Veneration in Rus' of the Holy Great Martyr Mina. Orthodox prayers

Saint Mina was born in 285 in Egypt.
Saint Mina - martyr and miracle worker - is one of the most famous Egyptian saints, revered in the East and West. He is known for his numerous miracles, for his intercession and prayers.

It is believed that Mina’s parents could not have children. On the feast of the Virgin Mary, Euphemia (the future mother of Mina) prayed in front of the icon of the Holy Virgin Mary with tears that God could not give her such a blessed son. At the moment of prayer, the sound “Amen” was heard from the icon. A few months later, a boy was born who was named "Mina".

When Mina's father died, he was only 14 years old. A year later, Mina joined the Roman army, from where he left three years later, when the army began persecuting Christians. Mina not only abandoned his military career, but also went into the desert to devote his life to Christ.

After five years, which Mina spent as a hermit, in a revelation he saw angels crowning the martyrs with crowns of glory, and Mina decided to return to the people to preach to them the true faith in God.

At one of the holidays in honor of the pagan gods, Mina came out to the people and urged them not to worship pagan idols. Mina told the people:

“I am Mina and come from Egypt. I was once a warrior. I have come to confess to you that my Christ is the true God.”

Of course, not everyone liked Mina’s sermon and his statements regarding paganism. Mina was subjected to terrible torture and torment; they demanded that he return to paganism, but he refused. Then the saint was beheaded.

I was with Christ and I will be - the words of Mina before his body was thrown into a blazing fire.

The soldiers burned Mina's body for 3 days, but she remained unharmed.

Then Mina’s sister bribed the soldiers and were able to pick up the body and take it to Alexandria, where Mina’s relics were kept for a long time in a temple that later received the name of the saint.

The angel pointed out the place where Mina should be buried

When Athanasius the Great was at the church, an angel appeared to him in a dream and said that he should place the relics of Mina on a camel and go to the western desert. At a certain place, near a well of water near Lake Maryut, not far from Alexandria, the camel stopped and stopped moving. The Christians realized that this was a sign from God and buried Mina’s body there.

When the Berbers rebelled against the cities around Alexandria, the Roman governor decided to secretly take the body of Saint Mina with him so that he would protect and protect it. The plan was a success, and he returned victorious. However, apparently against the backdrop of what had been achieved, he decided not to return Mina’s body to its burial place and take it with him to Alexandria. As they headed back towards the city, their path took them through Lake Maryut, where Mina's body was originally buried. The camel carrying the body sank to the ground and stopped moving. The people decided to transfer the body to another camel, but they also could not get the second animal to move.

Then the Roman ruler realized that this was not the whim of the camels and, having made a coffin, Mina’s body was again buried near Lake Maryut.

After some time, the saint’s burial place was forgotten... Years later, one of the shepherds went out to feed his flock in this place, when suddenly one sick lamb fell to the ground. While the lamb was trying to get to his feet, his wounds miraculously healed. This story quickly spread among the people, and many sick people began to visit this place to be cured of various kinds of diseases.

How did it happen that Saint Mina became the patron saint of Heraklion?

There is a legend that Mina, to whose creation many miracles that took place in Greece and Egypt are attributed, one day came to the rescue and residents of Heraklion on the island of Crete. Then, in 1826, the Turkish occupation was active both in Heraklion and throughout the island, while the Cretans, on the contrary, tried to organize a revolution. Very religious people live on Crete, and even when it was very difficult for them, they could not miss Easter. Many Christians from all over the island came to Heraklion to take part in the service in the Cathedral of the Holy Great Martyr Menas. It was then that the Turks decided to attack the gathered parishioners, however, when they had almost reached the temple, a horseman with a sword appeared in front of them.

He galloped around the temple and did not let the Turks get closer. The Turks retreated in fear.

So Saint Mina was able to protect the inhabitants of Heraklion and Crete and saved their lives. What happened that day became a revelation not only for Christians - many Muslims who were near the temple of St. Mina on Easter night then brought gifts to the temple on the day of remembrance of the saint.

Saint Menas is also venerated in Russia

The Holy Great Martyr Mina is also venerated in Russia. So in Staraya Russa, near Novgorod, there is a temple of the Great Martyr Mina. The small building probably dates back to the 15th century.

