Celebration of Mary of Egypt. The Life of Venerable Mary of Egypt and the Peculiarities of Her Veneration in Christianity

Saint Sophronius, Patriarch of Jerusalem

Life of our Venerable Mother Mary of Egypt (1)

“It is good to hide a king’s secret, but it is glorious to reveal the works of God” (Tov. 12:7). This is what the angel said to Tobiah, after his miraculous healing from the blindness of his eyes, after all the dangers through which he led him and from which he delivered him with his piety. Not keeping the king's secrets is a dangerous and terrible thing. To remain silent about the wonderful works of God is dangerous for the soul. Therefore, I, driven by the fear of keeping silent about the divine and remembering the punishment promised to the slave, who, having taken a talent from his master, buried it in the ground and hid it fruitlessly for work, I will not keep silent about the sacred story that has come down to us. Let no one doubt to believe me, who wrote about what he heard, and do not think that I am composing fables, amazed by the greatness of miracles. God forbid I should lie and forge a story in which His name is mentioned. To think basely and unworthy of the greatness of the incarnate God the Word and not to believe what is said here is, in my opinion, unreasonable. If there are readers of this narrative who, struck by the miraculousness of the word, do not want to believe it, may the Lord be merciful to them; for they, thinking about the weakness of human nature, consider the miracles told about people incredible. But I will begin my story about the deeds revealed in our generation, as a pious man told it to me, having learned the divine word and deed from childhood. Let them not cite as an excuse for unbelief that it is impossible for such miracles to happen in our generation. For the grace of the Father, flowing through generation after generation of the souls of the saints, creates friends of God and prophets, as Solomon teaches. But it’s time to begin this sacred story.

There lived a man in the Palestinian monasteries, glorious in life and the gift of speech, raised from infancy in monastic deeds and virtues. The old man's name was Zosima. Let no one think, judging by the name, that I am calling that Zosima, who was once convicted of non-Orthodoxy. That was a completely different Zosima, and there was a big difference between them, although both bore the same name. This Zosima was Orthodox, from the very beginning he labored in one of the Palestinian monasteries, went through all types of asceticism, and was experienced in all abstinence. He observed in everything the rule bequeathed by his teachers in the field of this spiritual athletics, and he invented many things of his own, working to subjugate the flesh to the spirit. And he did not miss his goal: the elder became so famous for his spiritual life that many from nearby, and even from distant monasteries, often came to him in order to find a model and rule for themselves in his teaching. But having worked so hard in his active life, the elder did not abandon his concern for the divine word, lying down and getting up, and holding in his hands the work that fed him. If you want to know about the food that he ate, then he had one thing to do incessantly and unceasingly - to always sing to God and meditate on the divine word. Often, they say, the elder was awarded divine visions, illuminated from above, according to the word of the Lord: those who have cleansed their flesh and are always sober with the unceasing eye of the soul will see visions illuminated from above, having in them a guarantee of the bliss awaiting them.

Zosima said that, barely tearing himself away from his mother’s breast, he was sent to that monastery and until the fifty-third year he underwent an ascetic feat there. Then, as he himself said, he began to be tormented by the thought that he was perfect in everything and did not need teaching from anyone. And so, in his words, he began to reason with himself: “Is there a monk on earth who can be of benefit to me and convey to me something new, a type of feat that I do not know and have not accomplished? Will there be found among the wise of the desert a man who surpasses me in life or contemplation?

This is how the elder reasoned when someone appeared to him and said:

- “Zosima! You have labored valiantly, to the best of human strength, you have valiantly completed the ascetic path. But no one among people has achieved perfection, and the greater feat ahead of man has already been accomplished, although you do not know it. And so that you too may know how many other paths to salvation there are, leave your native land, from your father’s house, like Abraham, glorious among the patriarchs, and go to a monastery near the Jordan River.”

Immediately, obeying the command, the elder leaves the monastery in which he had labored since childhood, and, having reached the Jordan, the holy river, he sets out on the path leading him to the monastery to which God sent him. Pushing the door of the monastery with his hand, he first sees the monk-gatekeeper; he takes him to the abbot. The abbot, having received him and seeing his pious image and custom - he performed the usual monastic throwing (statutory bow) and prayer - asked him:

- “Where are you from, brother, and why did you come to the humble elders?”

Zosima answered:

“There’s no need to say where I’m from, I came for spiritual benefit. I have heard many glorious and praiseworthy things about you that can bring the soul closer to God.”

The abbot told him:

“God alone, who heals human weakness, will reveal, brother, His divine will to you and us and teach us to do what is proper. Man cannot help man unless everyone constantly pays attention to himself and does what is right with a sober mind, having God as a collaborator in his affairs. But if, as you say, the love of God moved you to see us, humble elders, stay with us, and we will all be filled with the grace of the Spirit by the Good Shepherd, who gave His soul as a deliverance for us and knows His sheep by name.

So spoke the abbot, and Zosima, having again performed the throwing and asking for his prayers, said “Amen” and remained to live in the monastery.

He saw the elders, glorious in life and contemplation, burning in spirit, working for the Lord. Their singing was incessant, standing all night. There is always work in their hands, psalms on their lips. Not an idle word, not a thought about earthly affairs: incomes calculated annually and worries about earthly labors were unknown to them even by name. But everyone had one desire - to be a body like a corpse, to die completely to the world and everything in the world. Their endless food was divinely inspired words. They fed their bodies with the only necessities, bread and water, for each one was aflame with divine love. Seeing this, Zosimas, according to him, was greatly edified, rushing forward, accelerating his own running, for he found fellow workers with himself, skillfully renewing the garden of God.

Quite a few days have passed and the time has approached when Christians are commanded to perform a holy fast, preparing themselves for the worship of the divine Passion and Resurrection of Christ. The monastery gates were always closed, allowing the monks to work in silence. They opened only when extreme need forced the monk to leave the fence. This place was deserted, and most of the neighboring monks were not only inaccessible, but even unknown. The rule was observed in the monastery, for the sake of which, I think, God brought Zosima to that monastery. I’ll tell you now what this rule is and how it was observed. On Sunday, which gave its name to the first week of Lent, the Divine Mysteries were performed, as always, in the church and everyone partook of those Most Pure and Life-Giving Mysteries. They also ate a little food, according to custom. After that, everyone gathered in the church and, having prayed diligently, with prostrations to the ground, the elders kissed each other and the abbot, hugging and throwing, and each asked to pray for him and to have him as a fellow ascetic and collaborator in the upcoming battle.

