St Mary's Coptic Orthodox Church Seattle, Washington

On this day, St. George (Ga'orgi), the companion of St. Abraam, departed. He was born to saintly Christian parents, and he shepherded the sheep of his father. He desired to become a monk, so he left the tending of the sheep, and he was fourteen years old. He went to the wilderness of St. Macarius. While he was walking on the road, the devil appeared to him in the form of an old man, and said to him: "Your father thought that a wild beast has killed you, and he rent his garment, grieving over you. It is meet that you should return to your father to comfort his heart first then return to the wilderness". The Saint was astonished for that, and thought in himself saying: "The Holy Bible says: 'He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me.'" (Matthew 10:37) When he said that, the devil became like smoke and fled from him. Immediately, the angel of the Lord in the form of a monk appeared to him, and guided him to the monastery of Abba Orion (Arion). He remained there under the guidance of a holy monk for ten years, during which he never ate any cooked food or fruit and never drank wine. He then desired to live alone in the inner wilderness and went to the monastery of the Roman Saints Maximus and Domadius in Scetis. At the same time, St. Abraam arrived to the monastery. They went together to the monastery of St. Macarius and met St. Yoannis, the archpriest of Sheahat. He gave them a cell close by him to live in, which was known as the cell of Bageeg, where St. Abraam departed, and after him St. George departed also, and he was seventy-two years old.

May their prayers be with us. Amen.

This day also marks the commemoration of the coming down of the Holy Spirit upon the holy disciples in the upper room of Zion. They spoke with different tongues and it is called the feast of Pentecost.

May the blessings of the Pentecost be with us and glory be to God forever. Amen.