The Temple of Mina in Staraya Russa also has its own miracle. The Swedes could not find a place to stay in the devastated and destroyed city. They couldn’t come up with anything better than heading to the temple, and on horseback at that. As soon as they approached the temple, they began to go blind.

They say that the commander of the troops sent these soldiers to Sweden so that other people could see with their own eyes the miracles that happen in Russian Orthodox churches.

Prayer to Saint Mina

Oh, holy great martyr of Christ, the long-suffering Mino, who showed the image of pious life on earth to the faithful, who through his martyrdom witnessed the firmness of his faith and received the crown of incorruptible glory from the hand of the Crowned Christ in Heaven! Pray for those who flow with faith to your holy name, blessed one, and intercede with love for all those who honor your honorable memory, preserving us from various troubles and misfortunes, and through your intercession from the snares of the evil one and from evil people, we observe the remaining days of life in peace and piety Let us live our lives praising the wondrous God in the Saints, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and your mercy, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Library “Chalcedon”

___________________

Great Martyr Mina

The memory of the Holy Great Martyr Mina of Cotuan (Phrygian) is celebrated by the Orthodox Church on November 11/24
They pray to him for healing from dumbness, eye and leg diseases

Egyptian warrior from the era of the pagan emperors Diocletian and Maximian. Disagreeing with legalized idolatry, he left his service and wandered for a long time in the mountains and deserts, cleansing his soul with fasting and prayer and serving the One God. But once

,deeply indignant On the wicked holiday, which gathered many pagans, Saint Menas came to the city and loudly, fearlessly condemned them. He firmly endured many tortures and, in the end,, put to death by beheading(304).

Near the Church of the Holy Martyr, together with many

others were lame and dumb, waiting to be healed. At midnight, when everyone was sleeping, Saint Mina appeared to the lame man and said to him:

- Walk silently up to the mute woman and take her leg.

The lame man answered this to the martyr:

- God's saint, am I a fornicator that you command me to do this?

But the saint repeated his words to him three times and added:

- If you don't do this,you will not receive healing.

The lame man, fulfilling the saint’s command, crawled and grabbed the dumb leg. She,

Having awakened, she began to scream, indignant at the lame man. Sey, frightened, stood up on both legs and quickly ran. Thus, both of them felt their healing: the dumb woman spoke, and the lame man quickly ran like a deer; and both those healed gave thanks To God and the holy martyr Mina. Troparion to the Holy Great Martyr Mina, tone 4:

Like an incorporeal interlocutor and a passion-bearer of the same occupant, who came together

by faith, Mino, We praise you, seek world peace and greatness to our souls favors same voice:

The armies snatched away the timeless and imperishable manifestation of you, your heavenly companion,

passionate Mino, Christ is our God, like the imperishable Nenets martyrs. Prayer to the Holy Great Martyr Mina

Oh, passion-bearing holy martyr

Mino! Looking at your icon and reminiscent of goals, given by you to everyone,with faith and reverence for you flowing, we fall, kneeling hearts ours, with all our hearts we pray to you, be our intercessor before our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ about our infirmities, accompanying and comfort us during our sorrows, giving us the memory of our sins, help us in the misfortunes and troubles of this world and in all the troubles that befall us in this vale more pitifully. Amen.

The text is based on the publication: Healing calendar for 2003. M.: Blago, 2002. P. 337.

The memory of the holy glorious great martyr Mina is celebrated on November 24. You can read the biography of this wondrous saint

On this page we will talk about the Legend of Timothy, Archbishop of Alexandria, about the miracles of the Holy Great Martyr Menas!

P After the death of the wicked and God-hating Roman emperors Diocletian and Maximian, the pious Constantine the Great ascended the royal throne, during whose reign faith in our Lord Jesus Christ greatly increased. At this time, some Christ-loving people of the city of Alexandria, having found the place where the honest remains of the holy glorious martyr of Christ Mina were laid, built a church on this place in his name.

