St. Mina and St. Abanoub Coptic Orthodox Church

Finally, the saints had to suffer to be closer to God. "If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of Glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified" (I Peter 4:14).

Those before us not only suffered, but they rejoiced in their sufferings. They prayed and endured their suffering in a steadfast way. They thanked God for their sufferings. We are told in Acts 5:40-41, "And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name."

In remembrance of these great saints, the Copts adopted a calendar called the "Calendar of Martyrs". This calendar truly honors the sacrifices of the Apostles, the disciples, and other saints of the early church. The Calendar of Martyrs sequences the years "in the year of the martyrs". The calendar began its era on August 29, 284 AD in commemoration of those who died for their faith during the rule of Diocletian the Roman Emperor. Today, this calendar is still in use in our Coptic Liturgies and commemorates saints in all historical eras.

It has often been said that the "blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church". All of the apostles were inhumanely tortured for their faith, and severely martyred. All but one. They died testifying of their faith in the Lord Jesus: of His Gospel, His life, His death, His resurrection, and His ascension.

I pray that we always hold dear those who suffered the dark ages of persecution. Always keep near to our hearts those Christians who dwelt on the earth but were not of the earth. Those who sustained hardships, persecutions, and tribulations but continued to increased more and more. St. John Chrysostom passionately summarizes the death and dying of the fallen martyrs in this manner:

The death of martyrs is encouragement to the faithful, daring of the Church, confirmation of Christianity, destruction of death, proof of the Resurrection, mocking at demons, condemnation of the devil, teaching of true wisdom and a pious way of life, instillation of disdain for present material benefits and the path of striving for the good to come, comfort in the face of the misfortunes which befall us, an inducement to patience, instruction in courage, the root and fount and mother of all blessings...The blood of martyrs nourishes the Church much much more than the moisture of dew brings gardens in bloom.

The martyrs truly professed and declared their faith;

I BELIEVE. I BELIEVE. I BELIEVE UNTIL THE VERY LAST BREATH.

May the blessings of the Lord Jesus Christ and all the martyrs be with us in this upcoming New Year!

H.G. Bishop Youssef
Bishop, Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States