After the coming down of the Holy Spirit on the disciples, they spread to preach the kingdom of God. St Matthias the apostle went to a city called Bartus near Galatia and preached there in the name of the Lord. But after certain people accused St Matthias to the governor, he was seized and jailed. While in prison he, along with the other imprisoned Christians prayed to the Lord. The Lord appeared to the Virgin St. Mary His mother to tell her to go to Bartus and He explained to her that St. Matthias was in great trouble in jail. Then the Lord prepared a heavenly cloud which carried the Virgin Mary to the required place.
On her arrival to Bartus, an old woman met her weeping. The women had a sick son whom she had expected St. Matthias to heal. St. Mary promised to pray for the woman’s sick son and they went together to her house. When the woman’s son saw the Virgin St. Mary he was healed. The woman then took St. Mary to the prison where Matthias was.
In the prison, the Virgin St. Mary prayed to God and all the iron therein the city melted, as wax. St. Matthias and the other prisoners were freed and preached to the people in the streets. The jailer then ran to the governor to tell him and the governor ordered him to kill all the prisoners, but he could not obey because there were no swords anywhere in the city: all metal tools had melted away.
Meanwhile, carpenters, ironsmiths and other workers came to the governor to complain that their tools had completely melted away and they could work no longer. The governor inquired if there were any newcomers in the city to cause such a tragedy. He was told that about the Virgin St. Mary and that because of her prayers, all he iron in the city melted.
The governor requested to see the Virgin St. Mary and she came to him along with Matthias. The governor told them that his son was possessed with an unclean spirit and brought him to the Virgin St. Mary who cast out the devil immediately. The governor believed in the Lord and implored the Virgin St. Mary to give the solidity of the iron back. She prayed and the iron of the whole city returned to its former solid state.
Many miracles followed in answer to the prayers of the Virgin St. Mary. The idols that were worshipped in the city fell down before the Virgin and all the people believed in Jesus Christ and asked for baptism. St. Matthias baptised the governor and all the inhabitants of Bartus. So having accomplished her mission, St. Mary went back to Jerusalem on the heavenly cloud that God sent her.
Her holy intercession be with us all and Glory be to our God for ever. Amen
Intercede on our behalf, Queen of us all and Mother of God, Mary the Mother of our Saviour that He may forgive us our sins.