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The appearance of Virgin Saint Mary in Galatia

The Appearance of the Virgin Mary in Galatia

St. Matthias the Apostle was preaching to the Galatians about Christ.  St. Matthias performed many marvels and miracles through the Holy Spirit after the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Matthias the Apostle, went to the town of Bounts, near Galatia, preaching the word of God. There, the people used to pray to the idols. At the hands of Matthias they believed in God, and broke the idols into pieces and spat at them. The governor knew about that and got furious. So, he arrested Matthias and threw him into jail. The Virgin, in Jerusalem, heard about his troubles. So, she went to where he was, stood outside the jail, and besought her beloved Son to save Matthias from his difficulties. All the iron in the prison dissolved and flowed like water and so did every piece of iron in the town. The prisoners went out prison rejoicing. The governor had a son who was mad, and the Virgin cured him. The governor begged her and so she caused the iron to resume its former state. Consequently, the governor destroyed the rest of the idols and all the town dwellers were baptized by the hands of Matthias the Apostle. The governor built a wonderful church and called it after the Virgin God's Mother. 

The apparition of Virgin Mary in Assiut, the western mountain, 1988

The Apparition of Virgin Mary in Assiut, the western mountain, 1988

     Thousands of Christians are used to going to Dronka, Assiut in order to celebrate the Marian feast during its final days every year. One of the most important apparitions of the Virgin Mary in Dronka, Assiut was her apparition in 1988 over Dronka for two hours, and this was witnessed by more than a thousand visitors. That apparition of the Virgin Mary was followed by white doves flying in the darkness of the night above the monastery.

     As related and clarified through the Coptic Church Tradition, that the southwestern part of the old cave is one of the last destinations on the Holy Family's journey through Egypt. In the late 60s there were some Coptic girls who had dedicated themselves to Jesus Christ and they spent their time praying and worshipping God. Once they were praying inside the cave by the light of the candles, and all of a sudden, a small luminous spot appeared in the southern part of the cave and expanded gradually until it filled the whole cave. That miracle granted this cave many blessings and caused it to be a special holy place.

Why the western mountain in Assiut is considered a holy location?

Dronka, Assiut was one of the main places that was visited by the Holy Family on their journey through Egypt escaping from Herod. According to the Ecclesiastical Tradition of the Coptic Church, it is known that there is a sculpted cave in the mountain that dated back to the reign of the pharaohs. It was inhabited by the Egyptians escaping from the flood which was covering their lands around four months per year. These Egyptian inhabitants welcomed the Holy Family, and the Holy Family lived with them for a while.

       When the Egyptians began to believe in Christianity, it made sense to transform this cave that was blessed by the Holy Family, into a church – named after the Virgin Mary.  When monasticism spread throughout Egypt, this church was transferred to a monastery under the patronage of Fr. Peter El Assiuty.  He lived in the wilderness of Sheheet for ten years, after which he moved Western Mountain in Assiut.  He remained there for 30 years in a cave that he had dug for himself.  The cave is about 100 meters north of St. Mary’s Monastery.

The Virgin Mary's Apparition in Abou Sefen Monastery for nuns on 19 August 1979 AD

The Virgin Mary's Apparition in Abou Sefen Monasteryfor nuns on 19 August 1979 AD

On 21 August 1979 AD, corresponding to night of the Festival of The Virgin Mary, St, Demiana Church in the monastery was blessed. The Virgin Mary was appeared in it before the beginning of the mass at this Church. The appearance was occurred as follows:

  A large number of workers employed in building fryers (rooms) for the nuns in the fourth floor, they left their work tools that they use at the end of their day; at the last of the day after they finished their work, and they tool them at the first of the day, at St, Demiana Church which was under finishing.

   On 21 August 1979 AD, the workers went down to take their tools, the electrical power disconnected when they put their tools inside the church, and the Church became very dark. Suddenly a white column appeared towards the altar, it begins to incarnated in a clear shape with the features of Virgin Mary; the mother of light, the Virgin became walk around the altar with her long clothes and her scarves dragged on the ground.

   After that she descended from the altar and walked in the Church, then She returned to the altar again, after that She rose to the top and disappeared. At the moment of her disappearance the power back again.

