Venerable Mary of Egypt. Mary of Egypt

In a Palestinian monastery in the vicinity of Caesarea lived the monk Zosima. Sent to a monastery from childhood, he labored in it until the age of 53, when he was embarrassed by the thought: "Will there be a holy man in the farthest wilderness who surpassed me in sobriety and deed?"

As soon as he thought so, the Angel of the Lord appeared to him and said: “You, Zosima, have labored well in human terms, but there is not a single righteous person among people (Rom. 3, 10). So that you understand how many other and higher images there are salvation, come out of this monastery, as Abraham from his father's house (Gen. 12, 1), and go to the monastery located near the Jordan.

Abba Zosima immediately left the monastery and, following the Angel, came to the Jordan Monastery and settled there.

Here he saw the elders, truly shining in exploits. Abba Zosima began to imitate the holy monks in spiritual work.

So a lot of time passed, and the Holy Forty Day 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 took communion of the Most Pure Body and Blood of Christ, then ate a small meal and again gathered in church.

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

Each of them took with him a moderate amount of food, who needed what, while some took nothing at all into the desert and ate roots. The monks crossed the Jordan and dispersed as far as possible so as not to see how someone was fasting and ascetic.

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

In that year, Abba Zosima, according to monastic custom, crossed the Jordan. He wanted to go deeper into the desert to meet one of the saints and great elders who are being saved there and praying for peace.

He walked in 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, 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 burnt short hair turned white, like a lamb's fleece. . Abba Zosima was overjoyed, because he had not seen a single living creature during those days, and immediately headed towards him.

But as soon as the naked hermit saw Zosima coming towards him, he immediately started to run away from him. Abba Zosima, forgetting his senility and fatigue, quickened his pace. But soon, exhausted, he stopped by a dried-up stream and began to tearfully beg the retreating ascetic: “Why are you running from me, a sinful old man, fleeing in this desert? Wait for me, weak and unworthy, and give me your holy prayer and blessing, for the sake of the Lord, who never disdained anyone."

The stranger, without turning around, shouted to him: “Forgive me, Abba Zosima, I can’t, having turned, appear to your face: I’m a woman, and, as you see, I don’t have any clothes to cover my bodily nakedness. But if you want to pray for me, the great and cursed sinner, throw me your cloak to cover yourself, then I can come to you for blessing.

“She would not have known me by name if she had not acquired the gift of clairvoyance from the Lord through holiness and unknown deeds,” thought Abba Zosima and hurried 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, spent so much labor?” He knelt down and asked for her blessing. In the same way, she bowed before him, and for a long time both asked one another: "Bless." Finally the ascetic said: "Abba Zosima, it is fitting for you to bless and make a prayer, since you have been honored with the dignity of a presbyter and for many years, standing before Christ's altar, you bring the Holy Gifts to the Lord."

These words frightened St. 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 to the world. You recognized me by name and called me a presbyter, never having seen me before. Your measure should also bless me. For the Lord's sake."

Finally yielding to Zosima's stubbornness, the nun said: "Blessed be God, who desires the salvation of all men." Abba Zosima answered "Amen", and they got up 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 has instructed you to perform one service that my soul needs. Tell me first, abba, how 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 a perfect world. But listen to the prayer of an unworthy old man, my mother, pray, for the sake of God, for the whole world and for me, a sinner, that this deserted place will not be fruitless for me. walking".

The holy ascetic said: “It is more fitting for you, Abba Zosima, having a sacred rank, to pray for me and for everyone. That’s why you have been given the rank.

Having said this, the saint turned to the east and, raising her eyes and raising her hands to heaven, began to pray in a whisper. The elder saw her rise in the air to a cubit from the ground. From this wonderful vision, Zosima fell on his face, fervently praying and not daring to utter anything but "Lord, have mercy!"

A thought came into his soul - is it not a ghost that introduces him into temptation? The venerable ascetic, turning around, lifted him from the ground and said: “Why are you so confused by thoughts, Abba Zosima? I am 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 over herself. Seeing and hearing this, the elder fell with tears at the feet of the ascetic: “I beseech you by Christ, our God, do not hide your ascetic life from me, but tell it all in order to make clear to all the greatness of God. For I believe in the Lord my God, Him and you live because I was sent into this wilderness for this, so that God would make all your fasting deeds manifest 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 flee from me, closing your eyes and ears, as one flees from a poisonous snake. my sins, but you, I conjure you, do not stop praying for me, a sinner, that I may gain boldness on the Day of Judgment.

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

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 got on the ship.

Now, father, believe me, I myself am surprised how the sea endured 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 desired my repentance, not even though the death of the sinner, and longsufferingly waiting 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 feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross of the Lord arrived, I still walked, catching the souls of the young in sin. Seeing that everyone went to the church very early, where the Life-Giving Tree was located, I went along with everyone and entered the church vestibule. When the hour of the Holy Exaltation came, I wanted to enter the church with all the people. With great difficulty, making my way to the door, I, accursed, tried to squeeze in. But as soon as I stepped on the threshold, a certain power of God stopped me, preventing me from entering, and threw me far from the doors, while all the people were walking freely. I thought that, perhaps, due to female weakness, I could not squeeze through the crowd, and again I tried to push the people aside with my elbows and make my way to the door. No matter how hard I tried, 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 they did not let me, the accursed one. This happened three or four times. My strength is gone. I moved away and stood in the corner of the church porch.

Then I felt that it was my sins that forbade me to see the Life-Giving Tree, the grace of the Lord touched my heart, I sobbed and began to beat my chest in repentance. Lifting 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 the flesh of God - the Word! I know that I am not worthy to look at Your icon. rejected from Your purity and be an abomination to You, but I also know that for this God became a man in order to call sinners to repentance. the Lord was crucified in the flesh, shedding His innocent Blood also for me, a sinner, for my deliverance from sin. no longer defile myself with any fleshly filth, 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 a Guarantor, will guide me.

And when I prayed like that, I suddenly felt that my prayer had been answered. In tenderness of faith, hoping for the Merciful Mother of God, I again joined those entering the temple, and no one pushed me back and did not forbid me to enter. I walked in fear and trembling until I reached the door and was able to see the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord.

Thus I came to know the mysteries of God and that God is ready to receive those who repent. I fell to the ground, prayed, kissed the shrines and left the temple, hastening to appear again before my Guarantor, where I had given a promise. Kneeling before the icon, I prayed before it:

"O our Benevolent Lady, the Mother of God! You did not disdain my unworthy prayer. Glory to God, who accepts the repentance of sinners by 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 now, before I had finished my prayer, I heard 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 my sake, and, crying, exclaimed to the Mother of God: “Lady Lady, do not leave me, a sinner, but help me,” and immediately left the church vestibule and went away. One person gave me three copper coins. With them I bought myself three loaves and learned from the seller 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 Forerunner of the Most Pure and Life-Giving Mysteries of Christ, ate half of one of my loaves, washed it down with holy Jordanian water, and slept that night on the ground near the church. The next morning, having found a small boat not far away, I crossed the river in it to the other side and again fervently prayed to my Instructor to guide me as She herself pleased. 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 again asked: "What do you have or what do you find for your food here, my mother?" And she answered: "I had two and a half loaves with me when I crossed the Jordan, they slowly dried up and turned to stone, and, eating little by little, for many years I ate from them."