After this, the monastery gates were opened, and with the consonant singing of the psalm: “The Lord is my enlightenment and my Savior, whom will I fear? The Lord is the protector of my life, whom will I fear? (Ps. 27:1) and further, in order, everyone left the monastery. One brother or two were left in the monastery, not to guard the property (they had nothing tempting for robbers), but so as not to leave the temple without service. Everyone took with them the food they could and wanted. One carried a little bread, according to bodily needs, another figs, another dates, this one grains soaked in water. The latter, finally, had nothing but his own body and the rags covering it, and, when nature required food, he ate desert plants. Each of them had such a charter and law, inviolably observed by everyone - not to know about each other, how someone lives and fasts. Having immediately crossed the Jordan, they dispersed far from each other across the wide desert, and neither one approached the other. If someone from a distance noticed a brother approaching him, he immediately turned to the side; everyone lived with himself and with God, singing psalms all the time and eating little of his food.

Having spent all the days of fasting in this way, they returned to the monastery a week before the life-giving Resurrection of the Savior from the dead, when the Church established the pre-holiday celebration with the Vaii. Each returned with the fruits of his own conscience, knowing how he worked and what labors he planted seeds in the ground. And no one asked the other how he accomplished the supposed feat. Such was the charter of the monastery, and so strictly was it observed. Each of them in the desert fought against himself before the judge of the struggle - God, not seeking to please people or fasting in front of them. For what is done for the sake of people, for the sake of pleasing man, is not only not for the benefit of the doer, but is also the cause of great punishment for him.

Then Zosima, according to the rules of that monastery, crossed the Jordan, taking with him on the road some food for bodily needs and the rags that were on him. And he made the rule, passing through the desert, and giving time to food according to natural need. He slept at night, sinking to the ground and enjoying a short sleep, where the evening hour found him. In the morning he set off again, burning with an unrelenting desire to go further and further. It sunk into his soul, as he himself said, to go deeper into the desert, hoping to find some father living there who could satisfy his desire. And he walked tirelessly, as if hurrying to some well-known hotel. He had already passed twenty days and, when the sixth hour came, he paused and, turning to the east, performed the usual prayer. He always interrupted his journey at set hours of the day and rested a little from his work - either standing, chanting psalms, or praying, kneeling.

And when he sang, without turning his eyes away from the sky, he saw to the right of the hill on which he stood, like the shadow of a human body. At first he was embarrassed, thinking that he was seeing a demonic ghost, and even shuddered. But, protecting himself with the sign of the cross and driving away fear (his prayer was already finished), he turns his gaze and actually sees a certain creature walking towards noon. It was naked, black in body, as if scorched by the heat of the sun; the hair on the head is white, like a fleece, and not long, going down no lower than the neck. Seeing him, Zosima, as if in a frenzy of great joy, began to run in the direction where the vision was moving away. He rejoiced with unspeakable joy. Not once in all these days had he seen a human face, not a bird, not an animal of the earth, not even a shadow. He sought to find out who this one who had appeared to him was and where it came from, hoping that some great secrets would be revealed to him.

But when the ghost saw Zosima approaching from a distance, he began to quickly run away into the depths of the desert. And Zosima, having forgotten about his old age, no longer thinking about the labors of the journey, tried to overtake the fleeing. He caught up, it ran away. But Zosima’s running was faster, and soon he approached the runner. When Zosima ran up enough that his voice could be heard, he began to scream, raising a cry with tears:

- “Why are you running away from the old sinner? Servant of the true God, wait for me, whoever you are, I conjure you by God, for whose sake you live in this desert. Wait for me, weak and unworthy, I conjure you with your hope for reward for your work. Stop and give me a prayer and blessing to the elder for the sake of the Lord, who does not despise anyone.”

Thus spoke Zosima with tears, and they both fled in an area similar to the bed of a dried-up stream. But it seems to me that there was never a stream there (how could there be a stream in that land?), but this was the appearance of the land there by nature.

When they reached this place, the running creature went down and climbed to the other side of the ravine, and Zosima, tired and no longer able to run, stopped on this side, intensifying his tears and sobs, which could already be heard nearby. Then the running one spoke:

“Abba Zosima, forgive me, for God’s sake, I cannot turn around and show my face to you. I am a woman, and naked, as you can see, with naked shame of my body. But, if you want to fulfill one prayer of a sinful wife, throw me your clothes so that I can cover a woman’s weakness with it and, turning to you, receive your blessing.”

Here horror and frenzy came over Zosima, according to him, when he heard that she called him by name, Zosima. But, being a man of keen intelligence and wise in divine matters, he realized that she would not have called him by name, having never seen him before or heard of him, if she had not been illuminated by the gift of clairvoyance.

He immediately fulfilled the command, and, taking off his old and torn robe, threw it to her, turning away, she, taking it, partly covered the nakedness of her body, turned to Zosima and said:

- “Why did you want, Zosima, to see your sinful wife? What do you want to learn from me or see, who are not afraid to accept such work?

He, bending his knees, asks to give him the usual blessing; and she also creates throwing. So they lay on the ground, asking each other for blessings, and only one word could be heard from both: “Bless!” After a long time, the wife says to Zosima:

- “Abba Zosima, it is appropriate for you to bless and pray. You are honored with the rank of presbyter, you have stood before the holy throne for many years and offered the sacrifice of the Divine Mysteries.”

This plunged Zosima into even greater horror; trembling, the old man covered himself in a deadly sweat, groaned, and his voice broke off. He finally tells her, barely catching his breath:

- “Oh, spirit-bearing mother, it is clear throughout your entire life that you are with God and almost died to the world. The grace given to you is also obvious if you called me by name and recognized me as an elder, having never seen me before. Grace is recognized not by rank, but by spiritual gifts - bless me, for God’s sake, and pray for me, who needs your intercession.”

Then, yielding to the elder’s wishes, the wife said:

- “Blessed be God, who cares for the salvation of people and souls.”

Zosima replied:

- “Amen!” - and both stood up from their knees. The wife says to the elder:

- “Why did you come to me, sinner, man? Why did you want to see your wife, stripped of all virtue? However, the grace of the Holy Spirit brought you to perform some timely service for me. Tell me, how do Christian people live today? How are the kings? How does the Church graze?”

Zosima told her:

– “Through your holy prayers, mother, Christ gave lasting peace to everyone. But accept the unworthy prayer of the elder and pray for the whole world and for me, a sinner, so that my walking through this desert will not be without fruit.”

She answered him:

“It is fitting for you, Abba Zosima, who has the rank of priest, to pray for me and for everyone. For this is what you are called to do. But since we must fulfill obedience, I will gladly do what you commanded.”