…The nuns had waited the workers to out for a long time, when they absented, the nuns worried, so they went to inquire about the reason of their delay. They found them standing wide-eyed staring towards the place where the Virgin Mary disappeared. They stabilized in their place; because of the power of the surprise.

   After a moment of time, they have been awakened and each one described what he saw, while he cried from the vulnerability. Everyone tells the same speech, and everyone went around the altar to explain how the mother of light go and where they were in front of the proof of her existence, they has found signs of her fingers on the altar where she stood on, and found her footprints on the ground, as she was walking up, even the signs of her scarves dragged behind her back was visible; because the Church have not cleaned yet, there were many of the dust on the wood floor (parquet wood) , and nuns ran to tell the mother; the abbess , she went down with a large number of the nuns and praised Mother Mary and removed the dust that was found on the altar and the place of the Virgin's feet from the ground.

   The nuns were not disposal from this dust; but this dust that the Virgin walked on, became mercy and healing for many patients inside and outside the monastery, there was one of the nuns suffered from severe pain in her legs, which impeded her to move, service and walk Sir, the abbess suggested to her to put her leg in the place of the Virgin Mary's leg and the Lord could heal her, the nun acquired the blessing of the healing till today. There was another nun was suffering from severe pain severe pain in her eyes and visual impairment significantly , the abbess suggested to her to take from the dust and blessed her eyes and actually the pain vanished completely and she became see better than the first.

   It was mentioned that in the same night that the Virgin appeared to the workers, there was a group of nuns pray the praise, they were standing on the surface during an outage, they saw before power returned immediately the light column rising from behind Church of Saint Demiana altar to heaven and then disappeared into the clouds, the nuns became astonished wondered, but they knew the reason of visiting the apparition of Mary to the workers. All of them praised the Lord and thanked the Virgin for deigning the blessing to the workers, the Church and monastery even the dust on which she walked, did miracles.

 

 

The Virgin Mary's Apparition in St. Damiana Church Shoubra in 1986 AD

The Apparitions Of The Blessed Holy Virgin Mary
In The Church Of Saint Demiana The Martyr,
In Papadouplo, Shoubra, Cairo, Egypt
(1986-1991)  
In the darkness of the night, lights shone in the church
of Saint Demiana the Martyr, in Papadouplo, El-Teraa El-Boolakia,
Shoubra, Cairo, Egypt

On the eve of Tuesday, March 25, 1986 (Baramhat 16, 1702 A.M.), the Holy Virgin Mary started Her apparitions in the church of Saint Demiana the Martyr in Papadouplo, near El-Teraa El-Boolakia street, in the overcrowded streets of Cairo, Egypt. The church of Saint Demiana in Papadouplo is a very small and poor Coptic Orthodox church and the surrounding streets are very narrow (about 4 meters wide). 
On this day, our Lady appeared beside the two towers of the church of Saint Demiana and was first seen by people living in the houses overlooking the church's towers; Her light shone in their houses and they saw Her in Her full body surrounded by a halo of light over the left (western) dome of the church. This apparition was repeated several times, then the news spread and people from all sects and religions came to see the apparitions. The very narrow streets surrounding the church became overcrowded with thousands of night vigils (see figure on the right) praying and singing doxologies, liturgies and hymns to the Mother of True Light for whole nights. 

  The crowds gathered in front of Saint Demiana church in Shoubra quarter, waiting for their turn to enter the church.


In an article published Sunday, April 13, 1986 in issue 1268 of the Egyptian weekly Watani newspaper on pages 1 and 5, Mr. Mosaad Sadek wrote: 
Spiritual phenomena were seen by thousands in Shoubra’s streets.  Some of the inhabitants of the houses around the church said that they saw flashes of light shining over the church starting a few months ago, but nobody reflected on the matter. It was only when the Virgin appeared that they started to link the preceding events with the apparitions of the Virgin. 
On Wednesday, April 9, 1986, His Holiness Pope Shenouda III issued the following papal order: (English translation follows below) 

  The Papal order, dated April 9, 1986.


