Sǝmʿu la-Māryām gǝbṣāwit

translation from An Ethiopic Version of the Life of Mary of Egypt Vostok. Afro-Aziatskie obshchestva: istoriia i sovremennost Jaimie Gunderson John Huehnergard 2019 3 151-169 2024-05-08T07:01:50Z https://ras.jes.su/vostokoriens/s086919080005252-4-1 after No item: BLorient686#ms_i1.44
On the 6th of Miyāzyā

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, 1 Lord. This is the document of the story of Mary the Egyptian who contended in the Jordan desert after she had committed many sins. May prayer to her and her blessing be with the soul of her beloved, our king, Iyasu and his son, our king, Iyoˀas, and their mother, our queen, Walatta Giyorgis and with her servant Walatta Śəllāse , forever and ever. Amen.

It is necessary that the mystery of kings be hidden. But Lord’s activity and his wonders, when they have become known, are life for one who accepts (them) in truth. For whoever reveals the mystery of kings goes down in punishment. But whoever hides the mysteries of God’s wonders – he indeed is destroyed. Therefore it would not be proper for me to hide the reports of the saints that I have heard, so that it may be beneficial to me, and also for one who has heard it; for this report came to me from a pure and good man; the word of God was in his mouth day and night and he carried out the commandments of our savior from his youth until his old age. It was he who told me; whoever sees and reads this book, let him not doubt in his mind, and let him also understand that it is accurate, and not say, “How is it possible to be thus?” For the gift of the grace of the Holy Spirit illuminates for each one who seeks, and makes the soul spiritual, as Solomon and Paul said. The old man recounted this to me without being silent in the praise of God for even an hour, while standing and sitting, while keeping watch and serving; and many were the testimonies concerning this old man, that the Holy Spirit would come down upon him and worthily he would see God, as the gospel said: Blessed are the pure of heart for they will see God. The name of this old monk was Zosimās; he it was who recounted to me. From when he left his mother’s care, he lived in a monastery and served in it until he was 53 years old. But he then became disheartened concerning a thought that had come to him, saying, “Since I have competed every activity, and I myself am not eager for learning from another, is there then an intelligent monk like me upon the earth whose knowledge is better, or who is able to do what I do not do? Or is there one to be found in the desert among the wise who surpasses me (in) service or abstinence?” As the old man was thinking like that, a voice came from the sky saying, “Many are those who seek eternal life. So if you want to understand this, leave from where you are, as our father Abraham was commanded, and come to a place that is at the Jordan River, whose name is La‘elamun.” So the old man, when he heard this voice that came to him, immediately left that monastery in which he had been a monk, until he arrived at the holy Jordan, to that place that God had commanded him. Then he knocked on the door and spoke to the doorkeeper; the doorkeeper went quickly to tell the abbot, and the abbot commanded him to invite him (in). When the old man had entered, the abbot greeted him and prayed over him as the monks were accustomed (to do). The abbot questioned him, and said to him, “From where have you come, and why have you taken the trouble to see us poor old sinners?” Zosimās answered and said to him, “You might tell me where from; I am a man and a pauper of ash and dust, and my coming here is for the benefit of my soul, my father, for I have heard of you that you have an excellent practice which brings the soul close to God.” Then the abbot said to him, “My brother, the Lord God is the healer of all men’s souls. Let me ask him to bestow his favor on us – on you and also on us – and the doing of his commandments, for a man cannot save someone else. Only let us do what is proper for us, and God will be our helper. If you have come here on account of us, stay with us and live like us. God is the good shephe- rd; he prepares us and sustains us and guards our paths from all wrongdoing and sin by his kindness and his mercy forever. Amen.” When the abbot had said this speech to Abbā Zosimās, he prostrated himself to him and asked him to pray and intercede on his behalf. And when the abbot had prayed, and Zosimās had said “Amen,” Zosimās got right up, and remained in that monastery. Then he saw monks who in truth were holy angels worshiping God night and day, standing without idleness, and there were none among them concerned with the cares of this world at all, but rather (with) singing and praise, like angels. And more, none of them would consider himself alive, but like one who had died and become dust. After a few days the Holy Fast arrived, in which Christian people purify themselves from sin by worshiping and praying. The door of that place was always closed, and would not be opened except so that those who were doing the business of the monks could go out. In that monastery there was a custom, and (it was) on account of that custom, I say, (that) God brought Zosimās to that monastery. And that custom was that on the first sabbath of the fast, which was holy, after they raised the Eucharist, they would bring a table near and each eat a little. Then they would gather in the church and pray a long prayer and worship for one hour. And again they would greet one another, and come to the abbot and petition him 1 (by) 1, praying that God would be a help for them in their going out and in their coming in. When they had done this, the abbot would open the door and they would go out reciting the 26th Psalm: “God provides light for me and saves me; what can frighten me? God is my life’s trusted one; what can terrify me?” Then they would travel each on their way, but they would leave one monk in the monastery so that prayer would not cease during the time of the incense and the lamp. Each 1 would take as many provisions as he could. 