St. Demiana
OBJECTIVE
The objective of the Saints module is to teach the children about the lives of the saints. In Kindergarten, we will go over Saint Demiana, Archangel Michael, Saint Anthony, and Saint George. It is important to explain that the saints are simply members of our congregation who together praise and worship God. We do not worship the saints, instead, we ask them as our friends to pray for us. Week 5 is the capstone week to review and serve together. The objective of this lesson is for the kindergartners to be familiar with the story of St. Demiana.
INTRODUCTION - 5 Minutes
Ask the kindergarteners hypothetical questions in relation to St. Demiana's story:
- If you could live in a mansion with forty of your closest friends, what kinds of activities would you do together? Would there be rules or schedules to follow?
- If someone close to you did not want to love Christ, what would you say to them?
HOLY SCRIPTURE - 5 Minutes
Memory Verse
"Rejoice in that day and leap for joy For indeed your reward is great in heaven" Luke 6:23
LIFE OF SAINT DEMIANA - 15 Minutes
Near the end of the third century, there lived a Christian man named Mark. He was the governor of El-Borollos and El-Zaafaran districts in the northern Northern delta of the Nile River in Egypt. Mark had an only child named Demiana; her beauty and virtuous character were legendary, and her father loved her dearly. Demiana's mother went to heaven when she was a young girl, so her father raised her alone. St. Demiana grew up loving to pray and read the Bible. "But I want you to be without care. He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord---how he may please the Lord." (I Corinthians 7:32)
When Saint Demiana became older, her father wanted her to marry one of his noble friends, however, she did not want to get married. She said she devoted herself as a bride to Christ and wanted the rest of her life to serve her Lord and Savior. Saint Demiana asked her father to build her a house near the edge of the city where she could live with her friends, praying and working for God, alone. Knowing her deep desire for a holy life, her father granted her wish and built her a large palace in the wilderness. Saint Demiana transformed the palace to start a Coptic Orthodox nunnery for nuns. A nunnery is a special home for women who want to live completely for the Lord. The Lord's hand was with them, giving them strength and comfort. With Saint Demiana as their spiritual mother, they spent their time fasting, doing handiwork, reading the holy books and praying to God.
At that time, Diocletian, the pagan emperor, began to treat Christians very badly. When Mark, St. Demiana's father was ordered to kneel before the idols and offer incense, he refused at first. After some time though, he put God behind him and worshiped the idols. When news came to St. Demiana that her father had denied Christ, she quickly left her nunnery palace and went to see her father. When she saw him, she said, "What have I heard about you? I wish I had heard the news of your death rather than knowing that you have left God, who created you. What you did, my father, is wrong. If you keep on worshipping idols, then you are not my father. It is better for you to die as a martyr and live with Christ in heaven forever than to live as a pagan here." Her father was moved by her words and cried with repentance. He confessed and said, "I am a sinner, God forgive me." Mark went right away to Antioch to see Emperor Diocletian. Mark said to Emperor Diocletian, "How could you have left the worship of the God of heaven and earth and worship idols made of rocks and wood, who are deaf and mute?" Mark then made the sign of the cross and shouted, "I believe in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; One God, Amen." St. Mark earned the crown of martyrdom and was rewarded with a life with Christ in Heaven. The feast day of his martyrdom is commemorated on July 12 (Abeeb 5 in the Coptic calendar).
When Emperor Diocletian learned that it was St. Demiana who had convinced her father to return to worshiping Jesus Christ, he ordered one of his commanders to attack her nunnery palace. Diocletian ordered him, "First, try to convince her to worship our idols by offering her treasure, but if she refuses then hurt her, and even end her and her friends so all Christians learn to leave Christ." When St. Demiana saw the soldiers approaching her palace, she prayed to God to strengthen their faith until the end. The bad commander and soldiers hurt the holy saints many times, but each time Archangel Michael appeared, lighting up their prison, giving them peace and healing them completely.
In the morning, the prince ordered St. Demiana to be brought to the Governing Council. When he saw that St. Demiana had been healed without a single scratch on her body, he would not believe. The crowd screamed, saying, "O unfair prince, we declare we are all Christians and we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the God of this saint, St. Demiana." About four hundred people earned the crowns of martyrdom and became intercessors for their village. May their blessings be upon us all forever, Amen.
After hurting the holy saints for a long time, God healed them each time. Finally, St. Demiana and her 40 holy friends entered the Heavenly Kingdom with their beloved Christ and earned the crown of martyrdom. We celebrate their victory on January 21 (Tubah 13 in the Coptic calendar). May the prayers and blessings of these great martyr saints, Saint Demiana and her 40 virgins, be with us all, Amen.
APPLICATION - 5 Minutes
Saint Demiana and her blessed friends teach us that we must hold firm in our faith. Even if our friends try to distract us in Church or try to gossip about people, we must remember how Saint Demiana kept our Lord Jesus Christ first in her life.
ACTIVITY - 5 Minutes
Quiz the kindergartners on the story of Saint Demiana and the Forty Virgins. Offer candy, stickers, or points to those who answer correctly.
- What country is Saint Demiana from? (Answer: Egypt)
- How did Saint Demiana grow up? (Answer: In the Christian faith, reading the Bible, going to Church)
- What was Saint Demiana's greatest wish as a young woman? (Answer: to give her life to the Lord, to live her life in prayer)
- How many friends did Saint Demiana live with in her special home? (Answer: forty)
- When a group of women live together for the Lord, their home is called what? (Answer: nunnery)
- What was Saint Demiana's father's name? (Answer: Saint Mark)
- How did Saint Demiana help her father? (Answer: encouraged him to never turn away from his faith)
- Who appeared and helped Saint Demiana and her friends when Emperor Diocletian tried to sway her from the faith? (Answer: Archangel Michael)
RESOURCES
COPTUNES+ VIDEO LINK:
PARENTS CORNER/HOMEWORK
Review the story of Saint Demiana and the Forty Virgins with your children. Encourage your children to pray through the intercessions of Saint Demiana and the Forty Virgins during your prayer routines.