Bravery and Wonders

Around 303–305 AD, St. Mena stood before a furious governor in an Egyptian city, refusing to worship idols. The governor ordered soldiers to whip him with leather straps and, tradition says, tie him to a cruel spiked wheel (called the Hinbazin wheel). Most would have crumbled, but Mena trusted in Christ and, one tale says, laughed because he was joyful God was near. Tradition says that through God’s grace, he was protected, and his wounds appeared healed before the crowd’s eyes. One tale says people gasped, whispering, “His God is real!” and some began to seek Christ in prayer.

Tradition says the governor, desperate to break Mena, then ordered him tied above a blazing fire, expecting surrender. One tale says Mena praised Christ in prayer, and the fire did not harm him. Through God’s grace, he stood unharmed, and one tale says a few pagans dropped their idols, seeking Christ in prayer. One tale says a child, scared for Mena, sought Christ in prayer for the first time and felt peace. In Ethiopian tales, these moments paint Mena as a protector whose faith overcame all trials. For kids, Mena’s steadfast faith shows that Christ gives strength to face troubles, turning hurt into hope.