Features of this Icon:

1. We see Christ wearing red and white symbolizing His redemptive work and His Resurrection to confirm His wondrous salvivic work for mankind. That’s why around His head is written in Coptic, “Our Savior Jesus Christ”.

2. We see His right hand lifted with one finger pointed up as a sign of blessing.

3. We also see the back of the throne blue with stars symbolizing the verse that says, “ Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool.” Isaiah 66:1

4. We see grapevines and wheat around and under the thrones symbolizing the Eucharist.

This event in Greek is called the Theophany (Theophania) or manifestation of the Divine Nature of the Lord. In 31 A.D., our Lord Christ, to whom be Glory, was baptized at the hands of St. John the Baptist in the Jordan River.

This story is found in all four gospels, Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11, Luke 3:21-22, and John 1:29-34).

The Holy Trinity was clearly revealed to everyone; the Father in heaven saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" and the Son standing in the Jordan River, and the Holy Spirit descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. The glory of the Lord Christ was also manifested for he did not reveal himself in the previous thirty years until He revealed Himself to the people of Israel.

The Lord Jesus Christ had established with His baptism the sacrament of Baptism, the first of the sacraments and the entry door to the kingdom of God. "He who believes and is baptized will be saved" (Mark 16:16) when he keeps his baptismal covenant with unceasing repentance and good deeds.

We thank our God who made Himself of no reputation ... and came in the likeness of men and established for us the road to Eternal Life.

To Him is the everlasting Glory forever. Amen.

Features of this Icon:

1. This icon depicts our Lord Jesus Christ being fully immersed under the water as this is part of our dogma in the Orthodox church that baptism has to be done through Full immersion under the water.

2. We see under Christ’s feet a serpent being destroyed symbolizing the fulfillment of the prophecy found in Genesis which states, “ And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.” Genesis 3:15

3. We see St. John the Baptist wearing camel’s hair as mentioned in the gospels what his clothing was and wearing a red sash symbolizing his martyeredom.

4. On the left we see angels symbolizing the verse in Malachi 3:1 which states,   “ Behold, I send My messenger (angel), And he will prepare the way before Me.”

We see a tree with seven fruits symbolizing the number of perfection and an axe beside it symbolizing the words that St. John the Baptist spoke as found in Luke 3:9 which states, “ And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

This Holy Father was born in Shansha, Monufia governorate, in the year 320 A.D. His father died, and his mother raised him along with his five brothers with a true Christian upbringing. An angel once appeared to his mother in a vision, and said to her, "The Lord says to you, 'Give Me one of your children to be My servant." She answered, "Whomever the Lord wants, He may have." So the angel placed his hands on Abba Pishoy. The mother objected, "His body is frail. Choose a stronger one." The angel told her, "For the strength of the Lord is made perfect in weakness."

When he was twenty years old, he went to the wilderness of Shiheet and became a monk under the guidance of Anba Pemwah. He devoted himself to worship and asceticism for a period of three years. During this time, he grew in piety and his heart was kindled with God's love. After the departure of his teacher, he secluded himself in a cave where he tied his hair with a rope to the ceiling of the cave so if sleep overcame him, he would be jolted awake.

He fasted a week at a time and memorized many of the books of the Holy Bible, especially the book of Jeremiah. Jeremiah the prophet appeared to him often to explain to him what was difficult to understand.

The Lord Christ appeared to him and told him, "O My elect Pishoy, peace be unto you. I have looked upon your toil and labor, and I shall be with you." St. Pishoy replied, was You, O Lord, who labored in me. I have not toiled at all." On another occasion, the Lord told him, "Rejoice my chosen Pishoy! Do you see this mountain? It will be filled with monks who will worship Me." The saint asked Him, "Would you sustain them, O Lord?" The Lord replied, "If they love Me and keep My commandments, I will sustain them."

Another time the Lord Christ appeared to him as a sojourner, and St. Pishoy welcomed Him as a guest. He took water and washed His feet, and He recognized that He was the Lord Christ from the marks of the nails on His feet. Then the Lord comforted him and blessed him. The saint drank from the water, and when his disciple came, St. Pishoy asked his disciple to drink also. When the disciple tarried, he found the pot empty. The disciple regretted disobeying his teacher.

