Beautiful Egypt 32 – A People that does not Fear Death – December, 1, 2013

   In the previous article, we began tackling Diocletian Caesar, who was counted among the competent Roman emperors, he appointed Maximianus as a co ruler with him to be in charge of the Western provinces, then he appointed Gallerius a co Caesar with him, then appointed Constantine to assist Maximianus.

   As for Egypt, we mentioned that it was a province under the reign of Diocletian. Al Maqrizi said that: “he made Antioch the city of his kingdom, and assumed power of the Levant and Egypt to the farthest point of Morocco.” Egypt was subjected to various acts of violence and barbarism after its ruler’s attempt to make it independent. Historians described these days as the horrible ones: “All his days were horrific to the extreme, he killed multitudes of nations”.

   Diocletian embarked on a severe unprecedented persecution against the Christians throughout the entire kingdom, Egypt had been of the greatest portion of this persecution, as it offered uncountable numbers of its children as martyrs. The series of persecutions began with a number of royal decrees – the first was issued in 303 AD – hanged on the walls of Diocletian’s palace, they read:

1-    Churches shall be demolished and totally abolished.

2-    All Christian Holy Books shall be burnt.

3-    All Christian employees of the state shall be immediately expelled.

4-    Slaves shall be deprived of freedom in case they remained Christians.

5-    All shall offer sacrifices and burn incense to the gods, and whoever contravenes to the empire’s orders shall be punished and tomrmented severely to death.

   This was followed by two other decrees issued in March, then a fourth one in April. Maximinus Daza, the nephew of Gallerius, who was made Caesar by Diocletian in 305 AD and took over the rule of Egypt and Syria, issued a fifth decree: it required constructing pagan altars promptly, in order to make the entire people; men, women and children – even infants – offer sacrifices to the idols! The persecution continued to blaze throughout the Romanian provinces for ten years, beginning with Diocletian – who, despite his retirement and residence in his own province, continued his persecutions during the reign of his assistant Gallerius and his nephew Maximinus Daza until 313 AD. According to historians, the persecutions in the East were more violent and crushing than in the West. Egypt, in particular, had a more distinctive history and record of these events than the other provinces of the empire. When the emperor desired to torture a man severely, he used to send him to the famous cruel rulers of Egypt, who were well known for pursuing new ways of torture for Christians, such as Armanius, the governor of Alexandria and Arianus, the governor of Ansena.

• Egypt and the Persecutions:

   Since the dawn of history, the Egyptian has always been proud, refusing to give up his dignity and faith, He could not stand still unwillingly before those who try to deprive him of free life or to dissuade him from his faith. He belongs to a people who does not fear death and refuses to live in disgrace. This was highlighted in a record full of resistance to anyone who tried to break him, enslave him, or force him to follow an undesired faith. In the articles of Beautiful Egypt, we have tackled how – before the world even knew the meaning of a homeland – the Egyptians had refused oppression and domination; they rebelled against all the forces that wanted to destroy their existence and faith over time. Whether they succeed or fail in that, they never retreat from enjoying freedom, nor do they accept humiliation. The Egyptians have recorded down their courage and endurance in luminous glowing pages through the persecution embarked on by Diocletian. Egypt had passed through ten of its most difficult and most accurate years in its history. Nevertheless, its people adhered to its firm faith, which fragrant spreads from roots of its history, preferring death to life of weakness or denial of the faith, even if the expense was its life.

   It is a wonder that throughout the Egyptian history, the entire people; men, women and children has always rushed to resist tyranny steadfast. Historian Eusebius of Caesarea, who had witnessed this persecution period, said: “Women were not of a less bravery than men in defending the teachings of the Divine Word, they joined the men in fighting”. Christian martyrdom that Egypt had witnessed was a reflection of the uniqueness of a people that refused to give up his beliefs and faith.

   Christians had suffered various tortures: literary persecution included humiliation, degradation, dismissal from jobs, confiscation of money and properties, losing the citizenship rights, looting houses and luggage, and losing the right to sue in court.

   There were also physical tortures inflicted on them; as imprisonment, scourging, burning, drowning, crucifixion, and other shameful means of assaults.

   In their torture, emotional pressure was also imposed on the tormented ones, on the part of their relatives, including parents, husbands, wives and children; in order to coerce them deny their faith.

   Despite all this, we saw whole families proceeding indifferently towards death, such as the family of Cosmas and Damian, their brothers and their mother, who were from the city of Al Qais near Beni Mazar. The entire family stood before Governor Licius and their faith was never shaken. They received severe torture, and then they were tied up and thrown into the sea. But they all returned safely to the shore, to begin a new series of torments, until they all died by the sword.

   This fragrant Egyptian blood continued to flow in the veins of all Egyptians regardless of their status. Among those who refused to give up their faith, and steadfastly stood for freedom of religion in the face of injustice and oppression, we find rulers, leaders, soldiers, clerics, monks, nuns, youth and children as well.

   To name but a few: Among the governors, we have Mark, the governor of el Borollos, el Zaafaran, and Wadi al Saysaban, the father of martyr Demiana. He had a good relationship with Emperor Diocletian. In the course of persecution, he stumbled and burnt incense for the idols. Once his daughter Demiana heard about this news, she immediately left her reclusion to meet him. In rare courage and firmness, she told him that she would have preferred to hear about his death to hear about his denial of faith! She asked him not to fear death, and not to compliment the emperor at the expense of his faith. Mark was influenced by the words of his daughter, so, he left her and went to Antioch to meet Diocletian, declaring his faith firmly. The Emperor was astonished at this transformation, but he did not rush to punish him, but rather he acted courteously to him, and used many means to attract him and change his opinion. As Mark did not retreat, Diocletian’s anger was raised and he ordered Mark to be beheaded. When he knew that Demiana was the reason behind her father’s conversion, he sent her some soldiers along with the torture machines, to avenge from her and the forty virgins who lived with her. She suffered various types of torture on the soldiers’ hands until she was beheaded together with her virgin companions. Currently there is a monastery bearing her name in Barrary Belqas.

   One of the great brave commanders, who became a famous Egyptian martyr, is St. Mina, nicknamed the Wonder- maker. His father was a ruler of an Egyptian province, he lost his parents at the age of 14. He joined the military, where he showed a significant excellence, and then he left it and headed to the desert. There, he worshipped God for five years before returning to the city to declare his faith. He was arrested and severely tortured after he had rejected all seductions and generous giving for denying his faith, afterwards, he was beheaded while he was 24 years old. A monastery lies currently in the desert of Mariott bears his name.

   One of the martyr soldiers is Abaskhiron of Qallin, who was from Qallin city, Kafr el Sheikh Governorate. He joined military until he became one of the soldiers of Arianus, the governor of Ansena, who was famous for being savage in torturing the Christians. When Abaskhiron rejected to obey the decree of Diocletian, he received severe tortures until he was beheaded.

   And also… Stories about Beautiful Egypt never end!

The General Bishop

Head of Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center