Mary of Egypt- Christian saint, considered the patroness of repentant women.
The first life of the Venerable Mary was written Sophronius of Jerusalem, and many of the motifs from the life of Mary of Egypt were transferred in medieval legends to Mary Magdalene.

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The Venerable Mary, nicknamed the Egyptian, lived in the middle of the 5th and early 6th centuries. Her youth did not bode well. Mary was only twelve years old when she left her home in the city of Alexandria. Being free from parental supervision, young and inexperienced, Maria became carried away with a vicious life. There was no one to stop her on the path to destruction, and there were many seducers and temptations. So Mary lived in sins for 17 years, until the merciful Lord turned her to repentance.

It happened like this. By coincidence, Mary joined a group of pilgrims heading to the Holy Land. Sailing with pilgrims on the ship, Mary did not stop seducing people and sinning. Once in Jerusalem, she joined the pilgrims heading to the Church of the Resurrection of Christ.

People entered the temple in a wide crowd, but Mary was stopped at the entrance by an invisible hand and could not enter it with any effort. Then she realized that the Lord did not allow her to enter the holy place because of her uncleanness.

Seized with horror and a feeling of deep repentance, she began to pray to God to forgive her sins, promising to radically correct her life. Seeing an icon of the Mother of God at the entrance to the temple, Mary began to ask the Mother of God to intercede for her before God. After this, she immediately felt enlightenment in her soul and entered the temple without hindrance. Shedding copious tears at the Holy Sepulcher, she left the temple as a completely different person.

Mary fulfilled her promise to change her life. From Jerusalem she retired to the harsh and deserted Jordanian desert and there she spent almost half a century in complete solitude, in fasting and prayer. Thus, through severe deeds, Mary of Egypt completely eradicated all sinful desires in herself and made her heart a pure temple of the Holy Spirit.

Elder Zosima, who lived in the Jordan Monastery of St. John the Baptist, by the providence of God, was honored to meet the Venerable Mary in the desert, when she was already an old woman. He was amazed by her holiness and gift of insight. Once he saw her during prayer, as if rising above the earth, and another time, walking across the Jordan River, as if on dry land.

Parting with Zosima, the Monk Mary asked him to come again to the desert a year later to give her communion. The elder returned at the appointed time and communed the Reverend Mary with the Holy Mysteries. Then, coming to the desert another year later in the hope of seeing the saint, he no longer found her alive. The elder buried the remains of St. Mary there in the desert, in which he was helped by a lion, who with his claws dug a hole for burying the body of the righteous woman. This was around 521.

Thus, from a great sinner, the Venerable Mary became, with God’s help, the greatest saint and left such a vivid example of repentance.

Complete Life of Venerable Mary of Egypt

In a Palestinian monastery in the vicinity of Caesarea lived the monk Zosima. Sent to a monastery from childhood, he labored there until he was 53 years old, when he was confused by the thought: “Will there be a holy man in the most distant desert who has surpassed me in sobriety and work?”

As soon as he thought this way, an Angel of the Lord appeared to him and said: “You, Zosimas, have labored well in human measure, but among men there is not a single righteous one (Rom. 3 :10). So that you understand how many other and higher forms of salvation there are, come out of this monastery, like Abraham from his father’s house (Gen. 12 :1), and go to the monastery located by the Jordan."

Abba Zosima immediately left the monastery and, following the Angel, came to the Jordan monastery and settled in it.

Here he saw the elders, truly shining in their exploits. Abba Zosima began to imitate the holy monks in spiritual work.
So a lot of time passed, and the Holy Pentecost approached. There was a custom in the monastery, for the sake of which God brought St. Zosima here. On the first Sunday of Great Lent, the abbot served the Divine Liturgy, everyone partook of the Most Pure Body and Blood of Christ, then ate a small meal and gathered again in the church.

Having made a prayer and the prescribed number of prostrations to the ground, the elders, having asked each other for forgiveness, took a blessing from the abbot and under the general singing of the psalm “The Lord is my enlightenment and my Savior: whom will I fear? The Lord is the Protector of my life: from whom shall I fear?” (Ps. 26 :1) they opened the monastery gates and went into the desert.

Each of them took with him a moderate amount of food, whoever needed what, some did not take anything into the desert at all and ate roots. The monks crossed the Jordan and dispersed as far as possible so as not to see anyone fasting and asceticism.

When Lent ended, the monks returned to the monastery on Palm Sunday with the fruit of their work (Rom. 6 :21-22), having examined your conscience (1 Pet. 3 :16). At the same time, no one asked anyone how he worked and accomplished his feat.

That year, Abba Zosima, according to monastic custom, crossed the Jordan. He wanted to go deeper into the desert to meet some of the saints and great elders who were saving themselves there and praying for peace.

He walked through the desert for 20 days and one day, when he was singing the psalms of the 6th hour and doing the usual prayers, suddenly a shadow of a human body appeared to his right. He was horrified, thinking that he was seeing a demonic ghost, but, having crossed himself, he put aside his fear and, having finished the prayer, turned towards the shadow and saw a naked man walking through the desert, whose body was black from the heat of the sun, and his short, bleached hair turned white like a lamb’s fleece. . Abba Zosima was delighted, since during these days he had not seen a single living creature, and immediately headed in his direction.

But as soon as the naked hermit saw Zosima coming towards him, he immediately began to run away from him. Abba Zosima, forgetting his old age's infirmity and fatigue, quickened his pace. But soon, exhausted, he stopped at a dry stream and began to tearfully beg the retreating ascetic: “Why are you running from me, a sinful old man, saving yourself in this desert? Wait for me, weak and unworthy, and give me your holy prayer and blessing, for the sake of the Lord, who has never disdained anyone.”

The unknown man, without turning around, shouted to him: “Forgive me, Abba Zosima, I cannot, having turned, appear to your face: I am a woman, and, as you can see, I have no clothes on to cover my bodily nakedness. But if you want to pray for me, a great and damned sinner, throw me your cloak to cover yourself, then I can come to you for a blessing.”

“She would not have known me by name if through holiness and unknown deeds she had not acquired the gift of clairvoyance from the Lord,” thought Abba Zosima and hastened to fulfill what was said to him.

Covering herself with a cloak, the ascetic turned to Zosima: “What did you think, Abba Zosima, to talk to me, a sinful and unwise woman? What do you want to learn from me and, sparing no effort, you spent so much work? He, kneeling down, asked her blessing. In the same way, she bowed down before him, and for a long time both of them asked each other: “Bless.” Finally the ascetic said; “Abba Zosima, it is fitting for you to bless and say a prayer, since you have been honored with the rank of presbyterate and for many years, standing at the altar of Christ, you have offered the Holy Gifts to the Lord.”

These words frightened the Monk Zosima even more. With a deep sigh he answered her: “O spiritual mother! It is clear that you, of the two of us, have come closer to God and died for the world. You recognized me by name and called me presbyter, having never seen me before. It is your duty to bless me for the Lord’s sake.”

Finally yielding to Zosima’s stubbornness, the saint said: “Blessed is God, who desires the salvation of all people.” Abba Zosima answered “Amen,” and they rose from the ground. The ascetic again said to the elder: “Why did you come, father, to me, a sinner, devoid of all virtue? However, it is clear that the grace of the Holy Spirit directed you to perform one service that my soul needed. Tell me first, Abba, how do Christians live today, how do the saints of God’s Church grow and prosper?”

Abba Zosima answered her: “Through your holy prayers, God gave the Church and us all perfect peace. But heed the prayer of the unworthy old man, my mother, pray, for God’s sake, for the whole world and for me, a sinner, so that this deserted walk will not be fruitless for me.”

The holy ascetic said: “You should rather, Abba Zosima, having a sacred rank, pray for me and for everyone. That's why you were given the rank. However, I will willingly fulfill everything you commanded me for the sake of obedience to the Truth and from a pure heart.”

Having said this, the saint turned to the east and, lifting her eyes and raising her hands to the sky, began to pray in a whisper. The elder saw how she rose in the air an elbow from the ground. From this wonderful vision, Zosima prostrated himself, praying fervently and not daring to say anything other than “Lord, have mercy!”