As we have received news of spiritual phenomena occurring in the church of Saint Demiana in Papadouplo, Shoubra, we have entrusted a special committee to investigate this matter, and present a report, after examining the news we have received, and the witnesses of those who have seen unnatural phenomena in the church in Shoubra. 
The committee will have the following members:

Anba Bishoy, bishop of Damietta and secretary of the Holy Synod

Anba Moussa, bishop of youth

Anba Paule, general bishop (now bishop of Tanta)

Anba Serapion, bishop of social services

Father Heg. Markos Ghaly, general steward of the patriarchate

Mr. Mosaad Sadek, journalist

We ask God to help the committee members accomplish their job. 
Shenouda  April 9, 1986 

  His Holiness Pope Shenouda III receiving the members of the official committee entrusted to investigate the apparitions at Saint Demiana church, in Papadouplo, Shoubra. Anba Bishoy, president of the committee, Anba Paule, vice-president of the committee and Mr. Mosaad Sadek are to the right of H.H. the Pope. To the left of His Holiness, you can see Anba Moussa, bishop of youth and Anba Serapion, bishop of social services.


The committee examined the accounts of eye-witnesses, and on Thursday, April 10, 1986, at midnight, the members of the Papal Delegation went to the church to watch closely the reported spiritual phenomena. They stayed there until a little before morning. At 3:40 am on the dawn of Friday, April 11, 1986, they saw the Holy Virgin in a clear form surrounded by a halo of light and the apparition continued till 5:00 am. Father Heg. Georgios Amin was also there with the committee to supervise order. 
The first statement of the Papal Delegation 
After the papal residence in Deir Anba Rueiss received news of unnatural phenomena occurring in the church of Saint Demiana the Martyr in Papadouplo, Shoubra, Cairo, starting on Tuesday, March 25, 1986 and up until now (the date of the report), H.H. Pope Shenouda sent several bishops on different days to investigate the matter. His Holiness has also entrusted an official committee for the same purpose. 
The committee members met on the eve of Thursday, April 10, 1986 to examine all the reports submitted by the reverend bishops, fathers and monks who have witnessed the apparitions and also reports from a large number of members of the church congregation; the committee members also read all what was written by visitors of the church from different sects who eye-witnessed unnatural spiritual phenomena like:

Repeated apparitions of the Virgin in different forms.

Pigeons and incense over the church.

A very luminous and radiating unnatural light appearing inside the church tower and shining to the outside. The two towers above the church roof do not communicate with the church interior; this light continued even after the electric current was cut from the whole quarter (power outage) for a complete hour during the night of last Friday.

