St. Mina's Coptic Orthodox Church of Hamilton
 
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Saint Moses the Strong was martyred on the twenty-fourth day of the Coptic month Paona (July 1st).

St. Moses was born about 332 AD. In his youth, he was the slave of a high government official who could not tolerate St. Moses dishonesty and violence. It was even said that St. Moses went so far as to commit murder. Finally, his master drove him out of his house. St. Moses became the head of a gang of seventy robbers. He was a strong and fierce man of huge stature.

Once, as he was walking along the banks of the Nile, he spotted some sheep and a shepherd on the opposite side of the Nile. The Nile at that time was at full flood and more than a mile wide. St. Moses put his sword between his teeth and swam across the river. When the shepherd saw him, he ran away and buried himself in the sand. The sheep were left for St. Moses, who chose four of the best rams, slew them and tied them with a rope. He then carried them on his back and swam back across the river. He came to a small village where he skinned the rams, ate the best portions of them, and sold the rest for wine.


 
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St. Mina the Wonder WorkerThe Lord Jesus Christ promises us, "He who believes in Me, the works that I do he will also do, and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father." (John 14:12)

The ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ was one of numerous occurrences of healings of "all kinds of sickness and all kinds of diseases." (Matthew 4:23) The Lord Jesus Christ healed not only sickness and disease but also darkened hearts and minds as He released people from demonic oppression.

Like their Master before them, the early Apostles participated in God's work of healing, giving all thanks to their miracles to the risen and ascended Lord Jesus Christ. In the Holy Book of Acts 9:34, St. Peter told a newly restored man who had been bedridden for eight years, "Jesus the Christ heals you."


 
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The honored Archangel, Michael, is the head of the hosts of heaven, who stands at all times before the great throne of God, interceding on behalf of the human race.

Joshua, the son of Nun, saw him in great glory and was frightened by him and fell on his face to the earth and said to him, "Are you for us, or for our adversaries?" So he said, "No; but as Commander of the army of the LORD I have now come ... I have given Jericho into your hand and its king." (Joshua 5:13-15, 6:2)

The Archangel Michael was with all the saints and martyrs. He strengthened them and enabled them to endure patiently until they finished their strife.

Festivals of commemoration are held and alms offered in his name on the twelfth day of each Coptic month. Our Coptic Orthodox Church celebrates two major feasts for Archangel Michael, namely on the 12th of Hator (November 21st) and on the 12th of Paona (June 19th).


 
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The Church celebrates the Feast of our Lord's Entry into Egypt o­n the 24th day of the month of Pashons (June 1st). This feast is among the Seven Minor Feasts of the Lord. As the Holy Family entered the land of Egypt, St. Mary the Virgin mother carried the child Jesus in her arms, with Joseph the Carpenter at her side and Salome, who accompanied them. They had done so in order to escape from Herod, who had sought to kill the Child. This was instructed to Joseph by the Archangel Gabriel in a dream where the Gabriel told him: "Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.' Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, 'Out of Egypt I have called my son" (Matthew 2:13-15).