AFRICA/EGYPT - The Library in Alexandria offers online lessons on St. Corona, to be invoked during pandemics

Thursday, 16 April 2020 middle east oriental churches saints sanctuaries epidemics coronavirus

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Alexandria (Agenzia Fides) - In times of the coronavirus pandemic, the Coptic Studies Center of the Library of Alexandria of Egypt announced the continuation of its activities during the month of April through an online conference on St. Corona, saint known as patroness to be invoked in times affected by epidemics and infectious diseases. Professor Ezzat Salib, expert on Coptic heritage at the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities will hold the conference, which will be broadcast for the first time on Friday 17 April at 8 pm on the Facebook page of the Library – report the Egyptian media.
St. Corona martyr is also included in the Roman Martyrology together with the figure of Victor. The two holy martyrs are celebrated in ancient Latin, Greek and Coptic calendars and martyrologists, and the hagiographic studies that concern them provide different indications regarding the city of their martyrdom. According to the Greek "Passio", the two saints were martyred in Damascus, while Coptic sources indicate that their martyrdom occurred in Antioch, and the Latin ones indicate Alexandria of Egypt or some places in Sicily as the place of their martyrdom.
According to the "Illustrious Certamen", text written by a deacon of the Church of Antioch in the fourth century, Victor was a Christian soldier from Cilicia. During the persecution of Marcus Aurelius, he was denounced and subjected to torture. While he suffered, while remaining steadfast in faith, the very young bride of one of his comrades in arms, called Corona (Latin equivalent of the name Stefanie), encouraged him to confess his faith in Christ. For this reason she was also arrested and subjected to an atrocious torture: she was tied to the tops of two palm trees, which had been pulled down to the ground. Then the ropes holding the trees bent were cut. The trees sprang back away from each other to an upright position. The force was so great that Corona’s body was ripped apart.
The relics of Corona and Victor are kept in Anzù di Feltre (Veneto, province of Belluno), in the sanctuary dedicated to them. The Saint is also venerated in Bavaria and Austria as protector of treasure hunters and patroness to be invoked in case of epidemic and contagion from infectious diseases. (GV) (Agenzia Fides, 16/4/2020)