A thought came into his soul - was it a ghost leading him into temptation? The venerable ascetic, turning around, lifted him from the ground and said: “Why are you so confused by your thoughts, Abba Zosima? I'm not a ghost. I am a sinful and unworthy woman, although I am protected by holy baptism.”

Having said this, she made the sign of the cross. Seeing and hearing this, the elder fell with tears at the feet of the ascetic: “I beg you, by Christ our God, do not hide your ascetic life from me, but tell it all, in order to make the greatness of God clear to everyone. For I believe in the Lord my God, and by Him you also live, that for this reason I was sent into this desert, so that God would make all your fasting deeds obvious to the world.”

And the holy ascetic said: “I am embarrassed, father, to tell you about my shameless deeds. For then you will have to run from me, closing your eyes and ears, as one runs from a poisonous snake. But still I will tell you, father, without keeping silent about any of my sins, I conjure you, do not stop praying for me, a sinner, so that I will find boldness on the Day of Judgment.

I was born in Egypt and while my parents were still alive, when I was twelve years old, I left them and went to Alexandria. There I lost my chastity and indulged in uncontrollable and insatiable fornication. For more than seventeen years I indulged in sin without restraint and did everything for free. I didn't take money not because I was rich. I lived in poverty and made money from yarn. I thought that the whole meaning of life was to satisfy carnal lust.

While leading such a life, I once saw a multitude of people from Libya and Egypt going to the sea to sail to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. I also wanted to sail with them. But not for the sake of Jerusalem and not for the sake of the holiday, but - forgive me, father - so that there would be more with whom to indulge in debauchery. So I boarded the ship.

Now, father, believe me, I myself am surprised how the sea tolerated my debauchery and fornication, how the earth did not open its mouth and bring me alive to hell, which deceived and destroyed so many souls... But, apparently, God wanted my repentance, not even though the death of the sinner and waiting patiently for conversion.

So I arrived in Jerusalem and all the days before the holiday, as on the ship, I was engaged in bad deeds.

When the holy holiday of the Exaltation of the Venerable Cross of the Lord arrived, I still walked around, catching the souls of young people in sin. Seeing that everyone went to the church very early, where the Life-Giving Tree was located, I went with everyone and entered the church vestibule. When the hour of the Holy Exaltation arrived, I wanted to enter the church with all the people. Having made my way to the doors with great difficulty, I, damned, tried to squeeze inside. But as soon as I stepped on the threshold, some divine force stopped me, not allowing me to enter, and threw me far from the door, while all the people walked unhindered. I thought that, perhaps, due to female weakness, I could not squeeze through the crowd, and again I tried to push the people away with my elbows and make my way to the door. No matter how hard I worked, I couldn’t get in. As soon as my foot touched the church threshold, I stopped. The church accepted everyone, did not forbid anyone to enter, but I, the accursed one, was not allowed in. This happened three or four times. My strength is exhausted. I walked away and stood in the corner of the church porch.

Then I felt that it was my sins that prevented me from seeing the Life-Giving Tree, my heart was touched by the grace of the Lord, I began to sob and began to beat my chest in repentance. As I lifted up sighs to the Lord from the depths of my heart, I saw before me an icon of the Most Holy Theotokos and turned to her with a prayer: “O Virgin, Lady, who gave birth to God the Word in the flesh! I know that I am unworthy to look at Your icon. It is righteous for me, a hated harlot, to be rejected from Your purity and to be an abomination to You, but I also know that for this purpose God became man, in order to call sinners to repentance. Help me, Most Pure One, may I be allowed to enter the church. Do not forbid me to see the Tree on which the Lord was crucified in His flesh, shedding His innocent Blood for me, a sinner, for my deliverance from sin. Command, Lady, that the doors of the holy worship of the Cross may be opened for me too. Be my valiant Guarantor to Him who was born of You. I promise You from now on not to defile myself any more with any carnal defilement, but as soon as I see the Tree of the Cross of Your Son, I will renounce the world and immediately go to where You, as the Surety, will guide me.”

And when I prayed like that, I suddenly felt that my prayer had been heard. In the tenderness of faith, hoping in the Merciful Mother of God, I again joined those entering the temple, and no one pushed me aside or prevented me from entering. I walked in fear and trembling until I reached the door and was honored to see the Life-giving Cross of the Lord.

This is how I learned the mysteries of God and that God is ready to accept those who repent. I fell to the ground, prayed, kissed the shrines and left the temple, hastening to appear again before my Surety, where I had made a promise. Kneeling before the icon, I prayed like this before it:

“Oh, our Benevolent Lady and Mother of God! You did not abhor my unworthy prayer. Glory to God, who accepts the repentance of sinners through You. The time has come for me to fulfill the promise in which You were the Guarantor. Now, Lady, guide me on the path of repentance.”

And so, not yet finishing my prayer, I hear a voice, as if speaking from afar: “If you cross the Jordan, you will find blissful peace.”

I immediately believed that this voice was for me, and, crying, I exclaimed to the Mother of God: “Lady Lady, do not leave me, a nasty sinner, but help me,” and immediately left the church vestibule and walked away. One man gave me three copper coins. With them I bought myself three loaves of bread and from the seller I learned the way to the Jordan.

At sunset I reached the Church of St. John the Baptist near the Jordan. Having bowed first of all in the church, I immediately went down to the Jordan and washed his face and hands with holy water. Then I took communion in the Church of St. John the Baptist of the Most Pure and Life-Giving Mysteries of Christ, ate half of one of my breads, washed it down with holy Jordanian water and slept that night on the ground near the temple. The next morning, having found a small canoe not far away, I crossed the river in it to the other bank and again fervently prayed to my Mentor that She would direct me as She herself would please. Immediately after that I came to this desert.”

Abba Zosima asked the monk: “How many years, my mother, have passed since you settled in this desert?” “I think,” she answered, “47 years have passed since I left the Holy City.”

Abba Zosima asked again: “What do you have or what do you find for food here, my mother?” And she answered: “I had two and a half loaves with me when I crossed the Jordan, little by little they dried up and turned to stone, and, eating little by little, I ate from them for many years.”

Abba Zosima asked again: “Have you really been without illness for so many years? And didn’t you accept any temptations from sudden excuses and temptations?” “Believe me, Abba Zosima,” answered the saint, “I spent 17 years in this desert, as if with fierce beasts, struggling with my thoughts... When I began to eat food, the thought of meat and fish immediately came to me, to which I I'm used to it in Egypt. I also wanted wine, because I drank a lot of it when I was out in the world. Here, often without simple water and food, I suffered fiercely from thirst and hunger. I also suffered more severe disasters: I was overcome by the desire for fornicating songs, as if I heard them, confusing my heart and ears. Crying and beating my chest, I then remembered the vows that I made while going into the desert, before the icon of the Holy Mother of God, my Handmaid, and cried, begging to drive away the thoughts that were tormenting my soul. When repentance was accomplished through prayer and crying, I saw a Light shining from everywhere, and then, instead of a storm, a great silence surrounded me.

Forgone thoughts, forgive me, Abba, how can I confess them to you? A passionate fire flared up inside my heart and scorched me all over, arousing lust. When cursed thoughts appeared, I threw myself to the ground and seemed to see that the Most Holy Surety Herself was standing before me and judging me for breaking my promise. So I did not get up, lying prostrate day and night on the ground, until repentance was accomplished again and I was surrounded by the same blessed Light, driving away evil confusion and thoughts.

This is how I lived in this desert for the first seventeen years. Darkness after darkness, misfortune after misfortune befell me, a sinner. But from that time until now, the Mother of God, my Helper, guides me in everything.”

Abba Zosima asked again: “Did you really need neither food nor clothing here?”

She answered: “My bread ran out, as I said, in these seventeen years. After that, I began to eat roots and what I could find in the desert. The dress that I was wearing when I crossed the Jordan had long been torn and decayed, and then I had to endure a lot and suffer from both the heat, when the heat scorched me, and the winter, when I was shaking from the cold. How many times have I fallen to the ground as if dead. How many times have I been in immeasurable struggle with various misfortunes, troubles and temptations? But from that time until this day, the power of God has protected my sinful soul and humble body in unknown and varied ways. I was nourished and covered by the word of God, which contains all things (Deut. 8 :3), for man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word of God (Matt. 4 :4 ; OK. 4 :4), and those who have no covering will be clothed with stone (Job. 24 :8), if they put off the garment of sin (Col. 3 :9). As I remembered how much evil and what sins the Lord had delivered me from, I found inexhaustible food in that.”