The fathers expressed their wish to see the Lord as St. Pishoy did. The Lord promised to appear to them on a mountain on a certain day. When the day arrived, everyone

rushed to meet the Lord. However, the saint was far behind the rest due to his old age. On their way, the others met an infirmed old man who asked them to carry him that he might also see the Lord. But they refused for fear of delay. When St. Pishoy came along, the old man asked him to carry him as he had asked the others. The saint carried the old man, walking with him on his back. Amazingly, the saint did not get tired. When the load started to get heavier, he realized that he was carrying the Lord Christ. St. Pishoy looked at Him and said, "The heavens cannot contain You and the earth is shaken by Your majesty, so how can a sinner like me carry You?" The Lord said to him, "Because you have carried Me, O My beloved Pishoy, your body will never see corruption." When the brethren learned what had happened, they were sorrowful that they had passed by the old man and not recognized that He was the Lord Christ. Thus, they lost their chance to meet the Lord who appears to those who have mercy upon the weak and needy.

St. Ephraim the Syrian visited him, and they talked about the greatness of God without an interpreter. St. Ephraim left his staff near the cave of St. Pishoy, and it grew to be the tree of St. Ephraim. When one of the monks knew of the presence of St. Ephraim, he came in haste to receive his blessing. However, St. Pishoy told him that a cloud had carried St. Ephraim away. The tree of St. Ephraim is still present in the Syrian Monastery.

St. John the Short came to visit Anba Pishoy. Standing outside his cell, St. John heard St. Pishoy carrying on a conversation with someone, but when he entered the cell, he found St. Pishoy alone. He asked Anba Pishoy to whom he had been speaking. St.

Pishoy told him, "Emperor Constantine came and told me, 'Had I known how great is the honor of monks, I would have abandoned my kingdom and have become a monk.'" St. Pishoy responded to the Emperor, "You banished heathen worship and exalted Christianity. Has not Christ given you anything?" The Emperor replied,

"The Lord has given me many gifts, indeed, but none of them like the honor of monks."

St. Pishoy left Shiheet during the first Berbers raid in the year 407 A.D. and went to Ansena. There he dwelt with Abba Paul of Tammoh, and the two were not separated even after their repose.

When he completed his struggle, St. Pishoy departed this life in the year 417 A.D. and was buried in the fortress of Meniet el-Saquar near Ansena.

During the papacy of the Anba Joseph (Yousab) I, the 52nd Patriarch, in the ninth century, the body of St. Pishoy, together with the body of St. Paul of Tammoh, was returned to his monastery in the wilderness of Shiheet.

The blessing of his prayers be with us all.

Features of this Icon:

1. This icon depicts the famous story mentioned above where Christ visited St. Pishoy as a stranger and St. Pishoy took Him in and washed His feet. While he was washing the stranger's feet, he saw the wounds in His feet. He looked up and saw that it was Christ.

2. We see Christ leaning in and embracing St. Pishoy showing His love and care for him.

She was one of the daughters of the nobles of Antioch, Pisidia in Asia Minor. Her parents worshipped the idols. When her mother died, her father entrusted her to a Christian nanny to raise her up. She narrated to her the biographies of the martyrs and what they receive from happiness in the eternal life. Marina longed to be martyred in the name of the Lord Christ.

One day the governor saw Marina and admired her much. He wanted to marry her however when he knew that she believed in the Lord Christ was disturbed and asked her to worship the idols. She utterly refused but he tried to persuade her to obey him so he would marry her however she did not heed him. He became angry and ordered to comb her body with sharp iron combs then rubbed her wounds with vinegar and lime then imprisoned her. The angel of the Lord appeared to her, and healed all her wounds.

The next morning, the Governor ordered to bring her. When he saw that she was well, he exceedingly marveled and ordered to hang her on the Hinbazeen and to tightly squeeze her. The angel of the Lord came and healed her. He cast her in a large cauldron filled with boiling melted lead; however the angel of the Lord saved her.

Many believed because of her and received the crowns of martyrdom.

When the governor became weary of torturing her he ordered to behead her. She extended her hands, prayed then bent her head down with great courage to the executioner who beheaded her and she received the crown of martyrdom. The Lord manifested from her pure body many wonders. Her body is still present in the church of the Virgin St. Mary in Haret El-Rum, in Cairo.

