November 11th, 2024. Today the Orthodox Commemorates two Warrior Saints, martyrs and wonderworkers for Christ, St. Menas of Egypt and St. Victor of Damascus.
In honor of all our faithful Veterans who served God and Country, we pray that your selfless sacrifice reflects upon the nature of the Church as we strive to fight the unseen warfare.
The Holy Great Martyr Menas of Egypt, an Egyptian by birth, was a military officer and served in the Kotyaeion region of Phrygia under the centurion Firmilian during the reign of the emperors Diocletian (284-305) and Maximian (305-311). When the emperors began the fiercest persecution against Christians in history, the saint refused to serve these persecutors. He removed his soldier’s belt (a sign of military rank) and withdrew to a mountain, where he lived an ascetic life of fasting and prayer.an Egyptian by birth, was a military officer and served in the Kotyaeion region of Phrygia under the centurion Firmilian during the reign of the emperors Diocletian (284-305) and Maximian (305-311). When the emperors began the fiercest persecution against Christians in history, the saint refused to serve these persecutors. He removed his soldier’s belt (a sign of military rank) and withdrew to a mountain, where he lived an ascetic life of fasting and prayer. 
Once he happened to arrive in the city during a pagan festival. At the climax of the games, the saint’s accusing voice rang out, preaching faith in Christ, the Savior of the world. At his trial before the prefect Pyrrhus, the saint bravely confessed his faith, saying that he had come to denounce the impious. The prefect was angered and had Menas arrested.
Pyrrhus offered to restore the saint’s former rank if he would offer sacrifice to the pagan gods. When he refused, he was put to cruel tortures, then he was beheaded. This occurred in the year 304. Christians gathered up the martyr’s relics by night and hid them until the end of the persecution. Later, they were brought to Egypt and placed in a church dedicated to Saint Menas southwest of Alexandria.
Agios Menas received grace from God to work miracles, and to help those in need. The great Martyr is noted for healing various illnesses, delivering people from possession by demons, and as a protector, especially during times of war. We also ask his help in finding lost objects.
The Miracle of Saint Menas in El Alamein in 1942
In June 1942, during the North-Africa campaign that was decisive for the outcome of the Second World War, the German forces under the Command of General Rommel were on their way to Alexandria and happened to make a halt near a place which the Arabs call El-Alamein after Saint Menas. An Ancient ruined church there was dedicated to the Saint; and there some people say he is buried. Here the weaker Allied forces including some Greeks confronted the numerically and militarily superior German army, and the result of the coming battle seemed certain.
During the first night of engagement, at midnight, Saint Menas came out of his ruined church and appeared during the German camp at the head of a caravan of camels, exactly as he was shown on the walls of the ruined church in one of the frescoes depicting his miracles. This astounding and terrifying apparition so undermined German morale that it contributed to the brilliant victory of the Allies.
Winston Churchill said of this victory: “Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end, but it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.” He also wrote: “Before Alamein we never had a victory. After Alamein, we never had a defeat.”
The Egyptian Gazette refers to this miracle in its November 10, 1942, issue. On November 11, 1942, the Patriarch of Alexandria Christophoros II celebrated the feast of Saint Menas in the Church of Saint Savvas and gave thanks to God for this miracle. As a token of gratitude for the victory, the Allies offered the site to the Patriarchate of Alexandria. The Church of Saint Menas was restored by the Coptic Church on November 27, 1959. These events helped revive the celebration of Saint Menas.
On the same day, we also commemorate the memory of the Holy Great Martyr Victor. Saint Victor came from Italy and was a Roman solider in the reign of the Emperor Antoninus (138-61). While serving in the region of Damascus he was denounced for his faith in Christ to the military Governor, the Dux Sebastian. For the supernatural wisdom and steadfastness of his replies to the questions and deceitful suggestions of the Governor, he was put to torture. They broke his fingers and threw him into a raging furnace, where he remained for three days unharmed. On coming forth he was made to drink deadly poison. Seeing it was without effect, the sorcerer who prepared it was converted to the Faith. Other torments were practiced upon the valiant soldier of Christ: his sinews were torn out; he was plunged into boiling oil; a mixture of quicklime and vinegar was poured down his throat. Last of all, they tore out his eyes and left him hanging by his feet for three days, whereupon he gave up his soul to God and found everlasting rest.
We entreat the Holy Warrior Saints for their prayers for our current missions and for new ones to reach every corner of the United States so that new valiant saints can shine Christ’s example and love for our faith. Through the prayers of the Holy Great Martyr’s Menas and Victor.
Fr. Dn. Christopher Purdef
