The Martyrdom of St . Sophia and the Fifty Virgins with her .

On this day, the holy, and pure fifty virgins and their mother Sophia, were martyred . Thesesaints were from different countries . Divine love and ascetic life had brought them together and93they lived in a convent for virgins in El-Raha . St . Sophia, the head nun, was filled with everywisdom and grace . She raised them with a spiritual upbringing until they became as angels onearth . They continually prayed, fasted and read the holy Books and chronicles of the monks andsaints . Among them were some who had dwelt in the convent for 70 years and some were youngin age but firm in faith and of strong conviction .When Emperor Julian the Infidel heard that Shapur, King of Persia, intended to fight him, heprepared his army and set out against Shapur . The city of El-Raha was on his way and when hepassed by the convent of these virgins, he ordered the soldiers to kill everyone in it and to rob theconvent . The soldiers carried out the order, they cut the nuns with swords into pieces and tookeverything they found .The Lord took vengeance on this evil Emperor by having him stabbed by the spear of a knight atwar . (It was said that he was Saint Marcurius) The Emperor fell down from his horse and died inthe year 363 A .D . As for the holy virgins, they received the crown of martyrdom .Their prayers be with us . Amen