When Abba Zosima heard that the holy ascetic was speaking from the Holy Scriptures in memory - from the books of Moses and Job and from the Psalms of David - then he asked the venerable one: “Where, my mother, did you learn the psalms and other Books?”

She smiled after listening to this question and answered: “Believe me, man of God, I have not seen a single person except you since I crossed the Jordan. I had never studied books before, I had never heard church singing or Divine reading. Unless the Word of God itself, living and all-creative, teaches man all understanding (Col. 3 :16 ; 2 Pet. 1 :21 ; 1 Thess. 2 :13). However, enough, I have already confessed my whole life to you, but where I began is where I end: I conjure you as the incarnation of God the Word - pray, holy Abba, for me, a great sinner.

And I also adjure you, by our Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ, that you do not tell anything that you have heard from me until God takes me from the earth. And do what I tell you now. Next year, during Lent, do not go beyond the Jordan, as your monastic custom commands.”

Again Abba Zosima was surprised that their monastic order was known to the holy ascetic, although he did not say a single word about it to her.

“Stay, Abba,” the saint continued, “in the monastery. However, even if you want to leave the monastery, you will not be able... And when the holy Great Thursday of the Lord’s Last Supper comes, put the Life-giving Body and Blood of Christ our God into the holy vessel and bring it to me. Wait for me on the other side of the Jordan, at the edge of the desert, so that when I come, I will receive communion of the Holy Mysteries. And say to Abba John, abbot of your monastery: take heed to yourself and to your flock (1 Tim. 4 :16). However, I don’t want you to tell him this now, but when the Lord indicates.”

Having said this and asking for prayers again, the saint turned and went into the depths of the desert.

All year Elder Zosima remained in silence, not daring to reveal to anyone what the Lord had revealed to him, and he diligently prayed that the Lord would grant him the privilege of seeing the holy ascetic once again.

When the first week of Holy Great Lent began again, the Monk Zosima, due to illness, had to remain in the monastery. Then he remembered the prophetic words of the saint that he would not be able to leave the monastery. After several days, the Monk Zosima was healed of his illness, but still remained in the monastery until Holy Week.

The day of remembering the Last Supper has approached. Then Abba Zosima fulfilled what he was commanded - late in the evening he left the monastery to the Jordan and sat down on the shore, waiting. The saint hesitated, and Abba Zosima prayed to God that He would not deprive him of a meeting with the ascetic.

Finally the saint came and stood on the other side of the river. Rejoicing, the Monk Zosima stood up and glorified God. A thought occurred to him: how could she get across the Jordan without a boat? But the saint, having crossed the Jordan with the sign of the cross, quickly walked on the water. When the elder wanted to bow to her, she forbade him, shouting from the middle of the river: “What are you doing, Abba? After all, you are a priest, a bearer of the great Mysteries of God.”

Having crossed the river, the monk said to Abba Zosima: “Bless, father.” He answered her with trepidation, horrified by the wondrous vision: “Truly God is not lying, who promised to liken to Himself all those who purify themselves, as far as possible, to mortals. Glory to Thee, Christ our God, who showed me through His holy servant how far I fall from the standard of perfection.”

After this, the saint asked him to read “I Believe” and “Our Father.” At the end of the prayer, she, having communed the Holy Terrible Mysteries of Christ, stretched out her hands to heaven and with tears and trembling said the prayer of St. Simeon the God-Receiver: “Now do You let Your servant go, O Master, according to Your word in peace, for my eyes have seen Your salvation.”

Then the monk again turned to the elder and said: “Forgive me, Abba, and fulfill my other desire. Go now to your monastery, and next year come to that dried-up stream where we first talked to you.” “If it were possible for me,” answered Abba Zosima, “to continually follow you to behold your holiness!” The venerable woman again asked the elder: “Pray, for the Lord’s sake, pray for me and remember my curse.” And, making the sign of the cross over the Jordan, she, as before, walked across the waters and disappeared into the darkness of the desert. And Elder Zosima returned to the monastery in spiritual jubilation and awe, and reproached himself for one thing: that he had not asked the name of the saint. But he hoped next year to finally find out her name.

A year passed, and Abba Zosimas again went into the desert. Praying, he reached a dry stream, on the eastern side of which he saw a holy ascetic. She lay dead, with her arms folded, as it should be, on her chest, her face turned to the East. Abba Zosima washed her feet with his tears, not daring to touch her body, wept for a long time over the deceased ascetic and began to sing psalms appropriate for mourning the death of the righteous, and read funeral prayers. But he doubted whether the saint would be pleased if he buried her. As soon as he thought this, he saw that at its head there was an inscription: “Bury, Abba Zosima, in this place the body of the humble Mary. Give dust to dust. Pray to the Lord for me, who reposed in the month of April on the first day, on the very night of Christ’s saving suffering, after communion of the Divine Last Supper.”

Having read this inscription, Abba Zosima was at first surprised who could have made it, for the ascetic herself did not know how to read and write. But he was glad to finally know her name. Abba Zosima understood that the Venerable Mary, having received the Holy Mysteries on the Jordan from his hands, in an instant walked her long desert path, which he, Zosima, had walked for twenty days, and immediately departed to the Lord.

Having glorified God and wet the earth and the body of the Venerable Mary with tears, Abba Zosima said to himself: “It’s time for you, Elder Zosima, to do what you were commanded. But how can you, damned one, dig up a grave without having anything in your hands?” Having said this, he saw a fallen tree lying nearby in the desert, took it and began to dig. But the ground was too dry, no matter how much he dug, sweating profusely, he could not do anything. Straightening up, Abba Zosima saw a huge lion near the body of the Venerable Mary, who was licking her feet. The elder was overcome with fear, but he made the sign of the cross, believing that he would remain unharmed by the prayers of the holy ascetic. Then the lion began to caress the elder, and Abba Zosima, inflamed in spirit, ordered the lion to dig a grave in order to bury the body of Saint Mary. At his word, the lion dug a ditch with its paws, in which the body of the saint was buried. Having fulfilled his will, each went his own way: the lion into the desert, and Abba Zosima into the monastery, blessing and praising Christ our God.

Arriving at the monastery, Abba Zosima told the monks and the abbot what he had seen and heard from the Venerable Mary. Everyone was amazed, hearing about the greatness of God, and with fear, faith and love they established the memory of the Venerable Mary and honor the day of her repose. Abba John, abbot of the monastery, according to the word of the monk, with God’s help, corrected what needed to be done in the monastery. Abba Zosima, having lived a godly life in the same monastery and not quite reaching the age of one hundred, ended his temporary life here, passing into eternal life.

Thus, the ancient ascetics of the glorious monastery of the holy, all-praised Forerunner of the Lord John, located on the Jordan, conveyed to us the wondrous story of the life of the Venerable Mary of Egypt. This story was not originally written down by them, but was reverently passed on by the holy elders from mentors to disciples.

“I,” says Saint Sophronius, Archbishop of Jerusalem (March 11), the first descriptor of the Life, “what I received in my turn from the holy fathers, have committed everything to written history.

May God, who works great miracles and rewards with great gifts all who turn to Him with faith, reward both those who read and listen, and those who conveyed this story to us, and grant us a good share with the blessed Mary of Egypt and with all the saints, who have pleased God with their thoughts of God and their labors from centuries. Let us also give glory to God the Eternal King, and let us also be granted mercy on the Day of Judgment in Christ Jesus our Lord; to Him belongs all glory, honor, and power, and worship with the Father, and the Most Holy and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever and forever and ever, amen.

- This is the saint of the Christian religion. She happens to be patroness of penitent girls. The first story of Mary's life was published by Sophronius of Jerusalem, and most of the information from the life of Mary of Egypt was transferred to medieval times. legends about Mary Magdalene.

In the article you will see icons of Mary of Egypt, as well as photos of Mary of Egypt, and find out on what day the saint’s memory is honored.

