The Monastery of St. Catherine is perhaps the oldest Christian monastery on the planet. It was built almost one and a half millennia ago, around it are Mount Moses, Mount Safsara and Mount Catherine. This holy place welcomes thousands of tourists every year, and since 2002 it has been officially listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Construction history

The temple was founded in the 6th century AD under the emperor of Constantinople Justinian. Largely due to the fact that the monastery of St. Catherine in Sinai was under the auspices of the Prophet Muhammad himself and the Arab rulers, he was not plundered during the Arab conquest of this area and subsequent military conflicts. In the 10th century, a mosque was erected on the territory of the temple, and it was thanks to this legendary fact that it survived until the 21st century. If not for this, the monastery of St. Catherine would have been demolished.

It is worth noting the fact that throughout its existence, the monastery of St. Catherine has never been plundered, destroyed or even damaged. On numerous photos you can easily see how well this ancient structure has been preserved.

Many Christians specially go to the Sinai Temple to see the Burning Bush - according to the Biblical legend, this is the place where the Lord God first appeared before Moses. In 324, a chapel was erected here.

For many centuries the monastery of St. Catherine has maintained close ties with Russian Christianity. This is reflected in the interior decoration of the temple: here you can see the bells familiar to us, the faces of saints, old books and church utensils.

Who is Saint Catherine

The real name of this saint is Dorothea. She was born in the Egyptian city of Alexandria in 294 AD. Her family was quite rich, so the girl received an excellent education, and, in addition, she was very beautiful. One day a Syrian monk told her about Jesus. The girl was so imbued that she converted to Christianity, and then tried to convert Emperor Maximius himself to the Christian faith. This only angered the ruler - he ordered Dorothea to be exiled to Alexandria, and some time later to be executed. Her body was not found - it disappeared mysteriously. More than 300 years have passed when the monks climbed Mount Sinai and found the remains of a girl there, which were transferred to the Sinai temple. Since then, the highest mountain on the peninsula has been named after Catherine.

Buildings of the monastery of St. Catherine

The monastery of St. Catherine today looks the same as it did 14 centuries ago, and only in 1951 another building was added to it. It now houses the monastery library, the icon gallery, the refectory and the residence of the archbishop. On the territory of the temple there are 12 chapels - the Assumption Holy Mother of God, George the Victorious, the Holy Spirit, John the Baptist, John the Theologian and others. The main entrance to the monastery is now closed. For monks, tourists and pilgrims, the door is located to the left of the main entrance. You can easily find out what the main and emergency entrances look like by looking at the photo of the monastery.

• Church
  The Church of St. Catherine is made of granite and appearance resembles an oblong basilica. On both sides there are corridors with a vestibule and an apse. The basilica is supported by 12 columns that symbolize each month of the year. Above each of the columns rises an icon corresponding to the saint who is revered in a particular month. The floor is tiled with marble. On the capitals there are flags, crosses, bunches of grapes and lambs, which, according to tradition, personify Jesus Christ. In general, the church architectural style reminiscent of the style of the Italian school of that time.
• Mosaic of the Transfiguration
  The katholikon, the most important temple of the monastery, is decorated with a mosaic depicting the Transfiguration of Jesus. This is one of the most beautiful mosaics Orthodox Church which has survived to our time. In its center is Jesus Christ, on the right and left are Elijah and Moses, at the feet are John, Peter, James.

• Chapel of the Burning Bush
  The chapel is behind the main altar. It is dedicated to the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary. Pilgrims must enter here barefoot, as this is said in one of God's commandments to Moses. Another attraction that the monastery of St. Catherine, located in Sinai, has is the Bush of the Burning Bush. It grows near the chapel. It is noteworthy that he cannot grow elsewhere - they tried to transplant him, but these attempts were unsuccessful.
• Library
  The monastery of St. Catherine, or rather, its library, has three thousand manuscripts - such a number and value can only be compared with the library in the Vatican. Most of them are written in Greek, the rest - in Arabic, Coptic, Syriac and Slavic.
• Gallery of icons
  The cathedral has a unique collection, which includes 150 icons of great historical, artistic and spiritual value. There are ancient icons here, painted with wax paints during the reign of the ruler of Byzantium, Justinian.

Information for tourists

The monastery of St. Catherine is available for visits daily - the church is open from 9 to 12 noon. During the tour, tourists are introduced to the history of the monastery. They also visit chapels and, of course, the Burning Bush.