The committee, wanting to verify and document these phenomena thoroughly, addresses all those who have seen any of these unnatural spiritual phenomena to come and present their witnesses to the papal residence. 
Let us thank the Lord for this blessing on the people of Egypt and for the repetition of these spiritual phenomena. We would also like to thank the police and the Department of the Interior for their untiring efforts at maintaining safety and good order among the thousands of people who have spent day and night at prayer. We ask all the people to remain calm. Thus they may worthily receive the blessing of the Virgin, of Saint Demiana and of all the saints. May God save our country. We pray that He may guide Egypt and all her children to every success. May this phenomenon be a pledge of well-being for them and for all nations. 
Another statement from the Papal Delegation 
The Papal Delegation entrusted by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III to investigate the unnatural spiritual phenomena occurring in Saint Demiana church, Shoubra, after examining these phenomena with His Holiness, declares that these apparitions are a blessing for Egypt and a blessing for the Church, and are not new in our era... The apparitions go with the Lord's saying in the book of Isaiah: "Blessed be Egypt my people." The committee, while acknowledging the big efforts of policemen to keep the order among crowds reaching tens of thousands, also thanks the people for receiving these spiritual phenomena with reverence and calmness. 
However, due to the current interior state of the country these days, and the fact that this is an examinations season for students, and to let all people concentrate on worship in these last days of the Holy Lent and Week of Passion of our Lord, we ask all our children to take all these matters into consideration when they come to take the blessings of the church, by praying inside and leaving instead of gathering in crowds by night in the surrounding streets. 
We are contented to take from these apparitions their blessings, the satisfaction of the saints and the positive action of these matters in our hearts, and at the same time keep the order taking into consideration the current circumstances in our country. 
And blessed are those children who obey. 
The Papal Delegation  April 16, 1986  Bermuda 8, 1702 A.M. 
Report of the Papal Delegation presented to the Holy Synod assembled on June 21, 1986 and headed by H.H. Pope Shenouda III 
On Saturday, Baramhat 27, 1702 A.M., the 5th of April 1986, Father Heg. Abdel Messih El-Sherbeeni and Father Samuel Younan, the priests of Saint Demiana church in Papadouplo, El-teraa El-Boolakia, Shoubra, Cairo, informed Pope Shenouda III of the occurrence of apparitions of the Blessed Holy Virgin Mary and other saints, associated with other spiritual phenomena in the church. 
H.H the Pope entrusted Anba Paule, now bishop of Tanta and Anba Saweros, bishop of El-Moharaq Monastery to go to the church and investigate the matter on site. The two bishops immediately went to the church and remained there till the morning and each of them presented a report to H.H. the pope affirming their personal witness of supernatural spiritual phenomena, and they reported what eye-witnesses have said, all giving the same details of apparitions of the Blessed Holy Virgin Mary and other saints starting on the eve of Tuesday, 16 Baramhat, 1702 A.M., the 25th of March, 1986. 
On the 9th of April, 1986, H.H. Pope Shenouda III officially entrusted a special committee to investigate the subject. On the eve of this same day (April 9), the members of the committee went to the church and remained there till the morning and saw the Apparition of the Holy Virgin Mary and the various accompanying spiritual phenomena. The committee went to the church on several occasions thereafter and the apparitions of the Blessed Holy Virgin and spiritual phenomena were repeated. These apparitions were accompanied by miraculous cure of numerous sick persons with diagnosed hopeless medical cases, like the return of sight to the blind or to persons who have suffered ophthalmic diseases for long years and have impaired sight, or the cure of patients with chronic kidney disease, heart disease and all other bodily organs' affections, many of these patients were appointed to undergo surgical operations after failure of all other methods of medical treatment. 
The apparitions of the Blessed Holy Virgin in Saint Demiana church in El-teraa El-Boolakia, Shoubra were unique in that:

The apparitions were not limited to night hours, but also occurred during the day.

The apparitions were not limited to the church towers from outside, but also occurred inside the church on the eastern side of the altar and iconostasis and on the church dome from the inside.

The apparitions were not limited to the Blessed Holy Virgin Mary, but on many occasions other saints also appeared, like Saint Demiana preparing for the apparitions of the Blessed Holy Virgin Mary, and more than this, the very clear apparition of the Blessed Virgin holding our Lord Jesus Christ on Her arms, as seen in the morning of Friday 14 Baoona 1702 A.M., the 20th of June 1986, during the Holy Mass held by Father Heg. Dawod Tadros, the priest of Virgin Mary church at Rod El-Farag and member of the General Melly Council and the Clerical Council (who was praying in Saint Demiana church on this day).

The apparitions and transfigurations were repeated over a long period and still occur at the time of writing of this report on Friday 14 Baoona 1702 A.M., the 20th of June 1986.

The apparitions were not limited to luminous transfigurations, but at other times flames were seen, when the Virgin appeared surrounded by flames or tongues of fire that ultimately changed into very bright light, as witnessed by the members of the Papal Delegation.

The Members of the Delegation  Signatures. 

  The last two lines of the official report presented to the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church on June 21, 1986, and formally approving the apparitions; the signatures of the members of the Papal Delegation are also seen.


Some of the forms of the apparitions, as published in Watani newspaper of April 20, 1986 and as reported by eye-witnesses:

The Virgin surrounded by a halo of transparent light.

The Virgin with a halo of light surrounding Her head.

The Virgin looking at the crowds and extending Her arms toward them and blessing them.

The sad Virgin looking downwards.

Sometimes the details of the Virgin could be distinguished.

A very strong light starting from inside the domes and shining to the outside, lighting up the whole area with a lightning flash that shone over the surrounding houses and was seen from a long distance. On April 10, 1986, at 4:00 am, a flame of light (see figure on the right) was also seen propagating from the western tower of the church and then returning back to it, turning the darkness of the night into light. The flame had a wavy surface, showing interlaced tongues and waves of light and fire, varying in colour from orange to very bright white. The accompanying diagram shows the crowds of night vigils gathered in the very narrow street in front of the church of Saint Demiana and the flame of light propagating from the western tower of the church.

