Places of St. Mary

The Jordan River is where St. Mary’s desert life began and ended—a holy stream flowing through sand and history. After her repentance, she crossed it with three loaves of bread and was baptized in the river to begin anew. For 47 years, she lived nearby, praying and battling temptations. In her final year, she walked across the river on water to receive Communion from Zosimas. She died soon after, found by the riverbank with a note: “Bury Mary the Sinner.” A lion dug her grave, a truly wondrous sign.

Coptic children learn this is where Mary became a holy and free saint. Some in Ethiopia say her crossing blesses the river’s waters still. Pilgrims visit today, quieter than Jerusalem, seeking her peace in the gentle ripples. Some pray there, feeling her presence through her prayers. The Jordan is more than a place—it’s where Mary’s desert story ended, and her prayers reach us now.