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Anba Wanas was a martyr of
the city of El-Luxor Upper Egypt. He was the only son of a poor christian
family. Anba Wanas was ordained a deacon and named Youanis, so he was brought
up in the fear of God, reading the Holy bible, fasting, praying, regulary
attending the holy mass, reading the saints stories, and living in a pure
and holy way. Our saint loved the poor people and used to help them regulary,
he also used to make the holy bread for the raising of incense at church,
and he would live on the church bread during the week. He also witnessed the
tortures of the christians who had been martyred, then he saw in a vision
that he would receive the crown of martyrdom, for his love to the King Christ
so he traveled to the city of El-Luxor and asked the bishop about the vision
he had seen, and also told the Bishop to take his body and bury it at
El-Luxor. Soon afterwards a roman governor came to the city to torture the
christians, and he also heard of Anba Wanas encouraging the christians so he
arrested him and tortured him but our saint remained firm and confessed his
christianity, so they increased the tortures but our saint was thankful to
the Lord for being worthy to suffer for the King Jesus. So they beheaded him
on saturday the 16th of the Coptic month of Hatur, in the beginning of the
4th Century. After his martyrdom a group of faithful christians found his
body and brought it to the bishop later on they returned and found his head
under a date tree, and he was finally buried in the city El-Luxor. His burial
place has become a shrine to many christians who travel on Pilgrimage in hope
of receiving his blessings. He has appeared to many christians in their sleep
as a small boy dressed as a deacon for he was martyed at 12 years of age.
Many miracles have occured through the prayers and intersessions of this
great saint and martyr till this day.
May his prayers be with us all, and glory be to God forever. Amen.
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