Saint Menas the Wonder-Worker
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III spoke about Saint Menas the Wonder-Worker as an example of the valiant young men of faith who served God with great strength, despite their youth.
His Holiness explained that Saint Menas was martyred at the age of twenty-three. Before becoming a monk, he had been a commander in the army, and afterward, he became a monk and the founder of a great monastery, as well as a man of many miracles.
The Pope emphasized that this saint is a model for strong and zealous youth. No one should say, “I am young, I’m still in my father’s house,” but rather, he should be strong and mighty in spirit.
He said that the Church needs brave young people who serve with strength —
strength of determination, strength of understanding, strength of wisdom, and strength of faith.
His Holiness compared the zealous young believer to a flame of fire that, when entering the church, ignites it with spiritual fervor. For fire, when it touches anything, turns it into fire — whether it be wood, cotton, paper, or even an entire building.
In the same way, these young men, aflame with holy zeal, transformed the society in which they lived into a burning fire of faith.
The Pope concluded by highlighting Saint Menas as one of the shining examples showing how the Holy Spirit works powerfully through young people filled with zeal and spiritual strength.
