Sene 15 — June 22

Saint Minas and the Hill That Healed

Today we remember a happy day long ago. It is the day people blessed a new church built for Saint Minas (say it: MEE-nas). Saint Minas was a brave soldier who loved God with all his heart.

After Saint Minas died, his body was buried in the ground, and for a long time nobody knew where it was. But God wanted everyone to find it, so He did something surprising on a little hill.

Near the hill there was a shepherd who took care of sheep. One day one of his sheep was sick. The sheep dipped itself in the water of a well, then rolled in the soft dust of the hill, and right away it was all better. The shepherd could hardly believe his eyes.

After that, the shepherd washed all his sick sheep in the water and let them roll in the dust, and they got well too. Then sick people came to him. He mixed the dust with the water and gently rubbed it on them, and God made them well, every time.

The story of the healing hill traveled far, all the way to a great king in Rome. The king had a daughter who was very sick with painful sores. He sent her to the hill, and God healed her there, just like the others.

The girl wanted to know why that place made people well. While she slept, Saint Minas came to her in a dream. He told her his body lay hidden under the hill, and that God wanted her to dig and lift him out.

When she woke up, she did exactly what God asked. She found the body of Saint Minas and built a beautiful shrine over it. (A shrine is a special holy place.) Then the king told his helpers to build their homes nearby, and a whole city grew up there, called Maryut.

God did so many good things through Saint Minas. The church leaders came and blessed the new church on a day like today, and people everywhere shared the good news of God's kindness.

Behold, God hath commanded thee to dig, and to raise me up.— Saint Minas, in the girl's dream

Salutation to the consecration of thy house, O Saint Minas.

Gebre Christos, the Good Deacon

We also remember Gebre Christos, a pure and gentle deacon. A deacon is a helper in the church who serves God's people and helps lead the prayers.

He kept his heart clean and loved God faithfully. We thank God for his kind and holy life, and we ask him to pray for us.