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Righteous life

Mary fulfilled her vows and began a completely different life. From Jerusalem she went to the deserted and gloomy desert of Jordan and there she spent about 50 years in complete solitude, in intense prayer.

Thus, through careful and regular labors, Mary of Egypt was able to remove sins and transgressions and made her heart and soul a real holy temple for the Holy Spirit.

Elder Zosima, who was located in the Jordanian desert at the monastery of St. John the Baptist, doubled his faith in the Lord when he met Saint Mary in the desert. At this time, Mary of Egypt was already at an advanced age. He was surprised at her unusual holiness and gift of foresight.

Once he saw her in the process of prayer, as if elevated above the surface of the earth, and the next time, when she was heading across the Jordan River, she walked at that time as if on dry land.

At the moment of parting with Zosima, Saint Mary asked him to come here again in one year to perform before her. The elder complied with the request and returned exactly after the specified time and administered the sacrament to St. Mary. Then, returning to the desert another year later in the hope of meeting the saint again, he no longer found her alive. The elder buried the remains of St. Mary of Egypt in the desert. In this he was helped by the lion himself, who, with his strong claws, dug a hole for the burial of the body of the holy seer. This happened around 521.

Thus, from a girl shrouded in sins, Mary, with the help of the Lord, turned into a great saint and left behind a very useful example for repentance to the Lord.

Having fulfilled their prayer and the required number of bows to the ground, the elders, asking forgiveness from each other, began to ask for blessings from the abbot and, to the general singing of a psalm, opened the gates of the monastery so that they could then go into the desert.

Everyone took with them the right amount of food, whatever they wanted. Some did not take anything with them at all and ate only roots. The monks departed from the Jordan and settled as far as possible from it, so as not to watch someone fasting and asceticism.

At a time when Lent was coming to an end, the monks went back to the Jordan monastery for Palm Sunday along with the fruit of their work, having tested their souls. Despite all this, no one asked others how they prayed and did good deeds.

At this time and Abba Zosima According to monastic traditions, he crossed the Jordan. He longed to go as far as possible in the desert in order to find one of the great saints or elders saving themselves there and praying for the unity of soul and body.

He walked through the desert for 20 days and one day When he continued to sing psalms for about six hours and said simple prayers, suddenly to his right he noticed a real shadow of a man. He became scared, because he decided that he saw a tribe of demons in front of him, but, having crossed himself several times, he put aside all his fears and, having finished one of the prayers to the Lord, turned towards the shadow and saw a naked man walking through the desert. The body was completely black from the sun's heat, and the short, burnt hair became white, like a lamb's fleece. Avva Zosima became happy, because during this time he did not meet a single living person or even an animal on his way, and at the same time he went to meet the creature.

But at the same moment the naked man saw Zosima approaching him, he began to run away. Abba Zosima forgot both his old age and complete fatigue, and began to move faster and faster. But soon, in complete exhaustion, Zosima stopped by a dry stream and began to ask in tears to the departing man: “Why are you running away from me, a sinful old man, fleeing in this sultry desert? Wait, wait for me, an unworthy and weak old man, and give me your prayer and blessing, for the sake of Christ, who never disdained anyone.”

The unknown man did not even turn around, but shouted back: “Forgive me, Abba Zosima, turning to appear before your face: I am a woman, and, as you can see, I have no clothes on to cover my nakedness.” But if you want to pray to me, the great sinner, then throw me your cloak for shelter so that I can approach you for your blessing.”

“She would not have known my name if holiness and great deeds were not hidden in her, which were given to her from Christ himself,” Zosima decided and hastened to fulfill the demand given to him.

Covering herself under her cloak, the saint turned to Zosima: “What have you decided, Zosima, to talk to me, a woman full of sins and unwise in words? What do you want to learn from me and, without sparing your labors and efforts, spend so much of your time on me?” At this time, he bowed his knees, began to forgive her blessings. At the same moment, the saint bowed before him, and for a long time they asked each other: “Bless.” Finally, the saint said: “Abba Zosima, blessing and prayer are due to you, since you are honored by the very rank of presbyterate and for a long time, standing before the altar of Christ, you bring great gifts to the Almighty.”

These words became even more terrible for Zosima. Afterwards the saint said: “Blessed is God, who desires salvation for all people on earth.” Avva answered this: . And they simultaneously rose from the surface of the earth. The ascetic once again asked Zosima: “Why did you come here, to me, a sinner in whom there is no virtuous power? Although, apparently, the grace of the Holy Spirit instructed you to perform one church service that is needed for my soul. Tell me first, Abba, how do Christians live, how do they grow and achieve prosperity for the saints who are in God’s Church?”

Abba Zosima told her: “With your strong prayers, God gave the Church and all of us real and righteous peace. But listen to the unworthy old man, my mother, and pray for Christ’s sake for all nations and for me, a sinner, for only then will this walk bear real fruit.”

The saint replied: “You rather need, Abba Zosima, having an order of a sacred nature, to pray to the Lord for me and those around me. This is why you were given the rank. Although, everything you commanded me will be willingly done for the sake of obedience to the truth and from my purest heart.”

Having said these words, the saint turned towards the east and, raising her hands high, began to quietly pray. The elder noticed how the saint rose into the air a full cubit from the surface of the earth. From this strange and unusual event, Zosima fell to his knees, began to pray earnestly and did not dare to say anything except, Lord, have mercy!

A doubt came into his soul - was it a ghost leading him into some kind of temptation and instructing him in sin? The holy ascetic, turning around, lifted him from the ground and answered: “Why, Zosima, are you so embarrassed by good works? I'm not a ghost at all. I am just a woman, unworthy and full of sins, although I have found something sacred.”

Having said these words, she betrayed herself with the Cross. Seeing and hearing these speeches, the elder fell in tears at the feet of the ascetic: “I beg you, by Christ, Our Master, do not hide your holy life from me, but tell it all in order to make the appearance of God clear to everyone. For I see faith in my Master God, and you live by it; it is for this that I was sent to this desert, so that all your ascetic deeds would make God obvious to the whole world.”

Conclusion

Whether this is really so is up to you to decide. But in any case, religion, as well as psychology, say to eliminate feelings of guilt and sin, you need to truly desire it and admit yourself guilty, and should also try to do everything possible to get rid of feelings of harmful consequences. Day Mary's memory is celebrated on April 1 according to the traditions of the Orthodox Church.

On the 5th Sunday of Great Lent, the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates the memory of the great saint, patroness of all repentant sinners, St. Mary of Egypt. On Wednesday evening of the 5th week of Great Lent in churches, when on Thursday morning they perform the Great Canon of St. Andrei Kritsky - “Mary’s Standing” - read her life. “Parishioner” decided to use illustrations to remind its readers the main moments of her life as a saint.

Venerable Mary of Egypt

We do not know the exact date and place of birth of Mary of Egypt. But we know and remember her great spiritual feat: after a 17-year vicious life, she not only managed to realize her sin, but also atoned for it with her 47-year seclusion in the Judean desert. Without communication with people, almost without food, without clothes, she cleansed her soul and approached God. And although we know many names of great hermits and hermits, it is difficult to find anyone whose spiritual feat is comparable to what the Venerable Mary of Egypt accomplished.

Before you is Alexandria, a city founded in 322 BC. the great conqueror Alexander the Great. Having arrived here at the age of 12, Mary set foot on the path of vice - she became a harlot. At the same time, she rarely took money for fornication, giving herself over to vice not only with her body, but also with her soul. And Mary lived this prodigal life in Alexandria for 17 years.

But one day on the pier she saw a crowd of pilgrims who were about to sail to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Mary decided to sail with them, though not for pious reasons, but wanting to engage in fornication with the pilgrims on the ship and then in Jerusalem. But, having reached the city, she decided, along with other pilgrims, to go to the Jerusalem Temple of the Resurrection of Christ. It is better known as the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, as it is located on the spot where, according to the Holy Scriptures, Jesus Christ was crucified, buried and resurrected.

