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The first statement of the Papal Delegation
After the papal residence in Deir Anba Rueiss received news of unnatural phenomena occurring in the church of Saint Demiana the Martyr in Papadouplo, Shoubra, Cairo, starting on Tuesday, March 25, 1986 and uptill now (the date of the report), H.H. Pope Shenouda sent several bishops on different days to investigate the matter. His Holiness has also entrusted an official committee for the same purpose.
The committee members met on the eve of Thursday, April 10, 1986 to examine all the reports submitted by the reverend bishops, fathers and monks who have witnessed the apparitions and also reports from a large number of members of the church congregation; the committee members also read all what was written by visitors of the church from different sects who eye-witnessed unnatural spiritual phenomena like:
Repeated apparitions of the Virgin in different forms.
Pigeons and incense over the church.
A very luminous and radiating unnatural light appearing inside the church tower and shining to the outside. The two towers above the church roof do not communicate with the church interior; this light continued even after the electric current was cut from the whole quarter (power outage) for a complete hour during the night of last Friday.
The committee, wanting to verify and document these phenomena thoroughly, addresses all those who have seen any of these unnatural spiritual phenomena to come and present their witnesses to the papal residence.
Let us thank the Lord for this blessing on the people of Egypt and for the repetition of these spiritual phenomena. We would also like to thank the police and the Department of the Interior for their untiring efforts at maintaining safety and good order among the thousands of people who have spent day and night at prayer. We ask all the people to remain calm. Thus they may worthily receive the blessing of the Virgin, of Saint Demiana and of all the saints. May God save our country. We pray that He may guide Egypt and all her children to every success. May this phenomenon be a pledge of well-being for them and for all nations.
Another statement from the Papal Delegation
The Papal Delegation entrusted by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III to investigate the unnatural spiritual phenomena occurring in Saint Demiana church, Shoubra, after examining these phenomena with His Holiness, declares that these apparitions are a blessing for Egypt and a blessing for the Church, and are not new in our era... The apparitions go with the Lord's saying in the book of Isaiah: "Blessed be Egypt my people." The committee, while acknowledging the big efforts of policemen to keep the order among crowds reaching tens of thousands, also thanks the people for receiving these spiritual phenomena with reverence and calmness.
However, due to the current interior state of the country these days, and the fact that this is an examinations season for students, and to let all people concentrate on worship in these last days of the Holy Lent and Week of Passion of our Lord, we ask all our children to take all these matters into consideration when they come to take the blessings of the church, by praying inside and leaving instead of gathering in crowds by night in the surrounding streets.
We are contented to take from these apparitions their blessings, the satisfaction of the saints and the positive action of these matters in our hearts, and at the same time keep the order taking into consideration the current circumstances in our country.
And blessed are those children who obey.
The Papal Delegation
April 16, 1986
Bermuda 8, 1702 A.M.
Source: http://www.zeitun-eg.org/demiana.htm
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