The monastery of St. Catherine is located in the Sinai - about 170 km from the city of Sharm el-Sheikh. The bus leaves from there every day at 6 am and returns at 6 pm. The tour can be booked at the hotel or in the city itself, it will cost about $50 for an adult, $25 for a child.

On the 5th Sunday of Great Lent, the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates the memory of the great saint, the patroness of all penitent sinners, St. Mary of Egypt. On Wednesday evening of the 5th week of Great Lent in churches, when the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete - "Maria's standing" - read her life. The "parishioner" decided to use illustrations to remind its readers of the main moments of her life as a saint.

Venerable Mary of Egypt

We do not know the exact date and place of the birth of Mary of Egypt. But we know and remember her great spiritual feat: after 17 years of vicious life, she not only managed to realize her sin, but also atoned for it with her 47 years of seclusion in the Jewish desert. Without communication with people, almost without food, without clothes, she cleansed her soul and drew closer to God. And although we know many names of great hermits, hermits, it is difficult to find anyone whose spiritual feat is comparable to what St. Mary of Egypt did.

Before you is Alexandria, a city founded in 322 BC. great conqueror Alexander the Great. Having got here at the age of 12, Mary stepped on the path of vice - she became a harlot. At the same time, she rarely took money for fornication, surrendering to vice not only in body, but also in soul. And this prodigal life Mary lived in Alexandria for 17 years.

But one day, on the pier, she saw a crowd of pilgrims who were going to sail to Jerusalem for the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord. Mary decided to sail with them, though not for pious reasons, but wishing to engage in fornication with the pilgrims on the ship and then in Jerusalem. But, having reached the city, she decided, together with other pilgrims, to go to the Jerusalem Temple of the Resurrection of Christ. It is better known as the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, as it is located on the spot where, according to the Holy Scriptures, Jesus Christ was crucified, buried and resurrected.

And a miracle happened to Mary. Pilgrims crowded into the Temple, but Mary could not cross its threshold. Time after time she tried to enter the Temple, but an unknown force prevented her from doing so. Mary realized that the Lord himself did not let her into His Temple for her sinful prodigal life. And when she realized this, she began to pray in front of the icon of the Virgin Mary, which was on a dais in the vestibule of the Temple. In her prayer, she asked the Mother of God to become her intercessor before the Lord, promised to change her life and atone for the sin of fornication. And her prayer was answered. Mary was able to go inside and pray Life-Giving Cross. Leaving the Temple, she again began to pray in front of the icon of the Virgin Mary, and at that moment she heard a voice: “If you cross the Jordan, you will find the desired peace.” And then Mary decided to break with her past life and go into the wilderness to live and pray alone.

Mary of Egypt in the desert

But, before leaving for the desert, Mary took communion in the Church of John the Baptist, located 8 kilometers from the Dead Sea and 30 kilometers from Jerusalem. By the way, before that, in Jerusalem, some stranger (perhaps it was the Angel of the Lord) gave her a few coins, with which Mary bought herself three loaves. Having received Holy Communion and taking bread, she crossed the Jordan River and went into the wilderness. And there she lived in prayers, eating only wild roots, for 47 years!

At the same time, for the first 17 years, Maria fought hard with demons: she was haunted by fornication and memories of past life. But then the demons retreated.

The first meeting with the elder Zosima

The history of this meeting is well known to all believers. Mary met Elder Zosima when she was 76 years old, and Elder Zosima was 53 years old. By that time, he had been ascetic for several years in the Jordanian monastery of St. John the Baptist.

Traditionally, during the Great Lent, the monks of the monastery went into the desert. Zosima went too. He had been walking for 20 days when he suddenly saw a strange creature, which he at first mistook for a demon: without clothes, incredibly thin and almost blackened from the sun.

This was Mary. At first she tried to run away - after all, for 47 years she had not seen a single human face. But the elder turned to her with a request not to run away. Maria, calling Zosima by name, hid from the elder behind the stones and asked him to give her part of her clothes, because her own had completely decayed over the years. Zosima handed her a piece of himation, a fabric used as outerwear.

And later, at the request of Abba Zosima, Maria told him the story of her life. When parting, she asked the elder to come to her in a year and bring the Holy Gifts with him, so that she could partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ.

Communion of Mary of Egypt

Miracles of Mary of Egypt

Elder Zosima fulfilled the request of Mary and a year later came to her again. He communed her with the Holy Mysteries of Christ.

