In the Mariut desert, west of Alexandria, Saint Mina’s Monastery is a treasure Pope Kyrillos VI cherished. In the 1950s, as Father Mina, he helped rebuild this ancient site, dedicated to Saint Mina the Wonderworker, his beloved saintly intercessor. Kyrillos prayed here, lived simply, and, tradition says, through Saint Mina’s intercession, was guided to hidden springs that still flow for pilgrims. By 1959, as pope, he transformed it into a bustling monastery, its white domes gleaming under Egypt’s sun. Copts feel his intercession is powerful here, as if he prays by the altar.
Miracles bloom here like flowers in sand. One tale says a blind girl in the 1970s visited Kyrillos’ room, touching his prayer rope. Through his intercession, guided by Christ, her sight returned, and she shouted, “I see!” Another story tells of a farmer in 2005 whose lost camel returned after praying at the monastery, showing God’s care through Kyrillos’ intercession. The monastery’s church holds his relics, and pilgrims feel God’s presence through his intercession. Pilgrims from many places visit, drawn by his intercessory miracles.
For children, this monastery is a holy place of prayer, quiet but powerful. Kyrillos rebuilt it to honor God, and miracles keep his legacy alive. Kids can imagine walking its paths, knowing he prayed there, each stone a sign of God’s love.
Lesson 10 of 21
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