Saint Mary of Egypt the Wanderer
She lived in sin to its depths, and in holiness to its depths.
She did not move from corruption and vice to repentance, but rather to wandering, thus becoming a great solitary, worthy that Saint Abba Zosima the priest, the wanderer, would be blessed by her…
She began her life in sin from the age of twelve, and continued for 17 years in sin, in a very vile life, in which she destroyed many. Then she found a ship going to the Holy Lands, so she boarded it. And since she did not have the fare, she sold her body throughout the journey!!
And the Lord met her in the Holy Lands and led her to Him:
People crowded to receive blessing from the Holy Cross, and she tried to approach, but felt a power preventing her, so she remained fixed in her place no matter how much she struggled… And when she felt unworthy, her heart began to move. And when she saw the icon of the Virgin, she vowed that if the Lord allowed her to receive blessing from the wood of the Cross, she would repent and live a life of purity. Then she was able to approach.
And she began the life of repentance in the wilderness of the Jordan, where she lived for 47 years, until Saint Zosima saw her by divine guidance.
This saint lived a life of perfection. And when he thought he had surpassed others, the Lord guided him to a monastery near the Jordan, where monks like angels lived, so he dwelt among them. During the Holy Great Lent, they would leave the monastery and wander in the wilderness, so he wandered with them. As he went deeper into the wilderness, he saw the figure of the saint. He approached her, but she hid behind a rock and called him by name to throw her his cloak, so he threw it. She covered herself with it because she was naked, as her clothes had worn out over 47 years. He wanted her to bless him, but she declined because he was a priest, a minister of the mysteries.
She told him her story, confessed to him all her sins, and asked him to meet her the following year to give her Holy Communion.
She asked him to keep her story secret as long as she lived in the body… And he gave her Communion the following year after he saw her coming to him, crossing the Jordan walking on the water. She bowed before the Divine Mysteries, partook, then lifted her hands and said, “Now, O Lord, let Your servant depart in peace,” and disappeared into the mountain after asking Saint Zosima to come the following year…
In the following year, Saint Zosima came and found that she had departed. Next to her was written on the ground: “O Father Zosimas, bury Mary the wretched, return the dust to the dust.” He did not know how to dig the ground, so a lion appeared to him and dug it. The saint prayed over her and buried her… She lived 77 years, and her departure was in the year 421 AD.
An article by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III – Al-Keraza Magazine – Year 8 (Issue 49) 9-12-1977
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