Sarah of the Desert

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Saint Sarah of the Desert
Nun, Desert Mother [1]
Died5th century
Egypt
Venerated in Oriental Orthodox Churches
Eastern Orthodox Church
Catholic Church
Episcopal Church
Feast 15 Paremhat (Coptic Christianity)
13 July (Chalcedonian)
5 January (Episcopal Church)
Patronage Nun

Amma (Mother) Sarah of the Desert (5th century) was one of the early Desert Mothers who is known to us today through the collected Sayings of the Desert Fathers and of the Holy Women Ascetics (the Matericon). [2] She was a hermit and followed a life dedicated to strict asceticism for some sixty years.

Contents

Monasticism

Sarah is said to have dwelt in a monastic cell near a large river, likely the Nile, at which she would never look. Her sayings attest that this saint spent her life battling a demon that tempted her to fornication. Records indicate that Sarah lived near Skete in the early to mid-5th century. [3] She lived a life of severe asceticism, refusing wine, laughter, or to leave her cell except to attend church. [2]

She was not completely isolated and received visitors during her time as a hermit. On one occasion, monks of Scetis came to visit her. She gave them a fruit basket and they honored her by eating the bad fruit and leaving her the good fruit to eat. [4]

Sayings

Among her sayings recorded in the Sayings of the Desert Fathers are: [4]

Among her saying recorded in the Mataericon are: [2]

Veneration

Sarah is commemorated on 13 July in the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches.

Sarah is honored (with Theodora and Syncletica) on the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America [5] on January 5. [6]

See also

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References

  1. "Sarah, Theodora & Syncletica: Thde Desert Mothers". satucket.com. Retrieved 2021-04-13.
  2. 1 2 3 Isaiah (2001). Matericon: Instructions of the Abba Isaiah to the Honorable Nun Theodora. Translated by St. Paisius Serbian Orthodox Monastery. Safford, Arizona: St. Paisius Serbian Orthodox Monastery. pp. 37–94.
  3. The Saint Pachomius Library "St. Sarah of the Desert"
  4. 1 2 The sayings of the Desert Fathers : the alphabetical collection. Kalamazoo, Mich.: Cistercian Publications. 1984. ISBN   978-0-87907-959-8.
  5. "Lesser Feasts and Fasts 2018".
  6. "Sarah, Theodora, and Syncletica of Egypt, Desert Mothers, 4th-5th century". The Episcopal Church. Retrieved 2022-07-17.

Sources