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* [http://www.saintdemianachurch.org/ Saint Demiana Coptic Orthodox Church in San Diego, California, USA]
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[[Image:Sdemiana.jpg|thumb|Classic Coptic icon of Saint Demiana and her companions, the forty virgins]]
The holy and glorious [[Virgin-Martyr]] '''Saint Demiana''' (in Arabic الشهيدة دميانة), the chaste [[Church of Alexandria (Coptic)|Coptic Orthodox]] virgin, was [[martyr|martyred]] with her companions, the Forty Virgin-Martyrs, on [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobi Tobi] 13 ([[January 22]]) toward the end of the third century A.D.
Knowing her deep desire for a righteous life, her father reluctantly granted Demiana her wish, and built her a large palace. Demiana changed the palace into a [[convent]], and lived in it with forty of her friends. They were all unmarried girls, and the Lord's hand was with them, giving them strength and comfort.
At that time [[Diocletian]], the Emperor, began to torture and kill the Christians who refused to worship his idols (Apollos and Artemis). When Marcos was invited to kneel before the statues and offer incense, he refused. But Diocletian convinced him by promising to give him a higher position in the Roman Empire.
When Demiana heard that her father had knelt before the idols, she left the palace and went immediately to him. She said, "How could you deny your Savior who shed his blood to save you, and kneel down to stone idols dwelled in by satan? What you did, my father, is cowardly and shameful." When Marcos heard his daughter's words he came back to his senses. He said, "Woe to me, how could I fall in the Devil's trap and worship those idolatrous statues."
Then he got up immediately and went to Diocletian. He [[Sign of the Cross|crossed]] himself in the name of the [[God the Father|Father]], the Son, and the [[Holy Spirit]] in front of everybody, and cried with a loud voice, "Let every one know that I worship the God of heaven and earth, my only God and Lord Jesus the Christ." Diocletian was troubled and tried his best to change Marcos' mind, but this time the Holy Spirit had filled his heart, and he testified even boldly that he was willing to die than to deny his Savior. Diocletian became infuriated, and ordered the soldiers to kill him.
When the Emperor learned that it was Marcos' daughter Demiana who had changed her father's mind, he ordered one of his commanders to take one hundred soldiers and attack the palace. "First, try to convince her to worship our idols," said Diocletian. "But, if she refuses, threaten her, torture her, and even kill her so that she will be an example for the other Christians."
== External Links ==
* [http://www.stdemiana.org/ Saint Demiana Coptic Orthodox Church in San Diego, California, USA]
* [http://www.copticchurch.net/classes/synex.php?month=5&day=13&btn=View&lang=#3 The Martyrdom of St. Demiana]
* [http://www.andrewfanous.com/StDemiana.htm St. Demiana]
* [http://www.zeitun-eg.org/demiana.htm Apparitions in the Church of St. Demiana in Cairo, Egypt]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demiana Saint Demiana on Wikipedia]
[[Category:Non-Chalcedonian Saints]]
[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:Ante-Nicene Saints]]
[[Category:3rd-century saints]]