Abba Zosima asked again: “Have you really been without illness for so many years? And did you not accept any temptations from sudden applications and temptations?” “Believe me, Abba Zosima,” the reverend replied, “I spent 17 years in this desert, as if fighting with fierce beasts with my thoughts ... When I began to eat food, the thought immediately came to meat and fish, to which I got used in Egypt. I also wanted wine, because I drank a lot of it when I was in the world. Here, having often no simple water and food, I suffered fiercely from thirst and hunger. I also suffered more severe disasters: I was seized by the desire of fornicators songs, they seemed to be heard to me, embarrassing my heart and hearing. Weeping and beating my chest, I then remembered the vows that I made, going into the desert, before the icon of the Holy Mother of God, my Guarantor, and wept, praying to drive away the thoughts that tormented my soul. the measure of prayer and weeping, repentance was made, I saw the Light shining to me from everywhere, and then instead of a storm, great silence surrounded me.

Forgive thoughts, Abba, how do I confess to you? A passionate fire flared up inside my heart and scorched me all over, arousing lust. At the appearance of accursed thoughts, I fell to the ground and seemed to see that the Most Holy Guarantor Herself was standing before me and was judging me, who had violated this promise. So I did not get up, lying prostrate day and night on the ground, until repentance was performed again and I was surrounded by the same blessed Light, driving away evil embarrassments and thoughts.

So 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 again asked: "Didn't you really need food or 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 wilderness. I then had to endure and live in misery for a long time, both from the heat, when the heat burned me, and from the winter, when I was shaking from the cold. But from that time to this day, the power of God unknownly and in many ways kept my sinful soul and humble body, I was nourished and covered by the word of God, which contains everything (Deut. 8:3), for man shall not live on bread alone, but on the word of God (Matt. 4:4; Luke 4:4), and those who are not covered with stone will be clothed (Job. 24:8), if they put off their sinful garments (Col. 3:9). The Lord delivered me from sins, in that I found inexhaustible food.

When Abba Zosima heard that the holy ascetic also spoke from the Holy Scriptures, from the books of Moses and Job and from the Psalms of David, he then asked the reverend: “Where, my mother, did you learn psalms and other Books?”

She smiled after listening to this question, and answered this way: “Believe me, a man of God, I have not seen a single person except you since I crossed the Jordan. I have never studied books before, I have never heard church singing, (Col. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:21; 1 Thess. 2:13). but with what I began, I end with this: I conjure you with the incarnation of God the Word - pray, holy abba, for me, a great sinner.

And I also conjure you by the Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ - everything that you heard from me, do not tell a single one until God takes me from the earth. And do what I am about to tell you. Next year, in Great Lent, do not go beyond the Jordan, as your monastic custom commands."

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

"Stay, abba," continued the reverend, "in the monastery. However, even if you want to leave the monastery, you won't be able to... And when Holy Great Thursday of the Mystical Supper of the Lord comes, put the Life-giving Body and Blood of Christ, God, into the holy vessel ours, and bring it to me. Wait for me on the other side of the Jordan, at the edge of the wilderness, so that when I come, I may partake of the Holy Mysteries. And to Abba John, hegumen of your monastery, say this: Take care of yourself and your flock (Acts 20, 23; 1 Timothy 4:16. However, I don't want you to tell him this now, but when the Lord directs."

Having said this and having once again asked for prayers, the nun turned and went into the depths of the desert.

For the whole year, Elder Zosima remained in silence, not daring to reveal to anyone what the Lord had revealed to him, and diligently prayed that the Lord would vouchsafe him to see the holy ascetic again.

When the first week of the holy Great Lent came 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 a few days, the Monk Zosima was healed of his illness, but nevertheless remained until Holy Week in the monastery.

The day of the Last Supper is approaching. Then Abba Zosima did what he was ordered to do - late in the evening he went out of the monastery to the Jordan and sat down on the bank in anticipation. The saint hesitated, and Abba Zosima prayed to God that He would not deprive him of a meeting with the ascetic.

Finally, the nun came and stood on the other side of the river. Rejoicing, the Monk Zosima rose and praised God. The thought came to him: how can she cross the Jordan without a boat? But the nun, having crossed 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, the bearer of the great Mysteries of God."

Having crossed the river, the nun said to Abba Zosima: "Bless, father." He answered her with trepidation, horrified by the wondrous vision: "Truly, God is not false, promising to liken to Himself all who are cleansed, as far as possible, to mortals. Glory to Thee, Christ our God, Who has shown me through His holy servant how far I am from the measure of perfection."

After that, the nun 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 let Thy servant go, Master, according to Thy word with peace, as if my eyes have seen Thy salvation."

Then the nun again turned to the elder and said: "Forgive me, abba, also fulfill my other desire. Now go to your monastery, and next year come to that dry stream where we first spoke with you." “If it were possible for me,” replied Abba Zosima, “to follow you incessantly in order to contemplate your holiness!” The nun again asked the elder: "Pray, for the Lord's sake, pray for me and remember my wretchedness." And, having overshadowed the Jordan with the sign of the cross, she, as before, passed through the waters and hid in the darkness of the desert. And the elder Zosima returned to the monastery in spiritual exultation and trembling, and in one thing he reproached himself for not asking the name of the saint. But he hoped next year to finally know her name.

A year passed, and Abba Zosima again went to the desert. Praying, he reached a dry stream, on the eastern side of which he saw the 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 tears, not daring to touch her body, wept for a long time over the deceased ascetic and began to sing psalms, befitting sorrow for the death of the righteous, and read funeral prayers. But he doubted whether it would be pleasing to the reverend if he buried her. As soon as he thought about it, he saw that it was inscribed at her head: “Buriate, Abba Zosima, in this place the body of the humble Mary. after Communion of the Divine Last Supper".

Having read this inscription, Abba Zosima was surprised at first 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 Monk Mary, having communed the Holy Mysteries on the Jordan from his hands, in an instant passed her long desert path, along which he, Zosima, walked for twenty days, and immediately departed to the Lord.

Having glorified God and wetting the earth and the body of St. Mary with tears, Abba Zosima said to himself: “It’s time for you, Elder Zosima, to do what you have been ordered to do. But how will you be able to dig a grave, having nothing in your hands?” Having said this, he saw a fallen tree lying not far in the desert, took it and began to dig. But the earth was too dry, no matter how much he dug, sweating, he could not do anything. Straightening up, Abba Zosima saw a huge lion near the body of the Monk Mary, which was licking her feet. The elder was seized with fear, but he signed himself with 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, kindled in spirit, ordered the lion to dig a grave in order to bury the body of St. Mary. At his word, the lion dug a ditch with its paws, in which the body of the reverend was buried. Having fulfilled what they had bequeathed, each went his own way: the lion to the desert, and Abba Zosima to 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 St. Mary. Everyone was amazed, hearing about the greatness of God, and with fear, faith and love they established to create the memory of the Monk Mary and honor the day of her repose. Abba John, hegumen of the monastery, according to the word of the venerable one, with God's help corrected what was necessary in the monastery. Abba Zosima, having lived pleasing to God in the same monastery and a little before reaching a hundred years old, ended his temporal life here, passing into eternal life.