Saint Demiana (see icon of Saint Demiana the Martyr on the right) also appeared holding a green branch, as if preparing for the apparition of the Holy Virgin.

Light radiating from the western tower taking an oval shape -- a white pigeon appeared in the middle of this light, opening its wings and flying over the church.

A light shining from the western tower through which the Holy Virgin appeared in a clear form.

A luminous mass from the west going towards the east through which the Holy Virgin and Saint Demiana appeared, then the mass disappeared and the Virgin remained in sight.

The Virgin extending Her hands towards the crowds then moved towards the balcony inside the church and started to move upwards towards the sky till She disappeared.

A white light shone over the western tower and illuminated the cross made of wood, making the cross appear like a flame.

During the apparition of the Holy Virgin, writings in Coptic letters were seen.

A mass of light over the veil of the altar which grew bigger, then Our Lady appeared walking.

The Virgin in Her full body dressed in white, blue and red colours in front of the western dome.

The Holy Virgin in the hollow of the central dome inside the church, beside the painting of our Lord Jesus Christ on this dome.

A rectangular light shining on the veil of the altar then turning three times around the church over the heads of the crowds.

The Virgin amidst an orange cloud over the eastern tower.

On the night of Sunday, April 13, 1986, the Holy Virgin appeared in Her full body of normal size with three bright and luminous colours: white, blue and red, and the whole body was luminous and could be seen beside the church domes overlooking Abd El-Metaal street. The apparition lasted for a few seconds just before one o'clock in the morning, and then after about half an hour the same apparition was repeated and also a lightning flash of light appeared along the church wall more than once.

On many occasions, our Lady appeared inside the church near the veil of the altar during morning hours, e.g., on Saturday, July 12, 1986 (Abib 7, 1702 A.M. -- the feast day of the Apostles and the martyrdom of Saints Peter and Paul) at 10:30 am, and also on Monday, July 28 (Abib 21), the monthly Coptic remembrance day of our Lady the Blessed Holy Virgin Mary.

One of the innumerable miracles that occurred during the apparitions of our Lady in Saint Demiana church, Papadouplo, Shoubra is the following miracle which was published in Watani weekly newspaper on Sunday, June 1st, 1986 (P. 5, 3rd column): 
The mother of Theresa Soliman Youssef (6 years old) reports the miracle that the Blessed Holy Virgin Mary did to her daughter: Theresa had lost vision in her right eye after a tricot needle pierced this eye and injured the cornea and eye lens, causing traumatic cataract. The girl was unable to see using this eye; this occurred on November 17, 1984. 
On December 5, 1984, the child was operated upon to remove the destroyed lens in order to use an external replacement contact lens thereafter, but the right eye condition deteriorated due to a secondary purulent infection. Theresa's mother continues saying: 
On Sunday, May 18, 1986, I took my daughter and we went to Saint Demiana church in El-Teraa El-Boolakia, Shoubra. After receiving the Holy Communion, we ascended to the church's balcony and stood there with the crowd. And suddenly, a strong light shone from the right side of the veil of the altar. My daughter raised her hand towards the source of light, then wiped her sick eye with her palm and suddenly shouted exultantly: 
I can see mother... I can see mother! 
She could put her hand over her left (good) eye and still see with her right eye which was once blind. 
Dr. Fayez Akhnoukh, who also serves at Saint Demiana church, examined the child, tested the visual acuity of both of her eyes, and found that the girl could now see using her right eye which was healed miraculously. Father Raphael El-Anba Bishoy who was at this time helping Father Heg. Abdel Messih El-Sherbeeni, the church priest, has recorded and documented this miracle



Apparition of Virgin Saint Mary in Her church in Elzeitoun 1968

24 Paremhat (April) -The apparition of the Theotokos in Zeitoun

On the eve of this day of the year 1684 A.M. which coincide with Tuesday the 2nd. of April 1968 A.D., during the papacy of Pope Cyril VI, the hundred sixteenth Pope of Alexandria, our Lady and the pride of our faith started to transfigure in luminous spiritual forms in and around the domes of the church dedicated to her immaculate name in Zeiton, a suburb of Cairo.