And a miracle happened to Mary there. Pilgrims crowded into the Temple, but Mary could not cross its threshold. Over and over again she tried to enter the Temple, but an unknown force prevented her from doing so. Mary realized that the Lord himself would not allow her into His Temple because of her sinful, prodigal life. And when she realized this, she began to pray in front of the icon of the Virgin Mary, which was located on a raised platform in the vestibule of the Temple. In her prayer, she asked the Mother of God to become her intercessor before the Lord, promising to change her life and atone for the sin of fornication. And her prayer was heard. Mary was able to go inside and pray to the Life-Giving Cross. Leaving the Temple, she again began to pray in front of the icon of the Virgin Mary, and at that moment she heard a voice: “If you cross the Jordan, you will find the peace you desire.” And then Mary decided to break with her past life and go into the desert to live and pray alone.

Mary of Egypt in the desert

But before leaving for the desert, Mary took communion in the Church of John the Baptist, located 8 kilometers from the Dead Sea and 30 km from Jerusalem. By the way, before this, in Jerusalem, some stranger (perhaps it was an Angel of the Lord) gave her several coins, with which Mary bought herself three loaves of bread. Having received Holy Communion and taken bread, she crossed the Jordan River and went into the desert. And there she lived in prayer, eating only wild roots, for 47 years!

At the same time, for the first 17 years, Maria struggled greatly with demons: she was haunted by prodigal passions and memories of her past life. But then the demons retreated.

First meeting with Elder Zosima

The history of this meeting is well known to all believers. Maria met Elder Zosima when she was 76 years old, and Elder Zosima was 53 years old. By that time, he had already been asceticizing for several years at the Jordan Monastery of St. John the Baptist.

Traditionally, during the days of Great Lent, the monks of the monastery went into the desert. Zosima also went. He had been walking for 20 days when he suddenly saw a strange creature, which he initially mistook for a demon: without clothes, incredibly thin and almost blackened by the sun.

This was Maria. At first she tried to run away - after all, she had not seen a single human face for 47 years. But the elder turned to her with a request not to run away. Maria, calling Zosima by name, hid from the elder behind the stones and asked him to give her some of her clothes, because her own had completely decayed over the years. Zosima handed her a piece of himation, a fabric used as outerwear.

And later, Maria, at the request of Abba Zosima, told him the story of her life. When they parted, she asked the elder to come to her in a year and bring the Holy Gifts with her, so that she could partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ.

Communion of Mary of Egypt

Miracles of Mary of Egypt

Elder Zosima fulfilled Mary’s request and a year later came to her again. He communed her with the Holy Mysteries of Christ.

During these two meetings, the elder several times witnessed miracles performed by the holy hermit. Once, during a story about her life and prayer, Maria amazed Zosima by rising above the ground by an elbow.

The second meeting they found themselves on opposite sides of the Jordan River. Zosima began to think about how the saint would get to the other side, and at that moment Mary of Egypt crossed the river as if on earth. Seeing the hermit walking on the water, Zosima was so shocked that he wanted to fall on his knees and bow to Mary, but she shouted from the middle of the river: “What are you doing, Abba? After all, you are a priest, a bearer of the great Mysteries of God.”.

After Abba Zosima communed her with the Holy Mysteries, Mary said the prayer of Saint Simeon the God-Receiver: “ Now do You let Thy servant go, O Master, in peace, according to Thy word, for my eyes have seen Thy salvation" And when they parted, she asked Elder Zosima to come in a year to the place where they once met for the first time.

Elder Zosima buries Mary of Egypt

A year later, as promised, Elder Zosima set off on a journey to see Mary of Egypt again. Twenty days of travel - and Abba Zosima came to a dry stream. And there he saw the holy ascetic lying dead on the ground with her hands folded on her chest.

At her head an inscription was inscribed in the sand: “ Bury, Abba Zosimo, in this place the body of the humble Mary, give ashes to ashes. Pray to God for me, who died in the month, in Egyptian Farmufius, in Roman April, on the first day, on the night of the saving Passion of Christ, after communion of the Divine Mysteries" Abba Zosima stood shocked. And no wonder! Firstly, he only now found out the name of the hermit. Secondly, he was amazed when he saw the inscription itself - after all, according to Mary herself, she could neither read nor write. And thirdly, standing over her body, he realized that Mary had died a year ago, after he gave her communion, but in some miraculous way her body was transferred to the place of their first meeting.

Wanting to fulfill the last will of the holy hermit, Elder Zosima tried to dig a grave with a piece of wood that he found nearby. But the ground in the desert was hard as stone, and he realized that he was unable to dig even a small hole. Looking up, Abba Zosima saw next to Mary’s body a huge lion, which was licking the saint’s feet. At first the elder was very frightened, but then, making the sign of the cross over himself, he turned to the lion: “The Great One ordered to bury her body, and I am old and unable to dig a grave, so if you do the work with your claws, we will give the holy tabernacle of death to the earth.”. The lion, apparently sent by the Lord to help the elder, obeyed Zosima and with his claws dug a hole large enough to bury Mary.

So Abba Zosima buried the great desert woman Mary of Egypt. Then he set off on his way back, and the huge lion went into the desert. According to various sources, the great ascetic and desert woman Mary of Egypt died in 521 or 522.

The Holy Church remembers the great saint, Venerable Mary of Egypt, three times a year:

2. At the service on Thursday of the 5th week of Lent, which is called the “Standing of Mary of Egypt.” On Wednesday evening in all churches the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete is read, as well as the canon of St. Mary and her life (this is perhaps the only life that is now read in the Church during services). The Church on this day offers believers the most powerful images of repentance.

3. On the fifth Sunday (week) of Lent. Let us recall that the 1st week is dedicated to the Triumph of Orthodoxy, the 2nd - to St. Gregory Palamas, the 3rd - to the Adoration of the Cross, the 4th - to St. John, the author of the famous "Ladder", the 5th - to St. Mary of Egypt, the 6th - The Lord's entry into Jerusalem. This is where the memory of the Venerable Mary stands!

Who was she? A great sinner, a harlot, insatiable in sin, she lived in Alexandria, famous for its luxury and vices. The grace of God and the intercession of the Mother of God turned her to repentance, and her repentance surpassed in strength both her sins and the idea of ​​what was possible for human nature. The Reverend spent 47 years in the desert, of which for 17 years (exactly as much as she sinned) she waged a fierce struggle with the passions that overwhelmed her, until the Grace of God cleansed her, until she washed and brightened her soul to the state of an angel. The holy elder Zosima, who, by the will of God, revealed the ascetic to people, lived in a very strict monastery, was one of the most severe ascetics in this monastery, but he was amazed at the degree of holiness that the Venerable Mary possessed during her lifetime. During prayer, she rose above the ground; walked on water as if on dry land; she repeated the lines of the Holy Scripture and reasoned like an enlightened theologian, although she had never been able to read and had never heard the word of God; she was almost incorporeal and ate only what the desert provided. Truly, what Zosima saw exceeded not only simply human, but also monastic concepts. And at the same time, she did not stop crying about her sins and considering herself the most sinful in the eyes of God.

The life of the Venerable Mary of Egypt was and is one of the most beloved readings of the Russian people (like the life of Saint Alexis, the man of God). Her life, similar to a fairy tale, but without raising doubts about its reality, invariably touches the reader; reminds him of the immeasurable mercy of God, and on the other hand, of the need for his own great efforts to clarify and change his soul so that there is nothing in it that is contrary to God, so that God would be pleased to dwell in it.

There is no sin that God’s Mercy cannot forgive if sincere, sincere repentance, achieved through tears, is brought for this sin. Conversely, a sin that is insignificant by human standards, but not unrepentant, can block the soul from entering the Kingdom of Heaven. The memory of the life of Mary of Egypt encourages sinners and warns those who are careless about the salvation of the soul - this is the lesson that the Holy Church gives us in the life of the Venerable Church.

