HERE IS THE EVIDENCE that something fantastic is occurring in the hearts and minds of the believers at this church at Zeitoun, Egypt. Whether real or imagined, it is changing those who are touched by the tender sweetness of this apparition, which people call the Virgin Mary, blessed mother of Jesus Christ. These are the things that makes life enjoyable, and gives us a sense of love and belonging in a world that is cold and uncaring. Is there no end to wars and rumors of wars, pestilence, violence upon our streets. Our gutters run red with the blood of the innocent victims martyred in the name of power. All we have to do is open the newspaper and see that this can be a very disappointing world to live in. The miracles listed herein, are just some of the marvelous and passionate deeds that have been attributed to the intervention and veneration of the apparition that they call the "Blessed Virgin Mary."
Although not always mentioned here, I will take a moment to remind everyone reading this, that these apparitions are often followed by what may in fact be the ufo phenomenon. There is one consitent thread that weaves itself throughtout these apparitions. During many of these encounters, balls of radiant light, mysterious objects and unknown phenomenon accompany those visitations....a phenomenon many call extraterrestrial. They may in fact have their origins in space, or they may be earth based phenomenon. They may be a manifestation externalized by the believers themselves. One fact remains, however...there are lives being forever changed by the intervention of these apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Zeitoun Egypt. And here we can see that the UFO evidence presents a paranormal aspect, which is called the meta-physical...also meaning above and beyond the physical...somewhere we can only glimpse from our finite, physical realm, especially when we read about "The Miracles..."
The Miracles Of The Virgin's Apparition At Zeitoun (Part 1)
The Apparition of the Virgin has been accompanied by a number of miracles confirmed by the leading doctors. Those miracles still occur up to the present day. Those miracles that accompanied the Virgin's apparition were mentioned in the magazines and books. However, I find it necessary to record some of the miracles that happened in my time and which I witnessed after being ordained as a priest on the Apostles' Feast in July 1972. Those miracles have occurred since that time and up to the present day.
l. THE VIRGIN AND THE CHURCH'S CLERGY: On the second of April 1968, the Virgin made Her apparition over the domes of the Church at Zeitoun, and was seen by the workmen at the garage facing the church. His reverence Father Costantin the devout priest, saw the Virgin on the eastern dome on the 10th of April 1968. While his reverence was praying in the Virgin's church at Kasryet El-Rihan (in Ancient Cairo), and while elevating the incense of the evening mass, light filled the church. That was on 21st August, 1969. As for me, it was first suggested that I should take up holy orders in 1942, and was finally ordained in 1972, i.e. after 30 years, in the Virgin's church in particular. I had always refused to be ordained as I believed that I was not worthy of that honour until the Virgin finally attracted me. During the first week after my return from the Virgin's monastery in El-Natroun Valley, and while I was giving a sermon at church, those present assured me that the Virgin was standing in front of the altar during the sermon, and in full glory. Those who saw the Virgin were so amazed that they did not utter a word.
2. THIS IS YOUR GROOM: A wealthy young lady, who does not belong to the congregation of the Church, came to me at the church. She was accompanied by another lady from El-Dokki suburb. The young lady saw, in dream, the Virgin point to Christ and say, "This is your groom." The dream was repeated three times on three successive nights. The young lady told her family about the dream and asked me, with tears streaming down her cheeks, what she is to do. What is stranger still, another girl came to me the next week, and she had the same dream. The Virgin spoke to her using the same words. Pointing to Christ, She said, "This is your groom!" The other girl, deeply moved, then asked me the same question, "What am I to do?"
3. THE VIRGIN AND THE VIAL OF OIL: When the liturgy was over on Wednesday, and I was talking to some ladies in a side altar, a lady with a fair Complexion and round face, and of medium height, and dressed in white, offered me a vial of oil, bidding me to have a look at the vial. Strangely enough, I saw the figure of the Virgin on the vial. The lady smiled, offered me some oil and then disappeared. During a whole year, I went on looking for that lady. After each sermon, I used to ask for information about her, but no trace of her was to be found. In a meeting with His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, may God preserve him, in his cell at the monastery, I offered him half the oil and kept the other half. I wonder, was it the Virgin?!
4. THE VIRGIN AND NECK CANCER: O God! How this lady cried! It was almost a flood of tears! She was bitterly crying in the altar, and she went on crying heartily after everyone else had gone. So, I approached her and asked her what was wrong. She replied that she had taken it to heart that the Virgin did not help her. According to her, "The Virgin mediates for a lot of people and cures them, and yet She leaves this malignant tumour in my neck... My young children are in need of me, and yet the doctors say that I have only forty days to live." I assured her that, if she prayed fervently enough that night, and besought the Virgin's help, She would surely come to her aid. Then, I anointed her with holy oil. That night, the lady prayed earnestly and insistently beseeching the Virgin to help her. She then fell asleep in tears. The Virgin came to her, and in a loving merciful tone reassured her saying, "Don't be afraid, I am going to cure you." The Virgin, touched the woman's neck with Her hand and extracted the malignant tumour, and placed it on a chest of drawers in the room. The next day, the lady hurried to the church, in great joy, carrying the tumour in a handkerchief. I had her stand in the middle of the congregation and tell her story and narrate how merciful God had been to her!