The blessing of her prayers be with us all. Amen

Features of this Icon:

1. We see St. Marina holding a palm branch symbolizing triumph as she triumphed over tribulation and death through Christ. The Palm branches symbolizing victory can be found in Revelation 7:9. In her other hand a spear with a cross on the top and that spear being thrust into the devil symbolizing her victory over the devil through the cross.

2. We see her wearing red symbolizing her shedding her blood for Christ, white symbolizing her purity, and blue symbolizing

St. Rebecca (Refqa) and her five children, Sts. Agathon, Peter, John, Amun, and the child Amuna were from Kamola, district of Kus. When they heard that Emperor Diocletian had ordered to persecute the Christians and to close the churches, they stood up all night in prayer. They entreated the Lord Christ to have mercy on His people and to lift up all evil away from them. While they were praying the Angel of the Lord appeared to them to announce to them that they will receive the crown of martyrdom in the name of the Lord Christ. The Saints rejoiced at this vision, and they rose up early and gave all their possessions to the poor and released all their servants.

They came to the city of Kus and confessed their faith in Christ before Dionysius, the Governor. He tortured them severely, starting with their mother who bore the torture patiently and with joy, and then he tortured her five children. She strengthened her children and encouraged them to endure the tortures. When he was weary of torturing them, he was advised by those around him to send them to Alexandria so that they might not lead other people in their city astray, for they were loved by everyone. Because of them, many confessed their faith in the Lord Christ and received the crown of martyrdom.

When they brought the saints before Armanius, the Governor of Alexandria, who was in a city called Shoubra, nearby the city of Damanhor, and learned about their story, he tortured them severely, by the Hinbazeen.

Then he cast them in a cauldron filled with boiling oil, thru all these tortures, the Lord Christ strengthened them and raised them whole. The governor and all his people became weary, so he ordered to behead them with the sword, and to have their bodies thrown in the sea. They cut their heads off and they received the crown of martyrdom.

They placed their bodies in a boat to cast them in the sea. The Lord sent forth His angel to a rich man from Nakraha, which is a village nearby Damanhor, told him about the saints and commanded him to take their bodies. The man was exceedingly glad. He came to where the bodies were, gave the soldiers much silver and took the holy bodies, and he laid them in the church.

God manifested from their relics, many signs and wonders. When the village of Nakraha by time was ruined they relocated the bodies to another town called Deey. When it was also ruined, a monk moved the bodies from there to the city of Sonbat, where there is now a church known as "El-Sitt Refqa and her five children" (Lady Rebecca). Many visit this church every year to receive their blessings. The bodies of these saints are still in this church till the present time.

The blessing of their prayers be with us all. Amen.

Features of this Icon:

1. In this Icon you will find St Rebecca embracing all her children under her arms. This shows her love that she has for her children as their mother that she has them under her embrace showing her love and care for them.

2. In this icon you will also see that her and her children are either holding crosses in their hands or have a cross hanging from their necks, or holding palm branches. The crosses symbolize their faith and the palm branches symbolize triumph as they triumphed over the tribulation and death through Christ. The Palm branches symbolizing victory can be found in Revelation 7:9.

He was born in Nikiu (Niceous), about the middle of the third century. His father's name was Eudoxius, and his mother's name was Euphemia.  His father was the governor of the city of Nakiyos (Nikiu).His brother Anatolius was envious of him and he brought accusations against him before the Emperor. The Emperor transferred him as governor to an area north of Africa - District of Marriot- and the people were pleased with him because he was merciful and God-fearing.

His mother Euphemia was a pious woman who prayed and fasted diligently. Because she was barren, she entreated the Lord Christ often to grant her a godly offspring. She fasted till the evening and offered a large amount of alms to the poor and the needy.

On the feast of Dormition of the Holy Virgin (21st of Tobe she went to the church of the Virgin at Attribes. She saw the multitudes entering the church in joy and jubilation and the mothers joyfully carrying their children. She heaved a sigh and wept before the icon of Our Lady St. Mary, entreating her to intercede before God to grant her a son. She heard a voice coming out from the icon saying, "Amen." She rejoiced in what she had heard. After the end of the Divine Liturgy, she returned to her home and told her godly husband Eudoxius about it, he rejoiced with her and said, "Our confidence in our God is great that He can fulfill, as you have heard."