Thus, the ancient ascetics of the glorious monastery of the holy and all-praised Forerunner of the Lord John, located on the Jordan, handed down to us the marvelous story about the life of the Monk 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.

But I, - says St. Sophronius, Archbishop of Jerusalem (Comm. 11 March), the first descriptor of the Life, - that I received in my turn from the holy fathers, betrayed everything to a written story.

God, who works great miracles and rewards with great gifts all those who turn to Him with faith, may He reward those who read, and listen, and convey this story to us, and vouchsafe us a good part with Blessed Mary of Egypt and with all the saints, God-thought and their labors that pleased God from the century. Let us also give glory to God the Eternal King, and let us also be vouchsafed to find mercy on the Day of Judgment in Christ Jesus, our Lord, to whom all glory, honor, and power, and worship with the Father, and the Most Holy and Life-giving Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever, amen.

In one of the Palestinian monasteries lived an old man, adorned with piety and from early youth valiantly labored in monastic deeds. The elder's name was Zosima ( Commemoration April 4/17). After 53 years of fasting, he began to be embarrassed by the thought that he had reached complete perfection and no longer needed any instructions. “Is there,” he thought, “on earth a monk who can instruct me and set an example of such fasting as I have not yet gone through? Is there a man in the wilderness who surpasses me?” When the elder was thinking like this, an angel appeared to him and said: “Zosima! You labored diligently, as far as it is possible for a person, and valiantly passed the fasting feat. However, there is no person who could say about himself that he has reached perfection. There are feats unknown to you, and more difficult than those you have gone through. To know how many other paths lead to salvation, leave your country and go to a monastery lying by the Jordan River.

Following this instruction, Zosima left the monastery where he labored from infancy, went to the Jordan and reached the monastery where the voice of God directed him. Pushing open the monastery gates with his hand, Zosima found the monk-gatekeeper. He informed the abbot, who ordered to call the elder who had come to him. Zosima came to the abbot and performed the usual monastic bow and prayer. Then he asked for blessings for life in this monastery and remained in the monastery. Here he saw the elders, shining with good deeds and piety, with a fiery heart serving the Lord with unceasing singing, all-night prayer, and constant work. Psalms were always on their lips, an idle word was never heard, they knew nothing about the acquisition of temporary goods and about worldly concerns. Their main and constant food was the word of God, and they nourished their bodies with bread and water, as far as love for God allowed each. Seeing this, Zosima studied and prepared for the upcoming feat.

There was a custom in that monastery, for the sake of which God brought Zosima there. During the first week of Great Lent, at the Liturgy, everyone took communion of the Most Pure Body and Blood of the Lord and ate some Lenten food. Then everyone gathered in the church and, after a diligent, kneeling prayer, said goodbye to each other and each with a bow asked the abbot for blessings on the upcoming feat to the travelers. After that, the monastery gates were opened, and with the singing of a psalm The Lord is my enlightenment and my Savior, whom I fear; The Lord is the Defender of my life, from whom I fear(Psalm 26:1) the monks went out into the desert and crossed the Jordan River. Only one or two elders remained in the monastery, so as not to leave the church without worship. Each took a little food with him, while others took nothing with them, except for the rags on their bodies, and in the desert they ate wild herbs.

Having crossed the Jordan, everyone dispersed far in different directions and did not know about each other, how someone fasts and struggles. If anyone saw that another was coming towards him, he would go the other way and continue his life in prayerful solitude. Thus, the monks spent the entire Great Lent and returned to the monastery on the Week of Vay. Arriving at the monastery, none of the brothers asked each other how he spent his time in the desert and what he did, having only his conscience as a witness. Such was the monastic charter of the Jordan Monastery.

Zosimas, according to the custom of that monastery, also crossed the Jordan, taking with him, for the sake of bodily infirmity, some food and the clothes that he constantly wore. Wandering in the desert, he performed his feat of prayer and, if possible, abstained from food. He slept little, sitting on the ground, and early in the morning he woke up and continued his feat. He went farther and farther into the depths of the desert, wishing there to find one of the ascetics who could instruct him.

After twenty days of travel, he stopped one day and performed the prayers that he sang every hour. When he sang like that, he saw on the right side, as it were, the shadow of a human body. Frightened and thinking that this was a demonic delusion, he began to be baptized. When the fear passed and the prayer was over, he turned to the south and saw a man - naked, scorched black by the sun, with hair white as wool, descending only to the neck. Zosima with great joy quickly headed in that direction. When this man saw from a distance that Zosima was approaching him, he hastily ran deep into the desert. But Zosima rushed to catch up with the fugitive. He hurried away, but Zosima ran faster, and when he overtook him so much that they could hear each other, he called with tears to stop. Meanwhile, they reached a hollow, like the bed of a dried-up river. The fugitive rushed to the other side, and Zosima, tired and not having the strength to run further, intensified his tearful prayers and stopped. Then the one who had fled from Zosima finally stopped and said: “Abba Zosima! Forgive me, for God's sake, that I cannot appear before you: I am a woman and, as you see, uncovered in my nakedness. But if you want to teach me, a sinner, your prayer and blessing, then throw me something from your clothes to cover yourself, and then I will turn to you for prayer.

Fear and horror seized Zosima when he heard his name from the lips of the one who had never seen him and heard nothing about him. If she hadn't been sagacious, he thought, she wouldn't have called me by my first name.

He quickly took off his shabby, torn clothes and, turning away, threw it to her. Taking her clothes, she covered her nakedness as much as possible and girded herself, and then turned to Zosima with the following words: “Why did you, Abba Zosima, wish to see me, a sinful wife? Perhaps you want to hear or learn something from me, and therefore you were not too lazy on the difficult path?

But Zosima threw himself on the ground and asked her blessings. She also bowed to the ground, and so both lay, asking each other for blessings; There was only one word, “Bless.” After a long time, she said to the elder: “Abba Zosima! You must bless and make a prayer, because you are vested with the rank of a priest and for many years you have been standing at the holy altar, performing the Divine Mysteries.” These words plunged the elder into even greater fear. Shedding tears, he said to her, with difficulty catching his breath from horror: “O spiritual mother! You, having mortified bodily infirmities, drew near to God. The gift of God is greater in you than in others: you have never seen me, but you call me by name and know my rank of priest. Therefore, it is better for you to bless me for the sake of God and give me your holy prayer.” Touched by the elder's perseverance, she blessed him with the following words: "Blessed be God, Who desires the salvation of human souls!" Zosimas answered: “Amen,” and both got up from the ground.