With these words, she turned to the east and, raising her eyes to the sky and raising her hands, began to pray in a whisper. No separate words could be heard, so Zosima could not understand anything from her prayer. He stood, according to him, in awe, looking at the ground and not saying a word. And he swore, calling God as a witness, that when her prayer seemed long to him, he took his eyes off the ground and saw: she had risen an elbow from the ground, and was standing, praying, in the air. When he saw this, he was seized by even greater horror and, not daring to say anything out of fear, he fell to the ground, repeating only repeatedly: “Lord, have mercy!”

Lying on the ground, the elder was confused by the thought: “Isn’t this a spirit, and isn’t that prayer a feign?” The wife turned around and raised the Abba up, saying:

- “Why do thoughts confuse you, Abba, tempting you about me, as if I were a spirit and pretending to pray? Know, man, that I am a sinful woman, although I am protected by holy baptism. And I am not spirit, but earth and ashes, one flesh. I don’t think about anything spiritual.” And with these words he protects his forehead and eyes, lips and chest with the sign of the cross, saying: “God, Abba Zosima, deliver us from the evil one and from his wiles, for great is his warfare against us.”

Hearing and seeing this, the elder fell to the ground and with tears embraced her legs, saying: “I adjure you, in the name of Christ our God, born of the Virgin, for whose sake you have clothed yourself in this nakedness, for whose sake you have so exhausted your flesh, do not hide from the slave yours, who you are and where you come from, when and how you came to this desert. Tell everything, so that the wonderful works of God will be revealed... Hidden wisdom and secret treasure - what is the use of them? Tell me everything, I implore you. For you will not say it for the sake of vanity and proof, but to reveal the truth to me, a sinner and unworthy. I believe God, Whom you live and serve, that He brought me to this desert to reveal the ways of the Lord about you. It is not in our power to resist the destinies of God. If Christ our God had not been pleased to show you and your feat, He would not have allowed anyone to see you, and He would not have strengthened me to complete such a journey, having never wanted or dared to leave my cell.”

Abba Zosima said a lot, but his wife picked him up and said:

- “I’m ashamed, my Abba, to tell you the shame of my deeds, forgive me for God’s sake. But just as you have already seen my naked body, I will also expose my deeds to you, so that you will know what shame and disgrace my soul is filled with. Not running away from vanity, as you thought, I did not want to talk about myself, and why should I be proud of myself, having been the chosen vessel of the devil? I also know that when I begin my story, you will run away from me, like a man runs from a snake; your ears will not be able to hear the ugliness of my deeds. But I will say, without keeping anything silent, conjuring you, first of all, to constantly pray for me, in order to find mercy for me on the Day of Judgment.” The elder cried uncontrollably, and the wife began her story.

“My brother was Egypt. While my parents were still alive, when I was twelve years old; I rejected their love and came to Alexandria. How I destroyed my virginity there at first, how uncontrollably and insatiably I surrendered to voluptuousness, it’s a shame to even remember. It is more decent to say briefly, so that you know my passion and voluptuousness. For about seventeen years, forgive me, I lived, being, as it were, a bonfire of nationwide depravity, not at all for the sake of self-interest, I am telling the true truth. Often, when they wanted to give me money, I didn’t take it. This is what I did to force as many people as possible to achieve me, doing what I liked for free. Don’t think that I was rich and that’s why I didn’t take money. I lived on alms, often on flax yarn, but I had an insatiable desire and an uncontrollable passion to wallow in the dirt. This was life for me; I revered all desecration of nature as life.

This is how I lived. And then one summer I see a large crowd of Libyans and Egyptians running to the sea. I asked the person I met: “Where are these people rushing?” He answered me: “Everyone is going to Jerusalem for the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, which, according to custom, will take place in a few days.” I said to him: “Won’t they take me with them if I want to go with them?” “No one will stop you if you have money for transportation and food.” I tell him: “In truth, I have neither money nor food. But I will also go, boarding one of the ships. And they will feed me, whether they want it or not. I have a body, they will take it instead of paying for transportation.”

“And I wanted to go - Abba forgive me - so that I could have more lovers to quench my passion. I told you, Abba Zosima, not to force me to talk about my shame. I’m afraid, God knows, that I’ll defile both you and the air with my words.”

Zosima, watering the earth with tears, answered her:

- “Speak, for God’s sake, my mother, speak and do not interrupt the thread of such an edifying narrative.”

She continued her story and said:

“The young man, having heard my shameless words, laughed and left. I, throwing away the spinning wheel that I was carrying with me at that time, run to the sea, where I see everyone running. And, seeing the young men standing on the shore, ten or more in number, full of strength and dexterous in their movements, I found them suitable for my purpose (it seemed that some were waiting for more travelers, while others had boarded the ship). Shamelessly, as always, I intervened in their crowd."

“Take me,” I say, “with you wherever you are sailing. I won’t be superfluous to you.”

I added other worse words, causing general laughter. They, seeing my readiness for shamelessness, took me and took me to their ship. Those whom we had been waiting for also appeared, and we immediately set off on our way.

What happened next, how will I tell you, man? Whose tongue will express, whose ear will comprehend what happened on the ship during the voyage? I forced the unfortunate people to do all this, even against their will. There is no form of depravity, expressible or not expressible in words, in which I would not be a teacher of the unfortunate. I’m surprised, Abba, how our debauchery was carried out by the sea! How did the earth not open its mouth and swallow me alive? Hell, which caught so many souls in its net! But I think God was looking for my repentance, for He does not want the death of a sinner, but generously awaits his conversion. In such labors we arrived in Jerusalem. All the days I spent in the city before the holiday, I did the same thing, if not worse. I was not content with the young men I had at sea and who helped me on my journey. But she also seduced many others into this work - citizens and foreigners.

The holy day of the Exaltation of the Cross has already arrived, and I am still running around, hunting for young men. At dawn I saw that everyone was rushing to church, and I started running with the others. She came with them to the porch of the temple. When the hour of the Holy Exaltation arrived, I was pushed and pressed in the crowd making its way to the doors. Already to the very doors of the temple, in which the Life-Giving Tree appeared to the people, I, unfortunate, squeezed through with great difficulty and pressure. When I stepped on the threshold of the doors into which everyone else entered without restrictions, some force held me back, not allowing me to enter. Again I was pushed aside, and I saw myself standing alone in the vestibule. Thinking that this happened to me due to female weakness, I again, merging with the crowd, began to work with my elbows to squeeze forward. But she worked for nothing. Again my foot stepped on the threshold through which others entered the church without encountering any obstacle. The temple did not accept me, the unfortunate one. It was as if a detachment of soldiers had been posted to deny my entry - so some mighty force held me back, and again I stood in the vestibule.