It happened that a pious merchant from the land of Isauria arrived in Alexandria to purchase goods. Hearing about the many miracles and healings taking place in the church of St. Mina, he said to himself:

“I’ll go and venerate the honorable relics of the holy martyr and give gifts to his church, so that God may have mercy on me through the prayer of His sufferer.”

Having thought this, he went to church, taking with him a bag filled with gold. Arriving at the Pomeranian lake and finding a conveyance, he sailed to a place called Losoneta. Having come ashore here, the merchant was looking for somewhere to spend the night, for evening had already come. Therefore, entering a certain house, he said to the owner:

“Friend, do me a favor and let me into your house to spend the night, for the sun has set and I am afraid to go further alone, since I have no one to accompany me.”

“Come in, brother,” the owner of the house answered him, “and spend the night here until the day comes.”

The guest accepted the invitation and, entering the house, went to bed. The owner, seeing a bag of gold on the traveler, was tempted and, at the instigation of an evil spirit, planned to kill his guest in order to take his gold for himself. Rising at midnight, he strangled the merchant, cut his body into pieces, put them in a basket and hid them in the inner room. After the murder, he became very agitated and looked around, looking for a hidden place to bury the murdered man.

When he was thinking about this, the holy martyr Mina appeared to him on horseback, like a warrior riding from the king. Having entered the gates of the murderer's house, the martyr asked him about the murdered guest. The murderer, pleading ignorance, said to the saint:

“I don’t know what you’re saying, sir, I didn’t have anyone.”

But the saint, getting off his horse, went into the inner room and took the basket, carried it outside and said to the murderer:

- What is this?

The murderer was greatly frightened and fell unconscious at the feet of the saint. The saint, having put together the cut members, and having prayed, raised the dead man and said to him:

- Give praise to God.

He stood up, as if awakening from sleep, and realizing that he had suffered from the householder, glorified God and bowed with gratitude to the warrior who had appeared. And the saint, taking gold from the murderer, gave it to the resurrected man, saying:

- Go your way in peace.

Then turning to the murderer, the saint took him and beat him severely. The killer repented and asked for forgiveness. Then the martyr granted him forgiveness for the murder and, having prayed for him, mounted his horse and became invisible.

There lived a man in Alexandria named Eutropius. This Eutropius promised to donate a silver dish to the church of St. Menas. Therefore, calling upon the goldsmith, he ordered him to make two dishes, and on one to write: the dish of the Holy Great Martyr Menas, and on the other to write: the dish of Eutropius, citizen of Alexandria. Zlatar began to do as Eutropius ordered him, and when both dishes were finished, the dish for Saint Mina came out much more beautiful and brilliant than the other. Having written the names of Saints Mina and Eutropius on the dishes, the goldsmith gave them to Eutropius.

One day, Eutropius, sailing across the sea on a ship, ate both new dishes at dinner, and seeing that the dish intended as a gift to Saint Mina was much more beautiful than his dish, he did not want to give it as a gift to the saint, but ordered the servant to serve himself dishes on it, and I planned to send the dish with my name as a gift to the Church of St. Mina. At the end of the meal, the servant took a dish with the name of the martyr, and, coming to the edge of the ship, began to wash it in the sea. Suddenly horror attacked him and he saw a man come out of the sea, who took the dish from his hands and became invisible. The slave, greatly struck with fear, rushed after the dish into the sea. Seeing this, his master also became frightened and, weeping bitterly, began to say:

- Woe to me, the accursed one, that I wanted to take the dish of Saint Mina for myself: so I destroyed both the dish and my servant. But You, Lord my God, do not be angry with me to the end and show Your mercy to my servant. Here, I make a promise: if I find the body of my servant, I will order the same dish to be made, and I will bring it as a gift to Your holy saint Mina, or I will give the money the dish costs to the saint’s church.

When the ship landed on the shore, Eutropius got off the ship and began to look along the edge of the sea, thinking to find the body of his servant thrown out by the sea and bury him. While he was looking intently, he saw his slave emerging from the sea with a dish in his hands. Frightened and delighted, he cried out in a loud voice:

- God bless! Truly great are you, holy martyr Mina!