Then she asked the elder: “Man of God! Why did you want to visit me, not adorned with any virtues? But, apparently, the grace of the Holy Spirit led you to tell me about earthly life when necessary. Tell me, father, how do Christians live now, the king and the Saints of the Church?” - “Through your holy prayers,” answered Zosima, “God gave the Church lasting peace. But bow down to the prayers of an unworthy old man and pray to the Lord for the whole world and for me, a sinner, so that my wandering in the wilderness would not be fruitless. for everyone. But out of a duty of obedience, I will do your will.”

With these words she turned to the east; raising her eyes and raising her hands, she began to pray, but so quietly that Zosima did not hear or understand the words of the prayer. In awe, silently, he stood with his head bowed.

“I call God to witness,” he said, “that after a while I lifted my eyes and saw her raised to an elbow from the ground; so she stood in the air and prayed.” Seeing this, Zosima trembled with fear, fell to the ground with tears and only said: “Lord, have mercy!” But then he was confused by the thought whether it was a spirit or a ghost, as if praying to God. But the saint, lifting the elder from the ground, said: “Why, Zosima, are you embarrassed by the thought of a ghost, why do you think that I am a spirit praying? I beg you, blessed father, make sure that I am a sinful wife, cleansed only by holy baptism; no, I am not a spirit, but earth, dust and ashes, I am flesh, not thinking of being a spirit. With these words, she made the sign of the cross on her forehead, eyes, mouth, chest, and continued: “May God deliver us from the evil one and from his snares, because his scolding is great against us.”

Hearing such words, the elder fell at her feet and exclaimed with tears: “In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, the true God, born of the Virgin, for whose sake you, naked, so mortified your flesh, I conjure you, do not hide from me, but tell everything about your life, and I will glorify the greatness of God. For God's sake, say everything not for boasting, but to give instruction to me, a sinner and unworthy. I believe in my God, for whom you live, that I went to this wilderness precisely so that God would glorify your deeds. We cannot resist the ways of God. If it had not been pleasing to God that you and your deeds become known, He would not have revealed you to me and would not have strengthened me on such a long journey through the wilderness.”

Zosima persuaded her a lot, until she raised him and said: “Forgive me, holy father, I am ashamed to tell about my shameful life. But you saw my naked body, so I will expose my soul, and you will know how much shame and disgrace is in it. I will open myself to you, not boasting, as you said: what should I boast about, the chosen vessel of the devil! But if I start a story about my life, you will run away from me like from a snake; your hearing will not stand the story of my debauchery. However, I will tell without saying anything; I only ask you, when you know my life, do not forget to pray for me so that I may receive some kind of mercy on the day of judgment.

The elder, with uncontrollable tears, asked her to tell about her life, and she began to talk about herself like this:

I, the holy father, was born in Egypt, but being twelve years old, when my parents were still alive, I rejected their love and went to Alexandria. How I lost my virginal purity and began to irresistibly, insatiably indulge in fornication - I cannot even think about this without shame, and not only talk about it; I will only say briefly so that you know about my uncontrollable lust. For seventeen years, and even more, I committed fornication with everyone - not for the sake of a gift or payment, since I did not want to take anything from anyone, but to satisfy my lust more often. At the same time, I lived in poverty, often hungry, but always obsessed with the desire to wallow even more in the mire of fornication. Once, during the harvest, I saw that many men - both Egyptians and Libyans - were going to the sea. I asked one of the people I met about where these people were in a hurry. He replied that he was going to Jerusalem, for the upcoming feast of the Exaltation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross. When I asked if they would take me with them, he said that if I had money and food, then no one would interfere. I answered: “No, brother, I have neither money nor food, but still I will go and board the same ship with them, and they will feed me: I will give them my body for a fee.” I wanted to go so that - forgive me, my father - there were many people around me who were ready for lust. I told you, father Zosima, not to force me to talk about my shame. God knows, I fear that with my words I defile the very air.

Irrigating the earth with tears, Zosima exclaimed: “Speak, my mother, speak! Continue your instructive story!”

Seeing my shamelessness,” she continued, “they took me with them to the ship, and we set sail. How do you, man of God, say what happened next? I led to sin even against my will, and there were no shameful deeds, no matter how I taught. Believe me, father, I am horrified that the sea endured such depravity, how the earth did not open up and plunge me alive into hell after the corruption of so many people! But I think that God was waiting for my repentance, not wanting the death of a sinner, but patiently waiting for my conversion. With such feelings I arrived in Jerusalem and all the days before the holiday I acted as before, and even worse. Finally, the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross arrived, and, as before, I went to seduce the young men. Seeing that early in the morning everyone, one after another, was going to the church, I also went, went into the porch with everyone, and when the hour of the Holy Exaltation of the Holy Cross of the Lord arrived, I tried to enter the church with the people. But, no matter how hard I tried to push through, people pushed me away. Finally, with great difficulty, I approached the doors of the church, accursed. But everyone around entered the church unhindered, but some Divine power did not allow me. I tried again to enter, and was again suspended until I was alone in the porch. Thinking that this was due to my feminine weakness, I intervened in the new crowd, but my efforts were in vain. So three or four times I strained my strength, but had no success. From exhaustion, I could no longer interfere with the crowd of people entering, my whole body ached from tightness and pressure. Desperate, I stepped back in shame and stood in the corner of the porch. And at this time, the Light of the saving mind, the truth of God, illuminating the eyes of the soul, touched my heart and indicated that the abomination of my deeds forbids me to enter the church. Then I began to beat my chest, weep bitterly and sigh from the depths of my heart. So I sobbed, standing in the porch, until, raising my eyes, I saw the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos on the wall. Turning my bodily and spiritual eyes to her, I exclaimed: “O Mistress, Virgin, who gave birth to God in the flesh! It is right if Your virginal purity abhors me and hates me as a harlot. But I heard that the God born by You became incarnate for this purpose, to call sinners to repentance. Come to me, abandoned by all, to help! Command me that the entrance to the church is not forbidden to me, let me see the Honest Tree, on which the flesh was crucified born by You and shed His holy Blood for the deliverance of sinners and for mine. Be my faithful Guarantor before Your Son, that I will no longer defile my body with the impurity of fornication, but, looking at the Tree of the Cross, I will renounce the world and its temptations and go where You lead me, the Guarantor of my salvation.