Having repeated this three times, four times, I finally got tired and was no longer able to push and receive pushes; I walked away and stood in the corner of the porch. And with great effort I began to understand the reason that forbade me to see the Life-Giving Cross. The word of salvation touched the eyes of my heart, showing me that the uncleanness of my deeds was blocking my entrance. I began to cry and mourn, hitting myself on the chest and groaning from the depths of my heart. I stand and cry, and I see the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos above me, and I say to Her, without taking my eyes off Her:

- “Virgin, Lady, who gave birth to God the Word in the flesh, I know that it is not fitting for me, foul and depraved, to look at Your icon, Ever-Virgin, Yours, Pure, Yours, who has kept body and soul pure and spotless. I, depraved, should rightly inspire hatred and disgust at Your purity. But, if, as I heard, God, born of You, became a man for this reason, to call sinners to repentance, help the lonely one who has no help from anywhere. Command that the entrance to the church be opened for me, do not deprive me of the opportunity to look at that Tree on which God, born of You, was nailed in flesh and shed His own blood as a ransom for me. But command, Lady, that the door of sacred worship of the Cross will open for me too. And I call on You as a reliable guarantor before God, Your Son, in that I will never again desecrate this body with shameful copulation, but as soon as I see the Tree of the Cross of Your Son, I will immediately renounce the world and everything in the world, and go to where You, the Guarantor of salvation, will command and lead me.”

So I said and, as if having found some hope in fiery faith, encouraged by the mercy of the Mother of God, I left the place where I stood in prayer. And again I go and intervene in the crowd entering the temple, and no one pushes me, no one pushes me away, no one prevents me from coming closer to the doors. Trembling and frenzy took possession of me, and I was trembling and worried all over. Having reached the doors that were previously inaccessible to me - as if all the power that had previously forbidden me was now clearing the way for me - I entered without difficulty and, finding myself inside the holy place, was honored to look at the life-giving Cross, and saw the Mysteries of God, I saw how the Lord accepts repentance . I fell on my face and, bowing to this holy land, ran, unhappy, to the exit, hurrying to my Surety. I return to the place where I signed the letter of my vow. And, kneeling before the Ever-Virgin Mother of God, she turned to Her with these words: “Oh, merciful Lady. You showed me Your love for humanity. You did not reject the prayer of the unworthy. I saw glory, which we, the unfortunate, rightfully do not see. Glory to God, who accepts the repentance of sinners through You. What else should I, a sinner, remember or say? It is time, Lady, to fulfill my vow, in accordance with Your guarantee. Now lead where you want. Now be my teacher of salvation, lead me by the hand along the path of repentance.” “With these words, I heard a voice from above: “If you cross the Jordan, you will find glorious rest.”

When leaving, someone looked at me and gave me three coins, saying: “Take it, mother.” With the money given to me, I bought three loaves of bread and took them with me on the road as a blessed gift. I asked the bread seller: “Where is the road to the Jordan?” They showed me the city gates leading in that direction, and I ran out of them and started on my way, crying.

After asking people I met about the road and walking for the rest of the day (it seemed to be the third hour when I saw the Cross), I finally reached, at sunset, the Church of John the Baptist, close to the Jordan. Having prayed in the temple, I immediately went down to the Jordan and soaked my face and hands in its holy water. She took communion of the Most Pure and Life-Giving Mysteries in the Church of the Forerunner and ate half a loaf of bread; After drinking water from the Jordan, I spent the night on earth. The next morning, having found a small shuttle, I crossed to the other side and again prayed to the Driver to lead me wherever She pleased. I found myself in this desert, and from then until this day I have been moving away and running, living here, clinging to my God, who saves those who turn to Him from cowardice and storms.”

Zosima asked her:

- “How many years, my lady, have passed since you lived in this desert?”

The wife answered:

“It seems to me that it’s been forty-seven years since I left the holy city.”

Zosima asked:

- “What kind of food did you find, my lady?”

The wife said:

“I had two and a half loaves of bread when I crossed the Jordan.” Soon they dried out and turned to stone. Tasting little by little, I finished them off.” – Zosima asked:

- “Have you really lived so painlessly for so many years, without suffering from such a drastic change?”

The wife answered:

“You are asking me, Zosima, about something that I tremble to talk about. If I recall all the dangers that I overcame, all the fierce thoughts that embarrassed me, I am afraid that they will attack me again.”

Zosima said:

- “Don’t hide anything from me, my lady, I asked you to tell me everything without hiding.”

She told him: “Believe me, Abba, I spent seventeen years in this desert, fighting wild animals - crazy desires. Just as I’m getting ready to taste the food, I’m yearning for meat and fish, of which there are many in Egypt. I miss the wine that I love so much. I drank a lot of wine while I lived in the world. Here she didn’t even have water, she was terribly thirsty and exhausted. An insane desire for riotous songs took possession of me, which greatly embarrassed me and inspired me to sing the songs of demons that I had once learned. But immediately, with tears, I beat my chest and reminded myself of the vow that I made when leaving for the desert. I mentally returned to the icon of the Mother of God, which had received me, and cried out to Her, begging her to drive away the thoughts that were bedeviling my unfortunate soul. When I’ve cried enough, beating myself in the chest with all my might, I see light illuminating me from everywhere. And finally, the excitement was followed by a long silence.

And how can I tell you about the thoughts that again pushed me into fornication, Abba? A fire lit up in my unfortunate heart and burned me all over and awakened a thirst for hugs. As soon as I found this thought, I threw myself on the ground and watered it with tears, as if I saw in front of me the Surety, appearing to the disobedient woman and threatening punishment for her crime. And until then I did not get up from the ground (it happened to lie there day and night) until that sweet light illuminated me and drove away the thoughts overwhelming me. But I always directed the eyes of my mind to my Guarantor, asking for help from the desert drowning in the waves. And she had Her as a helper and a recipient of repentance. And so I lived for seventeen years among a thousand dangers. From that time until now, my Intercessor has helped me in everything and leads me as if by the hand.”

Zosima asked her:

- “Didn’t you really need food and clothing?”

“She answered: “Having finished the bread that I spoke about, for seventeen years I ate plants and everything that could be found in the desert. The clothes in which I crossed the Jordan were all torn and worn out. I suffered a lot from the cold, and a lot from the summer heat: sometimes the sun burned me, sometimes I was cold, trembling from the cold, and often, falling to the ground, I lay without breathing or moving. I struggled with many misfortunes and terrible temptations. But from then until now, the power of God has protected my sinful soul and humble body in various ways. When I think about what evils the Lord has delivered me from, I have incorruptible food and hope of salvation. I feed and cover myself with the word of God, the Lord of all. For man will not live by bread alone, and, having no clothing, all who have taken off the veil of sin will put on stone.”

