Saint Mary of Egypt The fifth Sunday of 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…


Saint Mary of Egypt
The fifth Sunday of 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 of the Cross) accompanied by several of her admirers.
As she was about to enter the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (the place where Christ was buried) she suddenly discovered that it was impossible for her to enter. An unseen power kept 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 as the penitent Saint of the Church, and she became known for her inner spiritual beauty. The Church dedicates this Sunday to her memory to remind us of the wonderful Christian virtue of repentance.