Mary of Egypt

Venerable Mary of Egypt, great penitent saint.

St. Mary of Egypt is the great example of repentance. Living in Alexandria in the fifth and sixth centuries, she spent her youth in sin; traveling to Jerusalem, she was held back from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre by an unseen power, and, praying before the icon of the Theotokos, she was converted. Crossing the Jordan, she lived some forty-seven years alone in the desert in fasting and prayer.

Near the end of her life she was found by the elder Zosimas, who heard her story and gave her Holy Communion. She is commemorated on April 1 and on the fifth Sunday of Great Lent.

Feast day

On the New Calendar, Mary of Egypt is commemorated on April 1. Churches on the Old (Julian) Calendar keep the feast on April 14 of the civil calendar.

Who celebrates a name day

People with these names keep their name day on this feast:

Maria, Mary, Maro, Marianna, Marika, Mariam, Marie

Also commemorated on April 1

• Makarios of Pelekete

  Venerable, Μακάριος ο Ομολογητής

  Venerable Makarios the Confessor, abbot of the Pelekete Monastery in Bithynia, who suffered exile for the holy icons.

• Gerontios and Basilides

  Martyr, Γερόντιος και Βασιλείδης

  Holy Martyrs Gerontios and Basilides, who were beheaded for their confession of Christ.

• Hermes and Theodora

  Martyr, Ερμής και Θεοδώρα

  Holy Martyrs Hermes and Theodora, brother and sister, who suffered together for Christ.

• Abraham of Bulgaria

  Martyr, Αβραάμιος ο Νεομάρτυρας

  Holy New Martyr Abraham of Bulgaria, a Volga merchant who embraced Christ and was killed by his own people.

• Euthymius of Suzdal

  Venerable, Ευθύμιος Σουζδαλίας

  Venerable Euthymius, archimandrite and founder of the Saviour Monastery in Suzdal.

• Barsanuphius of Optina

  Venerable, Βαρσανούφιος της Όπτινα

  Venerable Barsanuphius, elder of the Optina Hermitage and former army officer.

Icon: public domain image from Wikimedia Commons.