St. Mina and St. Abanoub Coptic Orthodox Church

The Twenty-Seventh Day of the Blessed Month of Bashans
Bashans 27

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Departure of Pope Youannis the Second, the 30th Patriarch of the See of St. Mark

       On this day of the year 232 A.M. (May 22nd., 516 A.D.), the saint Pope Youannis the second, the 30th. Patriarch of Alexandria, departed. He was a monk since his youth, and lived a solitary life. His reputation, because of his godly life spread everywhere, and was chosen a patriarch of the great city of Alexandria on the third of Baounah, 221 A.M. (May 29th., 505 A.D.). He wrote the biographies of the saints and sermons. The church lived in peace and tranquility at the time of the Orthodox Emperor Anastasius. St. Sawirus was the patriarch of Antioch, and he wrote a message to Pope Youannis on the one nature of Christ saying: "Jesus Christ after the union with flesh has become of one nature with one Will without separation, and I believe in the same faith of Pope Cyril and Pope Dioscorus." When Pope Youannis received this message, he was pleased, and he replied with a message filled with faith that testified to the union of the essence of God, and the trinity of His characters, and by the incarnation of the eternal Son of God, the Divine and the human nature have become one and no longer two natures, without separation, mingling, or confusion. He anathematized those who separate the two natures, those who confuse them and those who said that the suffering crucified Christ was only a man, and those who say that His Divine nature also suffered and died. He said that the Orthodox faith was to profess that God the word suffered by the flesh that united with. When Abba Sawiris read his message, he received it with joy, and made it public in all Antioch. This Pope continued to take care about his people for 10 years, 10 months, and 23 days, and he departed.

May his prayers be with us. Amen.

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Departure of Lazarus the beloved of the Lord

        On this day also, St. Lazarus, the brother of mary and Martha, and the beloved of the Lord, departed after he had become the bishop of Cyprus. After he had been raised from the dead by Our Lord, he followed the disciples. After the pentecost, they ordained him a bishop over Cyprus. He lived for forty years, and departed in peace.

May his prayers be with us, and glory be to God forever. Amen.