Zosimas, hearing that she mentioned the words of Scripture from Moses and Job, asked her:

- “Have you read the psalms, my lady, and other books?” “She smiled at this and said to the elder:

“Believe me, I haven’t seen a human face since I recognized this desert. I never studied books. I didn’t even hear anyone singing or reading them. But the Word of God, living and active, itself teaches human knowledge. This is the end of my story. But, as I asked at the beginning, so now I conjure you, by the incarnation of God the Word, to pray to the Lord for me, a sinner.”

Having said this and putting an end to her story, she created throwing. And the elder exclaimed with tears:

– “Blessed be God, who has done great and wonderful, glorious and wondrous things without number. Blessed be God, who has shown me how He bestows upon those who fear Him. Truly You do not abandon those who seek You, O Lord.”

She, holding the old man, did not allow him to throw, but said:

- “About everything that you have heard, man, I adjure you by the Savior Christ our God, not to tell anyone until God frees me from the earth. Now go in peace and again next year you will see me and I will see you, if the Lord preserves you by His mercy. Fulfill, servant of the Lord, what I now ask of you. During Lent next year, do not cross the Jordan, as is your custom in the monastery.” Zosima was amazed when he heard that she was announcing the monastic rules to him, and said nothing else except:

- “Glory to God, who gives great things to those who love Him.”

She also said:

- “Stay, Abba, in the monastery. If you want to go out, it will be impossible for you. At sunset of the holy day of the Last Supper, take for me the Life-giving Body and Blood of Christ in a sacred vessel worthy of such Mysteries, and carry it and wait for me on the banks of the Jordan adjacent to the populated land, so that I may receive and partake of the Life-giving Gifts. From the time I took communion in the Temple of the Forerunner, before crossing the Jordan, until this day, I have not approached the shrine. And now I hunger for her with uncontrollable love. Therefore, I ask and beg you to fulfill my request - bring me the Life-giving and Divine Mysteries at that hour when the Lord made His disciples partakers of the sacred Supper. Say the following to Abba, John, abbot of the monastery in which you live: “Pay attention to yourself and your flock: something is happening among you that needs correction.” But I want you not to tell him this now, but when the Lord inspires it in you. Pray for me". With these words she disappeared into the depths of the desert. And Zosima, falling to his knees and bowing to the ground on which her feet stood, gave glory and thanksgiving to God. And again, having passed through this desert, he returned to the monastery on the very day when the monks were returning there.

He remained silent all year, not daring to tell anyone about what he had seen. He silently prayed to God to show him the desired face again. He was tormented and tormented, imagining how long the year lasted and wishing that, if possible, the year would be reduced to one day. When Sunday arrived, the beginning of the holy fast, everyone immediately went out into the desert with the usual prayer and singing psalms. His illness held him back; he lay in a fever. And Zosima remembered what the saint told him: “Even if you want to leave the monastery, it will be impossible for you.”

Many days passed, and, having recovered from illness, he stayed in the monastery. When the monks returned again, and the day of the Last Supper arrived, he did as he was commanded. And taking into the small chalice the most pure Body and the precious Blood of Christ our God, he put figs and dates and some lentils soaked in water into the basket. He leaves late in the evening and sits on the banks of the Jordan, awaiting the arrival of the saint. The holy wife hesitates, but Zosima does not fall asleep, does not take her eyes off the desert, expecting to see what she desires. Sitting on the ground, the elder thought to himself: “Or did my unworthiness prevent her from coming? Or did she come and, not finding me, turn back? So speaking, he began to cry, and having cried, he groaned and, raising his eyes to heaven, began to pray to God:

“Give me, O Lord, to see again what you have once vouchsafed. Let me not go away in vain, taking with me the evidence of my sins.” Having prayed like this with tears, he came to another thought. Said to myself:

“What will happen if she comes? No shuttle. How will she cross the Jordan to me, unworthy? Oh, I'm pathetic, miserable! Who deprived me, and on merit, of such a benefit? And while the elder was thinking, the holy wife appeared and stood on the other bank of the river from where she had come. Zosima stood up, rejoicing and rejoicing and praising God. And again the thought came over him that she could not cross the Jordan. He sees that she overshadowed the Jordan with the sign of the Honorable Cross (and the night was moonlit, as he himself said), and immediately stepped onto the water and moved along the waves, approaching him. And when he wanted to throw, she forbade him, shouting, still walking on the water:

- “What are you doing, Abba, you are a priest and bear the Divine Gifts.” He obeyed her, and she, coming ashore, said to the old man:

- “Bless, father, bless.”

He answered her, trembling (frenzy took over him at the sight of the miraculous phenomenon):

– “God is truly not a liar, who promised that those who purify themselves to the best of their ability will become like Him. Glory to Thee, Christ our God, who through this Thy servant showed me how far I am from perfection.” Then his wife asked him to read the holy creed and the “Our Father.” He began, she finished the prayer and, as usual, gave the elder a kiss of peace on the mouth. Having partaken of the Life-giving Mysteries, she raised her hands to heaven and sighed with tears, exclaiming: “Now do You let Your servant go, O Master, in peace, according to Your word: for my eyes have seen Your salvation.”

Then she said to the elder:

- “Forgive me, Abba, and fulfill my other desire. Go now to the monastery, and may the grace of God protect you. And next year come again to the source where I first met you. Come for God’s sake and you will see me again, for such is the will of God.”

He answered her:

“From this day on, I would like to follow you and always see your holy face. Fulfill the old man’s only request and take some of the food I brought you.” And with these words he points to the basket. She, touching the lentils with her fingertips, and taking three grains, brought them to her lips, saying that the grace of the Spirit prevails to preserve the nature of the soul undefiled. And again she said to the elder:

- “Pray, for God’s sake, pray for me and remember the unfortunate woman.”

He, touching the saint’s feet and asking her prayers for the Church, for the kingdom and for himself, released her with tears and went away, groaning and lamenting. For he did not hope to defeat the invincible. She again, having crossed the Jordan, stepped onto the waters and walked along them, as before. And the elder returned, filled with both joy and fear, reproaching himself for not having thought to find out the name of the saint. But I hoped to fix it next year.

When a year has passed, he again goes into the desert, having completed everything according to custom and hastening towards a wonderful vision.

Having passed through the desert and already seeing some signs pointing to the place he was looking for, he looks to the right, looks to the left, moving his eyes everywhere, like an experienced hunter who wants to catch his favorite animal. But, not seeing any movement anywhere, he began to shed tears again. And, turning his gaze to heaven, he began to pray:

“Show me, Lord, Your pure treasure that You hid in the desert. Show me, I pray, an angel in the flesh, whom the world is not worthy of.”

