April 2 -- St. Mary of Eygpt
St. Mary was born in Egypt in the 5th century, went to Alexandria at age 12 and, for 17 years lived as a public woman. One day, upon learning about a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, Mary "sold" herself to gain passage on the ship to the Holy Land. While there, the pilgrims all entered the church but St. Mary could not set a foot inside.
She immediately realized that it was her impure lifestyle that prevented her from entering. Casting her eyes on an icon of Our Lady, she begged forgiveness for her sins, asked that the church be opened for her, and promised to renounce the world and live in chastity.
She did this for 47 years. The Abbot St. Zosimus of Palestine returned to the spot where he had given the holy woman Holy Communion the year before, only to find her dead. The year was 522.
Let us ask St. Mary of the Desert to give us true contrition for our sins so that we can be ever closer to Our Lady.
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