Name day of everyone named Mina, Minka, Mincho; Victor, Victoria; Vikentij.
St.Menas
(also: Minas) was a martyr under Diocletian, born about about 295.
According to the Greek Acts, Menas, a Christian and an Egyptian by
birth, served in the Roman army under the tribune Firmilian. When the
army came to Cotyaeus in Phrygia, Menas hearing of the impious edicts
issued against the Christians by the Emperors Diocletian and Maximian
left the army, retired to a solitude in the mountains and served God by
fasting vigils and prayer.
During tbe
celebration of a great festival, Menas appeared in the midst of tbe
populace in the circus, and fearlessly professed bis faith. He was led
before tbe prefect Pyrrhus, cruelly scourged, put to torture and
finally beheaded. His body was brought to Egypt and the martyr was soon
invoked in many needs and afflictions.
The
fame of the miracles wrought, spread far and wide and thousands of
pilgrims came to the grave in the desert of Mareotis between Alexandria
and the valley of Natron. For centuries Bumma (Karm-Abum-Abu Mina) was
a national sanctuary and grew into a large city with costly temples a
holy well, and baths. A beautiful basilica was erected by the Emperor
Arcadius. The cult was spread into other countries, perhaps by
traveling merchants who honored him as their patron. As a result of
various vicissitudes the doctrinal disputes and the conquest of Egypt
by the Arabians under Omar in 641 the sanctuary was neglected and
ultimately forgotten. His feast is celebrated on 11 November.
Several
saints of the name Menas were highly honoured in the ancient Church
about whose identity or diversity much dispute is raised. Some came to
the conclusion that Menas of Mareotis, Menas of Cotyaes, and Menas of
Constantinople, surnamed Kallikelados, are one and the same person,
that he was an Egyptian and suffered martyrdom in his native place,
that a basilica was built over his grave which became one of the great
sanctuaries of Christendom, that churches were built in his honour at
Cotyaeus and Constaninople, and gave rise to local legends.