St. Mary of Egypt is a famous saint of the early church, whose passionate conversion to Christianity led her to the Judean desert. Her story is read on the fifth Sunday of Lent in the Eastern Orthodox Christian Church.

Most of the information we have about her life comes from St. Sophronius of Jerusalem, who recorded her biography in the seventh century. The legend of St. Sophronius begins with the story of a fourth-century monk called Zosima who travels to a monastery outside Jerusalem, searching for an elder who can teach him to follow the Lord with his whole heart.

While staying at this monastery, he is led into the desert and encounters a strange figure, who flees from him. Zosima feels sure this figure is a spirit of great holiness. He runs after her, calling out in the name of God to stop. She halts, but she commands him to look away, as she is not wearing any clothes. Zosima provides her with his cloak so they can converse.

 The figure is Mary of Egypt, and, now clothed, she begins to speak with Zosima. Holiness radiates from her. Zosima begs her to tell him how she came to be there, imploring her to tell the whole story and not let her modesty or humility prevent her. Mary of Egypt begins to tell the story of how she ran away from her home at a young age to the bustling metropolis of Alexandria. Consumed by her overwhelming lust and passion, Mary lived on the street of Alexandria as a prostitute, but often did not even accept money from her clients. She was completely devoured by her desire for love, for fulfillment, which led her, she says, to the depths of depravity.

She falls in with a group of men setting out on a sea voyage to Jerusalem, where she hopes to find even more potential customers in the crowds of pilgrims gathered for the great feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. Curious, Mary follows the crowds of pilgrims to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. But, as she approaches the doorway, she finds that an invisible force prevents her from entering. Three times, she tries to enter, and she begins to weep, frustrated and desperate to enter. She begins to understand it is her impurity and her sin that is preventing her from entering. Calling upon Mary for assistance, Mary of Egypt beats her breast and begs for forgiveness for her sins. She prays that the Mother of God might allow her to enter the church and pray in front of the Cross of Christ.

Suddenly, Mary is able to enter the church, and she makes her way to the foot of the cross, where she asks pardon for her sins. A voice instructs her to go across the Jordan into the Judean desert, and so Mary obeys. With just a few loaves of bread, Mary lives for seventeen years in the desert, purifying her body and soul, learning to rely entirely on God. Zosima is in awe of her wisdom and holiness, and Sophronius movingly recounts the tender reverence between the two holy figures. Zosima comes back to meet her one year later. The next year, Mary has died, and Zosima buries her body with the help of a lion. The icon above depicts Mary as Zosima describes her, with white hair and in his cloak. The images around her depict scenes from her meetings with Zosima in the desert.

St. Mary of Egypt is the patron saint of converts and chastity, of those with great desires who wish to bring their desires to the light of God. She is also the protector against skin diseases and fevers, as she surely had to deal with both in the desert!

St. Mary of Egypt, who followed Christ's call into the desert—pray for us!