It is proper to keep a king’s secret (Tov. 12:7), and it is commendable to announce the works of God. This is what the angel said to Tobit after the miraculous insight of his eyes and after the hardships he endured, from which Tobit, by his piety, was then delivered. For to divulge the king’s secret is dangerous and destructive, but to remain silent about the wonderful deeds of God harms the soul. Therefore, fearing to keep silent about the Divine and fearing the fate of a slave who, having received a talent from his master, buried it in the ground (See: Matt. 25: 14-30) and hid what was given to him for use without spending it, I will not conceal what has reached me of sacred tradition. Let everyone believe in my word, which conveys what I happened to hear, and let him not think, amazed at the greatness of what happened, that I am embellishing something. May I not deviate from the truth and may I not distort it in my word where God is mentioned. It is not fitting, I think, to belittle the greatness of the incarnate God the Word, being tempted by the truth of the traditions conveyed about Him. To the people who will read this entry of mine and, amazed at the wonderful thing that is captured in it, will not want to believe it, may the Lord be merciful, for, starting from the imperfection of human nature, they consider everything incredible that is above human understanding.

Next, I will move on to my story about what happened in our times, and what was told by the holy man, accustomed from childhood to speak and do what is pleasing to God. Let not the infidel be seduced by the misconception that such great miracles do not happen in our days. For the grace of the Lord, descending from generation to generation on holy souls, prepares, according to the word of Solomon (Wis. 7:27), friends of the Lord and prophets. However, it is time to begin to honor this narrative.

In one Palestinian monastery in the vicinity of Caesarea, a certain monk named Zosima labored, equally adorned in deed and word, who was almost raised from the veil in monastic custom and labors.

While going through the field of asceticism, he strengthened himself in all humility, observed every rule set in this school of asceticism by its mentors, and he voluntarily prescribed many things for himself, striving to subordinate the flesh to the spirit. And the elder achieved his chosen goal, for he became so famous as a spiritual man that many brothers constantly came to him from nearby, and often from distant monasteries, to be strengthened for feat by his instruction. And although he was devoted to active virtue, he always reflected on the word of God, both when he went to bed, and when he got up from sleep, and when he was busy with handicrafts, and when he happened to eat food. If you want to know what kind of food he was satisfied with, then I will tell you that he was constantly singing psalms and meditating on the Holy Scriptures. They say that the elder was often rewarded with Divine visions, for he received illumination from above. For “whoever does not defile the flesh and is always sober, sees divine visions with the waking eye of the soul and receives eternal blessings as a reward.”

However, in the 53rd year of his life, Zosima began to be embarrassed by the thought that, due to his perfection, he no longer needed mentoring. He reasoned: “Is there a monk on earth who could teach me something or be able to instruct me in a feat that I do not know and in which I have not practiced? Is there anyone among the desert dwellers greater than me in active life or contemplative life? ?" One day, a certain man appears to the elder and says to him: “Zosima, you have labored gloriously, as far as is humanly possible, and have gloriously completed the monastic career. However, no one achieves perfection, and the feat awaiting him is more difficult than what has already been accomplished, although the person does not know this. So that You have realized how many other roads to salvation there are; leave this monastery, like Abraham did from his father’s house (Gen. 12:1), and go to a monastery near the Jordan River.”

Immediately the elder, in accordance with this command, leaves the monastery in which he had lived since infancy, approaches the holy river, and, guided by the same husband who had previously appeared to him, finds the monastery that God has prepared for him to live in.

Knocking on the door, he sees the gatekeeper, who informs the abbot of his arrival. He, having received the elder and seeing that he humbly bows according to monastic custom and asks to pray for him, asks: “Where and why did you come, brother, to these humble elders?” Zosima replies: “There is no need to say where I came from; I came, father, for the sake of spiritual edification, for I heard about your glorious and praiseworthy life, which can bring you spiritually closer to Christ, our God.” The abbot told him: “The only God, my brother, heals human weakness, and He will reveal to you and us His Divine will and instruct us in how to act. Man cannot instruct a person unless he himself is constantly zealous for spiritual benefit and prudently strive to do what is right, hoping in this for the help of God. However, if love for God moved you, as you say, to come to us, humble elders, stay here, since you came for this, and the Good Shepherd, who gave your soul as a ransom ours and the one who calls his sheep by name, will feed us all with the grace of the Holy Spirit.”

When he finished, Zosima bowed before him again and, asking the abbot to pray for him and saying “Amen,” he remained in that monastery. He saw how the elders, renowned for their active life and contemplation, served God: the psalmody in the monastery never ceased and lasted all night, the monks always had some kind of work in their hands, and psalms on their lips, no one uttered an idle word, caring for the transitory were not disturbed; annual profits and care for everyday sorrows were not even known by name in the monastery. Everyone’s only desire was for everyone to be dead physically, for he died and ceased to exist for the world and everything worldly. Divinely inspired words were the constant source of food there, but the monks supported the body only with the most necessary things - bread and water, for everyone burned with love for God. Zosima, having seen their life, was jealous of an even greater feat, accepting increasingly difficult labors, and found companions who worked diligently in the heliport of the Lord.

Many days have passed, and the time has come when Christians observe Lent, preparing to honor the passion of the Lord and His Resurrection. The monastery gates no longer opened and were constantly locked so that the monks could accomplish their feat without interference. It was forbidden to open the gates, except in those rare cases when an outside monk came for some business. After all, the place was deserted, inaccessible and almost unknown to the neighboring monks. From time immemorial, a rule was observed in the monastery, because of which, I believe, God brought Zosima here. What this rule is and how it was observed, I will now tell you. On Sunday before the beginning of the first week of Lent, according to custom, communion was taught, and everyone partook of the pure and life-giving Mysteries and, as is customary, ate a little from the food; everyone then gathered in the temple again, and after a long prayer, performed on a kneeling position, the elders kissed each other, each of them bowed to the abbot, asking for his blessing for the upcoming feat. At the end of these rituals, the monks opened the gates and sang the psalm in unison: The Lord is my enlightenment and my savior: whom will I fear? The Lord is the protector of my life: from whom shall I fear? (Ps. 26:1) - and everyone left the monastery, leaving someone there not to guard their property (for they had nothing that could attract thieves), but so as not to leave the church unattended.

Everyone stocked up on what they could and what they wanted from edibles: one took as much bread as he needed, another - dried figs, a third - dates, a fourth - soaked beans; some took with them nothing but rags to cover their bodies, and when they were hungry, they ate their food from herbs growing in the desert. They had a rule and an immutably observed law that one monk should not know how another monk strives and what he is doing. As soon as they crossed the Jordan, everyone moved far away from each other, scattered throughout the desert, and one did not approach the other. If anyone from a distance noticed that a brother was walking in his direction, he immediately deviated from the road and walked in another direction, and remained alone with God, constantly singing psalms and eating what was at hand.

This is how the monks spent all the days of fasting and returned to the monastery on the Sunday preceding the life-giving rise of the Savior from the dead to celebrate the forefeast according to the rite of the Church with vayas.

Each one came to the monastery with the fruits of his labors, knowing what his feat was and what seeds he had grown, and one did not ask the other how he completed the work assigned to himself. This was the monastic rule and this was how it was done for the good. Indeed, in the desert, having God alone as a judge, man competes with himself not for the sake of pleasing people and not in order to show off his fortitude. What is done for the sake of people and to please them is not only without benefit for the ascetic, but also serves as the cause of great evil for him.

And so Zosima, according to the rule established in this monastery, crossed the Jordan with a small supply of food necessary for bodily needs and in only rags. Following this rule, he walked through the desert and ate when hunger prompted him to do so. At certain times of the day he stopped for a short rest, sang chants and, kneeling, prayed. At night, where darkness overtook him, he had a short sleep right on the ground, and at dawn he continued his journey again and always walked in the same direction. He wanted, as he said, to reach the inner desert, where he hoped to meet one of the fathers living there who could spiritually enlighten him. Zosima walked quickly, as if hurrying to some glorious and famous refuge.

He walked like this for 20 days and one day, when he was singing the psalms of the sixth hour and saying the usual prayers, turning to the east, suddenly to the right of the place where he stood, Zosima saw something like a human shadow. He trembled with horror, thinking that this was a demonic obsession. Having protected himself with the sign of the cross and shaking off his fear, Zosima turned and saw that someone was truly walking towards midday. The man was naked, dark-skinned, like those who have been scorched by the heat of the sun, and his hair was white, like a fleece, and short, so that it barely reached his neck. Zosima rejoiced with indescribable joy, for in all those days he did not see either a human form, or traces or signs of an animal or bird. He rushed to run in the direction where the husband who appeared to him was hurrying, eager to find out what kind of person he was and where he was from, hoping to become a witness and eyewitness to glorious deeds.