During these two meetings, the elder several times witnessed the miracles that the holy hermit showed. Once, during a story about her life and prayer, Mary struck Zosima by rising above the ground by an elbow.

In the second meeting, they ended up on opposite sides of the Jordan River. Zosima began to think about how the saint would cross to the other side, and at that moment Mary of Egypt crossed the river as if on land. Seeing the hermit walking on the water, Zosima was so shocked that he wanted to fall on his knees and bow to Mary, but she shouted 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..

After Abba Zosima communed her with the Holy Mysteries, Mary uttered the prayer of Saint Simeon the God-Receiver: Now you release Your servant, Master, according to Your word with peace, as if my eyes have seen Your salvation". And when parting, she asked the elder Zosima a year later to come to the place where they had once met for the first time.

Elder Zosima buries Mary of Egypt

A year later, as promised, the elder Zosima set off on a journey to see Mary of Egypt again. Twenty days of travel - and Abba Zosima came to a dry stream. And there he saw the holy ascetic lying dead on the ground with her arms folded across her chest.

An inscription was inscribed on the sand at her head: “ Bury, Abba Zosimo, 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 Farmufios, in Roman April, on the first day, on the night of the saving Passion of Christ, after communion of the Divine Mysteries". Abba Zosima stood shocked. And no wonder! Firstly, he only now learned the name of the hermit. Secondly, he was amazed when he saw the inscription itself - after all, according to Mary herself, she could neither read nor write. And, thirdly, standing over her body, he realized that Mary had died a year ago, after he had communed her, but in some miraculous way her body was transferred to the place of their first meeting.

Wanting to fulfill the last will of the holy hermit, the elder Zosima tried to dig a grave with a piece of wood that he found nearby. But the ground in the desert was hard as stone, and he realized that he could not even dig a small hole. Looking up, Abba Zosima saw a huge lion next to Mary's body, which was licking the saint's feet. At first, the elder was very frightened, but then, signing himself with the banner of the cross, he turned to the lion: “The Great One ordered to bury her body, but I am old and unable to dig a grave, do the work with your claws, and we will give the mortal tabernacle to the earth”. The lion, apparently sent by the Lord to help the elder, obeyed Zosimus and dug a hole with his claws, sufficient to bury Mary.

So Abba Zosima buried the great hermit Mary of Egypt. Then he set off on his return journey, and the huge lion went off into the desert. According to various sources, the great ascetic and hermit Mary of Egypt died in 521 or 522.

The Monk Mary of Egypt is a great saint, whose amazing life we ​​hear every year during Great Lent. Out of habit, listening to this reading for many years, we take a number of moments related to the life of this great ascetic for granted, without really thinking about them. We propose to dwell on them in more detail.
The Lion Helping St. Zosima to dig a hole to bury the body of St. Mary

Do you know that animals and, in general, all nature serve the saints, doing the will of God?

The lion, the king of beasts, dug a hole with his front paws, sufficient for the burial of the body of St. Mary of Egypt. In a similar way, the lions served the Monk Gerasim of Jordan, and in Russia, the Monk Seraphim of Sarov fed the bear from his hands. The bears also liked to visit St. Sergius of Radonezh.

Do you know what St. Mary ate in the desert?

It is known that she took only three small loaves with her into the desert. This meager supply sufficed the reverend for several years! And then only the poor vegetation of the desert served her food at all.

The lion, the king of beasts, with his front paws dug a hole large enough for the burial of the body of St. Mary of Egypt

However, the saint did not really need this food either, she was saturated with spiritual food - prayer and the grace of the Holy Spirit! Do you know that Mary of Egypt, before leaving for the wilderness, betrayed herself to the Mother of God, calling Her her Guarantor?

“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, Guarantor of my salvation” (Martyr Sergei Mechev) .

Do you know that the case when the reverend was unable to enter the church shows that "that royal area where we enter so easily - the Church, and simply the world itself, created by God, remained pure from evil, although it submitted, was enslaved to evil because of us" (Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh (Bloom)).

When the Monk Mary went into the desert beyond the Jordan, she was 29 years old

Did you know that Saint Mary received communion only twice in her life?

For the first time - just before leaving for the desert, in the church of John the Baptist in the Jordan; the second time - before her death, Abba Zosima communed her, and in order to receive communion, she went to the elder across the Jordan, as if on earth.

