St. Demiana

OBJECTIVE

St. Demiana is one of the famous women saints in the history of our church. She set an example of courage in defending her Christian faith. She accepted the tortures willingly and became one of the top women martyred in our church. The children will learn about her courage and will give them a good real example to be proud Christians and defend their faith in their world.

INTRODUCTION & HOOK - 10 Minutes

Please review the previous week's lesson. (5 minutes)

The previous lesson discussed the life of St. Shenouda. Check with the children about the life application/task was given last week about setting up a time to pray, like morning, evening, and before eating. Where you are also able to have any short prayer by yourself. Please give them time to answer and talk about their experience.

Also please review last week's verse.

Use a puppet to act out a conversation:

S- Hello, How are you today?
P- Not too good
S- Why, what happened?
P- I had a problem with some of my friends. We were talking and one of my friends started to talk bad about Jesus.
S- What do you mean talk bad?
P- He said he did not believe in Jesus nor in Christianity and said something, He was not the true God
S- Did you agree with him?
P- To tell you the truth, I wanted very much to tell him he was wrong but did not find courage in myself to say it
S- Don't worry, because today we will learn about a Saint who was very courageous and her story will help you.

HOLY SCRIPTURE - 5 Minutes

Memory Verse
"Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong." (1 Corinthians 16:13)

CONTENT (KEY POINTS) - 25 Minutes

A man called Marcos lived a long time ago and a couple of hundred years after our Lord Jesus Christ resurrected and went up to heaven. This man was a very rich man and a ruler in Egypt and had one and an only daughter called Demiana. She was very beautiful in and out, which means looking very pretty on the outside and also a beautiful person inside. She loved God very much, loved to read in the Holy books, and loved to stay by herself singing praises.
Marcos wanted to see her daughter getting married but she told him her preference to stay unmarried. At that time there were no monasteries or convents. Demiana's father did not want to force her to get married and agreed for her to live her life for Christ. Marcos decided to get her a palace (a very large house) to live in it.
Do you know what Demiana did? She invited forty of her friends who wanted to live with Christ-like her to live with her in the palace. The palace became the first convent (monastery for ladies) and the Lord strengthen and comfort them in their lives.
The emperor of the land's name was Diocletian and he was not Christian but used to pray to statues as his gods and he wanted everyone to be like him and pray to his gods. The emperor learned about Marcus and his daughter Demiana and they were not praying to his gods but are Christians. He became very angry and send her a messenger to tell Demiana to pray only for his gods.
Demiana told the messenger, there is no god in heaven or on earth except one God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the Eternal Creator, the Everlasting who is everywhere, who knows all the secrets and who can cast you in hell into the everlasting torment. As for me, I am the maidservant of my Master and my Savior Jesus Christ, and His Good Father and the Holy Spirit, the Holy Trinity. I confess to you and your emperor and the whole world.
When the emperor heard these words from the messenger and became very upset and ordered to bring Demiana and started to torture her in front of her forty girlfriends who lived with her and were sad because of what happened to their friend Demiana. But every time she had wounds, she prayed to the Lord to help her and the angel appears to her and heal her by touching her with his wings. The girls were encouraged when they saw Demiana was healed. The emperor became even angrier and started to torture her again.
At the emperor's order, he ordered to kill Demiana and all her forty friends, who received the crown of martyrdom.
Many churches were built after St. Demiana's name and also other convents in different parts of Egypt and outside as well.

DISCUSSION (Challenge) - 10 Minutes

What was the name of the lady we talked about today? And what was her father's name? (Demiana & Marcos)
What did Marcos want her daughter Demiana to do? (get married)
What did she prefer to do instead? (stay by herself and be closer to God)
What did Marcos (Demiana's father) do for her? (Built a palace for her)
What Demiana do to the palace? (turn it into a convent and brought forty of her girlfriends)
What did the emperor do? (send a messenger to ask her to pray to his gods)
What Demiana's answer? (She confessed the only God she worships and confesses He is the Lord and she believes in the Holy Trinity, God the Father, the Son & the Holy Spirit)
What did the emperor do in return? (started to torture her in front of her girlfriends)
What did Demiana do and what happened to her? (she prayed for God to help and He sent an angel to heal her)
What did the emperor do at the end? (killed St. Demiana & her forty friends together)
Why Demiana was not afraid of being tortured? (she had faith in God, He will save her and she was looking for the everlasting life with the Lord more important than the life on earth)
What did they receive upon their death? (the crown of martyrdom)

LIFE APPLICATION - 5 Minutes

How about us here, does anyone want us to pray to statues or other gods? I doubt very much. But what we mostly see are some people who make fun of Christianity or putting God down. What you should do this week is to tell the story of St. Demiana to your parents, your brothers, and sisters, and maybe your friends as well, and tell them what is the best thing you liked about St. Demiana's life and story.

ACTIVITY - 10 Minutes

The students can color the Icon of St. Demiana attached.

SERVANT RESOURCES

Life of St. Demiana

PARENTS CORNER/HOMEWORK

The children learned today about the life of St. Demiana. We've asked the children to tell her story to their parents, family, and friends. They are supposed to say what is the best thing they liked about her life. Please check with them about their assignment and encourage them to tell you the story.