IT HAS BEEN SAID that "miracles happen everyday," and I would have to agree, if not in this physical world, than in the hearts of those who believe . I am convinced and believe that the legacy of these phenomenon shall continue at Zeitoun, Egypt. Ask anyone who believes! You will find additional evidence of this at this web address: Our Lady of Zeitun Online
http://www.zeitun.org
11. THE EYES IN THE VIRGIN'S PICTURE CLOSE AND OPEN: Dr. S.T. from El-sinbelwien was highly diabetic and seriously ill. His wife brought him to the Virgin's Church seeking the Virgin's mediation. The family settled in Heliopolis to be able to visit the church from time to time. The family resorted to prayer, and while doing so, they smelled incense. They were amazed to see the picture of the Virgin, that was on the opposite wall, close and open Her eyes very slowly for several times. The book of prayers became soaked with oil! The sick man was fully recovered. The family still keeps the book of prayers and the oil up to the present day.
12. THE VIRGIN MAKES HER APPARITION ON THE BIBLE: Mrs. Angele Habib had wished, from all her heart, to see the Virgin as She made Her apparition over the domes of the church. But that was not to be. So, she was greatly disappointed and cried bitterly. She always had a Bible with her, placing it under her pillow when she went to sleep. One night, she begged, with tears, to see the Virgin. She woke up to find the Virgin's picture, with Christ in Her arms, imprinted on the Bible with oil. The lady still keeps the Bible, and shows it to the Fathers. She says that she has shown it to his reverence Bishop Anba Agregaryous. The Virgin never fails us, being our loving Mother. Blessed be thou, who art the pride of our race!
13. THE STORY OF THE PEBBLE: Gayed Guirguis is a senior inspector at the Ministry of Education. While he was making his rounds, he had a meal and he suffered from food poisoning. He went on vomiting till his tongue got dry and stuck to his palate. He felt extremely exhausted and on the point of death. He was alone as he lived away from his family. He asked for the Virgin's help. In the midst of his prayers, he felt a figure get into his room, and sit on the edge of his bed. It was the Virgin, in full glory. She reached out Her hand to him, and beckoned as if She were expelling something out of his body, and then She went out. The patient felt as if an electric current had passed through his body restoring him to full health. By his side he had a pebble that fell to the ground. It broke into two halves. There, sure enough, the Virgin's picture was imprinted on the pebble. She had an angel standing at one side, and three persons kneeling near the hem of Her overflowing dress. The Virgin has left Her picture as a clear evidence of Her visit.
14. THE VIRGIN GETS OUT OF THE PICTURE, BLESSES THE HOUSE AND GETS BACK: Engineer R.A.B. has an ancient picture of the Virgin at home, a picture that dates to over a hundred years back. At 11 O'clock A..M. on Thursday 17/2/1972, he was reading the Pope's sermon that was published in El-Gamhoureya newspaper. His wife was at his side reading the Pope's sermon in Watani weekly paper... He saw the Virgin come out of Her picture and stand over the window-sill. She had all the dimensions of real life. He was so amazed that he could not utter a word for a minute or two. Then he controlled himself and drew his wife's attention to what he saw. The Virgin returned to Her picture. On Friday morning (18/2/72), he went to Holy Communion. He told the Father, who received his confessions, what he saw. The Father counselled him to have the picture placed in a special shrine, without any glass, so that the picture may be a source of blessing. The engineer had side lights fitted in, and El-Mahabba Society prepared the shrine that had a glass screen. When the shrine was lit; the glass screen, which dimmed the picture, fell and broke into pieces. The engineer, then carried the picture to His Holiness Pope Shenouda III who dedicated it to St. George's Church at Kotsika. El-Mahabba Bookshop charged the engineer 10 pounds for the shrine. He paid that sum of money. On the same day, when he returned home, the postman delivered him a letter, sent by his bank, and announcing that one of his investment certificates had won 10 pounds.
15. THE VIRGIN SAVES A CHILD FROM UNDER THE WHEELS OF AN EXPRESS TRAIN: The mother and her child had moved to visit the Virgin at Her Church at Zeitoun. So, they came from Alexandria especially for that purpose. When they were trying to get off the train, at a station seven kilometres off Cairo, they were pushed by the multitudes. The mother fell away from the rails and was not injured. As for the twelve years old son, he fell under the wheels. The mother screamed and passed out. When she came to, she found her son by her side calling: "Mother! Mother!" In amazement, the mother asked him how he made good his escape. He replied that he found, by his side, a Lady in white garments and with light emanating from Her face. She placed Her hand over his head and he bent it. Seven wagons passed over him. The Lady reassured him saying, "Don't be afraid, I am your Mother, the Virgin." When the last wagon passed, he rose and saw the Lady disappear. However, he still feels the Lady tenderly touch his hand, and Her beautiful sight still haunts his memory. Blessed be our Lady and the pride of our race. You take good care of your children, and hurry to their protection and help. P.S. We made a recording of the story as told by the mother and her son, and took a photograph for the boy, with marks of the rails showing clearly on his back.