Hearing his cry, everyone on the ship went ashore, and seeing the slave holding the dish, they were filled with amazement and glorified God. When they began to ask the slave how he, having fallen into the sea, remained alive and how he came out of the water unharmed, he answered:

“As soon as I threw myself into the sea, the splendid husband and the other two took me and walked with me yesterday and today and brought me here.

Eutropius, taking the slave and the dish, went to the church of St. Mina and, having bowed and leaving as a gift the dish promised to the saint, left thanking God and glorifying His holy saint Mina.

One woman, named Sophia, went to worship at the temple of St. Menas. A warrior met her on the road and, seeing that she was walking alone, decided to dishonor her. She strongly resisted, calling on the holy martyr Mina for help. And the saint did not deprive her of his help, but punished the one who wanted to abuse her, but kept her unharmed. When the warrior, having tied a horse to his right leg, wanted to do violence to the woman, the horse flew into a rage and not only prevented his master’s intentions, but also dragged him along the ground, and did not stop or calm down until he had dragged him to Church of St. Mina. Often rustling and growing fierce, he attracted many people to this spectacle, for it was a holiday and there were a lot of people in the church. The warrior, seeing such a gathering of people and seeing that the horse was still in a rage and that he had no one to expect help from, was afraid that he might suffer something more terrible from his horse. Therefore, leaving behind shame, he confessed his wicked intention before all the people, and the horse immediately calmed down and became meek, and the soldier, entering the church and falling before the relics of the saint, prayed, asking forgiveness for his sin.

Near the church of the holy martyr, along with many others, there were a lame and a dumb man, waiting to receive healing. At midnight, when everyone was sleeping, Saint Mina appeared to the lame man and said to him:

- Approach the dumb woman silently and take her leg.

The lame man answered this to the martyr:

- God's saint, am I a fornicator that you command me to do this?

But the saint repeated his words to him three times and added:

– If you don’t do this, you won’t receive healing.

The lame man, fulfilling the saint’s command, crawled and grabbed the dumb leg. She, having awakened, began to scream, indignant at the lame man. Sey, frightened, stood up on both legs and quickly ran. Thus, both of them felt their healing - the dumb one spoke, and the lame one quickly ran like a deer; and both healed people gave thanks to God and the holy martyr Mina.

One Jew had a Christian friend. One day, while leaving for a distant country, he gave his friend a box containing a thousand gold pieces for safekeeping. When he slowed down in that country, the Christian decided not to give the gold to the Jew upon his return, but to take it for himself, which he did. The Jew, having returned, came to the Christian and asked to return his gold, which he gave to him for safekeeping. But he refused, saying:

– I don’t know what you’re asking me? You didn't give me anything and I didn't take anything from you.

Hearing this answer from his friend, the Jew became sad and, considering his gold lost, began to say to the Christian:

“Brother, no one knows this except God alone, and if you refuse to return the gold given to you for safekeeping, claiming that you did not take it from me, then confirm this with an oath.” Let's go to the church of St. Mina and there you swear to me that you did not take the box with a thousand gold pieces from me.

The Christian agreed, and they both went together to the saint’s church, where the Christian swore to the Jew before God that he had not taken gold from him for safekeeping. After taking the oath, they left the church together, and as soon as they mounted their horses, the Christian’s horse began to go berserk, so that it was almost impossible to restrain it; he, breaking his bridle, rose on his hind legs and threw his master to the ground. When the Christian fell from his horse, the ring fell from his hand, and the key fell out of his pocket. The Christian got up, took the horse, pacified it and, mounting it, rode off with the Jew. After driving a little time, the Christian said to the Jew:

“Friend, here’s a convenient place, let’s get off our horses to eat some bread.”

Having dismounted their horses, they let them graze and began to eat themselves. After a little time, the Christian looked up and saw his slave standing in front of them and holding the Jew’s box in one hand, and in the other, a ring that had fallen from his hand. Seeing this, the Christian was horrified and asked the slave:

- What does it mean?

The slave answered him:

“A certain formidable warrior on horseback came to my mistress, and giving her a key with a ring, he said: Send the Jew’s box as soon as possible, so that no big trouble happens to your husband.” And I was given this to take to you, as you ordered.

