Saint Moura
Encyclopedia
Saint Moura, also known as Mart Moura, is a martyr of the 1st centuries of Christianity honored in the Middle East
. Her feast is celebrated on the 3rd of May and on the 25th of September. Several churches are dedicated to her especially in North Lebanon
and a Monastery in Ehden
.
The martyrdom of Timothy and Moura took place in Ansena, a city of Upper Egypt
known as Antinopolis
in the Roman world.
If the martyrdom of Saint Moura took place under Decius
, then it should be prior to June 251, the date of the death of this emperor.
If the martyrdom presumed date of 283 AD is correct, it should then have taken place under the reign of Carus
or his sons Carinus
and Numerian
.
of North Lebanon, in Mayfouq
, Kfarsghab
, Karm el Mohr, Kobayat
, Rachiine
, Miziara
, Bnachii
. There is also a sanctuary in Kahf Al Malloul.
The Church of Kfarsghab
hosted a Maronite Synod in 1598.
The church of Bnachii
is the object of an important devotion in the Zgharta District
for its miraculous reputation.
There is also a famous monastery dedicated to her in Ehden
. It is in this monastery that the Lebanese Maronite Order was founded in 1694 by three Maronite young men from Aleppo
, Syria
under the patronage of Patriarch Estephane El Douaihy (1670–1704).
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. Her feast is celebrated on the 3rd of May and on the 25th of September. Several churches are dedicated to her especially in North Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
and a Monastery in Ehden
Ehden
Ehden is a mountainous town situated in the heart of the northern mountains of Lebanon and on the southwestern slopes of Mount Makmal and Kornet el Sawda, the highest peak in Lebanon...
.
Life
Father Youakim Moubarac presents the life of Mart Moura as follows:... Moura is a Christian from Upper EgyptUpper EgyptUpper Egypt is the strip of land, on both sides of the Nile valley, that extends from the cataract boundaries of modern-day Aswan north to the area between El-Ayait and Zawyet Dahshur . The northern section of Upper Egypt, between El-Ayait and Sohag is sometimes known as Middle Egypt...
married to a deacon called Timothy. When Diocletianus came to power and wanted to erase any trace of Christianity, the governor Urban invited Timothy and his wife to embrace paganism. They refused with courage, were crucified and died from slow death around 283. It is also supposed that this martyrdom took place under DeciusDeciusTrajan Decius , was Roman Emperor from 249 to 251. In the last year of his reign, he co-ruled with his son Herennius Etruscus until they were both killed in the Battle of Abrittus.-Early life and rise to power:...
...
... The Maronite calendar of saints mentions her feast day on the dates of October 10th and September 25th. It is also mentioned on the 3rd and the 7th of May. The Bollandists kept the date of May 3rd (WHIZZ, II, 381; cf. KUE, I, 151)...
The martyrdom of Timothy and Moura took place in Ansena, a city of Upper Egypt
Upper Egypt
Upper Egypt is the strip of land, on both sides of the Nile valley, that extends from the cataract boundaries of modern-day Aswan north to the area between El-Ayait and Zawyet Dahshur . The northern section of Upper Egypt, between El-Ayait and Sohag is sometimes known as Middle Egypt...
known as Antinopolis
Antinopolis
Antinopolis was a city founded at an older Egyptian village by the Roman emperor Hadrian to commemorate his deified young beloved, Antinous, on the east bank of the Nile, not far from the site in Upper Egypt where Antinous drowned in 130 AD...
in the Roman world.
If the martyrdom of Saint Moura took place under Decius
Decius
Trajan Decius , was Roman Emperor from 249 to 251. In the last year of his reign, he co-ruled with his son Herennius Etruscus until they were both killed in the Battle of Abrittus.-Early life and rise to power:...
, then it should be prior to June 251, the date of the death of this emperor.
If the martyrdom presumed date of 283 AD is correct, it should then have taken place under the reign of Carus
Carus
Carus , was Roman Emperor from 282 to 283. During his short reign, Carus fought the Germanic tribes and Sarmatians along the Danube frontier with success. During his campaign against the Sassanid Empire he sacked their capital Ctesiphon, but died shortly thereafter...
or his sons Carinus
Carinus
Carinus , was Roman Emperor 282 to 285. The elder son of emperor Carus, he was appointed Caesar and co-emperor of the western portion of the empire upon his father's accession...
and Numerian
Numerian
Numerian , was a Roman Emperor from 282 to 284 with his older brother Carinus. They were sons of Carus, a general raised to the office of praetorian prefect under Emperor Probus in 282.-Reign:...
.
Places of worship
Several churches are dedicated to Mart Moura among the MaronitesMaronites
Maronites , is an ethnoreligious group in the Middle East that have been historically tied with Lebanon. They derive their name from the Syriac saint Mar Maron whose followers moved to Mount Lebanon from northern Syria establishing the Maronite Church....
of North Lebanon, in Mayfouq
Mayfouq
Mayfouq, also Mayfouk is a Lebanese village in Byblos district, Mount Lebanon.it is located at 60 km from Beirut, with altitudes that varies from 800m to 1100mIt was the second Maronite Patriarchal location in Lebanon.- Main Interests :...
, Kfarsghab
Kfarsghab
Kfarsghab is a village located in the Zgharta District in the North Governorate of Lebanon...
, Karm el Mohr, Kobayat
Kobayat
Al Qoubaiyat Al Qoubaiyat Al Qoubaiyat (Arabic: القبيات; is the biggest Christian village in Akkar District of North Governorate, Lebanon. All its population are Maronites numbering around 12000 persons according to the civil state registers. (among them were 8300 registered voters in 1992)...
, Rachiine
Rachiine
Rachiine is a village in Zgharta District, in the Northern Governorate of Lebanon....
, Miziara
Miziara
Miziara is a village located in the Zgharta District in the North Governorate of Lebanon. The village is home to the Marian shrine, Our Lady of Miziara, Mother of Mercies....
, Bnachii
Bnachii
Bnashii is a village located in the Zgharta District in the North Governorate of Lebanon. Its population is Maronite Catholic....
. There is also a sanctuary in Kahf Al Malloul.
The Church of Kfarsghab
Kfarsghab
Kfarsghab is a village located in the Zgharta District in the North Governorate of Lebanon...
hosted a Maronite Synod in 1598.
The church of Bnachii
Bnachii
Bnashii is a village located in the Zgharta District in the North Governorate of Lebanon. Its population is Maronite Catholic....
is the object of an important devotion in the Zgharta District
Zgharta District
Zgharta District is a district of the North Governorate, Lebanon.The administrative center is the town of Zgharta. The district has 57 populated areas with 30 municipalities covering 37 villages. Some areas share the same municipality such as Ehden/Zgharta, Kfarsghab/Morh Kfarsghab or...
for its miraculous reputation.
There is also a famous monastery dedicated to her in Ehden
Ehden
Ehden is a mountainous town situated in the heart of the northern mountains of Lebanon and on the southwestern slopes of Mount Makmal and Kornet el Sawda, the highest peak in Lebanon...
. It is in this monastery that the Lebanese Maronite Order was founded in 1694 by three Maronite young men from Aleppo
Aleppo
Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
under the patronage of Patriarch Estephane El Douaihy (1670–1704).