Mary of Egypt
Mary of Egypt | |
|---|---|
18th-century Russian icon of Saint Mary of Egypt | |
| Born | Province of Egypt |
| Died | Trans-Jordan desert, Palaestina I |
| Venerated in | |
| Canonized | Pre-congregation |
| Feast |
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| Attributes | Cilice, skull, loaves of bread |
| Patronage | Chastity (warfare against the flesh; deliverance from carnal passions); demons (deliverance from); fever; skin diseases; temptations of the flesh |
Mary of Egypt (Greek: Μαρία ἡ Αἰγυπτία; Coptic: Ϯⲁⲅⲓⲁ Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ Ⲛⲣⲉⲙⲛ̀ⲭⲏⲙⲓ; Egyptian Arabic: مريم المصرية/ماريا المصرية; Amharic/Geez: ቅድስት ማርያም ግብፃዊት) was an Egyptian grazer saint dwelling in Palestine during late antiquity or the Early Middle Ages. She is highly venerated as a Desert Mother in the Eastern Orthodox and Coptic Churches. The Catholic Church commemorates her as a patron saint of penitents.
She is exclusively known through the hagiographical account of her life, a narrative in Greek written by Sophronius of Jerusalem in the 7th century. Her existence is uncertain and has been questioned by some historians.