Do you know at what age Mary went into the desert?
When the saint went into the desert beyond the Jordan, she was 29 years old.
Jordan, Wadi Rum Desert Did you know that Mary knew the Holy Scriptures by heart, although she was illiterate and never had the text of Scripture with her?

When Zosima heard that he also remembered the words of Scripture, from Moses and the prophets, and from the books of Psalms, he said to her: “Did you, madam, study psalms and other books?” She, hearing this, smiled and said to him:

The church where Mary could not enter is the porch of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Jerusalem

“Believe me, man, that I have not seen another person since I crossed the Jordan, except for your face now, I have not seen any animals or any other animals, but I have never studied books, I have not even heard anyone else, singing or reading, but the Word of God, living and active, Itself teaches the mind of man.”
Do you know Who taught the hermit Mary the Holy Scripture?

Spirit of God. “The Savior’s promise to the disciples was fulfilled: “Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you everything.” He taught Blessed Mary, dwelling in her and about about alive her. And other terrible miracles were performed by Mary of Egypt by the power of God Who dwelt in her” (St. Nicholas of Serbia).

Do you know where the very temple is located, into which the Monk Mary could not enter?

This is a chapel in the vestibule of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Jerusalem.
Church of the Resurrection of Christ, Jerusalem

Do you know that the exact date of the death of St. Mary of Egypt is known?

Do you know that the relics of St. Mary exist and have survived to this day?
The relics of the saint were found by the brethren of the monastery from which Abba Zosima was born. “Having come to the monastery, he [Zosima], without hiding anything that he had seen and heard, 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. In Moscow, for example, you can venerate the relics of the saint in the Sretensky Monastery.

I.S. Aksakov wrote a poem based on the life of St.

Do you know why the Orthodox Church established during Great Lent to commemorate the life of St. Mary of Egypt?

We re-read the life of the saint again and again every Great Lent as an example to follow in abstinence and struggle with sin and passions. Many holy ascetics were inspired by the example of this holy woman, who courageously endured the feat of ascetic work.

Other facts about St. Mary of Egypt

—Reverend Mary was 76 years old when she met Abba Zosima. At the age of 12, she left home, lived a dissolute life for another 17 years, and then spent 47 years in repentance in the desert. She was originally from Egypt, but left home for Alexandria.

- 17 of all 47 years spent by the monk in the desert, she incessantly "struggled with her insane passions, like with fierce beasts." This struggle was cruel and unbearable, which could only be endured with the great help of God.

– Orthodox thinker of the 19th century I.S. Aksakov wrote a poem based on the life of St. Mary of Egypt.

– “When you read the life of Mary of Egypt, you are convinced how much the human soul is truly depicted in the teachings of the Holy Fathers, at least in the exposition of John of the Ladder, and how spiritual life is logical in general” (Martyr Sergius Mechev).

Venerable MARY OF EGYPT (†522)

Mary of Egypt. Who was she? A great sinner, a harlot, insatiable in sin, she lived in Alexandria, famous for its luxury and vices. The grace of God and the intercession of the Mother of God turned her to repentance, and her repentance surpassed in its power both her sins and the idea of ​​what is possible for human nature. The Reverend spent 47 years in the wilderness, of which for 17 years (exactly as long as she sinned) she waged a fierce struggle with the passions that overwhelmed her, until she was cleansed by the Grace of God, until she washed and brightened her soul to the state of an angel.

In the old days, it was believed that Mary of Egypt at the afterlife court would judge all harlots. It was said that through the prayer of the parents, she could save a son or daughter who had turned from the true path from a prodigal life and lewdness. Day of Mary of Egypt peasants spent in strict abstinence.

Every year in Lent, the Orthodox Church remembers the feat of Mary of Egypt, her amazing life (the reading of the life takes place on Wednesday evening). On Thursday of the 5th week at Matins it is read penitential canon Andrew of Crete. It contains an appeal specifically to her, the Reverend Mary. "Marino standing" - is called such a service. Standing in repentance. Standing in faith. Standing in the fight against sin.

***

Saint Mary of Egypt was a repentant harlot who lived in the 5th century. At the age of 12, she left her parents from the Egyptian village to Alexandria, where she lived for 17 years as a harlot, converging with her lovers both for pay and voluntarily.

Noticing a crowd of pilgrims heading to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, she joins them with impure intentions, pays the shipbuilders with her body for transportation, and then continues fornication in Jerusalem itself.