So I prayed. And so, convinced of the mercy of the Mother of God, I, as if by someone's prompting, moved from the place where I prayed, and mingled with the crowd entering the church. Now no one pushed me away and I easily went inside and was honored to see the Life-Giving Tree, and I was convinced that God would not reject the penitent. Falling to the ground, I bowed to the Holy Cross and kissed it with trepidation. Then she left the church to the image of my Guarantee - the Mother of God and, kneeling before Her holy icon, began to pray: “Oh blessed Virgin, Lady of the Mother of God, not disdaining my sinful prayer, You showed me Your great philanthropy. Now, Lady, instruct me and teach me how to complete salvation on the path of repentance.” After these words, I heard, as if from afar, a voice: “If you cross the Jordan, you will find complete peace for yourself.” Having listened to these words with faith that they were addressed to me, I exclaimed with tears: “Mistress, Lady Mother of God, do not leave me!” With these words, I left the church vestibule and quickly went forward. Someone on the road gave me three coins with the words: "Take this, mother." I accepted the coins, bought three loaves and asked the seller where the way to the Jordan was. Knowing which gate leads that way, I quickly walked, shedding tears. I spent the whole day on the road, asking for directions from those I met, and by the third hour of that day, when I was able to see the holy Cross of Christ, already at sunset, I reached the Church of St. John the Baptist by the Jordan River. After praying in the church, I went down to Jordan and washed my hands and face. Returning to the church, I partook of the Most Pure and Life-Giving Mysteries of Christ. Then she ate half of one loaf, drank the water from the Jordan, and fell asleep on the ground. Early in the morning, having found a small boat, I crossed to the other side and again turned to the Mother of God, so that She would keep and instruct me. So I withdrew into the desert, where I wander to this day, waiting for the salvation that God will give me from spiritual and bodily suffering.

Zosima asked: “How many years, mistress, has it been since you settled in this desert?” - "I think, - she answered, - 47 years have passed since I left the holy city." - "How, - asked Zosima, - do you find food for yourself?" “Having crossed the Jordan,” said the saint, “I had two and a half loaves; they gradually dried up, as if petrified, and I ate them little by little for several years. “How could you live safely for so long without any temptation embarrassing you?” - “I am afraid to answer your question, father Zosima, for I am afraid that when I remember the troubles that I suffered from the thoughts that tormented me, they will again take possession of me.” - “Nothing, madam,” said Zosima, - do not omit it in your story, for that is why I asked you, in order to know all the details of your life.”

Then she said:

Believe me, father Zosima, that I lived for 17 years in this desert, fighting with my crazy passions, like with fierce beasts. When I started eating, I dreamed of meat and wine, which I had in Egypt. When I was in the world, I drank a lot of wine, but here there was no water; I was thirsty and terribly tormented. Sometimes I had a very embarrassing desire to sing prodigal songs to which I was accustomed. Then I shed tears, beat my chest and remembered the vows I had given when I retired to the desert. Then I mentally stood before the icon of my Guarantor, the Most Pure Theotokos, and with weeping I begged to drive away from me the thoughts that embarrassed my soul. For a long time I cried like that, hitting my chest hard, and finally, it was as if light poured around me and I found peace. When the temptation of lust came upon me, I threw myself on the ground and shed tears, imagining that my Guarantor Herself was standing before me, condemning my crime and threatening with severe torments. Cast down to the ground, I did not get up day and night until that light illuminated me and drove away the embarrassing thoughts. Then I raised my eyes to my Guarantor, fervently asking for help to my sufferings in the desert - and indeed, She gave me help and guidance in repentance. So I spent 17 years in constant torment. And after, and until now, the Mother of God in everything is my Helper and Guide.

Then Zosima asked: “Did you not need food and clothes?” The saint answered: “Having finished the loaves, after 17 years I ate plants; the clothes that I wore when crossing the Jordan decayed from decay, and I suffered a lot, exhausted from the heat in the summer, shaking in the winter from the cold; so that many times I, as if lifeless, fell to the ground and lay for a long time, undergoing numerous bodily and mental hardships. But, from that time to this day, the power of God has transformed my sinful soul and my humble body in everything, and I only remember the previous hardships, finding inexhaustible food for myself in the hope of salvation: I feed and cover myself with the almighty word of God, for man does not live by bread alone!(Matthew 4:4). And those who put off the sinful garment have no shelter, hiding among the stone clefts (see Job. 24:8; Heb.11:38).

Hearing that the saint was remembering the words of the Holy Scriptures from Moses, the prophets and the Psalter, Zosima asked if she had studied the Psalms and various books. “Do not think,” she answered with a smile, “that since my crossing of the Jordan I have seen any person besides you; I didn’t even see a single beast or animal. And I have never learned from books, I have never heard reading or singing from anyone's lips, but the word of God everywhere and always enlightens the mind and penetrates even to me, unknown to the world. But I conjure you with the incarnation of the Word of God: pray for me, a harlot.” So she said. The elder rushed to her feet with tears and exclaimed: “Blessed be God, who does great and terrible, wondrous and glorious deeds, of which there is no number! Blessed be God, who has shown me how He rewards those who fear Him! Indeed, You, O Lord, do not leave those who strive for You!”

The saint did not allow the elder to bow to her and said: “I conjure you, holy father, by Jesus Christ, our God Savior, do not tell anyone what you heard from me until God takes me from the earth, and now go in peace; in a year you will see me again, if the grace of God preserves us. But for the sake of God, do what I ask you to do: next year, do not cross the Jordan by fasting, as you usually do in the monastery. Zosima marveled that she was talking about the monastery charter, and could not say anything, as soon as: “Glory to God, who rewards those who love Him!”

So you, holy father, - she continued, - stay in the monastery, as I tell you, because it will be impossible for you to leave if you want to; on Holy and Great Thursday, on the day of the Last Supper of Christ, take a vessel of the Life-Giving Body and Blood into the holy, appropriate for this, bring it to a worldly village on the other side of the Jordan and wait for me so that I can partake of the Life-Giving Gifts: after all, since I I took communion before crossing the Jordan in the Church of John the Baptist, to this day, I have not tasted the Holy Gifts. Now I am striving for this with all my heart, and do not leave my prayer, but by all means bring me the Life-giving and Divine Mysteries at the hour when the Lord made His disciples participants in His Divine Supper. John, hegumen of the monastery where you live, say: look after yourself and your brethren, that you need to improve in many ways. But say it not now, but when God guides you.

After these words, she again asked the elder to pray for her and withdrew deep into the desert. Zosima, bowing to the ground and kissing the place where her feet stood for the glory of God, went on his way back, praising and blessing Christ our God. Having crossed the desert, he reached the monastery on the day when the brothers who lived there usually returned. He kept silent about what he saw, not daring to tell, but in his heart he prayed to God to give him another chance to see the dear face of the ascetic. Then for a whole year he thought with sorrow how long time dragged on, and wanted it to fly by like one day. When the first week of Great Lent arrived, the brethren, according to the custom and charter of the monastery, after praying and singing, went out into the wilderness. Only Zosima, who suffered from a serious illness, was forced to stay in the monastery. Then he remembered the words of the saint: “It will be impossible for you to leave, even if you want to!” Soon recovering from his illness, Zosima remained in the monastery. When the brethren returned and the day of the Last Supper approached, the elder put the Most Pure Body and Blood of Christ our God into a small Cup and, taking several dried figs and dates and some wheat soaked in water in a basket, left the monastery late in the evening and sat down on the banks of the Jordan, waiting for the arrival of the reverend. The saint did not come for a long time, but Zosima, without closing his eyes, tirelessly peered towards the desert, expecting to see what he so strongly desired. “Perhaps,” the elder thought, “I am not worthy for her to come to me, or has she already come before and, not finding me, returned back?” Tears flowed from such thoughts, and with a sigh he began to pray: Don’t let me leave here unsatisfied, under the burden of sins that convict me!” And then another thought came to his mind: “If she comes to the Jordan, but there is no boat, how will she cross and come to me, unworthy? Alas, a sinner, alas! Who deprived me of the happiness of seeing her?”