Having thus prayed, he came to a place that looked like a stream, and on its other bank, facing the rising sun, he saw the saint lying dead: her hands were folded as it should be, and her face was turned to the east. Running up, he watered the blessed woman’s feet with tears: he did not dare to touch anything else.

After weeping for quite some time and reading appropriate psalms for the occasion, he said a funeral prayer and thought to himself: “Is it proper to bury the body of a saint? or will it be displeasing to her?” And he sees the words written on the ground near her head:

“Bury, Abba Zosima, in this place the body of the humble Mary, give the ashes to the ashes, having prayed to the Lord for me, who reposed in the Egyptian month of Farmufi, called April in Roman, on the first day, on this very night of the Passion of the Lord, after the sacrament of the Divine and Last Supper "

Having read the letters, the elder was glad that he recognized the name of the saint. Realizing that as soon as she received communion of the Divine Mysteries, she was immediately transported from the Jordan to the place where she died. The path that Zosima traversed with difficulty in twenty days, Mary covered in one hour and immediately moved to God.

Having glorified God and pouring tears over his body, he said:

“It’s time, Zosima, to fulfill the commandment. But how can you, unfortunate one, dig a grave without anything in your hands?” And then he saw nearby a small piece of wood abandoned in the desert. Taking it, he began to dig the ground. But the earth was dry and did not yield to the elder’s efforts. He was tired and sweating. He sighed from the depths of his soul and, raising his eyes, saw a large lion standing near the body of the saint and licking her feet. Seeing the lion, he trembled with fear, especially remembering Mary’s words that she had never seen animals. But, having protected himself with the sign of the Cross, he believed that the power lying here would keep him unharmed. The lion approached him, expressing affection with every movement. Zosima said to the lion:

- “The Great One ordered to bury her body, and I am old and unable to dig a grave (I don’t have a shovel and can’t return to such a distance to bring a usable tool), let’s do the work with your claws, and we will give the holy tabernacle of death to the earth.” He was still speaking, and the lion had already dug a hole with his front paws, large enough to bury the body.

The elder again watered the saint’s feet with tears and, calling on her to pray for everyone, covered the body with earth, in the presence of the lion. It was naked, as before, covered with nothing except the torn robe thrown by Zosima, with which Maria, turning away, covered part of her body. Then both left. The lion went deep into the desert, like a lamb, Zosima returned to himself, blessing and glorifying Christ our God. Arriving at the monastery, he told the monks everything, did not hide anything that he heard and saw. From the very beginning he told them everything in detail, and everyone was amazed, hearing about the miracles of God, and with fear and love they commemorated the saint. Abbot John found some in the monastery who needed correction, so that not a single word of the saint turned out to be fruitless or unsolved. Zosima also died in that monastery, having reached almost a hundred years of age.

The monks preserved this legend without writing it down, offering an image for edification to everyone who wanted to listen. But it was not heard that anyone wrote this story to this day. I told about what I learned orally in writing. Perhaps others also described the life of a saint, and much better and more worthy than me, although this did not come to my attention. But I, to the best of my ability, wrote down this story, putting the truth above all else. May God, rewarding great things to those who resort to Him, give benefit to those who read this story, as a reward to the one who ordered it to be written down, and may He be worthy to be accepted into that rank and host where the blessed Mary, about whom this story is, dwells, along with everyone from the beginning who pleased Him with their thoughts and works. Let us also give glory to God, the King of all ages, that He may also honor us with His mercy on the day of judgment, in Christ Jesus our Lord; to Him belongs all glory, honor and worship, with the beginningless Father and the Most Holy and Good and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever and ever. Amen.

(1) In publishing the life of our venerable mother Mary of Egypt, we were solely guided by the desire to preserve the old Russian language of this masterpiece of Orthodox spiritual literature. In some foreign publications there were attempts to re-edit this wonderful work into a more modern language. Such revisions, however, were not successful, which was to be expected, because the life of St. Mary of Egypt is not just a story that can be presented to the modern reader in modern Russian in any publication, but almost a liturgical reading that requires a special style, a special spiritual flavor and internal harmony with Lenten Orthodox worship. This old Russian language in the life of the patristic work of St. Sophrony, Patriarch of Jerusalem, offered here, is also remarkable in that it is quite understandable for the wide mass of believers, but nevertheless it is not the modern Russian language, which could sound dissonant among the liturgical church- Slavic texts of stichera and troparia.

April 14, the church honors the memory of the great saint! Mary of Egypt is one of the most revered saints among Orthodox Christians. Find out more about St. Mary of Egypt from the prepared material below! Have a nice and useful reading!

Life of Mary of Egypt

The Venerable Mary, nicknamed the Egyptian, lived in the mid-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.

Church of the Resurrection, Jerusalem

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. One day 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 Venerable 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 approximately in 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.

What do St. Mary of Egypt most often pray for?

They pray to Mary of Egypt for overcoming fornication, for the granting of repentant feelings in all circumstances.

Prayer of Mary of Egypt

O great saint of Christ, Venerable Mary! Those who stand before the Throne of God in Heaven, and who are with us in the spirit of love on earth, who have boldness towards the Lord, pray to save His servants, who flow to you with love. Ask us from the Most Merciful Master and Lord of faith for immaculate observance of our cities and villages, for salvation from famine and destruction, for those who mourn - consolation, for the sick - healing, for the fallen - uprising, for those who are lost - strengthening, prosperity and blessing in good deeds, for orphans and widows - intercession and eternal rest for those who have departed from this life, but on the day of the Last Judgment we will all be at the right hand of the country and hear the blessed voice of the Judge of the world: come, blessed of My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, and receive your abode there forever. Amen.

Video film about Saint Mary

Materials used: website Pravoslavie.ru, YouTube.com; photo - A. Pospelov, A. Elshin.

Among the holy icons looking at us from the walls of Orthodox churches, there is one on which the gaze involuntarily stops. It depicts the figure of a woman. Her thin, emaciated body is wrapped in an old cloak. The woman’s dark, almost tanned skin is scorched by the desert sun. In her hands is a cross made of dry reed stalks. This is the greatest Christian saint, who became a symbol of repentance - the Venerable Mary of Egypt. The icon conveys to us its strict, ascetic features.

The Sinful Life of Young Mary

The holy elder Zosima told the world about the life and exploits of the saint. By the will of God, he met her in the depths of the desert, where he himself went to spend the Great Pentecost, far from the world, in fasting and prayer. There, on the sun-scorched land, Saint Mary of Egypt was revealed to him. The icon of the saint often depicts this meeting. She confessed to him, telling the amazing story of her life.

