The prayers of the Venerable Mary of Egypt, who lived a turbulent youth and became a saint, have become reliable help for Christians in achieving purity of spirit, soul and body. There is not a person in the world who is not attacked by the devil through the lust of the eyes.
How often does a person change his behavior only because an obsessive temptation has settled in his head, which can be spiritual, mental and physical. Exhausted from the struggle with himself, the Orthodox believer turns to Saint Mary of Egypt with petitions to rid the mind, feelings and emotions of lustful thoughts and deeds.
Mary of Egypt
Troparion, tone 8*
Audio:
0:30
In you, mother, it is known that you were saved, even in the image,/ having accepted the cross, you followed Christ/ and, in your deeds, you taught to despise the flesh, which passes away,/ to lay close to the souls things that are immortal.// Likewise, the venerable Angela will rejoice Marie, your spirit.
Translation: In you, O mother, that which is in us in the image [of God] was surely saved: for, having accepted the cross, you followed Christ and by your deeds taught to despise the flesh, for it will pass away, but to be zealous for the soul, the immortal thing. That is why your spirit rejoices with the angels, Reverend Mary.
Canon
Canon of the Venerable Mary of Egypt, tone 4 Canto 1
Irmos: Ancient Israel walked across the dark depths with wet feet, and with the cross-shaped hands of Moses defeated the power of Amalek in the desert.
Cleanse the filth of sins from my humble soul, by Thy mercy, O Christ, and cast away the darkness and darkness of passions through Thy venerable prayers.
Having desecrated your spiritual nobility with carnal passions, you have enlightened your mind with abstinence, oh, honest one, having cleared your soul with clouds of tears.
In Egypt you escaped the passions, as if from a source of sin, and, having freed yourself from Pharaoh’s cruel defilement, you now inherited the land of passionlessness, and the angels rejoice forever.
Theotokos: Behold Your icon, Lady, Pure Mother of God, and the Word born from Your most pure, Virgin, womb, and the glorious one asks for Your help for this warmth.
Song 3
Irmos: Your Church rejoices in You, Christ, calling: You are my strength, Lord, and refuge, and confirmation.
Your wounds became frozen and bowed, but with the source of your tears you washed them warmly.
You defeated the demonstrators of the people, and you touched your passionate leaping with tears.
Like a morning cloud and like a drop, dripping, you were all, shedding the waters of saving repentance.
Theotokos: You, the Representative, Pure, and possessor of salvation, and strength, bow to the Holy Cross of the tree, honorable.
Kontakion, tone 3
First filled with all sorts of fornications, the bride of Christ has now appeared in repentance, imitating the angelic life, destroying the demon of the cross with weapons. For the sake of the Kingdom, the bride appeared to you, O glorious Mary.
Sedalen, voice 8
Having curbed all carnal leaps with fasting illnesses, you showed courageous wisdom in your soul, for having desired to see the image of the Cross, you, ever-memorable, crucified it to the world, out of necessity and to the zeal of an immaculate life you zealously erected for yourself, O all-blessed, most glorious Mary. Pray to Christ, the God of sins, to leave taxes to those who honor your holy memory with love.
Song 4
Irmos: You are exalted, having seen the Church on the Cross, the Righteous Sun, standing in your rank, worthily crying out: glory to your power, Lord.
You have fled, having fled, those who exist in the world and are all sweet, but you have united yourself purely with the One through extreme abstinence and patience in your deeds.
Thou hast truly dried up the bodily movements and kindlings of abstinence, from which thou hast adorned the soul, O all-glorious Mary, with Divine visions and deeds.
Through your virtuous strength, through your tears and extreme fasting, through prayer and food, through winter and nakedness, you were an honest companion of the Holy Spirit.
Theotokos: Having resorted to Your icon, and born of You, Virgin Mary, through You you will now find immortal life, rejoicing in paradise.
Song 5
Irmos: You, Lord, my light has come into the world, Holy Light, convert those who sing of You from the darkness of ignorance to faith.
You followed in the footsteps of Christ, rejoicing, bearing your cross on a frame, Mary, and you killed the demons.
You showed us the cure for repentance, you showed us the path that leads again to life that does not perish.
You, honest one, be my invincible intercessor and deliver me from passions and all sorts of illnesses with your prayers to the Lord.
Theotokos: Looking at Your icon, Pure Lady, always praying to You, the venerable one has put to shame the attacks of passion.
Song 6
Irmos: I will devour Thee with a voice of praise, Lord, the Church cries out to Thee, having been cleansed of demonic blood for the sake of mercy from Thy side with the flowing Blood.
