Our Holy Mother Mary of Egypt

In the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete and on the Fifth Sunday of the Great Fast, we remember St. Mary of Egypt and read her life. The Great Fast is an activity of the whole Christian community to renew our faith and to come closer to Christ. This total renewal, however, must be seen through the lens of each and every Christian. Each of us must find this road in our journey. This is why we read the story of Mary, and of the holy man through which her repentance became known. What is of special interest is her moment of repentance, relevant to the story of each and every one of us. She was a shameless sinner, who came to the church of the Resurrection of Christ when his Cross was being venerated., but she was stopped from entering the church by some invisible force.