Synaxarium

The martyrdom of Saint Makrawy the Bishop: On this day, the blessed Saint Anba Makrawy, the bishop, was martyred. This father was among the prominent people of Ashmoun Geris. He was ordained bishop of Nakius. When persecution arose against the Christians, the governor Youfaneus (called Lucianus in the manuscript of Shebin El-Kom) summoned him to appear before him. Before going, he entered the holy altar, raised his hands, and prayed. Then he placed the altar vessels and the sanctification vestments in a place within the church. He prayed again to the Lord Jesus Christ to protect His church. Then he went with the apostles to Atwaly, who inquired about his name and city and learned that he was the bishop of the city. He ordered that he be beaten and humiliated, that molten plaster be poured into his throat. They did so, but God preserved him and he suffered no harm. After that, the governor sent him to Armanius and then to Alexandria. Armanius imprisoned him, and God performed many signs through him. Among them, Eucharistus son of Julius the Coptic, a recorder of the martyrs' stories, was afflicted with paralysis. The saint prayed over him, and God healed him through his prayer. He sanctified the house of Julius, gave them communion, and agreed with him to care for his body and write his biography. When Armanius heard of the miracles performed by this saint, he ordered him to be tortured with various torments: to be squeezed, have his limbs cut, be thrown to wild lions, drowned in the sea, and placed in a furnace of fire. But the Lord strengthened him, and those tortures did not harm him. This saint had a virgin sister who served the church named Mary, and two brothers named Younes and Ishaq. They all came to him in prison and wept before him, saying: "You have been a father to us after our father; how can you leave us orphans?" He comforted, encouraged, and consoled them, and asked them to depart in peace. Finally, Julius the Copt advised the governor, saying, "Write the case of this elder so that you may be relieved of him." The governor listened and ordered his beheading. Julius took his body, wrapped it in fine golden cloths, placed a golden cross on his chest, and sent it by ship with his servants to his episcopal seat in Nakius. The ship sailed until it reached the town of Ashmoun Geris and stopped without moving as if bound by chains. They tried in vain to move it. While they were thus, a voice came from the body saying: "This is the place where the Lord was pleased to place my body." The townspeople were informed and came out carrying palm branches, honoring him greatly and bringing him to their town. His entire life spanned one hundred and thirty-one years, of which thirty were as a priest and thirty-nine as a bishop. He completed his good struggle and received the crown of life. May his blessing and prayers be with us, and to our Lord be the glory. Amen.