السنكسار

On this day, Saint Isaac of Dafra was martyred. He was born in the town of Dafra, affiliated with the center of Tanta. When he grew up, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a vision and commanded him to go to the city of Towa (in the center of Biyah) to receive the crown of martyrdom. He immediately rose to bid farewell to his parents, who wept and prevented him until the angel appeared to him a second time and took him out of the town. When he came to the city of Towa, he cried out before the governor, saying: "I am a believer in the Lord Christ." The governor placed him under the guard of one of his soldiers until he returned from Nicopolis. While he was with the soldier, a blind man sitting on the road asked him to grant him sight. He said to him, "Do not say 'grant me,' but let it be to you according to your faith." Then he prayed to the Lord Christ for him, and the man immediately saw. When the soldier saw this, he believed. Upon the governor's return, Isaac confessed the Lord Christ before him, so the governor ordered his beheading, and he received the crown of martyrdom.

The governor was angry with Saint Isaac and tortured him severely, then sent him to Beni Suef to be tortured there. When he was on the ship, he asked for a drink, and one of the boatmen gave him a little water. The man had one eye, and Saint Isaac poured part of the water on his other eye, and he immediately saw.

When Saint Isaac arrived in Beni Suef, the governor tortured him much, but the Lord strengthened and healed him. Finally, the governor ordered his beheading, and he received the crown of life. Some believers came, carried his body, brought it to his town Dafra, and buried him there. They then built a church in his name. May his intercession be with us. Amen.

On this day in the year 395 AD, the blessed father Saint Macarius the Alexandrian departed. This father was a contemporary of Saint Macarius the Great, the father of monks, and thus he was called Macarius the Younger. He became a monk in one of the monasteries near Alexandria, and due to his increase in asceticism, he became a father and guide to all the nearby monasteries around Alexandria, and so he was called the Father of all the monasteries. He performed many devotions and adorned himself with great virtues and practiced increased asceticism. Among these was that once he stayed for five days with his mind in heaven, occupying himself after standing on his mat with the saints, the former patriarchs, the prophets, the ranks of angels, the Lord Christ, and the apostles. When two nights were completed, the devils began to scratch his feet and then acted like snakes wrapping around them. They also showed fire in the monastery, and they thought he was burning, but finally, by his patience, the fire and illusions vanished. On the fifth day, he could not control his thoughts in worldly concerns, so that he would not become proud, then he said: "I have remained in asceticism for fifty years, and there were not such five days as these."

He managed the schools of those seeking baptism, then in the year 335 AD he secluded himself in the desert of Wadi El Natrun, which was then called the monasteries. Once he walked in the wilderness for several days on an unpaved path, and he planted pieces of reeds along the way to guide him on his return. When he wanted to return, he found that the devil had uprooted them all to mislead him. When he became thirsty, God sent him a wild cow, and he drank from its milk until he was satisfied and returned to his monastery. Once a hyena came to him and began to drag his garment, so he followed it to its cave, where it brought out its three young, who were deformed. He marveled at the animal's wisdom, prayed, and laid his hand on them, and they became healthy. The hyena disappeared and returned with a fur in its mouth, which he kept to sit on until his death. Once, pride troubled his thoughts, so they invited him to Rome to heal the sick there. Instead of enduring the hardship of travel, he took off his feet from the monastery and slept, then said to his thoughts: "Go if you can." When his thoughts troubled him, he took a handful of sand on his shoulder and walked with it into the wilderness until his body was tired and pride left him, and he rested.

Once he went to the monastery of Saint Pachomius in secular clothes and stayed there for the forty holy days. No one saw him during that time eating or sitting; he was weaving palm leaves while standing. The brothers told Saint Pachomius: "Remove this man from us, for he has no body." He told them to wait a little until God reveals his matter. When he asked the Lord about him, he recognized him as Macarius the Alexandrian. They rejoiced greatly and were blessed by him. When he saw that his virtue had become famous, he returned to his monastery.

It happened that when the rain ceased to fall in Alexandria, the Pope Patriarch summoned him. Upon his arrival, the rains began to fall and continued until they asked him to stop them. He prayed to the Lord, and the rain ceased.

King Valens the Arian exiled him along with Saint Macarius the Great to one of the islands, where they guided its people to the Christian faith and then returned to their monasteries. He considered that virtue which is known and publicized is worthless. When he heard of a man practicing a virtue he had not practiced, he would not rest until he mastered it more than him. He completed his life in a spiritual manner until he reached a good old age and departed in peace. May his prayer be with us. Amen.

On this day, the martyrdom of Mother Dolaji and her children "Souras, Herman, Shantas, and Aba Nova" occurred. May their prayers be with us, and to our Lord be glory forever and ever. Amen.

On this day, Father Bebnoudi from Bandara departed. May his prayer be with us, and to our Lord be glory forever. Amen.