Saint Sidham Bishay
Saint Sidham Bishay
Saint Sidham Bishay
The Saint of Damietta whose body remains incorrupt
He was martyred on the 17th of Baramhat in the year 1561 A.M. (March 25, 1844 A.D.), after enduring many sufferings with patience.
God has preserved his body incorrupt until now, despite the passage of more than a century and a third since his martyrdom.
The body of the martyr Sidham Bishay was placed in the Church of Mar Girgis in Damietta. In the year 1565 A.M., when they wished to expand the church, they moved him to a special place in the southwestern القبلي side of the church, and every year they celebrated the anniversary of his martyrdom.
In the year 1968 A.D., the time came when the Lord willed to honor His saint. His body was found incorrupt and was transferred to the nave of the church with a great celebration.
This celebration was carried out by the church committee, headed by the two priests of the church, Archpriest Mikhail Sidarous and Archpriest Bishoy Abdel-Masih, along with Mr. Alphons Nicola, the chief of the Coptic archons in Damietta and the church steward. The religious rites were conducted by His Grace Anba Agapius, Bishop of Dayrout, on behalf of the late His Grace Anba Timotheos, the bishop of the diocese at that time.
During the time of His Grace Anba Bishoy, the current bishop of the Diocese of Damietta, the wilderness, and Kafr El-Sheikh, the blessed body was transferred to the Church of the Virgin in Damietta, where a special shrine was prepared for him.
This shrine was offered by one of the brethren for whom the saint had performed a miracle.
Many miracles have appeared from the body of this saint, including:
1- A prayer rope that was in the hand of the martyr was presented as a gift to His Grace Anba Agapius after the consecration of the coffin of the blessed body. One of the brethren took it to receive a blessing from it, and when he intended to secretly take a bead from it, the saint appeared to him and commanded him to return what he had taken and to repent of what he intended. So he returned it as it was to the bishop, confessed what he had done, and received absolution and blessing.
2- One of the priests of the church was ill, so he entered the church to receive a blessing from the body of the martyr, and before he exited the door of the church, he was healed of his illness.
3- Other miracles also occurred for many visitors and the people of the city.
May the prayer of this blessed saint be with us all. Amen.
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