Seeing this, the Jew was surprised by this miracle and, rejoicing, returned with his friend to the temple of the holy martyr Mina. Having bowed to the ground in the temple, the Jew asked for holy baptism, believing for the sake of this miracle, which he witnessed, and the Christian prayed to Saint Mina to give him forgiveness, since he had violated the divine commandment. Both of them received, at their request, one holy baptism, the other forgiveness of his sin, and each went home, rejoicing and glorifying God and glorifying His holy saint Mina.

Holy Great Martyr Mino, pray to God for us!

Saint Mina belongs to the rank of the so-called holy warriors, along with Saints George the Victorious, Demetrius of Thessalonica, Artemios, Theodore Tiron, and Theodore Stratelates. This is one of the most revered and beloved saints not only in Russia, where he is not very well known in modern times, but also in Egypt, Greece and Cyprus, where many churches and monasteries are dedicated to him, where believers often call upon him. their prayers and receive first aid. They pray to Saint Mina for healing from muteness, diseases of the eyes and legs.

The Holy Great Martyr Mina, an Egyptian by birth, was a warrior and served in the city of Cotuan under the command of the centurion Firmilian during the reign of the emperors Diocletian and Maximian (284−305). When the co-rulers began the most severe persecution of Christians in history, the saint did not want to serve the persecutors and, leaving his service, retired to the mountains, where he labored in fasting and prayer.

Once, in the main city of the Cotuan region, a holiday was held in honor of the pagan gods, to which, according to custom, many people gathered. By this day, blessed Mina descended into the city. He entered the place where the horse lists were held, climbed to the dais and before everyone confessed the true God and denounced the worship of soulless idols, for which he was thrown into prison, and during interrogation he answered: “I am called Mina and come from Egypt. I was once a warrior. But, seeing the torture that you pagans inflict on Christians, I left my military dignity and secretly lived as a Christian on the mountain. Now I have come to confess before everyone that my Christ is the true God, so that He too will confess me in His Kingdom.”

After refusing to return to the pagan faith, Mina was subjected to terrible torture: four warriors stretched the saint’s body and beat him without mercy with ox sinews, then hung him on a tree and whittled him with iron claws, after which they scorched him with burning candles. With the words: “I was and am and will be with Christ” on his lips, Mina was beheaded with a sword by one of the soldiers of the local ruler Pyrrhus, and his long-suffering body was thrown onto the fire. This happened in 296 or 304 (according to different sources). When the flames went out, the secret Christians, having collected the parts of the relics remaining from the burning, wrapped them in a clean shroud and anointed them with aromas, transferred them to the city of Alexandria, where they laid them in a temple that later received the name of St. Menas.

Tradition conveys the saint’s last prayer as follows: “Lord my God, I thank You for making me worthy to become a partaker of Your passion. Now I pray to You, accept my soul and make me worthy of Your heavenly kingdom. And give me the grace to help in Your name all those who call on me.”. The Lord gave his faithful son the grace of miracles. The Alexandrian Archbishop Timothy recorded only a few of them.

Take her by the leg

There is such a legend.
Near the church of the holy martyr, along with many others, there were a lame and a dumb man, waiting to receive healing. At midnight, when everyone was sleeping, Saint Mina appeared to the lame man and said to him:
- Approach the dumb woman silently and take her leg.
The lame man answered this to the martyr:
- God's saint, am I a fornicator that you command me to do this?
But the saint repeated his words to him three times and added:
- If you don’t do this, you won’t receive healing.
The lame man, fulfilling the saint’s command, crawled and grabbed the dumb leg. She, having awakened, began to scream, indignant at the lame man. Sey, frightened, stood up on both legs and quickly ran. Thus, both of them felt their healing: the dumb woman spoke, and the lame man ran quickly, like a deer; and both healed people gave thanks to God and the holy martyr Mina.

Troparion to the Great Martyr Mina, tone 4

Yako Bezplotny interlocutor
and the passion-bearer of the same monk,
having come together by faith, Mino, we praise you,
ask for peace
and great mercy to our souls.

