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ST. MARY OF EGYPT
The fifth Sunday in Lent is dedicated to a most amazing young woman who became one of the most penitent Saints in the Orthodox Christian Church. She lived in Egypt during the reign of the Emperor Justinian (527-565).
During her young life, Mary of Egypt was an unbeliever and spent much of her time in pursuing the pleasures of life. She was a very beautiful young lady and was much sought after by the young men of Egypt. One year she visited Jerusalem on September 14th (the feast day of the Elevation of the True Cross of Christ) accompanied by several of her admirers. As she was about to enter the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (the place where Christ was entombed and Resurrected from the dead) she suddenly discovered that it was impossible for her to enter. An unseen power was keeping her from entering the Holy Shrine in Jerusalem. A sudden change came over Mary of Egypt, and she realized that she was not worthy of entering the Holy Church of Jesus Christ. She repented of her sins and begged the Blessed Virgin Mary to help her.
Mary of Egypt became a nun in the Church and remained for 40 years in the desert near the Jordan River. Her fame spread through the land, and she became known as the penitent Saint of the Church.
The Church dedicates the 5th Sunday of Great Lent to her memory to remind us of the wonderful Christian virtue of repentance. There must be this feeling of repentance in our hearts if we are to be members of the Body of Christ. If we are to receive His precious Blood and His Holy Body during the Holy Week of Easter we must truly be sorry for all the sins we have committed. This is made possible through the Sacrament of Holy Penance (Confession).
The fifth Sunday in Lent is dedicated to a most amazing young woman who became one of the most penitent Saints in the Orthodox Christian Church. She lived in Egypt during the reign of the Emperor Justinian (527-565).
During her young life, Mary of Egypt was an unbeliever and spent much of her time in pursuing the pleasures of life. She was a very beautiful young lady and was much sought after by the young men of Egypt. One year she visited Jerusalem on September 14th (the feast day of the Elevation of the True Cross of Christ) accompanied by several of her admirers. As she was about to enter the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (the place where Christ was entombed and Resurrected from the dead) she suddenly discovered that it was impossible for her to enter. An unseen power was keeping her from entering the Holy Shrine in Jerusalem. A sudden change came over Mary of Egypt, and she realized that she was not worthy of entering the Holy Church of Jesus Christ. She repented of her sins and begged the Blessed Virgin Mary to help her.
Mary of Egypt became a nun in the Church and remained for 40 years in the desert near the Jordan River. Her fame spread through the land, and she became known as the penitent Saint of the Church.
The Church dedicates the 5th Sunday of Great Lent to her memory to remind us of the wonderful Christian virtue of repentance. There must be this feeling of repentance in our hearts if we are to be members of the Body of Christ. If we are to receive His precious Blood and His Holy Body during the Holy Week of Easter we must truly be sorry for all the sins we have committed. This is made possible through the Sacrament of Holy Penance (Confession).
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Lives of Saints