Then you washed away the filth of sin, but looking towards the imperishable glory of your thoughts, now you have found prosperity through your illness, glorious one.
Your life has shown itself to all sinners, Mary; those who have sinned immeasurably, rise up in life and cleanse the filth with tears.
Have mercy on my humble soul, O Lover of mankind, even though I have desecrated and desecrated the unclean desires of my flesh, but You, O venerable One, have mercy on me with your prayers.
Theotokos: With all your soul and heart you loved the Word born of the Virgin, Living and Incarnate, the voice you, O Reverend One, brought to you.
Kontakion, tone 4
Having escaped the darkness of sin, having illuminated your heart with the light of repentance, you, glorious one, came to Christ, You brought this merciful prayer book to the All-Immaculate and Holy Mother. You have found forgiveness from your sins and sins, and you will rejoice with the Angels forever.
Ikos
The serpent, who of old in Eden covered Eve with the charm of the tree, cast you into the ditch of the Tree of the Cross, glorious Mary, and, having fled sweetness, you desired purity, and from there and with the virgins you were vouchsafed to bring your Master into the palace, with them to enjoy worthily. Pray diligently for this, for he will give permission to many sins and make us worthy to rejoice with the Angels in His life.
Song 7
Irmos: In the cave of Abraham, the Persian youths, with the love of piety more than being scorched by flame, cried out: Blessed are you in the temple of Your glory, O Lord.
Having walked the sorrowful and narrow path in reality, having clarified your soul with the kindness of virtues, you have reached heavenly life, where there is no end, where the endless Light is Christ.
Having trampled all that is temporal in the world, now you rejoice with all the hosts of the Angels, singing: Blessed are you in the temple of Your glory, O Lord.
The cunning of the enemy and weapons have become impoverished, all through strong fasting and your prayer, reverend, and tears, and now the passions of insistence will be driven away, honorable Mary.
Theotokos: Having truly given birth to the unartificial God who was incorporeal and the Virgin who abided in truth, by Your power, O All-Honorable One, you drove away the passions and demons of the army.
Song 8
Irmos: Daniel stretched out his hands to the gaping lions in the ditch of the prison: having quenched the fiery power, girded with virtue, the zealous youths of piety, crying out: bless, all the works of the Lord, the Lord.
Having illuminated your entire mind with the radiance of virtues, glorious Mary, having conversed with God, having consumed your flesh with much fasting and pious thoughts, you sang, rejoicing: Bless all the works of the Lord, the Lord.
Having protected yourself with the sign of the Cross, having swam the waters of the Jordan with your waterless feet, Mary, faithfully also of the Heavenly Christ, His Body and Blood, having received communion, - now you release your servant, - you said.
The Divine Priest Zosima, the secret place of grace, the rapidity of seeing you in the Jordan, glorious, I passed with wet feet, possessed by fear and trembling, rejoicing, from the waist: bless, all the works of the Lord, the Lord.
Theotokos: By You, Most Undefiled, I shook off all aphids and filth, and clothed myself, O Lady, in the immortal robe, and by You the reverend One cried out to Your Son: Bless, O all the works of the Lord, the Lord.
Song 9
Irmos: The uncut stone from the uncut mountain, Thee, Virgin, the cornerstone cut off, Christ, the aggregator of the dispersed nature, thus, joyfully, we magnify Thee, the Mother of God.
Now we are filled with incorruptible and truly Divine food and enjoy the mental and non-evening Light in the Heavenly villages, where the Angels pray to God for us.
Having despised the current and perishable glories, Mary, you inherited glory and life, the blessed one. Pray to Christ for those who always perform your all-holy memory.
See my sorrow, reverend one, and the groaning of my heart, see the tightness of my life, save me from my sin and spare my soul through your intercessions to the Lord.
Theotokos: O Lady Pure Mother of God, salvation of sinners, accept this prayer, deliver me from my sins, taking refuge in Your Son, through Your venerable prayers.
Svetilen
The image of repentance was given to us, Mary, with your warm tenderness return victory, Having acquired the Intercessor of the Mother of God Mary, pray for us with Neuzhe.
Kontakion, voice 3*
First filled with all sorts of fornications,/ The bride of Christ has now appeared in repentance,/ imitating the angelic life,/ destroying the demon of the cross with weapons.// For the sake of the Kingdom, the bride has appeared Thou art, most glorious Mary.
Translation: Having at first been consumed by all kinds of fornication, you have now become the bride of Christ through repentance, imitating the angelic life and destroying demons with the weapon of the cross. That is why you became the bride of the Kingdom of Heaven, glorious Mary.