So the elder thought, but the nun had already come to the river. Seeing her, Zosima stood up with joy and thanked God. He was still tormented by the thought that she could not cross the Jordan, when he saw that the saint, illuminated by the brilliance of the moon, crossed the river with the sign of the cross, descended from the bank to the water and walked towards him on the water, as on solid ground. Seeing this, the amazed Zosima wanted to bow to her, but the saint, still walking on the water, opposed this and exclaimed: “What are you doing? After all, you are a priest and carry the Divine Mysteries!” The elder obeyed her words, and the saint, going ashore, asked him for his blessing. Horrified by the wondrous vision, he exclaimed: “Truly God keeps His promise to make those who are saved according to their ability like Himself! Glory to Thee, Christ our God, Who has shown me through His servant how far I am from perfection!”

Then the saint asked to read the Symbol of Faith and the Lord's Prayer. At the end of the prayer, she partook of the Most Pure and Life-Giving Mysteries of Christ and, according to monastic custom, kissed the elder, after which she sighed and exclaimed with tears: Now you release Your servant, Master, according to Your word with peace, as if my eyes have seen Your salvation(Luke 2:29-30). Then, turning to Zosima, the saint said: “I beg you, father, do not refuse to fulfill one more of my desires: now go to your monastery, and next year come to the same stream where you used to talk with me; come for God's sake and see me again. That's what God wants." “If it were possible,” the holy elder answered her, “I would always like to follow you and see your bright face. But I beg you, fulfill my desire, the old man: taste some of the food that I brought.” Here he showed what he had brought in the basket. The saint touched the ends of her fingers to the wheat, took three grains and, raising them to her lips, said: “That is enough: the grace of spiritual food, which keeps the soul undefiled, will satisfy me. Again I ask you, holy father, pray for me to the Lord, remembering my wretchedness.”

The elder bowed to the ground to her and asked for her prayers for the Church, for the kings, and for himself. After this tearful request, he bade her farewell with sobs, not daring to restrain her any longer. Even if he wanted to, he didn't have the power to stop her. The saint again made the sign of the cross over Jordan and, as before, she crossed the river as if on dry land. And the elder returned to the monastery, agitated both with joy and fear; he reproached himself for not having learned the name of the reverend, but he hoped to learn it next year.

Another year has passed. Zosima again went into the desert, following the monastic custom, and went to the place where he had a wondrous vision. He walked the whole desert, recognized the place he was looking for by some signs, and began to carefully peer around. However, he did not see anyone approaching him. Shedding tears, he raised his eyes to heaven and began to pray: “Lord, show me Your treasure, not stolen by anyone, hidden by You in the wilderness, show me the holy righteous woman, this angel in the flesh, with whom the whole world is not worthy to be compared!” Saying such a prayer, the elder reached the place where the stream flowed. Standing on the shore, he saw the reverend lying dead; her hands were folded, as befits those lying in a coffin, her face turned to the east. Quickly approaching her, he crouched at her feet, reverently kissed and watered them with his tears. For a long time he wept; then, having read the psalms and prayers put for burial, he began to think whether it was possible to bury the body of the reverend, whether she would like it. Then he saw an inscription inscribed on the ground near the head of the blessed one: “Buriate, Abba Zosima, in this place the body of the humble Mary, give the ashes to the ashes. Pray to God for me, who died in the month, in Egyptian Pharmafion, in Roman April, on the first day, on the night of the saving Passion of Christ, after communion of the Divine Mysteries. After reading the inscription, the elder first of all thought about who could have drawn it: the saint, as she herself said, could not write. But he was very glad that he learned the name of the reverend. In addition, he learned that the saint, having received communion on the banks of the Jordan, in one hour reached the place of her death, where he went after twenty days of a difficult journey, and immediately surrendered her soul to God.

“Now,” thought Zosima, “it is necessary to fulfill the order of the saint, but how can I, the accursed one, dig a hole without any tool in my hands?” Then he saw a bough of a tree near him thrown in the desert, took it and began to dig. However, the dry land did not succumb to the efforts of the old man; he was sweating, but he couldn't do anything. He sighed bitterly from the depths of his soul - and suddenly, raising his eyes, he saw a huge lion standing by the body of the reverend and licking her feet. The elder was horrified at the sight of the beast, especially since he remembered the words of the saint that she had never seen animals. He marked himself with the sign of the cross, confident that the power of the deceased saint would protect him. The lion began to quietly approach the old man, affectionately, as if with love, looking at him. Then Zosima said to the beast: “The great ascetic ordered me to bury her body, but I am old and cannot dig a grave. Dig a grave with your claws, and I will bury the body of the reverend.” The lion seemed to understand these words and dug a hole with his front paws. The elder again wetted the saint's feet with tears, asking for her prayers for the whole world, and covered her body with earth. Then both departed: the lion, quiet as a lamb, deep into the desert, and Zosima to his monastery, blessing and glorifying Christ our God. It happened in 522.

Arriving at the monastery, the elder Zosima told all the monks about the Monk Mary. Everyone marveled at the greatness of God and decided with fear, faith and love to honor the memory of the reverend and celebrate the day of her repose. Hegumen John, as the Monk Mary told Abba Zosima, found some faults in the monastery and eliminated them with God's help. And Saint Zosima, after a long life, almost a hundred years, ended his earthly existence and passed on to eternal life, to God.

is a saint of the Christian religion. She happens to be patroness of penitent girls. The first history of the life of Mary was published by Sophronius of Jerusalem, and most of the information from the life of Mary of Egypt was transferred to medieval times. Legends of Mary Magdalene.

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

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righteous life

Maria 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 and in strong prayer.

Thus, by careful and regular deeds, 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 on the territory of 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 marveled at her unusual holiness and foresight.

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

At the moment of parting with Zosima, St. Mary asked him to come here again in one year to perform before her. The elder complied with the request and exactly after the specified time returned and took communion with St. Mary. Then, returning to the desert one more year later, hoping to meet 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.

So from a girl shrouded in sins, with the help of the Lord, Mary 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 for forgiveness from each other, began to ask for blessings from the abbot and, to the general singing of the psalm, opened the gates of the monastery, so that they could then go into the desert.

At the same time, everyone took with them the right amount of food, whoever wanted what. Some did not take anything with them at all and ate only the roots. The monks set off from the Jordan and settled as far as possible from it, so as not to watch someone fast and labor.

At the time when Great Lent was coming to an end, the monks went back to the Jordanian monastery on Palm Sunday, together with the fruit of their labor, having tested their souls. With 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 who were being saved there and praying for the unity of soul and body.

He walked in the wilderness for 20 days and one day, when he continued to sing psalms for about six hours and did simple prayers, suddenly to his right he noticed a real shadow of a person. He became frightened, 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 heat of the sun, and the burnt short hair turned white, like a lamb's fleece. Abba 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 towards the creature.