When this traveler realized that Zosima was following him from afar, he rushed to run into the depths of the desert. Zosima, as if forgetting about his old age and despising the hardships of the journey, decided to overtake him. He pursued, and the husband tried to leave. But Zosima ran faster and soon approached the fleeing man so much that he could hear his voice. Then the elder cried out with tears:

Why are you running from me, a sinful old man? Servant of God, wait, whoever you are, for the sake of God, out of love for Whom you settled in this desert. Wait for me, weak and unworthy. Stop, honor the elder with your prayer and blessing for the sake of God, who does not reject a single person.

At this moment they reached a depression, as if dug by a river flow. The fugitive descended into it and came out to its other edge, and Zosima, tired and unable to run further, standing there, began to cry and lament.

Then the husband said:

Abba Zosima, forgive me for God’s sake, but I cannot turn around and show myself to you, for I am a woman and completely naked, as you can see, and the shame of my body is not covered by anything. But if you want to fulfill the sinner’s request, give me your rags so that I can hide what marks me as a woman, and I will turn to you and accept your blessing.

Horror and delight, as he said, took possession of Zosima when he heard the woman call him by name. For, as a man of a keen mind, wise in Divine things, the elder understood that she could not name by name a person whom she had never seen before and about whom she had never heard, without having acquired the gift of clairvoyance.

Zosima immediately did what the woman asked him to do, and tore his old himation and, turning his back to her, threw half of it to her.

The woman, covering herself, turns to Zosima and tells him:

Zosima, hearing that she still retained in her memory the words of Scripture, from the book of Moses, Job and the Psalter, said to her:

Have you, my lady, read only the Psalter or other sacred books?

At this she smiled and said to the elder:

Truly, I have not seen a person since I crossed the Jordan, except today you, and I have not met a single beast or any other creature since I came into this desert. I never learned to read and write and did not even hear psalms sung or anything read from there. But the word of God, endowed with life and power, itself gives man knowledge. This is where my story ends. But, as at the beginning, and now I conjure you, by the incarnation of the Divine Word, to pray for me, a sinner, before the Lord.

So saying and finishing her story, she fell at the feet of Zosima. And again the old man cried out with tears:

Blessed be God, who does great, wonderful, glorious and wondrous works, which are without number. Blessed be God for showing me how He rewards those who fear Him. Truly, Lord, You do not abandon those who seek You.

The woman, holding the old man, did not allow him to fall at her feet and said:

Everything that you have heard, man, I adjure you by our Savior Christ, do not tell anyone until God allows me to leave. Now go in peace. Next year you will see me, and I will see you, protected by the grace of the Lord. For God’s sake, do what I ask of you - do not go into the future Lent, as is customary in your monastery, Jordan.

Zosima was surprised that she knew the monastic rules, and only said:

Glory to God, who gives great blessings to those who love Him.

She says:

Stay, Abba, as I told you, in the monastery; because even if you wanted to, it would be impossible for you to get out. On the day of the Holy Last Supper, take for me a sacred vessel worthy of such sacraments from the Life-Giving Body of Christ and Blood and stand on that bank of the Jordan, which is closer to the settlements, so that I can come and partake of the Holy Gifts. For since I communed in the temple of the Forerunner, before crossing the Jordan, I have not communed until this day, and now I thirst for it with all my soul. Therefore, I pray, do not neglect my request and bring me those life-giving and holy Mysteries at that very hour when the Lord called the disciples to His holy supper. Say to Abba John, the abbot of your monastery: “Look at yourself and your sheep, for they are doing bad things that must be corrected.” But I don’t want you to tell him about it now, but when God commands you to do so.

Having finished and saying to the elder: “Pray for me,” she disappeared into the inner desert.

Zosima bowed his knees and fell to the ground, where her traces were imprinted, glorified and thanked the Lord and went back in jubilation, praising our Lord Jesus Christ. Having passed through that desert again, he returned to the monastery on the day when it was customary for the monks there to return.

Zosima was silent all year, not daring to tell anyone what he saw, but in his soul he prayed to God to again show him the desired face. He suffered and lamented that he would have to wait a whole year. When the Sunday before Great Lent arrived, everyone immediately after the usual prayer left the monastery with chants, but Zosima was overcome by a fever, which forced him to stay in his cell. He remembered the words of the saint who said: “Even if you wanted to, it would be impossible for you to leave the monastery.”

A few days later he recovered from his illness, but remained in the monastery. When the other monks returned and the day of the Last Supper arrived, he did what the woman asked him to do. Having taken the Most Pure Body and Precious Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in a vessel and putting figs, dates and some soaked beans in a basket, he leaves the monastery late in the evening and sits down on the banks of the Jordan in anticipation of the saint’s arrival.

Although the saint delayed her appearance, Zosima did not sleep a wink and constantly looked towards the desert, waiting for the one whom he wanted to see. Sitting like this, the elder said to himself: “Perhaps she is not coming because of some sin of mine? Perhaps she did not find me and returned back?” Saying this, he began to cry and groan in tears, and, raising his eyes to heaven, prayed to God: “Do not take away from me, Lord, the bliss of seeing again what you once allowed me to see. May I not leave only with the weight of the sins that expose me.” . After this tearful prayer, another thought came to him, and he began to say to himself: “What will happen if she comes? After all, there is no boat anywhere. How will she cross the Jordan and come to me, unworthy? Alas for me, pathetic, alas, unfortunate! My sins have not given me the opportunity to taste such a good thing!”

While the elder was thinking such thoughts, the saint appeared and stood on the other bank of the river from where she had come. Zosima rose in joy and jubilation from his place, praising God. And again he began to doubt that she would not be able to cross the Jordan. And then he saw (the night turned out to be moonlit) how the saint made the sign of the cross over the Jordan and entered the water, and walked on the water without getting wet1, and headed towards it.

From a distance she stopped the old man and, not allowing him to fall on his face, shouted:

What are you doing, Abba, since you are a priest and bear the Holy Gifts?

He obeyed, and the saint, coming ashore, said:

Bless me, father, bless me.

He, trembling, answered her: “The words of the Lord are truly not false, when he said that those who purify themselves according to their strength are like God.” Glory to you, Christ our God, who heeded my prayer and showed mercy to His servant. Glory to Thee, Christ our God, who through this servant of Thine revealed to me my great imperfection.

The woman asked to read the Creed and the Lord's Prayer. When Zosima finished praying, she kissed the elder as usual.

Having communed the Life-giving Mysteries, she raised her hands to heaven and with tears said a prayer: Now do You let Your servant go, O Master, according to Your word, in peace. For my eyes have seen Your salvation (See: Luke 2:29). Then he says to the old man:

Forgive me, Abba, I ask you to fulfill one more wish of mine. Now go to your monastery, preserved by the grace of God, and next year come again to the place where I saw you for the first time. Go, for God’s sake, and again, by the will of God, you will see me.

The elder answered her:

Oh, if only I could now follow you and forever see your honest face. But fulfill the elder’s only request - taste a little of what I brought you here.

And with these words he shows her his basket. The saint only touched the beans with her fingertips, took three grains and brought them to her mouth, saying that spiritual grace, which keeps a person’s soul pure, is sufficient. Then he says to the elder again:

Pray, for God’s sake, pray for me and remember me, the unfortunate one.

He, falling at the saint’s feet and calling on her to pray for the Church, for the state and for him, let her go with tears, for he did not dare to hold her free any longer. The saint again crossed the Jordan, entered the water and, as before, walked along it.

The elder returned, filled with jubilation and awe, reproaching himself for not asking the name of the saint; however, he hoped to do so next year.