Prayer 1*
Oh, great saint of Christ, Reverend Mary! In Heaven you stand before the Throne of God, but on earth you are with us in the spirit of love, having boldness in the Lord, pray to save His servants, who flow to you with love. Ask us from the Most Merciful Master and Lord of faith for immaculate observance of our cities and villages, for deliverance from famine and destruction, for those who mourn - consolation, for those who are sick - healing, for those who have fallen - rise knowledge, strengthening for those who go astray, prosperity and blessing for good deeds, orphans and widows - intercession and eternal rest for those who have departed from this life, but on the day of the terrible Judgment, at the right hand of the land, we will all hear the blessed voice of the Judge of the world: come, blessed of My Father, us follow the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, and you will abide there forever. Amen.
Translation: Oh, great saint of Christ, Saint Mary! Standing before the Throne of God in Heaven, being with us on earth in the spirit of love, having boldness in the Lord, pray to save His servants who come running to you with love. Ask us from the Great Grace of the Master and Lord of faith for the immaculate observance of our cities and villages, for the establishment of our cities and villages, for deliverance from hunger and pestilence, for the mourning - consolation, for the sick - healing, for the fallen - uprising, for the lost - strengthening, in good deeds success and blessing, for orphans and widows - protection and eternal rest for those who have departed from this life, but on the day of the Last Judgment we all become fellow members of those standing on the right side and hear the blessed voice of the Judge of the world: “Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world,” and stay there forever. Amen.
Prayer against fornication: how it helps in the fight against passion
No matter how much a person sins, the Lord expects repentance from him. Christ did not condemn and released the fallen woman sentenced to death. He only urged her not to return to sin (John 8:11). Saint Theophan the Recluse notes:
“Every moral leprosy immediately disappears as soon as someone falls to the Lord with faith and repentance... In every irresistible passion that appears, the enemy takes possession of the soul, but he will immediately run away as soon as you make, with God’s help, a turn within” (Collected Works).
The Holy Fathers instruct that it is possible to overcome fornication only by subjugating the flesh to the soul and sanctifying one’s nature with saving Divine grace. It is necessary to avoid temptations, to tame the body with fasting and physical labor. You should promptly cut off unclean thoughts in the bud, regularly confess, take communion and, of course, pray. Venerable John Cassian the Roman teaches:
“Body fasting alone is not enough to acquire or maintain purity, unless it is preceded by contrition of spirit and constant prayer” (Scriptures).
Let us also quote the instruction of St. Ephraim the Syrian:
“If during your work the spirit of fornication troubles you, do not be lazy to stretch out your hands in prayer, and the prayer of faith will resist for you” (Creations, volume 1).
Sincere, fervent prayer connects a person with the Almighty, calls on His grace, sanctifies and transforms the soul. It should be remembered that the attitude of our heart, faith and repentance are important to God. And not the automatic recitation of the sacred text. This also applies to those cases when a prayer is read against the fornication of a husband.
They ask the Lord, the Mother of God and the saints for help in the fight against fornication. Traditionally, the patrons of those suffering from this passion are the Venerable Mary of Egypt, John the Long-Suffering, Moses Ugrin, and the martyr Thomaida. You can address any other saint, including in your own words. For example, some people read a prayer to Matronushka against fornication.
Prayer 2
Audio:
1:31
Holy and great saint of Christ Mary, who surprised the Angels with her unparalleled feat! We pray to you, blessed one, standing now at the Throne of the All-Holy Trinity, begging the Lord, having found great boldness before Him, may He grant us, like you, to repent of our numerous sins, and forgive us from us, and may we be punished here because of His love for mankind, not will destroy us in the future. Pray, Holy Mary, to your Most Holy Helper, who strengthened you in your struggle as a laborer, that she may strengthen us, the All-Holy One, with Her all-powerful help, on this earthly thorny path, and I You, having kissed the All-Honorable Cross of Christ with faith and love, have received grace You destroyed His All-Powerful One in the fight against the devil, the world and the flesh and valor, by all the machinations of Satan, so may we also be granted the help of the Life-giving Tree of the Cross of the Lord to destroy all the barriers of sin to attainment of the heavenly Kingdom, and having been rewarded with eternal life, together with you I will sing the praises of the Most Holy Trinity in We are one being, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.
Icon options
In order to pray, a simple icon of the Venerable Mary of Egypt can be used, where she is depicted on a plain background with a halo.