5. SEVEN CROSSES AND THE WORD 'AVNOTI' IN COPTIC LETTERS: The son had an incurable mental disease. So, the husband could not stand the depressing atmosphere at home, and deserted it with no intention of coming back. The mother gave way to her tears. One day, the mother came to the church, feeling very bitter, and said that she believed in the Virgin and in God's mercy, though she was not a Christian herself. I answered her that God extended his mercy to everyone, and I advised her to make a round of the Church and to ask for the mediation of the Virgin that She might have pity on her and help her. Before she left, she asked for some holy oil to anoint her mad son with. After two whole months, the mother, escorted by her 15 years old son, came back to church and said that the boy had been completely cured and had become sane again. The husband, too, returned home. The family were reunited and they lived happily. She said that her son's cure was effected thus. She asked for a paper and a pen and wrote something and showed it to me. I saw seven crosses with the Coptic word 'Avnoti' to their right and left. That was the beginning of his cure. May God's name be blessed! I showed the paper to the congregation after the evening mass. But, O God! The people snatched the paper, and I saw it go from hand to hand until it finally disappeared! How sorry I was! I should have liked to keep that paper with the seven crosses and Coptic word on it. But our people cannot help being emotional.
6. THE VIRGIN RESTORES HER SIGHT TO HER: Mrs. S.S.T. has asked that this miracle should be mentioned, so that God's name may be glorified. The lady grieved very much, and fell asleep, and when she awoke she found that she had lost her eye-sight. The doctors could not help her. But she saw the Virgin in a vision, and She assured her that she would recover her sight at the end of the liturgy. The Virgin made Her apparition on the church dome, and the sign of the cross over her eyes. The lady, in her joy tried to embrace the Virgin, but her hands held nothing. The lady went home, with her heart gladdened and her sight restored through the mediation of the Mother of the True Light. The above-mentioned miracle was published at the time when it occurred.
7. THE VIRGIN AND THE LOVE OF THE POOR: The "Charity Committee" at the Virgin's church at Zeitoun bought a lot of heavy cotton material for the poor and orphans, for 300 pounds. That kind of cloth was hard to get at that time. So, one of the richer folk, who went to the church, offered to buy part of the material for himself, and of course pay the price. Hardly had a day gone by, when the Virgin appeared to him in a dream, gently blaming him, and asking him to send the material back at once. Blessed be our Lady, the Mother of our Saviour, who is so kind to the poor!
8. A SERIOUS AILMENT IN THE EAR: Mrs. A.F. had a serious ailment in the ear which the doctors could find no cure for. She was at a loss what to do as medicine was of no avail. She placed her ear on the Virgin's picture at her home, and with great faith, prayed the Virgin not to fail her, having resorted to the Virgin's help. She felt faith and hope pervading her self. She slept and at night, the Virgin came to her saying, "I have heard your call and here I am.... I have come to cure you." The lady awoke, fully recovered.
9. THE BIBLE AND THE BULLET: M.H. is the only son of a widow. He volunteered to join the army, and was sent to the battle-field during the October war (1973). The young man, who is also a deacon at the Virgin's Church, asked me to give him a Bible to place in his pocket to protect him from danger. I gave him one. As God willed, he was hit by a bullet that could have reached his heart. However, its passage was stopped by the Bible, though it could have penetrated a wall. I followed the hole made by the bullet in the Bible and saw that it ended at the words: "And who is he that will harm you, if we be followers of that which is good?..... and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled" ( Peter 1:19). I showed the Bible at all the churches where I gave sermons, and at the different monasteries and in various towns, other than Cairo. His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, may God preserve him, also showed it to the heads of the different sects and to his visitors. Blessed be the Lord! How truly you keep us from all harm! "He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways," and "there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling." 10. THE CURE OF THE GENERAL: General George Habib, at the head of his tanks and armoured cars, rushed through the Ber-Lev line. So, the Jews hastened to flood the whole area with Napalm that gives forth a terribly intense heat--3000 degrees C.--; heat enough to let iron melt. In the midst of the terrible fire, George cried out three times from the depths of his heart invoking the succour of Christ. He, then passed out. When he came to, he found himself outside the line of fire! Who dragged him to safety? I visited him at the military hospital at Helmeya, and then at El-Maadi, and gave him Holy Communion. It was said that when they took off his helmet, they had to tear away the flesh of his head with it. I asked him what he did while leading his troops. He said that he was reciting Psalm No91 "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the Shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him I trust. Surely He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust." He had an exacerbation and serious complications. So, I hurried to visit him. He said, "Please, ask our Lady to come at once, before it is too late." Thank God! The Virgin Came to his help. Through plastic surgery, parts of the skin of his thigh were fitted on to his head. He is now fully recovered, and has resumed his work, having undergone many surgical operations, and having been helped by the Virgin. He said that the Virgin used to come and change the dressings. She touched his leg, and it was cured. She came back and touched his back, and it became well. She finally returned and touched his head, and it healed!
____________ REFERENCES:Commentary by Christopher Montgomery