She was born at the end of the 5th century in Egypt. But it just so happened that in her youth Mary was far from unquestioningly observing the commandments of God. Moreover, unbridled passions and the absence of intelligent and pious mentors turned the young girl into a vessel of sin. She was only twelve years old when, having left her parents' home in Alexandria, she found herself left to her own devices in a world full of vice and temptations. And the harmful consequences were not long in coming.

Very soon Maria indulged in unbridled debauchery. The goal of her life was to seduce and involve as many men as possible into destructive sin. By her own admission, she never took money from them. On the contrary, Maria earned her living by honest work. Debauchery was not her source of income - it was the meaning of her life. This went on for 17 years.

A turning point in Maria's life

But then one day an event occurred that radically changed the entire lifestyle of the young sinner. The Holy Cross was approaching, and a large number of pilgrims were leaving Egypt for Jerusalem. Their path lay along the sea. Mary, among the others, boarded the ship, but not in order to venerate the Life-Giving Tree in the holy land, but so that during the long sea voyage she could indulge in debauchery with bored men. So she ended up in the holy city.

In the temple, Mary mingled with the crowd and, together with other pilgrims, began to move towards the shrine, when suddenly an unknown force blocked her path and threw her back. The sinner tried again, but the same thing happened every time. Finally realizing that it was Divine power that was not allowing her into the temple for her sins, Mary was filled with the deepest repentance, beat herself in the chest with her hands and in tears begged for forgiveness before what she saw in front of her. Her prayer was heard, and the Most Holy Theotokos showed the girl the path to her salvation: Mary had to cross to the other side of the Jordan and retire into the desert for repentance and knowledge of God.

Life in the desert

From that time on, Mary died to the world. Retiring into the desert, she led a very difficult ascetic life. Thus, from a former libertine, the Venerable Mary of Egypt was born. The icon usually represents her precisely during the years of deprivation and hardship of hermit life. The insignificant supply of bread she had taken with her soon ran out, and the saint ate roots and what she could find in the sun-dry desert. Her clothes eventually decayed on her, and she remained naked. Mary suffered torment from the heat and cold. So forty-seven years passed.

One day in the desert she met an old monk who had retired from the world for a while for prayer and fasting. This was a hieromonk, that is, a minister with the rank of priest. Covering her nakedness, Mary confessed to him, telling the story of her fall and repentance. This monk was the same Zosima who told the world about her life. Years later, he himself will be counted among the saints.

Zosima told the brethren of his monastery about the foresight of Saint Mary, about her ability to see the future. The years spent in repentant prayer transformed not only the soul, but also the body. Mary of Egypt, whose icon represents her walking on water, acquired properties similar to those of the flesh of the risen Christ. She could actually walk on water and during prayer she rose an elbow above the ground.

Communion of the Holy Gifts

Zosima, at Mary’s request, met with her a year later, bringing with him the pre-sanctified Holy Gifts and gave her communion. This is the only time when Saint Mary of Egypt tasted the Body and Blood of the Lord. The icon, the photo of which is in front of you, depicts just this moment. When they parted, she asked to come to her in the desert in five years.

Saint Zosima fulfilled her request, but when he came, he found only her lifeless body. He wanted to bury her remains, but the hard and rocky soil of the desert did not yield to his senile hands. Then the Lord showed a miracle - a lion came to the aid of the saint. The wild beast dug a grave with its paws, where the relics of the righteous woman were lowered. Another icon of Mary of Egypt (the photo was taken from her) completes the article. This is the episode of mourning and burial of the saint.

The infinity of God's mercy

The mercy of the Lord is all-encompassing. There is no sin that could surpass His love for people. It is not for nothing that the Lord is called the Good Shepherd. No lost sheep will be left to perish.

Heavenly Father will do everything to turn her onto the true path. All that matters is the desire to cleanse yourself and deep repentance. Christianity provides many such examples. The most striking among them are Mary Magdalene, the Prudent Thief and, of course, Mary of Egypt, whose icon, prayer, and life showed many the path from the darkness of sin to the light of righteousness.

The life of Mary of Egypt became a special example for righteous people. Immersed in debauchery early in her life, she was able to purify herself and become uplifted in spirit through “prayer and fasting.” Her example is followed by many who want to receive forgiveness and find spiritual harmony.

Life of Saint Mary

Mary came a long way from sinner to saint. She was able to realize and cleanse herself from sin, and also become an example of true repentance for the faithful.

Teenage years and early life

The Venerable Mary was born in the Egyptian province of the 5th century. At a young age (12 years old), she fled to the capital to consciously indulge in sin and debauchery. The girl was very beautiful, so she was always popular among men. For more than 17 years she led a dissolute life, until fate brought her to the Holy City.

All the way to Jerusalem, the girl seduced pilgrims and had no intention of starting a new life. However, having arrived at her destination, she decided to go along with everyone and look at the famous place to which pilgrims from all over the world flocked. All the girl’s attempts to enter the holy place were unsuccessful. On this day, Mary realized her sins, repented before the face of the Mother of God and moved away from her past life. After this, she was able to enter the temple without hindrance.

Mary came a long way from sinner to saint

Years of desert living

Having confessed and received communion, the saint decided to go to the Jordan desert. On the way, she met a man who gave alms in the form of three coins. They were enough for exactly three loaves of bread. She miraculously ate them for 47 long years while she was in wandering. The story of Mary's cleansing from sins began in the desert. For the first 17 years, she overcame the passions and temptations to which she succumbed throughout the conscious years of her life.

Mary of Egypt, shortly before her death, said that at the moment of temptation she offered up a prayer to the Almighty. As a result, the obsession receded, and the soul found peace. For all 17 years, she never succumbed to the fall, for which the Lord sent her complete dispassion and holiness during her life.

Venerable Mary and Elder Zosima

The two saints met in the desert when Zosimas was on a pilgrimage during Lent. He wandered through the desert for 21 days and reached the very depths. While praying, he noticed a shadow cast by a strange figure. The man was very thin, sunburned, which indicated a long wandering. Mary of Egypt first ran away from the elder, shouting that she was a woman and needed a robe.

The elder was surprised that she knew his name, and at the moment of their joint prayer she stood in the air. During the conversation, Maria told Zosima the story of her repentance and spiritual transformation. The woman not only showed a miracle before the elder, but also quoted Holy Scripture without ever reading it.

The ascetic asked Zosima to come to the Jordan River on Holy Thursday to give her communion. The elder fulfilled her request, and a year later their second meeting took place. They prayed, Mary took communion and asked to come to the place of their first meeting during Great Lent.

