Miracles Performed By Virgin Mary
In The Remote Past




It is enough here to mention three of those miracles.


SHE CAUSED IRON TO DISSOLVE.

Matthias the Apostle, went to the town of Bounts, near Glatya, preaching the word of God.

There, the people used to pray to the idols. At the hands of Matthias they believed in God, and broke the idols into pieces and spat at them. The governor knew about that and got furious. So, he arrested Matthias and threw him into jail. The Virgin, in Jerusalem, heard about his troubles. So, She went to where he was, stood outside the jail, and besought Her beloved Son to save Matthias from his difficulties. All the iron in the prison dissolved and flowed like water and so did every piece of iron in the town. The prisoners went out prison rejoicing. The governor had a son who was mad, and the Virgin cured him. The governor begged Her and so She caused the iron to resume its former state. Consequently, the governor destroyed the rest of the idols and all the town dwellers were baptized by the hands of Matthias the Apostle. The governor built a wonderful church and called it after the Virgin God's Mother.


THE MIRACLES OF THE CHURCH AT ITREEB (NEAR BANHA)

During the reign of Harun El-Rasheed, there ruled over Egypt an oppressive governor that gave forth an order that all churches should be demolished. The soldiers who were carrying out the governor's order, arrived at Itreeb. At that place, there was a church bearing the Virgin's name, and full of gold and valuables. When the commander arrived, the priest took him to the Virgin's picture and asked to be given three days, during which, he would have an order from the Khalif (the head of the Arab Moslem Empire) to save the church from being demolished. The commander laughed sarcastically saying that was quite impossible as it took months to reach Baghdad where the Khalif was. Because of the insistence of the priest, the commander unwillingly agreed. The priest undertook to cover the expenses of the commander and his troops and handed him 300 pounds. The priest then hurried to the Virgin's picture and praying fervently, he asked Her for help. While the priest was praying, a bright light shone in the seat of the Khalif in Baghdad, and the being ordered the Khalif to write a decree to save the church from being demolished.

The decree, having been written, was snatched by a bird in its beak, and it flew away with it. A few seconds later, the bird was at Itreeb, and it threw the decree in front of the commander and flew away. The Khalif later on expressed his intention to build a great church to be named after the Virgin hoping that the Virgin will be an aid to him and will help and save him from the evils and intrigues against him. Thus, for the Christians, oppression was greatly reduced, and they lived in peace, thanks to the mediation of the Virgin.


THE THIRD MIRACLE

This miracle occurred at the death of the Virgin. When it was time for the Virgin to leave this world, the apostles were scattered all over the world. So, God willed that they should be brought in a cloud to Gethemen village, where they had the joy of seeing the Virgin. She was very happy to see them, comforted them and bade them farewell. She gave up the ghost at the hands of Her Son. The apostles then began praying and chanting hymns to be joined by the voices of invisible angels chanting with them.

The Jews stood in the way of the funeral procession. One of them reached out his hand to throw the coffin to the ground. God's punishment was inflicted upon them at once. All of them lost sight. As for the aggressor, his hands were severed from his body and remained suspended in the air.

The aggressor then began to cry and wail. So, Peter asked him to believe with all (his) heart that this is truly the ever Virgin God's mother. The man cried up in great penance admitting his guilt. So, Peter brought him close to his hands and they stuck again to his body. The whole multitude had faith. So, Peter bade them come close to the clothes of the utterly chaste Virgin that She might have mercy on them.

Thomas the Apostle was on his way back from India and he saw the Virgin's body carried by the angels and elevated to heaven.

The Apostles went on fasting for fifteen days and God showed them the body having been elevated to heaven.

That is why our period of fasting for the Virgin is always followed by the Feast of Elevating Her blessed body to heaven.


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