In addition, three versions of the saint’s scripture are common:
- image in the life - the saint herself stands in the center, and along the perimeter the main stages of the life are depicted in stamps (indicated earlier, miracles in the desert, communion and repose);
- an icon of St. Mary, where she remains in prayer to Christ or the Mother of God;
- communion and meeting with Elder Zosima.
Elder Zosima was practically the only person with whom the saint saw. It was he who, at the beginning of her ascetic life, gave her part of his clothing to cover her nakedness, and it was he who brought the sacrament when Mary became a saint. In order to take communion, the ascetic crossed the Jordan as if it were land.
Prayer 3
Oh, great saint of Christ, like Mother Mary! Hear the unworthy prayer of us sinners (names), deliver us, O holy mother, from the passions that war on our souls, from all sorrow and adversity, from sudden death and from all evil, at once radiance of the soul and body of marriage, holy saint , every evil thought and crafty demons, for may our souls receive in peace into the bright place of Christ, our Lord our God, for from Him is the cleansing of sins, and He is the salvation of our souls, to Him All glory, honor and worship are due to the Father and the Holy Spirit , forever and ever. Amen.
Brief Life
Days of Remembrance April 1/14, 5th Sunday of Lent
She spent her youth in Alexandria, drowning in debauchery. The bailiff of pilgrims traveling to worship shrines in Jerusalem was not allowed into the Church of the Resurrection by Divine power. Having repented and bitterly mourned her sin, she retired to the desert, where she remained alone in hardship, fasting and prayer for almost 50 years. Through severe deeds and repentance, St. Mary completely eradicated all sinful desires in herself and made her heart a pure vessel of the Holy Spirit. Helper in the battle against fornication, mentor in chastity and abstinence, giver of repentant feelings.
Menea. April 1st.
- Voice in the Dictionary.
- Akathist to Venerable Mary of Egypt.
- Canon of St. Mary of Egypt.
The meaning of St. Mary of Egypt in Orthodoxy
Mary of Egypt is sometimes confused with Mary Magdalene, who lived 5 centuries earlier. Mary of Egypt was an Egyptian baptized into Christianity. At the age of 12 she left home and became a harlot. She liked open relationships with men, delicious food, wine. For 17 years, Maria led a depraved lifestyle.
One day, out of boredom, she decided to join a group of Christians heading to Jerusalem to celebrate the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Mary wanted to enter the church with other Christians, but she could not. The woman realized that her sins lay like a heavy stone on her soul and did not allow her to pray.
In the church vestibule there was an icon of the Mother of God. The harlot called to her with a prayer of repentance, after which she was able to enter the church and worship the Cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified. On the way out, she again prayed to the Mother of God and heard a voice showing the way to salvation.
Overwhelmed by remorse, the woman went to the desert located beyond the Jordan River. There, alone, she spent almost half a century. During her first years, she was plagued by visions of her past “fun” life. Mary fought temptation, saying prayers of repentance, overcoming hunger and thirst.
After 20 years, Divine grace changed her soul and body, but the hermit continued to pray to the Lord for the forgiveness of her sins. 44 years after her hermitage in the desert, she met Zosima, a hieromonk who retired from the monastery during Lent for solitary prayer and fasting.
At his request, she told her story and asked to receive Holy Communion on the banks of the Jordan River in a year. Zosimas came to the Jordan on Maundy Thursday with prosphora and wine for communion. On the other side of the river he saw Mary. The woman noticed him and crossed the river, as if on solid earth.
After communion, she again turned to Zosima with a request in a year to come to the place where he met her for the first time. A year later, Zosima returned to the deserted place where he met the saint and saw that she was dead. Next to the body there was an inscription that contained a request to be buried here in the sands, and the date of death was indicated: April 1, after communion of the Divine Gifts.
Zosima was unable to dig a grave in the sand, and he ordered a nearby lion to dig a grave with its claws. The beast obeyed and dug a hole in which the saint’s body was buried. Returning to the monastery, Zosima told the monastery brethren about the great ascetic: her sinful life and great repentance.
The story was passed down orally until the story of the Egyptian ascetic was written down by Sophronius of Jerusalem in the 7th century. The biography of the saint is an example of the fact that even the most notorious sinners should not despair. No one is barred from receiving God's mercy if the repentance is sincere.
Christian doctrine considers Mary a model of perfect repentance: she did not stop praying for forgiveness even after her heart was filled with the Holy Spirit. The Orthodox Church commemorates the saint on April 14 (new style). On Sunday of the fifth week of Lent, the life of Mary of Egypt is read in Orthodox churches.
