Places of St. Mary

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem is where St. Mary’s life changed around 374 AD. She walked boldly in, a sinner seeking the Holy Cross feast, but an invisible force stopped her at the door. Her 17 years of sin were too heavy—she couldn’t reach Christ’s Cross. Streaming tears, standing before an icon of the Virgin Mary outside, she promised to turn from her old ways. The barrier lifted! She entered, prayed at the Cross, and heard a voice say, “Cross the Jordan for rest.” That moment turned her from a sinner to a desert saint.

In the Coptic Church, we don’t skip this honest and true story—it shows how God called her right there. Ethiopian children hear it too, amazed she began her holy life in such a sacred place. Today, pilgrims visit the church—a grand place with domes and candles—and feel its spirit of repentance. Some ask for Mary's prayers there to help with their struggles, feeling her peace. It’s more than history; it’s where Mary’s repentance still inspires us all.