Shortly after St. Euphemia conceived and she thanked God for this blessing. At the birth of the child they wanted to call him Blodianus after the name of his grandfather but his mother refused because of the word "Amen" that she heard from the icon of the Holy Virgin. She called him Mina, saying that the name Mina has the same letters as "Amen." There was joy and jubilation for his birth. Eudoxius gave many charities to the poor and the needy to celebrate this happy occasion.

His parents greatly cared to rear him up in a spiritual manner and instructed him with the church teachings. They always encouraged him to read the Holy Bible and they frequently took him to the church so he grew in piety and moral excellence.

When he was eleven years old, his father departed at a good old age in the year 296 A.D. Then his mother departed three years later. He inherited a great fortune; he distributed much of it on the poor and needy.

About the year 300 A.D., he was enlisted in the army. Because the commander was a friend of his father, he made him the second in command and everyone loved him for his gentleness and piety.

The two emperors, Diocletian and Maximianus, issued their edict commanding the worship of idols and persecuting the Christians. Accordingly, St.

Mina left his position and distributed the rest of his wealth to the poor and the needy. He went to the desert to be able to enjoy the divine commune with God in pure worship. He stayed in the wilderness for about five years worshipping God with many fasts and prayers by day and night.

One night he heard a voice asking him to go to the city and confess the Lord Christ before the governor.

The voice also foretold him that he would receive three crowns, one for virginity, one for worship and asceticism, and a third one for martyrdom.

When Mina heard this voice, he left the wilderness and returned to the city and publicly confessed the Name of the Lord Christ before the governor and in the midst of a great multitude of people. The governor was very amazed and ordered to very

apprehend and imprison him.

On the next day, he brought him and tried to appease him, since he realized his noble kinship, to worship the idols. He promised him honors and precious gifts. But the saint answered with all humility saying; "My only request from my God is to keep my life from corruption and to grant me the unfading crown.”

When the governor failed to persuade him to worship the idols, he started to torture him with many and different tortures. He flogged him with ox tail, hung him on the Hinbazeen, tore his body with hot iron rods, rubbed his wounds with haircloth, placed a burning torch to his side then threw him in prison.

The Lord Christ our Savior appeared to him, comforted, encouraged and healed his wounds.

When the governor was weary of torturing him, he wrote his decree, ordered to behead him, and burn his pure body in fire.

The soldiers took him to the place of execution where he raised his eyes to the heaven and prayed a fervent prayer then extended his neck before the swordsman who beheaded his holy head, thus he received the crown of martyrdom.

When they tried to burn his pure body, he stayed in the fire for three days and three nights which did not harm him in any way. Some believers came and took the body from the middle of the fire, shrouded it with expensive shrouds, then buried him with great veneration.

The blessing of the prayers of Mari-Mina be with us all. Amen.

Features of this Icon:

1. St. Mina is depicted raising his hands in prayer as he lived in the desert for three years praying and living the life of asceticism. It also serves as an example for us to live the life of prayer, and through prayer we can overcome anything.

2. He is depicted wearing white and red. White to symbolize his purity and red to symbolize his martyrdom as red is the color of blood.

3. In the bottom right we see palm trees. This is taken from Psalm 92:12 which states, “The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree.” This is to show that he was righteous in his life and became an example of righteousness for us to learn from.

4. In the bottom left is the main cathedral named after him at his monastery in Mariot near Alexandria, Egypt. This monastery was founded during the papacy of St. Kyrillos VI due to his great love for this saint. This site is near the ancient city named after St. Mina, known as the “Marble city”. This was a famous pilgrimage site built in the 4th century and had a great cathedral named after this saint. This cathedral and city were destroyed by the Arabs in the 7th century. The ruins of this city and cathedral still stand till this day right beside the current monastery named after this saint.

5. The two camels by his side symbolize the story of when they tried to move his body they put it on a camel and the camel stopped at a specific spot and wouldn’t move. They tried to put the body on another camel but he wouldn’t move either. They understood that the saint wished to be buried at that location. They buried his body there and that site is where the ancient cathedral was where its ruins still stand till this day.