In Jerusalem, Mary tried to enter the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, but some invisible force "thrice and four times" held her back and did not let her in. Realizing her fall, she began to pray in front of the icon of the Mother of God, which was in the porch of the temple. After that, she was able to enter the temple and bow to the Life-Giving Cross. Instructed by such a punishment, she vows to continue to live in purity.

Having asked the virgin Mary to continue to lead her, Mary of Egypt hears someone's voice: "Cross the Jordan and you will find blissful peace"- and accepts it as a sign given to her. She buys three loaves of bread for alms and goes with them to the Jordanian desert. For the first 17 years, she is haunted by enticing memories of her former life, of wine and reckless songs: “When I took to food, I dreamed of meat and wine, which I ate in Egypt; I wanted to drink my favorite wine. Being in the world, I drank a lot of wine, but here I had 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 made when I retired to the desert.

Then all temptations suddenly recede, and for the hermit there is a "great silence". Meanwhile, the worn himation disintegrates; Maria is tormented by summer heat and winter cold, from which she has nothing to cover her naked body. It feeds on tough desert grasses, and later, apparently, ceases to need food at all. In complete seclusion, having no books and, moreover, not being able to read and write, she acquires a wonderful knowledge of sacred texts.

For 47 years she has not met a single person. The only person who saw Mary after she left for the desert was Hieromonk Zosima. He, following the charter of the Jordanian monastery, withdrew during Great Lent to the desert for fasting and prayer. There he met Mary, to whom he gave half of his himation (outerwear) to cover his nakedness.

He witnessed miracles and saw how, during prayer, she rose into the air and hung in weightlessness about half a meter from the ground. Filled with awe, Zosima asked Mary to tell him about her life. Having told him everything, Mary asked Zosima to return in a year with holy gifts and take communion, but she said not to cross the Jordan, but to wait for her on the other side.

A year later, as Mary said, Zosima on Maundy Thursday, taking the Holy Gifts, went to the banks of the Jordan. There he saw Mary walking along the other bank and thought how she could cross the river without a boat, but before his eyes Mary crossed the river on water, as if on land, went up to the astonished Zosima and took communion from his hands. Mary asked Zosima to come to the first place of their meeting a year later, and then she again crossed the Jordan on water and withdrew into the wilderness.

Arriving in the desert a year later in the hope of seeing the saint, he no longer found her alive. Zosima found her body and next to it was an inscription: “Burial, 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 Farmufios, in Roman April, on the first day, on the night of the saving Passion of Christ, after communion of the Divine Mysteries. Not knowing how to dig a grave, he saw a lion come out of the desert, who dug a hole with his claws to bury the body of the righteous. It happened in 522. Returning to the monastery, Zosima told the other monks about the ascetic who had lived in the desert for many years. This tradition was transmitted orally until it was written down in the 7th century by Sophronius of Jerusalem.

Christian doctrine considers the example of Mary of Egypt as a model of perfect repentance.

Many temples are dedicated to Mary of Egypt, in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem there is a chapel in honor of St. Mary of Egypt, built on the site of her conversion.

The ark with a particle of the relics of St. Mary of Egypt is located in the Sretensky Monastery in Moscow.

Troparion, tone 8:
In you, mother, it is known that you have saved yourself in the image: having accepted the cross, you followed Christ, and the deeds taught you to despise the flesh, it passes away, lie about souls, immortal things. The same and from the angels will rejoice, Reverend Mary, your spirit.

Kontakion, tone 4:
Having escaped the sin of darkness, having illumined your heart with light of repentance, glorious, thou hast come to Christ, This all-blameless and holy Mother, thou hast brought a merciful prayer book. Otonus already and transgressions you found remission, and with the angels you rejoice forever.

Prayer:
Hear the unworthy prayer of us sinners, deliver us, reverend mother, from the passions that fight on our souls, from all sorrow and finding misfortune, from sudden death and from all evil, at the hour of separation of the soul and body, otzheniya, holy saint, all evil thought and crafty demons, as if our souls would receive in peace in a place of light Christ the Lord our God, as from him the cleansing of sins, and He is the salvation of our souls, He deserves all glory, honor; and worship with the Father and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

Revere - April 14 (day of repose), 5th week of Great Lent (Sunday).

Mary of Egypt is considered the patroness of repentant people who lead a dissolute life and a judge on the Last Judgment those who did not repent.

They pray to her to deliver a person from bad passions and addictions (drunkenness, drug addiction). Pray with repentance for abortions.

You can pray to St. Mary the Egyptian girl for choosing the right path in life, for the gift of modesty, chastity, and Christian wisdom.