Prayer to the Great Martyr Mina

Oh, passion-bearing holy martyr Mino! Looking at your icon and remembering the goals you have given to everyone who flows to you with faith and reverence, we bow down to the knee of our hearts, with all our souls we pray to you, be our intercessor before the Lord and our Savior Jesus Christ for our infirmities, accompanying and comfort us during our sorrows, giving us the memory of our sins, help us in the misfortunes and troubles of this world and in all the troubles that befall us in this vale of sorrow. Amen.

“I was with Christ, I am and I will be”

Many miracles of Saint Menas are known both in Greece and Cyprus. So in 1826, during the Greek Revolution, the Turkish inhabitants of Heraklion on Crete attempted to kill Christians. And then one day they decided to quench their thirst for blood on Easter Day, when the Christians of the city were gathered for a service in the Cathedral of the Holy Great Martyr Mina. Easter then fell on April 18th. To confuse the authorities, the conspirators set fires at various points in the city away from the cathedral. And when the Easter liturgy had already begun and the Holy Gospel was being read, angry crowds of Turks surrounded the temple, ready to immediately begin to implement their disgusting plan.

But suddenly a horseman with a drawn sword appeared between them, galloping around the temple and driving away the Turks. There was a commotion in the pitch darkness. The bloodthirsty barbarians fled in fear. The horseman was mistaken for the first of the procrites and it was decided that he had been sent by the ruler to pacify the rebellion. As it turned out later, the first procritus did not leave home at all on Easter night. It was clear to everyone that this was a miraculous intervention of the city’s heavenly patron. Thus Saint Mina put to shame the evil barbarian intention and saved the inhabitants of Heraklion. The Turks passed on the news of the miracle from mouth to mouth and were filled with fear and reverence for the saint. Some Muslims who were near the temple of St. Mina that Easter night began to annually bring gifts to the temple of St. Mina on the day of his memory.

In Cyprus, Saint Mina is one of the most beloved saints by the people, he is called upon to help with many everyday needs. In former times, when malaria epidemics were not uncommon here, Saint Mina was considered the only healer. In Cyprus they believe that Saint Mina can heal any disease, so he is especially revered. Many churches are dedicated to him in different parts of the island - in Lapitho, Geri, Drimo, Neo Chorio, Polemi, Pendalya, Strubi; There is a convent where part of the relics of St. Menas, brought from Alexandria, is kept.

The monastery of St. Mina is located in the mountainous region of Lefkara, near the road connecting Kato Drys and Vavla. It stands on the banks of the Maronio River in a grove of olive and carob trees.

The monastery was founded in the last years of Venetian rule on the island (1489−1571), about which there is an entry in 1562 in the margins of the Codex of the Paris and National Library. The monastery operated even after the conquest of Cyprus by the Ottoman Empire in 1571.

The Russian pilgrim, monk Vasily Grigorovich-Barsky (1701−1747), wrote in his diary: “I began my pilgrimage to Cyprus in October 1734. On November 11, the day of remembrance of the holy martyr Mina, I went to venerate in one of the monasteries dedicated to this saint, where there is an annual celebration, and many gather from nearby towns and villages, and the sick are healed from many diseases thanks to the miraculous icon of the saint. This monastery is poor and small, with only a few monks. It is located in high mountains in an open and pleasant valley; the monastery is surrounded by a large number of forest trees. The monastery consists of a quadrangular wall and has small cells. There is no running water, but there are springs. The monks subsist partly by alms, but mainly by their labor - ploughing, sowing, viticulture.”

The monastery's temple, a one-nave basilica, was erected on old foundations in 1754 on the initiative and at the expense of Abbot Parthenius and Metropolitan Macarius the First of Kita (1737−1776). A high-ranking official of the Ottoman Empire, a secret Christian, made a large donation for the construction of the temple. After his death, the monks buried him in the monastery courtyard, and the Turkish authorities were told that they buried him in a place called "Turk's Tomb", not far from the monastery. The monastery continued to operate until the early decades of the 19th century, with eight monks still remaining there in 1825. Then the monastery fell into disrepair and was abandoned. The Kiti metropolis rented out the monastery buildings to local residents, as a result of which they eventually fell into a pitiful state.

