Tir 19 — January 27

The Holy Family Who Loved God

Long, long ago, in a city called Sobes, there lived a loving family: two brothers named Abba Behura and Abba Basora, and their mother, named 'Enira. They loved God with all their hearts.

They lived at a time when many people did not yet know the true God. Instead they bowed down to idols, statues they pretended were gods. But this brave family kept believing in the one true God, no matter what. They stayed close to Him all the way to the end of their lives, even when it cost them everything, and so they became martyrs.

Because everyone loved and honored them, their bodies were carefully laid to rest inside the church in their city. There they rested in peace for a very long time, like treasures kept safe.

Then one day, soldiers from far away came to fight in the land of Egypt. As armies marched here and there, some churches were knocked down. One of them was the church in Sobes, where the holy family rested.

The Soldier Who Did Not Know the Treasure

One soldier found a special box inside the broken church. He opened it quickly, hoping to find gold and money to spend on himself.

But inside the box he did not find coins. He found the bones of the holy martyrs. The Synaxarium calls them something beautiful. It says they were like precious pearls, worth more than any gold.

The soldier did not understand. He thought the bones were not worth anything, so he scattered them by the church wall and carried the empty box away to sell it. He did not know he had thrown away a real treasure.

God is very patient and kind. But this soldier had not been kind at all, and soon after, in the very first moment of a battle, his life ended. The other soldiers told everyone what happened to him, and they said God was teaching them all to honor holy things.

He found precious pearls of great price — the bones of the holy martyrs — but he did not know how special they were.

The Kind Woman Who Saved Them

Now there was a good woman watching all of this. She was the wife of a priest, and she loved God very much. When she saw the holy bones lying on the ground, she was filled with joy.

Quickly and gently, she gathered them up and wrapped them in her head-cloth, holding them close like a great gift. Then she carried them safely into the church, laid them down in a quiet corner, and covered them with tiles to keep them safe and hidden.

Years and years went by, about twenty of them. And in all that busy time, the kind woman forgot where she had hidden them.

But God did not forget. He wanted His people to find the holy martyrs again, so that everyone could be glad and learn from them. One day, two men were talking about the saints in front of the woman, and suddenly she remembered. She told the priests right away where the precious bones were hidden.

She gathered up the holy bones and wrapped them in her head-cloth with joy.

A Joyful Festival and a Wonderful Miracle

The priests went into the church and lovingly lifted up the bodies of the holy martyrs. They made a beautiful new box for them and laid them inside with great honor.

Then they held a big, happy celebration, with prayers and songs and music. The bishop of the city, named Abba Gabriel, told everyone to keep this day as a feast every year, and to write down the saints' names in each city so no one would ever forget them again.

God answered many prayers through the holy martyrs. Here is the best one: there was a girl who was blind, and her mother had stopped hoping she would ever see. The mother prayed near the holy bones, and right away her daughter could see again with her own eyes. The whole family thanked Jesus with great joy.

We remember three more good people on this day too. We greet the kind woman who rescued the holy bones. We greet Abba Yafkerna 'Egzi'E, who finished his good fight for God. And we celebrate the special day when the church of Abba Behura and Abba Basora was blessed. What a happy day, with treasures found and joy returned.

Her daughter could see again, and she gave glory to our Lord Jesus Christ, Who honored the martyrs so greatly.