Their history is extensive and has been written in the Book of Maccabees but we will see only a part from it.
✞During that time a kind man named Maccabee bore 5 sons (the Maccabees). And they were handsome, praised in their conduct and respected in their might.
✞Particularly, the 3 had wrestled with beasts, lions and bears, and were victorious. And they were triumphant over their enemies in battle as well. However, as they knew that all of these were given to them by God, they used to worship their Creator with pure hearts.
✞And during that period, Moabites and Medes used to subjugate the area. Especially, the king of Moab Sirusadin (Tseerutsaydan) from his wickedness used to worship 70 idols carved in the forms of men and women. And beyond that, he used to vex, punish and kill the people saying, “Worship [idols]”.
✞And the Holy Maccabees, when they heard this, went to him. Though they had might with which they could do away with the king, they did not do that. Rather, they approached and rebuked him.
✞And he threw them to lions because they said, “We will not worship idols.” The lions then prostrated before the Saints and killed the king’s soldiers. Hence, he threw the three into prison. And at that time, their two brothers came and joined them.
✞Thereafter, he had all 5 taken out and had them beheaded with a sword. And after they were killed, they were thrown into water and fire. Nevertheless, because the king was not successful, he ordered that their bodies be thrown and not buried. And after 14 days, the bodies of the Saints were found shining like lightning and were buried in honor.
✞Is not the rest of their story written in the Book of Maccabees!
✞✞✞ Abba John Kama (Khame)✞✞✞
=>Saint John Kama was one of the fathers that rose in the Era of the Righteous (particularly in the 5th century). Because the Saint had a wondrous life, he is mentioned widely in the Chronicles of the Fathers. The Synaxarium states, “Kama means Kam/Ham.”
✞And the name “Kam/Ham” is given to people mostly of a darker complexion. And because he was a father from Southern Egypt, which was in ancient times a part of the Ethiopian Empire, it is believed that his lineage might be from Ethiopia.
✞The Saint is widely famed for his celibate life. His good family, after raising him well said to him, “Let us wed you.” And as the Saint was their only child, knowing that if he says no that they would be grieved, sacrificing his joy for the sake of his parents, he was wedded by holy matrimony.
✞And because he desired to live as a celibate, the wise God sanctified his wife as well. During their wedding’s night, St. John Kama asked his beautiful bride that they live celibate and she wept.
✞And the reason was because she also married to gladden her parents and her wish was to live a virgin. Both honoring God for what He had done for them lived in the strife of the celibate life. The Saints sleeping in one bed, on one mat, wearing one blanket, kept their virginity.
✞The God of Demetrius sent them His angel, who used to spend the night between them and cover them with his wings. And to reveal their honor God brought forth a great tree in their house that was not plated by anyone. And at that time, St. John Kama said to his virgin wife, “We had enough of the city life, let us go to the desert.” And because she responded with, “Your will is my will”, after taking her to a convent, he went to the Monastery of Scetes.
✞The Holy Woman because the grace of God abided plentifully in her, used to heal the sick. She then became the abbess of the convent, led and departed in honor. And St. John Kama being directed by a holy angel first went to Abba Darudi and became a monk.✞In the end, he built a cell next to the Monastery of St. John the Short. There, he bore disciples in the hundreds and served as the abbot. The Saint, who had a unique love for our Lady and St. Athanasius, after living a holy life of several years departed on this day and was buried.
✞During that time a kind man named Maccabee bore 5 sons (the Maccabees). And they were handsome, praised in their conduct and respected in their might.
✞Particularly, the 3 had wrestled with beasts, lions and bears, and were victorious. And they were triumphant over their enemies in battle as well. However, as they knew that all of these were given to them by God, they used to worship their Creator with pure hearts.
✞And during that period, Moabites and Medes used to subjugate the area. Especially, the king of Moab Sirusadin (Tseerutsaydan) from his wickedness used to worship 70 idols carved in the forms of men and women. And beyond that, he used to vex, punish and kill the people saying, “Worship [idols]”.
✞And the Holy Maccabees, when they heard this, went to him. Though they had might with which they could do away with the king, they did not do that. Rather, they approached and rebuked him.
✞And he threw them to lions because they said, “We will not worship idols.” The lions then prostrated before the Saints and killed the king’s soldiers. Hence, he threw the three into prison. And at that time, their two brothers came and joined them.
✞Thereafter, he had all 5 taken out and had them beheaded with a sword. And after they were killed, they were thrown into water and fire. Nevertheless, because the king was not successful, he ordered that their bodies be thrown and not buried. And after 14 days, the bodies of the Saints were found shining like lightning and were buried in honor.
✞Is not the rest of their story written in the Book of Maccabees!
✞✞✞ Abba John Kama (Khame)✞✞✞
=>Saint John Kama was one of the fathers that rose in the Era of the Righteous (particularly in the 5th century). Because the Saint had a wondrous life, he is mentioned widely in the Chronicles of the Fathers. The Synaxarium states, “Kama means Kam/Ham.”
✞And the name “Kam/Ham” is given to people mostly of a darker complexion. And because he was a father from Southern Egypt, which was in ancient times a part of the Ethiopian Empire, it is believed that his lineage might be from Ethiopia.
✞The Saint is widely famed for his celibate life. His good family, after raising him well said to him, “Let us wed you.” And as the Saint was their only child, knowing that if he says no that they would be grieved, sacrificing his joy for the sake of his parents, he was wedded by holy matrimony.
✞And because he desired to live as a celibate, the wise God sanctified his wife as well. During their wedding’s night, St. John Kama asked his beautiful bride that they live celibate and she wept.
✞And the reason was because she also married to gladden her parents and her wish was to live a virgin. Both honoring God for what He had done for them lived in the strife of the celibate life. The Saints sleeping in one bed, on one mat, wearing one blanket, kept their virginity.
✞The God of Demetrius sent them His angel, who used to spend the night between them and cover them with his wings. And to reveal their honor God brought forth a great tree in their house that was not plated by anyone. And at that time, St. John Kama said to his virgin wife, “We had enough of the city life, let us go to the desert.” And because she responded with, “Your will is my will”, after taking her to a convent, he went to the Monastery of Scetes.
✞The Holy Woman because the grace of God abided plentifully in her, used to heal the sick. She then became the abbess of the convent, led and departed in honor. And St. John Kama being directed by a holy angel first went to Abba Darudi and became a monk.✞In the end, he built a cell next to the Monastery of St. John the Short. There, he bore disciples in the hundreds and served as the abbot. The Saint, who had a unique love for our Lady and St. Athanasius, after living a holy life of several years departed on this day and was buried.