But the 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, completely exhausted, Zosima stopped by a dry stream and began to ask the departing person in tears: “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 shunned anyone.

The unknown person did not even turn around, but shouted back: “Forgive me, Abba Zosima, turning to come to your face: I am a woman, and, as you can see, I don’t have any clothes to cover my nakedness. But if you want to pray to me, the great sinner, then throw your cloak to me for shelter, so that I can come to you for your blessing.

“She would not know 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 a cloak, the saint turned to Zosima: “What did you decide, Zosima, to talk to me, a woman full of sins and unwise in my word? What do you want to learn from me and, not sparing your efforts and efforts, spend so much of your time on me? He at this time, on 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.” In the end, the saint said: “Abba Zosima, blessing and prayer befits you, since you are honored by the very dignity of the presbyter 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 nun said: “Blessed is God, who wants salvation for all people on earth.” Abba replied to this: . And they simultaneously rose from the surface of the earth. The ascetic 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, which is necessary for my soul. Tell me first, Abba, how do Christians live, how do they grow and achieve the prosperity of the saints who are in God's Church?

Abba Zosima told her: “Through your strong prayers, God gave the Church and all of us a real and righteous world. But listen to the unworthy old man, my mother, pray for the sake of Christ for all nations and for me, a sinner, for only then will this walking bring real fruit.

The saint answered: “You rather need, Abba Zosima, having the rank of a sacred character, to pray to the Lord for me and those around me. That's why you've been given a dignity. Although, everything commanded by you 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 up, began to pray quietly. The elder noticed how the saint rose into the air for a whole cubit from the surface of the earth. From this strange and unusual event, Zosima fell to his knees, began to pray fervently and did not dare to say anything except, Lord, have mercy!

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

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

Conclusion

Whether this is true is up to you to decide. But in any case, religion as well as psychology say to exclude feelings of guilt and sin, you need to truly wish for this and plead guilty and one 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.

During Great Lent, the words about Mary of Egypt are sure to be heard in churches. As a rule, they speak of her conversion from sin, of a long repentance in the wilderness. But one word about her is remembered somehow especially, it is akin to a good icon-painting image. This is a sermon. Serafima (Chichagova) "About the Call of God". Probably, not everyone knows about this instruction, since the name of the Reverend Mary is not included in its title, but it is mostly dedicated to this saint. And now, there is a line in it, capacious and deep, conveying the essence of its history and at the same time allowing you to see the known, as if, for the first time, no longer as a chain of events, but as a true miracle performed by God. Here's what the svmch says. Seraphim: “... after 47 years, the monk Zosima once met her in the desert at night, this one is from the great sinners- great righteous…”.

Usually about Rev. Mary of Egypt is spoken of as "pardoned" by God, and this is true. But it is not often possible to feel and convey the immensity of God's mercy in this way. After all, what do the words svmch mean. Seraphim, what did he see? - Yes, what past Reverend Mary simply no… No harlot. There is the greatest saint! The one who entered Paradise with the virgins.

With regard to sin, only the human soul and human judgment are "long-remembering". God's measure different. For Christ, there are no apostles who “forsaken Him”, there is no Peter who “denied Him”, there is no Paul who “sympathized with the beating of Archdeacon Stephen”, but there is only pupils and supreme Apostles Peter and Paul. True forgiveness, the one that the Lord teaches us, is complete, forever erasing what happened yesterday. It is this that makes it possible for a penitent person to pass into another state; a transition that may seem “unthinkable”, “too generous” and almost “mythical” for a stingy soul: of the great sinners- great saint!“Yes, how so?! After all, she ... ”or:“ Okay, let her be a saint, but what a terrible example, however!

May all this not seem like an exaggeration or a dubious shift in emphasis. Once, in a wonderful sermon about my saint, I happened to hear unexpected and apparently hasty words: “How many such “Mary of Egypt” are now in Russia!” - "How much?"- I wanted to ask ... The pain of a priest who receives hundreds, if not thousands of confessions and is even more worried about those who never reach the lectern, was understandable. It was a "scream" that broke through. But the point is precisely that there is no “Mary of Egypt”… There is no repentance that can lead a person like this, for forty-seven years into the desert beyond the Jordan, put him on the path of asceticism, on the path of extreme asceticism! And the point is not even that, but the fact that the consecrated Mary, whom St. Zosima calls "treasure", the blessing of which he considers for himself a great joy and which he fears ... not to see again, cannot be "typed" even in a small way as an "example to imitate". Why? Precisely because no more her past.

What is striking in her life? The complete dispassion with which she “gives” her sins to God at the testimony of the priest who confesses her, her very confession, addressed to us as well. (Christians of the first centuries repented openly.) There is not the slightest hint of self-justification or, on the contrary, morbidity in it. Everything is perfect, to the end, "to the bottom" consciously, mourned and outlived ... She only removes from her soul past passions that almost destroyed her, like a "rag" that ... has not had power over her for a long time.

At the same time, the repentance of Mary of Egypt before the priest, that is, according to the rules of the Church, has nothing to do with indifference. She once again deeply experiences the events of almost half a century ago. And the Monk Zosima with trepidation received confession ... from the saint.

And so, through the word svmch. Seraphim (Chichagova), life of St. Mary is revealed as ordained by God the work of man's salvation, which has begun before his appeal, beyond his will, through outwardly seemingly "random" circumstances that led the lost soul to the foot of the Cross of the Lord.

Gorgeous

... Jerusalem was preparing for the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord. Many pilgrims moved along the narrow streets to venerate the greatest shrine - the Cross of the Savior found by Queen Elena. But even in this variegation, one Egyptian woman attracted attention. Swarthy, flexible as a ribbon, with a quick look and impetuous movements, she did not look like a Christian. There was pride in her whole appearance. She clearly knew the value of her remarkable beauty.

When the gates of the temple opened, the Egyptian, out of curiosity, decided to go with everyone. After many efforts, she approached the doors of the temple vestibule.

From all sides of her people freely penetrated inside, she remained in the same place. Attempts to get into another stream did not bring results. She was simply thrown away like a grain of sand by a wave. Whenever, after long efforts, exhausted, she reached the threshold of the temple, there was a movement that carried her far back. This went on for a long time. The Egyptian was despondent. Finally, completely exhausted, she leaned against the wall of the narthex. And here Mary of Egypt suddenly clearly understood that everything that had happened to her was not accidental: she was not allowed to Myself Lord. This feeling was obvious and so acute that her conscience spoke out of horror; as if a flash lit up her whole life.

detours

As a teenager, a barely formed girl, she ran away from her parents and in seventeen years she never thought to turn back. AT toy everything in life was too "prosaic", new but, the mistress of which she felt herself, promised freedom and happiness. All these years, shameful passion drove her like a scourge.

It was not greed or poverty that forced Mary of Egypt to live among the fallen, but a vice that subjugated her will completely. The reason, the beginning of everything, was pride from the consciousness of one's youth and rare beauty. It was by no means a desire to bow to holy places that brought her to Jerusalem, and she got on a ship sailing from Alexandria by accident, having neither specific plans nor duties capable of keeping a person in one place. She was attracted by the opportunity to have fun where there were many young people. Neither the place where the Egyptian ship was heading, nor the environment of the pilgrims stopped her. And only at that moment, in the porch, she was horrified for the first time by what she realized: God sees her.