After a year, the elder again goes into the desert, hurrying to that saint. Having walked quite a distance through the desert and discovered signs showing him the place he was looking for, Zosima began to look around and look at everything in search of the sweetest prey, like an experienced hunter. When he was convinced that nothing was visible anywhere, he began to cry and, raising his eyes to heaven, began to say a prayer, saying: “Show me, O Lord, Thy inestimable treasure, hidden by You in this desert. Show me, I pray, the angel in the flesh whom The world is unworthy." So praying, he found himself in a depression, as if dug by a river, and saw in its eastern part that holy woman lying dead; her hands were folded according to custom, and her face was turned towards the sunrise. Running up, he wet her feet with his tears, but did not dare touch the rest of her body. After weeping for quite a few hours and having read the psalms appropriate to the time and circumstance, he said the prayer of burial and said to himself: “I don’t know whether to bury the saint’s remains or whether it will be displeasing to her?” Saying this, he sees in her head an inscription inscribed on the ground that reads: “Here, Abba Zosima, bury the remains of the humble Mary and give up ashes to ashes, constantly offering prayers to the Lord for me, who died according to the Egyptian reckoning in the month of Farmuf, according to the Roman calendar in April, on the night of the Savior’s Passion, after receiving the Holy Mysteries.”

Having read this inscription, the elder rejoiced, having learned the name of the saint, as well as the fact that she, having received the Holy Mysteries at the Jordan, immediately found herself at the place of her departure. The journey that Zosima covered with great difficulty in twenty days, Mary completed in one hour and immediately went to the Lord. Glorifying God and sprinkling Mary’s body with tears, he said:

It’s time, Zosima, to do what you’ve been told. But how, unfortunate one, can you dig a grave when you have nothing in your hands?

Having said this, he saw a piece of wood nearby lying in the desert. Having picked it up, Zosima began to dig the ground. But the ground was dry and did not yield to his efforts, and the old man was tired and sweating.

Letting out a groan from the depths of his soul and raising his head, he sees that a mighty lion is standing at the remains of the saint and licking her feet. The elder trembled with fear at the sight of the lion, especially when he remembered Mary’s words that she had never met a beast in the desert. Having made the sign of the cross, he became emboldened, trusting that the miraculous power of the deceased would keep him unharmed. The lion began to fawn over the old man, showing friendliness in his entire demeanor.

Zosima said to the lion:

The Great Beast commanded that her remains be buried, but I do not have the strength to dig a grave; dig it out with your claws so that we can bury the holy body!

Immediately the lion dug a hole with his front paws, large enough to bury the body. The elder again sprinkled the saint’s feet with tears and, asking her to pray for everyone, buried the body (the lion stood nearby). It was, as before, naked, dressed only in the piece of himation that Zosima had given her.

After this, both left: the lion, like a sheep, retreated into the inner desert, and Zosima turned back, blessing our Lord Jesus Christ and sending praises to Him.

Returning to his monastery, he told the monks and the abbot everything about it, not hiding anything that he had heard or seen, but he conveyed everything to them from the very beginning, so that they marveled at the greatness of the Lord and honored the memory of the saint with fear and love. And Abbot John found people in the monastery who needed correction, so that here, too, the saint’s word was not idle.

Zosima died in this monastery almost a hundred years old.

Monks passed on this legend from generation to generation, retelling it for the edification of everyone who wanted to listen. I wrote down what came to me orally. Others, perhaps, also described the life of the saint and much more skillfully than me, although I had never heard of anything like that, and therefore, as best I could, I compiled this story, caring most of all about the truth. The Lord, who generously rewards those who resort to Him, reward both those who read and listen, and those who conveyed this story to us, and grant us a good share with the blessed Mary of Egypt, about whom it was said here, together with all His saints from time immemorial, honored for contemplation and practice of active virtue. Let us also glorify the Lord, whose kingdom is forever, so that on the Day of Judgment He may also merit us with His mercy in Jesus Christ our Lord, to Whom be all glory, honor and eternal worship with the beginningless Father and the Most Holy, Good and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages centuries. Amen.

The Holy Reverend Mary of Egypt in the Orthodox Church is considered the standard of perfect and sincere repentance. It is not for nothing that many icons of St. Mary of Egypt are painted in such a way that from them one can reconstruct the events of the saint’s life. The whole week of Lent is dedicated to this saint.

At the All-Night Vigil of the fifth week of Lent, the life of the saint is read and troparia and kontakia (hymns) dedicated to her are sung. People call this service “Mary’s Standing”. Memorial Day of Mary of Egypt is celebrated on April 1/14.

Biography of the saint

The future saint was born in the middle of the fifth century after the Nativity of Christ in Egypt and from the age of twelve she ran away from home to the huge city of that time, Alexandria. The girl plunged headlong into the vicious world of the port city. She liked debauchery, she sincerely believed that everyone spent their time like this and did not know any other life.

For seventeen years, Mary lived this life until she accidentally got on a ship bound for Jerusalem. Most of the passengers were pilgrims. They all dreamed of getting to the Holy Land and worshiping the shrine. However, the young woman had other plans for this. On the ship, Maria behaved provocatively and continued to seduce the male half.

Change in life

Together with everyone in the Holy Land, the saint wanted to enter the Church of the Exaltation of the Cross, but extraordinary power did not allow her inside. Several attempts did not lead to success, and this event amazed her so much that, sitting down near the church, she thought about her life. By chance, my gaze fell on the face of the Most Holy Theotokos and Mary’s heart melted. She instantly realized the horror and depravity of her life. The saint bitterly regretted what she had done and cried, begging the Mother of God to let her into the temple. Finally, the threshold of the temple opened before her and, going inside, Mary of Egypt fell before the Cross of the Lord.

After this incident, Mary went beyond the Jordan River with a small piece of bread and spent 47 years in solitude and prayer. The saint devoted 17 years to repenting and struggling with prodigal passion; she spent the remaining time in prayer and repentance. Two years before her holy death, Mary of Egypt met with Elder Zosima, asked him to give her communion the following year, and when she received the Holy Gifts, she soon passed into another world in a blessed dormition.

Icons of the Venerable Hermit

On the icon, Mary of Egypt is depicted in different ways. On some she is painted half-naked, since from her long stay in the desert all the saint’s clothes have decayed and only the himation (cloak) of Elder Zosima covers her. Often on such icons the saint is depicted with crossed arms.

In another icon, Mary of Egypt holds a cross in her hand, and the other points to it. The saint is often painted with flowing gray hair, arms crossed on her chest, palms open. This gesture means that the saint belongs to Christ and at the same time it is a symbol of the Cross.

The position of the hands on the icon of Mary of Egypt may be different. For example, if the middle and index fingers are crossed, this is a speaking gesture. In other words, a prayer of repentance.

The saint helps everyone who resorts to her help. People who are confused in life and at a crossroads can sincerely pray to the saint and will undoubtedly accept help. Open palms on the chest, written on the icon of Mary of Egypt, mean that she accepted grace.

How does the saint help?

You need to ask Mary of Egypt for forgiveness for your sins. She especially helps repentant women. But for sincere repentance, you need to work hard, reconsider your life, pray fervently, not miss divine services, lead a righteous life, if possible, and so on.

How else does the icon of Mary of Egypt help? It is believed that in order to make amends to someone, one should pray in front of the holy icon, first light a candle or lamp and sincerely ask for forgiveness before God, asking Mary of Egypt to be a mediator between the repentant and the Lord.

Icon with the Life of Mary of Egypt

It is known that the saint shared the story of her life with the holy elder Zosima. He personally saw her walking on water as if on dry land and saw the saint standing in the air during prayer.

On many icons, Mary of Egypt is depicted in the middle with her hands raised in prayer, and Elder Zosima is kneeling in front of her, with fragments of individual events of her life written around her. For example, how she crossed the Jordan as if on dry land, how she received Holy Communion, the death of the saint and other events. Elder Zosima is also depicted several times.

One legend is known: when Mary of Egypt died, the elder could not bury her, since he had nothing with which to dig a grave in the desert. Suddenly a meek lion appears and digs a hole with its paws, into which the elder placed the incorruptible remains of Saint Mary of Egypt. This event is also depicted on the icon of the venerable hermit.

There are many icons where only one event from the life of the saint is written. For example, where she receives the Holy Gifts from the hands of Elder Zosima or where Mary of Egypt crosses the Jordan. There is an icon depicting the saint praying to the Mother of God and the Child sitting on Her lap.

Any believer, knowing the life story of St. Mary of Egypt, loving and admiring the feat of this unusual woman, will never confuse the icon of St. Mary of Egypt with the icon of another saint.