Saint Menas hears the Prayers of everyone who asks for his help, and he has often been seen as a warrior on horseback, arriving to help the faithful.
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Miracles
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A man went to Pray at a Church dedicated to Saint Menas. There he met another man who offered him lodging for the night. Realizing that his guest had gold, the host killed him, cut up his body, and put the parts in a basket. The next day a mysterious stranger (Saint Menas) in military clothing, riding on a horse, appeared. The soldier asked the host about his overnight guest, and the host claimed to know nothing. Saint Menas, however asked him about the basket, and so the whole story was revealed. Saint Menas then Miraculously joined all the parts of the slain man’s body together, and restored him to life. He gave him back the gold the host and taken, and sent him on his way. After scolding the host, Saint Menas forgave him, then disappeared.
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A man decided to have two silver plates made, one for Saint Menas – engraved with his name – and the other for himself and bearing his own name. When the silversmith had completed the work, the plate intended for Saint Menas turned out to be the more beautiful of the two, so the man decided to keep it for himself. This man then went on a sea voyage, taking the plate with him, and having his food served to him on it. When he had finished eating, a servant took the plate and was washing it in the sea, when suddenly it slipped out of his hands and disappeared beneath the waves. The startled servant lost his grip and also fell into the sea. The man was so distressed at losing his servant that he Prayed to Saint Menas, telling him that if the servant’s body were to be recovered, he would give not only the remaining plate but also the cost of the lost plate to the Saint. When the ship reached land, the man looked to see if the body had washed up on the shore. But instead, he saw the servant coming out of the sea alive, holding the lost plate. The servant reported that as soon as he fell into the sea, a handsome man appeared with two others, grasping the man and traveling with him until he arrived at the shore.
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A woman was on her way to Pray at the shrine of Saint Menas when she was attacked by a man who wanted to rape her. When he got off his horse to do the deed, he tied the horse to his right foot. Then when he attempted to rape the woman, the horse became very upset, and dragged the man off, all the way to the shrine of Saint Menas. Once there, the horse was so violent, and whinnied so loud, that a crowd of people soon gathered. The man was worried the horse would injure or kill him, so he blurted out his confession of attempted rape before everyone, and immediately the horse became calm. The repentant rapist then asked the Saint to end his suffering and pardon him.
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A crippled man and a mute woman happened to both be staying in the shrine of Saint Menas. In the middle of the night when everyone was asleep, Saint Menas appeared to the crippled man, telling him that if he would touch the cloak of the sleeping mute woman, he would be healed. The crippled man managed to get to the mute woman, and when he grabbed her cloak she awoke, and began loudly blaming him. Fearing the woman’s noisy shouting, the cripple got up and began to run away, when suddenly both of them realized that they had been healed by the Saint.
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There was a Jewish man who was friends with a Christian, and trusted him so much that when he traveled to foreign lands, he would leave considerable amounts of gold behind with the Christian as safekeeping. However, once when the Jew had done this, on returning he went to the Christian and asked for his money. The Christian replied that the Jew was mistaken, that no money had been left with him. The Jew was so upset by this that he said he wanted Saint Menas to determine the truth. So both set off for the shrine of Saint Menas. Now it happened that when they arrived at the shrine, the Christian repeated his claim, swearing that no gold had been left with him. Having said that, he exited the shrine with the Jew, and both got on their horses. Suddenly the horse of the Christian began behaving violently, and rearing up, it threw its rider to the ground, where he lost his kerchief, a key, and a gold seal. He got back on his horse and both continued on their way. The Jew, however, was groaning and lamenting the loss of his gold. The Christian suggested that they stop, dismount, and pause to eat some food. As they were eating, the Christian looked up and saw that his servant from home had come, and was standing there holding the money bag of the Jew in one hand, and the lost key [a signet ring in another version, which accounts for the “gold seal”] and kerchief in the other. He was quite shocked, and asked the servant to explain. The servant replied that a man riding a horse came, and giving the lost key [or signet ring] and kerchief to the Christian’s wife, he told her that she must send the money bag of the Jew to the Christian with great haste, so her husband would not meet with danger. And so, thinking the Christian had requested this, the wife sent the servant quickly off to him with the Jew’s gold. The Jew was of course overjoyed, and immediately wanted to return to the shrine of theSsaint, where he vowed to become a Christian himself through Baptism in thanks for the Miracle. As for the lying Christian, he asked to be forgiven, and both returned satisfied to their homes.
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The Martyrdom of Saint Menas
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