We know from history that Saint Mary of Egypt was a Christian saint, she is considered the intercessor of all repentant women. In the Russian Orthodox Church, the memory of this reverend is greatly honored and solemn services are performed on April 1 (14) and on the fifth week of Great Lent (on Sunday).

Saphronius of Jerusalem wrote the first life of St. Mary of Egypt, later Simeon Metaphrastus wrote a canon. In the Middle Ages, many stories from the life of St. Mary were renamed Mary Magdalene.
In Jerusalem, in the holy church of the Holy Sepulcher, there is a small chapel in honor of St. Mary. According to legend, it was built on the very spot where she first turned to God. Many temples have been built in her honor.

The Monk Mary was born approximately in the 5th century, in Egypt. When the girl was 12 years old, she decided to leave her father's house and become a dissolute woman. Mary went to Alexandria. One fine day, when a group of pilgrims were on their way to Jerusalem, where the celebration of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross was to take place, Mary decided to join them. Her motives were impure, she was looking for men for her pleasures. When Mary of Egypt came to Jerusalem, she decided to enter the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. In front of the door to the temple, she felt some invisible force that kept her and did not let her inside. At that moment, Maria realized what kind of life she led, what thoughts she lived. Falling on her knees with the realization of her fall, she began to pray and ask for forgiveness from the Mother of God. After prayers, she was able to enter the temple and tirelessly bowed to the Life-Giving Cross. Later, when Mary left the temple, she again began to pray to the Queen of Heaven with gratitude. At that moment, she heard the voice of the Virgin Mary, who told her that she needed to cross the Jordan and there she would find her peace.

Having heard the appeal of the Mother of God herself to her, Mary decided to obey her will. She took communion and crossed the Jordan. Mary left everything and went to live in the desert, where she lived for 47 years, all alone, in eternal fasting and prayers of repentance. From her memoirs, one can understand how difficult it was for her there. For almost 20 years, she was exhausted by memories of a past, dissolute life. She kept remembering how often and how much she drank wine in Egypt, and in the desert she suffered from thirst. All the time she wanted meat, she wanted to sing those dissolute songs that she sang in the world. These memories tore her apart. At these moments, she fell to her knees, repented and prayed, wept and thought about the vows she made to the Mother of God.

After all these years, all temptations were defeated by her. She became humble and submissive, she was able to purify her soul. The food she took from Jerusalem had run out and all her clothes were worn out.

Meetings in the Desert with Abba Zosima

First meeting:

After Mary of Egypt retired to the desert, the first and only person she met was Hieromonk Zosimos. In the charter of the Jordanian monastery, from which the hieromonk came, there was a scripture that Zosim followed. During Lent, he had to go into the wilderness to fast and pray. In the desert, he met the Monk Mary, who was naked. The hieromonk shared half of his clothes and asked to tell the story of her life and what led her to the desert. Zosimus was very impressed with Mary's lifestyle and tireless prayers. Before leaving, Mary asked the hieromonk for communion in a year. But she asked Zosima to wait for her on the other side of the Jordan and not cross it.

Second meeting:

Exactly one year has passed. Zosimus remembered Mary's request, but on the appointed day he could not appear due to illness. Only on Maundy Thursday was he finally able to come. He took the Holy Gifts and went to the banks of the Jordan. As he got closer, he saw Mary on the other side. But did not see the boat next to her. To the surprise of Zosima, Mary stepped on the river and walked with a firm step as if on dry land. After communion, Mary again asked for a meeting a year later. And again she stepped on the water and crossed the Jordan. She went back to the desert.

Third meeting:

A year later, remembering Mary's petition, Zosim returned to the shore. Approaching, he saw Mary lying on the sand. Nearby, he saw the inscription that Mary had left for him. She asked to be buried in this place and pray for the salvation of her soul. Confused, the hieromonk realized that after he had communed her and she was miraculously transported to the other side, she died. Nearby he saw a lion, to which he turned with a request to dig a grave. After all, he did not have an instrument with him. The lion complied with the request and dug the grave with his claws. So the body of Mary of Egypt was forever buried in the sands of the Jordan River.

Upon returning to the monastery, Hieromonk Zosimus told the whole monastery about the hermit from the desert.
On the fifth week of Great Lent (Sunday), people ask for getting rid of addictions, fornication. They ask for repentance for the wrong way, for abortions. They ask for guidance on the true path, for chastity and modesty.