George El Mozahem

George El Mozahem (Coptic: ⲅⲉⲱⲣⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲡⲓⲍⲟϩⲉⲙ; 940 – June 26, 969^[1]) was a Coptic Orthodox martyr and saint.

He was born in Talkha, Egypt, as El-Mozahem to a Christian mother (Mary) and a Muslim father (Jumaa Al Atawy). He was raised in his father's religion till he turned twelve.^[2][3] He used to go to church with his mother. He told her that he wanted to receive the holy sacraments. She told him that he could not unless he was baptized, and one day he asked her to taste the blessed Eulogia bread (Qorban) and when he put it in his mouth it tasted like honey to him and said "If the taste of this bread that was not consecrated by prayers tastes like this, what will be the taste of the Offering?" according to his hagiography.^[4] He tried to get baptized but priests were afraid of participating in such a dangerous act so he baptized himself by immersing himself three times. He later married a Christian woman and when he told her about his story she told him that his baptism was not accurate.^[5] They both fled to a city called Samanoud where he got baptized and was given a Christian name, George,^[6] because that day was the Roman Saint George's feast.

He and his wife lived together without any kind of marital relationship; then he was thinking of becoming a monk but he heard a voice telling him not to go to a monastery and encouraged him to seek martyrdom instead. Then he had many problems and was arrested for leaving Islam; they set him on fire but it had no effect on him. The governor was very impressed and thought of freeing him but the people got angry and wanted to kill the governor. After the execution his wife received his relics. Some people tried to set his body on fire but it did not happen because God did not allow it, according to his hagiography.^[7][8][9]

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