CONCLUDING REMARKS.

The foregoing are the stories of but a few - a very few - of the mighty host of witnesses, many of whom will remain forever nameless, whose love for Him who ransomed us was greater than their love for life itself. Not that they did not love life. They certainly did. But when the test came they fearlessly & unequivocally made their choice. They counted it gain to win the 'crown of Eternal Life' at the price of whatever years they might live in this earthly life. What power they had! What victory was theirs!

A pagan philosopher, watching some of them beating the 'unbeatable foe’ commented: "Do you not see them, exposed to such suffering, even flung to the wild beasts, to make them deny their Lord - yet unconquered ?" [(20)].

While Origen declared "Those victors who go as far as death for the sake of their unshakeable religious faith destroy the very authority of the demons.".

[(1)] Cambridge Ancient History, vol. 12, p. 327.

[(2)] Pere Cheneau d’Orleans, op. cit. , v. 2, pp. 239 - 240.

[(3)] Ibid. v. 2, pp. 241 - 8; 357 - 8.

[(4)] Journal Suisse d’Egypte et du Proche Orient, no. 37 of the 23d year, issued in Alexandria on.Sept. 14, 1949; & no. 15 of the 24th year, issued on April 13, 1950, published by Mme Marie.Fletcher; also 'Lexique historique de la Suisse’, under the names 'Soleur & 'Zurzach'.

[(5)] Until recently, this site cons¬isted of some historical archaeolo - * gical remnants. 'When abha Kyrillos VI became Patriarch in 1959 - as the 116th successor of St. Mark - he began - a great re - building movement in the area, which is still continuing even though he died in 1970. It is a joy now to visit St. Mena's new church and monastery in the ancient site. Once more it is booming with life and teeming with worship.

[(6)] ’Apa Mena' —a selection of Coptic texts, edited withtranslation and conmentary by James.Drecher, p. xi.

[(7)] as - Sadek - al - Amina, vol, 1, pp. 155 - 157; Also recently found documents containing anecdotes about St. Mena, translated, edited and published by.J. Drescher in 'Le Bulletin de la Societe d’Archeologie Copte, T. vii (1941) pp. 19 - 32. After making some speculations, the author says: the material itself cannot fail to be of interest for the new light which it throws on the cult - so popular in early Christian times - of the elusive figure of St. Mena.

[(8)] One of the dynasties that ruled over Egypt and the surrounding Arab countries in the 9th.century.

[(9)] See note no. 5.

[(10)] S. Soleiman 'Mokhtasar tarikh ’El Knneesah’ p. 427.

[(11)] A town twenty kilometers south of the coast and about forty kilometer southwest of the city.of Damietta which is at the mouth of the Eastern branch of the Nile.

[(12)] Coptic Synaxarium. 1969 ed. , v. 2pp. 139 - 142 (under the 12th day of the Coptic month.Bashans).

[(13)] Arabic Mss. by Yoannis, Bishop of Burullus, written in 1482 A. M. (or 1776 A. D.) This mss. is.kept in the Church of St. Stephen adjoining the old Coptic Cathedral of St. Mark in the center.of the city of Cairo.

[(14)] It has been my privilege to visit the shrine of St. Dimiana on the occasion of the celebration of her feat, in May 1955. It was an exhilarating, unforgettable experience to stand on the spot sanctified - be such heroic self - immolation. The sanctuary where the Saint and her companions are interred is a rotunda consisting of four pillars each of which comprises four assembled columns, bearing a copula that overshadows the tomb. A circular nave surrounds it. The whole gives an imposing impression of grandeur and majesty.

[(15)] Coptic Synaxarium. 1969 ed. , vol. l,p. l49 (under the 22nd day of the Coptic month Hatoor.).

[(16)] A. J. Butler. The ancient Coptic Churches of Egypt, vol. 2, p. 263.

[(17)] The author and members of her immediate family have had some unusual experience in which St. George came to their rescue when they were in imminent danger.

[(18) ] Mgr. He'fele. ‘ Histoire des Conciles', vol. l,p. 277.

[(19)] J. Foster. 'After the Apostles p. 96.

[(20)] J. Foster. * Why the Church?'. p. 43.