George El Mozahem
| Saint George El Mozahem | |
|---|---|
| Martyr | |
| Born |
940 Talkha, Egypt |
| Died |
26 June 969 Egypt |
| Venerated in | Coptic Orthodox Church |
| Feast | 26 June (19 Paoni) |
St. George El Mozahem (940 – June 26, 969[1]) was a Coptic Orthodox martyr and saint.
He was born in Talkha, Egypt, as Mozahem to a Christian mother (Mary) and a Muslim father (Jumaa Al Atawy). He was raised in his father's religion till he turned twelve.[2][3] He used to go to church with his mother. He told her that he wanted to receive the holy sacraments. She told him that he couldn't unless he was baptized, and one day he asked her to taste the blessed Eulogia bread (Qorban) and when he put it in his mouth it tasted like honey to him and said "if that how the Eulogia tastes then how is the sacraments?" according to his hagiography.[4] He tried to get baptized but priests were afraid of participating in such a dangerous act so he baptized himself by immersing himself three times. He later married a Christian woman and when he told her about his story she told him that his baptism isn't accurate.[5] They both fled to a city called Samanoud where he got baptized and was given a Christian name, George, because that day was the Roman St. George's feast.[6]
He and his wife lived together without any kind of marital relationship; then he was thinking of becoming a monk but he heard a voice telling him not to hit the monastery and encouraged him to seek martyrdom instead. Then he had been into a lot of troubles and he was arrested for leaving Islam; they set him on fire but he didn't have any effect on him, therefore the governor was very impressed and thought of freeing him but the people got angry and wanted to kill the governor. After the execution his wife received his relics, some people tried to set his body on fire but it didn't happen because God didn't allow that according to his hagiography.
References
- ↑ http://www.antonius.org/logos/Logos0610.pdf
- ↑ Mena Ghaly. "St. George El-Mozahem". wiscopts.net. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
- ↑ "الشهيد مار جرجس المزاحم - St-Takla.org". st-takla.org. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
- ↑ http://www.damiettadiocese.com/Page35.htm
- ↑ "Lives of Saints :: Paona 19". copticchurch.net. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
- ↑ http://st-takla.org/zJ/index.php?option=com_icopts&task=&sm=3-2&c=&dbl=en&tht=1309039200