The death of the righteous woman

Returning at the appointed time, the elder saw the lifeless body of Mary. Her relics remained incorrupt, and there was a message near her head. In it, the saint asked to bury the remains at this place, and also indicated the date of death. It fell on the day of communion, which indicated an instantaneous movement from the Jordan River deep into the desert.

Having fulfilled Mary's last will, the elder returned to the monastery and conveyed the story of her great transfiguration to the abbot. For the next 200 years, the story was passed on orally among the guests of the monastery, until the Monk Sophronius of Jerusalem wrote it down.

Video “The Life of Mary of Egypt”

This video tells about the life and faith of the saint.

What does it help with and what does it protect against?

Orthodox believers have great respect for Saint Mary, since she became a true example of purification and transfiguration.

• A prayer offered to the icon helps:
• receive forgiveness and repentance;
• resist voluptuousness;
• get rid of destructive habits;
• to atone for the abortion;
• find the right path;

gain modesty, Christian wisdom and chastity.

Peculiarities of veneration of the saint

The Venerable Mary showed by her example that after any fall one can take the righteous path. The main thing is to sincerely repent, cleanse yourself and humbly pass all the tests sent by the Almighty to atone for guilt. She became a model for righteous Christians who treat the saint with special respect.

The feast day of the Venerable Mary of Egypt falls on April 14 (March 25, old style). The name day on this day is celebrated by all Marys born on the closest days to the established date. The Penitential Canon is required to be read twice a year: during the first and fifth weeks of Lent.

Mary of Egypt in iconography

The icon represents the saint with her head uncovered, on which gray, short hair develops. Mary is depicted wearing a simple cape that covers her emaciated body. She is a great faster who fully knows the truth through “prayer and fasting.” There are full-length and half-length icon paintings. The main options for depicting Mary are:

1. Image in life. The saint is in the center of the icon, and on the sides are the brightest moments of her life’s journey.
2. The venerable one in prayer to Christ and the Mother of God. It is based on an event that changed Mary’s worldview and set her on the righteous path.
3. Meeting with Zosim. The main theme of the iconography is her communion and imminent death, which symbolizes purification and salvation at the Last Judgment.

Temples in honor of the saint

There are many churches in the world that are dedicated to St. Mary:

1. Sretensky Stavropegial Monastery. In 1930, the ark with a particle of the saint’s relics was transferred to it from the destroyed Church of Mary of Egypt on the territory of the Moscow Sretensky Monastery.
2. State Lermontov Museum-Reserve Tarkhany. On its territory stands the Church of Mary of Egypt.
3. Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fioricity, Florence. Keeps the relics of Saint Mary (chapter).

Sretensky Stavropegic Monastery Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore Tarkhany Museum-Reserve

Prayer of St. Mary of Egypt

Prayer is offered to the saint in order to receive help in cleansing sins and guidance on the righteous path. It contains a brief description of her path and deep repentance before the Almighty. In churches during Lent, the prayer of repentance is read for 5-7 hours, which becomes a test for everyone present. It requires kneeling and sincere repentance for one’s sins.

O great saint of Christ, Venerable Mary! Those who stand before the Throne of God in Heaven, but who are with us in the spirit of love on earth, who have boldness towards the Lord, pray to save His servants, who flow to you with love. Ask us from the Most Merciful Master and Lord of faith for immaculate observance of our cities and villages, for the confirmation of our cities and villages, for deliverance from famine and destruction, for those who mourn - consolation, for the sick - healing, for the fallen - rebellion, for the erring - strengthening, prosperity and blessing in good deeds, for orphans and widows - intercession and eternal rest for those who have departed from this life, but on the day of the Last Judgment, we will all be at the right hand of the country and hear the blessed voice of the Judge of the world: come, blessed of My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, and receive your abode there forever. Amen.

Mary of Egypt is a revered image in the Orthodox world. She showed true victory over sin through repentance and bodily asceticism. While still alive, she was able to ascend spiritually, which made her more like an angel and not a creature of flesh and blood.

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In all Orthodox churches on the evening of March 29, at Matins, which refers to Thursday, a special service will be performed - “Standing of the Venerable Mary of Egypt.” During this service, the Great Penitential Canon of St. Andrew of Crete will be read for the last time this year, as well as the life of St. Mary of Egypt. We have collected the most important facts from the life of the saint, as well as icons and frescoes that are located on Holy Mount Athos, in order to get an insight into her exploits and truly angelic life.

1. At the age of twelve, Maria left her parents.

2. For more than 17 years she indulged in fornication, did not take money from men, believing that the whole meaning of life was to satisfy carnal lust.

3. Earned money from yarn.

4. She went to Jerusalem with the pilgrims to seduce them along the way.

5. God's power did not allow the harlot to enter the temple where the Life-Giving Tree was kept. As soon as she stood on the threshold of the church, she could not cross it. This happened three or four times.

6. She promised the Mother of God not to sin again, and after seeing the Tree of the Cross of the Lord, to renounce the world.

7. After praying before the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, Mary managed to enter the temple and venerate the shrines.

9. For three copper coins she bought three loaves of bread and went to the Jordan River.

10. For the first time I communed the Mysteries of Christ in the Church of St. John the Baptist near the Jordan.

11. The only person who saw Mary after she left for the desert was Hieromonk Zosima. During Lent he crossed the Jordan. In the desert he met Mary of Egypt, who told him about her life.

12. Mary of Egypt lived in the desert for 47 years, of which 17 years were spent struggling with thoughts; she was overcome by memories of her youth spent in sins.

13. The saint’s clothes have decayed. She was naked.

14. She ate petrified bread and roots.

15. When the memories of sins overwhelmed her, the saint lay down on the ground and prayed.

16. Struggling with her thoughts, at these moments, it was as if she saw the Most Holy Theotokos before her, Who was judging her.

17. Knew the Holy Scriptures, but never read them.

18. The body of the Venerable Mary of Egypt was black from the heat of the sun, and her short hair was burnt and turned white.

19. She had the gift of clairvoyance from God, calling Saint Zosima by name and indicating that he was a presbyter.

20. During prayer, she rose in the air an elbow from the ground.

21. I read the thoughts of the Monk Zosima, who at first thought that she was a ghost.

22. She asked Zosima to come in a year and commune her with the Holy Mysteries of Christ.

23. During this meeting, having crossed the Jordan, she walked on the water. After communion, she again asked Zosima to come in a year.

24. Zosima fulfilled the saint’s request, and when he came a year later, he found her dead.

25. The saint did not know how to write, but in the sand near her body it was written: “Bury, Abba Zosima, in this place the body of the humble Mary. Give dust to dust. Pray to the Lord for me, who died in the month of April on the first day, on the very night of Christ’s saving suffering , upon communion of the Divine Last Supper."