Demiana - About The Christian Treasures Organization (CTO)

About The Christian Treasures Organization (CTO)

Christian Treasures Organization (CTO) is a nonprofit organization committed to providing religious Christian literature to its readers in hopes of deepening their faith and maturity in the Lord Jesus Christ. Its members consist of Christians and non-Christians, laypeople and monastics, working together with one mind and one heart to produce invaluable Christian literary treasures. Cynthia Lam is the Chief Editor of CTO; her outstanding educational achievements in English writing literature and editing have earned her many awards, merits and scholarships. Ms. C. Lam has been unanimously chosen to lead CTO to achieve its high standard of literary excellence.

Christian Treasures Organization is pleased to present for the first time a detailed English Life Story of Saint Demiana and the 40 Virgins translated from two Arabic sources: Synaxarium and Life Story of the Chaste Saint Demiana and History of the Monastery. The life story has been translated from Arabic into English by the nuns of Saint Demiana’s Monastery in Egypt, who hope to share the most detailed, vivid and powerful life story of Saint Demiana with the English-speaking world. The book, Life Story of the Chaste Saint Demiana and History of the Monastery, is taken from 18th century manuscripts written by H.G Bishop John (Bishop of El-Borollos); these manuscripts were transcribed from older manuscripts dated in the 6th century during the apostolic service of H.H. Dimianos (563-598 A.D., 35th Patriarch of the See of St. Mark), and were originally transcribed from ancient manuscripts written by Christodoulou, the disciple of Saint Julius El-Akfahsee (4th century). Therefore, we present to our readers an English translation of a detailed life story of St. Demiana taken from ancient literary material.

Saint Demiana is the founder of monasticism for Coptic Orthodox nuns and the highest ranking female martyr of the Coptic Orthodox Church due to her forbearance of great persecution, torture and suffering. Her courageous and most powerful character is revealed through her many dialogues with her persecutors in her life story. The nuns of St. Demiana’s Monastery, Coptic Orthodox believers, and Christians and non-Christians can all benefit from seeing how a young, pure and holy nun, through her outstanding love and faith in Jesus Christ, was able to bear the most excruciatingly dreadful torments unlived by any other female saint of her time, nor afterwards. Her vivid and powerful life story touches the hearts of all human souls, Christians and non-Christians alike, for all can feel her purity, courage, strength, love, faith and suffering for the sake of God.

Hence, this masterpiece presented with great efforts by the nuns of St. Demiana’s Monastery hopes to enrich and deepen its readers with strength, hope, faith and love in God amidst all trials and sufferings. May all glory be unto the One and only true God, Jesus Christ, through His precious saints, Saint Demiana and her 40 virgin nuns.