This transfiguration continued in following nights in a manner that was never known in the East or the West. This transfiguration in some nights was as long as many hours, without stop, in front of tens of thousands of people from every race and religion, with every one seeing her, pointing at her and interceding to her with songs, hymns, tears, prayers and hails and She was looking to them in a compassionate way raising her hand at times to bless them in all directions.

The first one to notice this transfiguration was the workmen at the garage of the Public Transit System which was across the street from the church. The watchman Abdel-Aziz Aly, who was in charge of guarding the garage at that night, saw a luminous body over the dome of the church. He started shouting: "light over the dome" and he called the other workers in the garage. They all came and saw the bright light over the large dome of the church. When they looked closely, they saw a young lady in white, kneeling by the cross at the top of the dome. Because the dome had a round, smooth, and very sloping surface, it held the men as though they were nailed in their places watching the fate of the lady. Few seconds passed then they saw the kneeling lady as she stood over the dome. They gave out a cry of fear that she might fall down. They thought she was a girl in despair trying to commit suicide and they cried warning that person not to jump down and some of them called the police. The pedestrians, men and women started to gather around. The view of the lady was getting clearer and she appeared as a beautiful girl in a bright gown of light and had branches of olive tree in her hand, and around her flew white doves. Then they realized that they were seeing a heavenly spiritual view. They directed flood light to the luminous picture to remove all doubt from their minds, but instead it became more clear and bright. They cut the electricity off all the area but the lady remained in her heavenly illumination and her bright gown of light became clearer. She started moving around in a circle of light radiating from her body to all the directions around her. All the people then realized that this lady in front of them, without no doubt is the Virgin Mary. They started to shout and cry saying: "She is the Virgin ... She is the Mother of Light ... " They prayed with songs, hymns and hails all the night until the next morning.

Since that night the pure Virgin had transfigured in different spiritual views in front of thousands and tens of thousands of masses, Egyptian and foreigners, Christians and non-Christians, men, women and children. Spiritual beings formed like doves would appear before, during and after the transfiguration zooming through the sky in a way raising the human from a materialistic to a heavenly atmosphere.

This transfiguration was in different forms. One of the most significant ways this apparition took place was that; the head of St. Mary under the vail looking down as in the picture of the sad Virgin and she was looking toward the Cross and that view would stay like this at times or slowly bow before the Cross at other times. The Cross itself will shine and illuminate although it was made of concrete. And sometimes an angel would appear standing behind her spreading his wings. That view might stay as long as many hours.

Another view was the view of the Mother of Light standing as a great Queen in a beautiful spiritual portrait radiating dignity, elegance and beauty. On her head was a crown of a queen as if it were made of diamonds and sometimes there appeared on the top of the crown a small luminous cross. And sometimes she appeared in the same way but carrying Christ, to Him is the Glory, in the form of a child on her hand and on His head a crown. And on other times she raised her both hands as she was blessing the world moving to the right, to the front, and to the left in a dignified way.

Many spiritual signs appeared before, during, and after the apparition of the Virgin the mother of the Lord's transfiguration. The appearance of tongues of yellowish flame would flash over the church and then subside and that repeated several times. Another form of the signs were the spiritual beings formed like doves, larger than the doves that we know, appear about midnight or after, flying in the middle of darkness illuminating in a fast speed, appeared suddenly from nowhere, and also disappeared suddenly. These spiritual beings appeared in different formations and in varying numbers. A fact we should be aware of that pigeons do not fly during the night. Another sign was the shooting stars which were constantly falling and were seen very close to the apparition on many occasions as if coming down to glorify her from heaven. Another sign was the fragrance of incense. The smoke of the incense poured out of the domes in large quantities. Substance resembling clouds, thick fog or smoke would roll in toward the church and completely cover the church.

Also the illuminated cloud that appeared over the domes of the church in large volume and often proceeded the transfiguration of the Virgin or at times the cloud slowly formed in the shape of the virgin. Sometimes the apparition of the Virgin would appear from the clouds.

This transfiguration and all the spiritual signs were a forerunner and announcement for serious or important events to come in the near and far future. Or it might be a spiritual gesture from heaven to indicate the Lord's caring for His church and His people and our country.

May the mercy of God be upon us all. May the Lord keep His people and church in peace, with the intercession of Our Lady and the pride of our race the pure Virgin St. Mary. Amen.