Amazed by the obvious sign of God's opposition and seeing herself by no means beautiful, but, on the contrary, impure and unworthy, she wept more and more, to the point of despair. And then the eyes of Mary of Egypt fell on the icon of the Mother of God.

"Cover" of sinners

As opposed to herself, a meek, spiritualized beauty shone from the image. The look of the Virgin Mary, alive, penetrating the soul and distinguishing her movements, struck the Egyptian, and the half-smile of the Mother of Christ gave timid hope. And then she clung to the Mother of God, as to the only one Who, in spite of everything, incomprehensibly, inexplicably does not shun her ... Incoherent, confused were her words, interrupted by sobs. She asked for only one thing - not to reject her to the end, if possible, to ask God for forgiveness for her, to help her rise, to give her more time to redeem her past defiled life. As a mother is able to understand the indistinct babble of a child, so the Mother of God recognizes the movements in the Christian soul. And after some time, having already clearly felt the mercy of the Mother of God, Her responsiveness and holy intercession, the Egyptian woman was no longer as a “alien”, “rejected”, but as a child, finally found and encouraged by her parents, freely passed through the multitude of people and did not bow , but fell near the Crucifixion on Golgotha. At that moment she felt rather than realized that already redeemed and forgiven that in this very place the Lord bore all her sins. It is only necessary to renounce the former life and become worthy of Him, not to betray and never forget this...

She prayed for a long time before the icon of the Mother of God, thanking her Intercessor and Guarantor and promising to correct her life, until she heard a voice: “If you cross the Jordan, you will find complete rest for yourself.”

Trusting in the help of the Mother of God and still seeing Her Face in front of her, the Egyptian, without losing her prayer, like a thread that connected her with Heaven, walked to the Jordan all day without rest. A passer-by, seeing a face swollen with tears, gave her three coins, with which she bought herself three loaves. After praying in the Church of the Holy Prophet and Baptist of the Lord John, having washed herself in the Jordan, she returned to the temple to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. Sleeping on bare ground did not seem tiring to her. A little light, finding an abandoned boat, she crossed to the other side. In front of her was a deserted desert. Then she disappeared from human eyes ... An old dress, but two and a half bread in her hands ...

A special example for righteous people was the life of Mary of Egypt. Immersed in debauchery early in her life, she was able to purify herself and ascend in spirit through "prayer and fasting." Her example is followed by many who want to be forgiven and find spiritual harmony.

Life of Saint Mary

Mary has come a long way from a sinner to a saint. She was able to realize and be cleansed of sin, and also become an example of true repentance for the faithful.

Teenage years and youth

In the Egyptian province of the 5th century, the Monk Mary was born. At a young age (12 years old), she fled to the capital in order 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.

Throughout the journey to Jerusalem, the girl seduced pilgrims and was not going to start a new life. However, when she arrived at her destination, she decided to go along with everyone and look at the famous place, to which pilgrims flocked from all over the world. All attempts by the girl to enter the holy place were unsuccessful. On this day, Mary realized her sins, repented before the face of the Mother of God and departed from her past life. After that, she was able to enter the temple unhindered.

Mary has come a long way from a sinner to a saint

Desert years

After confessing and taking communion, the nun decided to go to the desert of Jordan. On the way, she met a man who gave alms in the form of three coins. They were enough for exactly three loaves. She miraculously fed on them for a long 47 years while she was wandering. The story of Mary's cleansing from sins began in the wilderness. For the first 17 years, she overcame the passions and temptations that she succumbed to all the conscious years of her life.

Mary of Egypt, shortly before her death, said that at the moment of finding 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 lifetime.

Saint Mary and Elder Zosima

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

The elder was surprised that she knew his name, and at the moment of their joint prayer she was standing in the air. During the conversation, Mary told Zosima the story of her repentance and spiritual transformation. The woman not only performed 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 Great Lent at the place of their first meeting.

The death of the righteous

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 that the remains be buried 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.

The death of the saint falls on the day of communion

Having fulfilled the last will of Mary, the elder returned to the monastery and handed over the story of her great transformation to the rector. For the next 200 years, the story was transmitted orally among the guests of the monastery, until the Monk Sophronius of Jerusalem wrote it down.

Video "Life of Mary of Egypt"

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

What helps and what protects

Orthodox believers treat St. Mary with great reverence, as she has become a true example of purification and transfiguration. Prayer offered to the icon helps:

• receive forgiveness and repentance;
• resist voluptuousness;
• get rid of destructive habits;
• to atone for the perfect abortion;
• find the right way;
• acquire modesty, Christian wisdom and chastity.

Features of the veneration of the reverend

The Monk Mary, by her example, showed that after any sin, one can embark on the righteous path. The main thing is to sincerely repent, purify yourself and humbly go through all the trials sent by the Almighty to atone for guilt. She has become a model for righteous Christians, who treat the saint with special reverence.

honor days

Memorial Day of St. Mary of Egypt falls on April 14 (March 25, old style). Name days on this day are celebrated by all Marys born on the closest days to the set date. The penitential canon is required to be read 2 times a year: on the first and fifth weeks of Great Lent.

The saint's day is celebrated on April 14

Mary of Egypt in iconography

The icon represents a saint with an uncovered head, 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 learned the truth through "prayer and fasting." There are icon paintings in full growth and waist. The main options for the image of Mary are:

1. An image in life. The saint is in the center of the icon, and on the sides are the brightest moments of her life.
2. Reverend in prayer to Christ and the Mother of God. It is based on an event that changed the worldview of Mary and set her on the righteous path.
3. Meeting with Zosim. The main theme of icon painting is her communion and quick death, which symbolizes cleansing and salvation at the Last Judgment.

Temples in honor of the saint

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

1. Sretensky Stauropegial Monastery. In 1930, an ark with a particle of the relics of the saint 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 Fiorigorod, Florence. Keeps the relics of St. Mary (chapter).

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

Prayer of Saint Mary of Egypt

Prayer is offered to the saint in order to receive help in the cleansing of sins and guidance on the righteous path. It contains a brief description of her path and deep repentance before the Almighty. In churches during the period of Great 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 their sins.

O great saint of Christ, reverend Mary! In Heaven, the Throne of God is coming, but on earth in spirit of love with us, abiding, having boldness to the Lord, pray to save His servants, flowing to you with love. Ask us from the Greatly Merciful Lord and Lord of the Faith the immaculate observance, our cities and towns, our affirmation, deliverance from prosperity and destruction, consolation for the grieving, healing for the sick, resurrection for the fallen, strengthening for the erring, prosperity and blessing in good deeds, orphans and widows - intercession and those who have departed from this life - eternal rest, but for all of us on the day of the terrible Judgment, on the right hand of the country, the partners of being and the blessed voice of the Judge of the world hear: come, bless my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, and receive your stay there forever. Amen.

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