01 - Nairouz - St. Demiana
In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, One God, Amen
Lesson No. ( 1 )
References
Synaxarium, the 12th Bashan.
Notes for Servants
In doing sin I deny my Christianity and I have to go far away from it so that my Saviour won't deny me and I have to repent immediately if I sinned.
Saint Demiana refused to know her father when he was a sinner because she was purified from sin, so we would be far from Lord Jesus Christ if we ever sinned!
Objectives
General: The intercession of the saints.
Specific:
The children will be able to...
- Know the saints are around us.
- Name some saints they know.
- Ask for their intercession in their prayers.
Bible Verse
" You shall worship The Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve. " ( Matthew 4:10 )
Teaching Aids
- Icon of Saint Demiana and the forty virgins, candles, flowers, and matches.
- Have the children sing for St. Demiana.
Instruction
(1) Review last week's lesson.
(2) Remind the children about the church occasions for the coming week.
(3) Servant may begin by asking the following questions:
- Whose picture is this? How many girls are around her?
- What is the name of the feast we are celebrating today?
- What is the meaning of Nairouz?
- Who can mention the names of a few Saint Martyrs?
(4) Show the spirit of love in worshipping and how St. Dimiana answered that marriage is not forbidden, but she wanted to spend all her time with God like St. Paul and St. Mary. Story Time
St. Dimiana’s father, Marcus, was the ruler of Borolus in Egypt and when she was fifteen she refused to get married and she asked to be a nun. So, her father built her a monastery and she lived there with forty virgins. They spent their time worshipping and working.
The King at that time was named Diocletian, he hated Christians. He gave an order, that whoever
did not worship and give incense to the idols will be killed. All the Christians refused to worship and give incense to idols. St. Dimiana's father was afraid of persecution and he did not want to lose his position, so he worshipped the idols.
The news came to St. Demiana and she became sad. She told her forty friends the news and everybody prayed to God saying "OhGod, save your servant Marcus and turn him to the faith again." St. Demiana asked them to pray and went out to meet her father. St. Demiana asked her father "What is that I heard about you?" Marcus answered "What news my daughter?"
St. Demiana: That you denied our savior Jesus Christ.
Marcus: Yes, I denied Him, I was afraid of the persecution and losing my position. St. Demiana: You were afraid of worldly suffering and you are afraid of tortures, afraid for your world position, and are willing to lose your life crown. You worshipped the idols and the verse says: “You shall worship the Lord.”
Her father cried and fell on his face saying, “I sinned in front of God, but if I return now to Jesus, will He accept me?” Demiana answered, “Surely, because He said ‘Whoever comes to me I won't send him away.’” Her father was happy and said, “I am going now to the King, and I will tell him, I am Christian.” Saint Demiana returned back to the monastery and kept on praying.
Marcus went to the King and told him:
- I sinned to God when I denied my faith.
- What happened to you Marcus? Who changed your mind?
- God said: "You shall worship the Lord, your God."
The King treated him with kindness, but Marcus did not obey. Finally, the King ordered him beheaded and he received the crown of martyrdom.
The King knew that Marcus's daughter was behind his change of faith, so he took, an officer and with him a hundred soldiers and they broke into the monastery asking about St. Demiana. - I am her, Sir.
(The leader took out a golden statue from his pocket and told her)
- Give incense and worship this statue.
- No, the Bible says "You shall worship the Lord, your God."
- This is a god.
- Aren't you ashamed sir when you call a stone god? There is no god except Jesus whom we worship. (The same is said for the forty virgins.)
The officer forced her and the forty virgins to leave the palace. He tortured them with painful torture. God consoled them and cured them of their pains and wounds. Finally. they cut her head as well as the forty virgins and all who became believers through her. They all received the crown of martyrdom and won eternal life in the heavenly kingdom. Their bodies were buried inBorolus ValleyinBilkas way, north Delta, and a church was built for them and is still there up until now. People go there every year to get blessings from St. Demiana and the forty Virgins.
Discussion
1 - Follow up the story by talking about it with the children.
2 - Continue the discussion while they do the activity.
Learning Activities
Activity Sheet.
No Comments