Thousands of Coptic Orthodox visitors flocked to the Monastery of Saint Demiana in the wilderness of Belqas, Dakahlia Governorate, to celebrate the consecration of her church.
The celebrations, which will last for one week until May 20, include a procession for Saint Demiana and the forty virgins, amid prayers and church hymns.
Anba Marcus, Bishop of Damietta and Kafr el-Sheikh, the head of the monastery, and a number of priests, attended the celebrations.
The procession continues daily for several hours and ends at the tomb of Saint Demiana, where the tomb is perfumed, holy spices are distributed to visitors, and prayers are performed.
Saint Demiana is the daughter of Mark, the ruler of the city of Burullus and Zaafran, during the reign of Diocletian, the Emperor of the Roman Empire during that time.
Demiana embraced the Christian religion, so the king sent her 100 soldiers to force her leave Christianity and worship idols.
When she refused, the soldiers tortured her and the 40 virgins, until they were all died.
During the reign of Constantine, the Great, his mother, Helena, visited the site of St Demiana’s monastery, where she had a church erected over the tomb.
This tomb church was consecrated by Pope Alexandros (Pope of Alexandria and 19th Coptic Orthodox Patriarch of the See of St. Mark), on May 20.
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