Who Was St. Mary of Egypt?

St. Mary of Egypt was born in Egypt around the 4th century, in a Christian home with parents who followed Christ. But at just 12 years old, she left home for the big, busy city of Alexandria—a place full of markets, noise, and temptations. For 17 years, until she was 29, she lived a sinful life, seeking pleasures, not for money but for the thrill. To get by, she spun flax or begged, but her choices led others astray, like a storm wrecking ships.

Those years left her heart empty. We can imagine her wandering Alexandria’s streets, laughing but feeling lost, her heart heavy with sin. Some think she may have been alone, with no one to guide her back to God, and she turned to sin, feeling it was her only path. But God never gave up on her. In the Coptic Church, we tell her story honestly and true, showing how far she fell before rising again. Her time in the city may have taught her strength she’d later use in the desert.

The Ethiopian Church calls her “Maryam Gäbäṣäwit” (Mary of Egypt), remembering her messy start because it makes her change so incredible. Those 17 years weren’t the end; they were the start of a girl who’d one day shine brighter than the sun for Christ.