Monastic life on the island resumed at the beginning of the 20th century. The Monastery of the Transfiguration of Christ was created in Kaimakli in the 1910s. and St. Anthony in Deryneia in the 1930s. A few years later, in 1949, the convent was revived in the monastery of St. George Alamanu, which was empty at that time. By 1960, the number of its nuns had increased to 60 people. On March 29, 1965, a group of eight sisters of this monastery was sent to restore the abandoned monastery of St. Mina.

They had to work hard: the temple was repaired, the chapels of St. Stylian (consecrated in October 1974) and Saints Ignatius and George (consecrated in September 1993) were erected, new cells, workshops, a library were built, the territory was landscaped, flower beds were laid out and planted fruit trees and vegetable crops. Since 1977, the monastery has been managed by Abbess Cassian. The sisters' confessor since 1969, theologian and church writer Archimandrite Leonty Hadzhikostas, regularly serves in the monastery church.

To celebrate the memory of St. Mina on November 11/24, pilgrims flock to the monastery from all over Cyprus, and today from further afield, in particular Russia and Ukraine. They venerate the relics of the great martyr and the icon on which Saint Mina is depicted with Christ on his chest, because he did not change his faith in Christ and his words: “I was with Christ, am and will be.”

The name Mina and the dates of veneration of the saints Mina (new century)

(MINEAUS, MINAI, MIN. - lunar, monthly (Greek), compare - Mena, Greek goddess of the moon (option - Selene, see Selinius).

18.01 - Venerable Mina is venerated.
2.03 - discovery of the relics of the martyr Min Kallikelad. Being from Athens, Saint Mina received an excellent education and was famous for his eloquence, which is why he received the name Kallikelad (Red-Speaking). Under Emperor Maximin, he suffered martyrdom with the saints Hermogenes and Evgraf - around 313. Under the Emperor of Constantinople, Basil the Macedonian (867 - 886), at the direction of the martyr himself, who appeared in a dream to a pious man, his relics were found by the military leader Marcian.
25.04 - martyr Mina.
3.07 - Saint Mina, Bishop of Polotsk.
25.07 - martyr Mina.
7.09 - Saint Mina, Patriarch of Constantinople.
23.10 - Venerable Martyr Mina of Zograf.
11.11 - martyrs Mina and Menaeus.
November 24 - Great Martyr Mina of Cotuan.
23.12 - martyr Mina.

Staraya Russa. Church of the Great Martyr Mina (XIV century)

A small four-pillar cubic building. Almost the entire height of the walls has preserved ancient masonry made of red shell rock. In terms of its appearance, size and shape of bricks, decor and architectural and structural features, the church probably dates back to the 15th century, and possibly to the 30-40s of the 15th century. The church had a sub-church, and the temple itself was located on the second floor. The asp is decorated with vertical cords and arches. In the 15th century The church was covered behind the doors, which was quite rare in the Novgorod land during this period.

In 1874 the temple was rebuilt; a refectory was added and a stone bell tower was built.

According to legend, the Swedes went blind there when, having no shelter in the devastated and destroyed city, they rode into the temple on horseback. The Swedish military leader sent blind men to Sweden as proof of miracles happening in Russian Orthodox churches.

In 1751, the temple was restored through the efforts of Archbishop Stefany Kalinovsky and parishioners. Currently the church is in a sad state.

The poet Evgeny Kurdakov dedicated the following heartfelt lines to the Old Russian Church (“Poems”, Veliky Novgorod, 2000):

There is a Mina church in Staraya Russa.
There, by the overgrown pond,
She stands, quiet, deserted,
Forgotten by everyone forever.
….
I don’t know if they pray to temples
Abandoned, but only here
I was blown by a strange wind,
As if sent down from heaven.

And I felt not for a moment,
What's left for us from everything
This is the good news of patience
Yes, like Rus', a forgotten temple, -

Which are in silent shame
They're about to disappear into nowhere...
There is a church of Mina in Staraya Russa, -
There, by the overgrown pond.

In the photographs: Great Martyr Mina, icon; Monastery of St. Menas in Cyprus; a gilded reliquary with the relics of Saint Menas; Church of the Great Martyr Mina in Staraya Russa.

Prepared Stanislav Minakov