁ: Ϯⲁ̀ⲅⲓⲁ ⲙ̀ⲙⲏⲓ Ⲇⲏⲙⲓⲁⲛⲁ

Ⲁⲝⲓⲁ ⲁⲝⲓⲁ ⲁⲝⲓⲁ: Ⲛⲓⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲟⲥ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉ Ⲇⲏⲙⲓⲁⲛⲁ

***Martyrs of Akhmeem (Kiahk 29-30)

On Kiahk 29th and 30th of the year 20 of the martyrs (304 A.D.) 8140 were martyred in the city of Akhmeem. When Diocletian denied the faith and spread idol worshiping, he ordered the governors to persecute the Christians. Arianus, the governor of Ansena, came to Akhmeem accompanied by Anba Abadion, bishop of the city of Ansena for he arrested him earlier. His arrival coincided with the celebration in the eve of the glorious Nativity feast. When the Christian people of Akhmeem learned of the arrival of the Bishop, they invited him to celebrate the Divine Liturgy of the feast for them for their bishop Anba Odagious had passed away about a month earlier. Anba Abadion accepted their invitation and went secretly to the church of "Soutir" (Savior) which was the largest church in the city in the eve of the feast. He prayed with them all night long and the church was filled with multitude of Christians from the city and all the surrounding villages. The news reached Arianus, the governor, that Anba Abadion was praying the liturgy of the feast with the Christians in their church. He took a large number of soldiers and went to the church. They slew all who were present in the church. This massacre lasted all the day of the feast and the number reached 5800 martyrs. Among them was Ibeskonda the chief priest of the idols. When Arianus inquired about him he was informed that he became Christian and praying in the church along with those pagan priests who followed him. He killed them all and the massacre lasted another two days until the number reached 8140 martyrs. They all received the crowns of martyrdom and celebrated the feast with the Lord Christ in the paradise of joy. May the blessing of their prayers be with us all. Amen.

Ⲁⲝⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲝⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲝⲓⲟⲥ: Ⲡⲉⲛⲓⲱⲧ Ⲥⲩⲙⲉⲱⲛ ⲡⲓⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲟⲥ

Ⲁⲝⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲝⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲝⲓⲟⲥ: Ⲍⲁⲭⲁⲣⲓⲁⲥ ⲡⲓⲁ̀ⲗⲟⲩ ⲙ̀ⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲟⲥ

Ⲁⲝⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲝⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲝⲓⲟⲥ: Ⲛⲓⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲟⲥ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉ Ⲁⲭⲙⲏⲏⲙ

***Martyrs of Ansena

Ⲁⲝⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲝⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲝⲓⲟⲥ: Ⲛⲓⲙⲁⲣⲧⲩⲣⲟⲥ ⲛ̀ⲧⲉ Ⲁⲛⲥⲉⲛⲁ