St Sidhom Bishai (martyred 1844)
St Sidhom Bishai was a timber merchant in Alexandria who traveled to Damietta annually, at
least twice, to purchase timber.
He was renowned for his integrity and generosity, demonstrating love and charity towards all.
This saint was also a deacon who had a great affection for churches. He dedicated himself to
maintaining old churches and repairing and restoring them.
He consistently participated in the prayer services at St. George's Church in Damietta.
A Muslim donkey-driver ran into him and started scolding him for not knowing his “dhimmi”
(inferior) status and giving the Muslim driver the right of way.
As crowds gathered around, the Muslim driver falsely accused the Christian of insulting
Muhammad to “get even” with him for not “knowing his place”
St Sidhom Bishay did not pay attention to his words, which provoked the indignation of this
villain, so he directed some boys to attack and insult him.
It happened that the head of muslim clergies was nearby, so they informed him of the matter,
claiming false allegations on the saint. He became angry on the saint and wanted to punish him
He selected two individuals from the group to serve as witnesses, went to court, and the
conviction was made. St Bishai was around 40 years of age at that time
The court ordered him to be summoned, and on his way there, he was physically assaulted by
many people until he arrived.
The judge ordered to torture him with all kinds of torture, so the crowds began to beat him with
sticks painfully, plucking the hair on his head and spitting in his face, until he lost
consciousness.
A Christian man from the town, holding a significant position, attempted to protect him from the
crowd and approached the court again.
In the second time, the judge sentenced him to conversion to Islam or to death, and the
surrounding people took off their shoes and beat him on the face until he was bloodied and left
him between alive and dead.
They imprisoned him in the court, and fear spread through the city, stopping Christians from
coming out of their homes to fulfill their needs.
On the third day, they placed him in handcuffs and alternately promised and threatened him, but
he did not agree with their perspective.
Then they brought him into the governorate office by beating and insulting
The governor sentenced him to what the judge had previously sentenced
He was asked to abjure Christianity and embrace Islam under pain of death. He refused and
was condemned to receive 500 lashes followed by execution
In front of the governor, St Bishay was beaten with shoes and dragged across a staircase until
his facial bones were crushed.
On the fourth day, they fastened cuts of meat with iron clips around him and tied two hungry
dogs and let them fight each other and bite at his flesh.
Then they covered his body with mud and his head with a dirty cloth and made him ride a
donkey backward
They paraded him through the streets as if he was an animal being led to slaughter.
They passed by the Christian quarter, where the church is now, and began to stone the houses
and shops of Christians
The saint never lost his patience but kept invoking the Virgin and Christ
One of his nephews was standing, and the saint instructed him to provide a chair for the lady
who was standing in front of him.
The boy did not see anyone as it was St. Mary who appeared to him to offer comfort.
They mocked him, saying: "Behold, he is calling his wife". Although the man was not married, he
did not bother and did not pay attention to their reproach.
Finally, boiling tar was poured all over his head and face and he gave his immaculate soul into
the hands of the Holy Virgin who was beside him
Many Copts complained to the Khedive, the son of Muhammad Ali Pasha.
To calm them down, he allowed crosses to be raised freely on churches and at Christian
funerals, which was previously forbidden.
They buried him in a special tomb on the church ground, which was a Coptic cemetery,
On the night of his burial, a bright light appeared on his grave, and many collected the grave's
dust for blessings and healing.
His body was discovered in July 1967 and was intact bearing signs of his torture.
He rests today in a glass-fronted shrine in the Cathedral of Saint Mary in Damietta
May his prayers be with us all, Amen