16. THE VIRGIN'S APPARITION IN GUIZA: An elderly person entered the church, carrying a blade in his hand. He was in a rage and started threatening everyone that tried to stop him saying, "You Copts are causing me a nervous breakdown through the ringing of your church bells... The priest has got to be killed!..." Poor man! He was suffering from his nerves, and his left hand was paralysed. He entered the church full of rage and of spite. He was as strong as an excited bull, and the people found great difficulty in stopping him. The priest had to hide in the altar. After much ado, that fellow was taken out of the church. As he went out, he waved his hand in a threatening manner saying that he would be back as the priest had to be killed. The next day he returned. But this time, he was composed and calm. He wished to say 'a word of truth'. During the night, after he had excitedly entered the church, he saw the Virgin who blamed him in a gentle voice for his foul behaviour. She touched his paralysed hand and it immediately came to life. He added, "O Christian brethren, you are my folk, and you are dear to my heart... but where is the priest?" --"What for? To kill him?" --"No, but to kiss his feet." Here, the priest made his appearance, and the man actually bowed and kissed his feet. The two embraced each other. O how strange! and it all took place through the mediation of the Virgin.
17. THE VIRGIN IN MANSOURA: A needle pierced her hand, and was buried deep in the flesh. She was operated on twice to get the needle out, but in vain. Only one thing remained to be done, and that was to amputate the girl's hand, lest the needle should be carried by the blood stream into the heart. The girl was told to pray, and to ask for the mediation of our kind-hearted Mother, the Virgin. The girl prayed, and then went to sleep, all the time repeating the one phrase, "O Virgin!" In her sleep, the Virgin came to her. The Virgin asked her, in a tender loving voice, to reach out her hand. She then extracted the needle, placed it in a table-cloth, drew a blood cross, and wrote her blessed name, "Mary". She patted the girl and left her with a sweet smile. I was invited to give a sermon in El-Mansoura. And there, at the entrance of the church, at Toreil, I saw a frame inside which were exhibited the table cloth, the needle, the cross in blood, and the signature of the Virgin Mary. When this miracle was announced, a lot of people travelled to Mansoura, and saw the miracle for themselves.
18. THE BRAIN HAEMORRHAGE: She was extremely happy when she gave birth to that child. It was a God-send which she had to wait many years for. Her happiness did not last for long. The child had a brain haemorrhage. The doctors lost hope though some advised the performance of an operation. The chances of success in that operation do not exceed 1%. Here, the mother resorted to the Virgin. She came to me in the altar, and I counselled her to place the name of the child in the altar whenever she came to church. At Christmas, and immediately before I gave the sermon, I received a letter that contained bills for thirty pounds. The woman who sent the letter said that she at last had a visit from the Virgin who had pity on her, and cured her child. That sum of money was part of the fees that could have been paid to the surgeons, had the operation been performed. The mother donated it to the poor. I told the congregation about the miracle and the donation. As for the lady's name and address, they are kept at church. She didn't like to have her name announced. May God's name be glorified, and our Mother the Virgin be thanked.
19. A MAN FOLLOWING ME: On my way to the altar, to make the final preparations for mass, I went through the door leading to the baptism room. A man stood in my way wishing to have a word with me. I asked him to come another time as it was already late then. But he insisted, and gave me a sealed envelope which I took and placed on the altar and then forgot all about it. So, a deacon gave it back to me. Then, I got into the administration room and left it there. So, Father Constantin handed it back to me. I cast a look at it and saw that it had a strange address: "The Needy Families that cannot beg." Inside was the exact sum of money which I gave to the "unknown needy families"--which figure was a secret unknown to any one but me. It was already the first day of the month, and I didn't have, till that moment, the money which should be given to the needy families. So, these questions still remain.... Who was that person who stood in my way and offered me the money? How did he know?! This incident strengthened in me the belief that: WHAT WE FORGET GOD REMEMBERS AND WHAT WE DISREGARD GOD DISPOSES.
20. HELP ME OUT OF MY DIFFICULTIES: He worked in the field of education and he incurred a lot of expenses: those of the marriage of his two daughters. He became a bankrupt and had to sell the furniture of his home and the gold bracelets of his wife, and he ran in debt. Then something happened which nearly put him out of mind: L.E. 500, in his trusteeship at school, were stolen. The next day might bring along with it an auditor who would certainly discover the loss and send him to prison. Scandal and disgrace were staring him in the face. + He made up his mind to commit suicide. + As a final resort, he came to seek the church's help and asked me to save him. "Help me out of my difficulties," he cried out desperately. I asked him to wait till I came back from the sermon. It was Sunday evening, and more than a thousand attended evening mass. I placed a note in front of me so as not to forget that wretched person waiting in the administration room. Nevertheless, I concluded my sermon and forgot to ask the congregation to help him. The people left. When I remembered the man, my head turned round O God! Why have I forgotten?! What should I do?! At that very moment I was told that a woman inside the altar was asking for me. She was dressed in white and looked extremely pious. Smiling, she gave me a sum of money and said something. Her words keep coming back to my ears till the present day. "Help someone out of his difficulties," she said. O God! the very words of the man in the administration room! The sum that pious lady paid was L.E. 500, the very sum needed! + Who was that lady?! + As for the reason why I forgot... It so happened that God might offer the solution Himself.
____________________ REFERENCES:Commentary by Christopher Montgomery