1 would take bread and his fellow would take unleavened bread; some would take dates and some would take dried fig fruit. And others would take nothing at all but the torn clothing on them. When the desire for food overpowered them, they would eat desert grass. None of them wanted to be aware of another, or how his life was, or what his tolerance and his state were; so they would then separate, each from the other, into the Jordan desert. When 1 would see his fellow from a distance, they would prostrate themselves to him, but turn aside to another path. And when the fast was finished, they would gather for the Feast of Hosanna. Such was the custom of that abbot . Zosimās too went out into the desert according to custom. He had a bit of food, and what he had on was torn and old. He crossed the Jordan. Then he thought to himself to go even farther into the wasteland toward the east, to 1 of the pilgrim fathers whom he might encounter. He went there like someone who knew (how) from of old. Then, having traversed a 20-day journey, when it was the 6th hour, he turned around and stood facing east to pray, as he was accustomed (to do). Such was his life day and night, in praise and prayer in worship, spreading his hands toward heaven. Then he turned to his right, and saw at a distance (something) in the shape of a person. When he saw (it), he became terrified and trembled, and marveled that it was a demon. Immediately it crossed its face, and then it withdrew from him in fear. He saw it again, and per ceived that it was going naked; the color of its body was black, and the hair of its head was white as wool and went down to its shoulders. When Zosimās saw this, he rejoiced greatly, and began to go quickly toward it, for he had in those days not seen a human being, an animal, a bird, or anything. Therefore Zosimās wanted to examine what appeared to him at a distance to be the form of a person; (but) as he was approaching it, it fled and went into the desert. Zosimās became like one who has cast off his old age and has forgotten the weariness that he had endured on the path. As quickly as he would pursue the vision and follow it, the vision would flee from him. When he got close enough to where it could hear the sound of his voice, Zosimās began to cry out, speaking while weeping: “O servant of the good God, why do you flee from an old sinner? I beseech you by God, for whose sake you have dwelt in this wastel- and, wait for me. You who have become what you are, I beseech you by the hope that you expect from the Lord, who gives reward on account of this hardship, be patient with me. And (even) if it is not proper for me to stand before you that you might give me prayer and blessing, I ask you by God, who is patient with sinners, wait for me.” While Zosimās was running and beseeching and weeping thus, the 2 of them came to a certain place together. Then Zosimās stopped, and added tears to tears, and implored it to answer him something. Immediately the vision spoke, and said, “O father Zosimās, forgive me for God’s sake, for I am not able to turn to see you, for I am a woman and I am naked, as you see me. But if you would favor a sinner woman with prayer and blessing, throw me some of the tatters that you are wearing on yourself that I may cover the shame of women that is on myself; and then I will turn to you to receive your blessing.” When Zosimās heard her saying his name, fear and terror seized him. He knew that she (could) not have said his name except by the grace of the Holy Spirit, for there had never been any time that she had seen him. Right away he removed the cloak he had on and threw (it) to her to cover up. She picked up the old cloak and covered her shame, and turned to him and said to him, “What do you want from a sinner woman, and what do you seek to know, that you have undertaken all this hardship?” He, however, prostrated himself to her, asking her for prayer and blessing. And she again prostrated herself to him, asking him for prayer and blessing. So the 2 of them were cast to the ground, each 1 asking the other for blessing and saying, “O Lord, bless.” After an hour, the woman said, “O righteous father Zosimās, it is proper that you should be the one to bless, because you have been granted priesthood and also you perform the sacred offices in God’s house.” When Zosimās heard this, his fear and terror increased, and his voice was silent. Then he said to her, “O spiritual woman, I myself know that the Holy Spirit has come upon you, for you said my name and you said that I am a priest, and you have never seen me at all. For the gift of grace is manifest among those who revere God, but not among any others. Pray over me for God’s sake, for I am eager to receive your blessing.” And when the old man urged her, the woman said, “Blessed be the Lord who is the savior of humanity; by the abundance of his mercy may he have mercy on us.” And Zosimās said, “Amen.” Then the 2 of them got up together. That woman said to him, “What urged you to come here, to a sinful woman? I am devoid of any feat of goodness. Only the grace of the Holy Spirit has led you and brought you to me that I may complete my proper task.” She began to say to him, “Tell me how the life of the Christians is, and how the manner of kings is, and how the shepherds of the Christians are.” And Zosimās said to her in a humble voice, “By your prayer, all are safe. But what I want of you, O blessed woman, is that you intercede and pray for the whole world and for me; pray for me, that God not destroy my hope, what I hope for.” She answered him and said to him, “(That) is more seemly for you: It is proper, O Zosimās, that you intercede and pray for me and for the whole world. For the priesthood has been given to you, whereas it is proper for me to obey you and do what you have said to me.” Then, having removed herself a little, she turned to the east and spread her hands to heaven and pled in secret, weeping and asking privately, the sound of her voice un- heard. Zosimās stood trembling and casting his face to the ground. And when she prolonged her prayer, he looked up and saw her elevated some two cubits from the ground, and he swore by God that he saw her suspended in the air, praying. Seeing this, his sweat dripping on the ground, Zosimās was unable to speak, except to say, secretly, “O Lord, have mercy on me.” Then he thought, wondering, “Is it then a deceiver/imposter or an evil spirit?” But she returned and raised him from the ground and said to him, “Why do you wonder in your heart whether I am a deceiver, while you are interceding and praying? Know, O man, I am just a sinner woman. I have undergone holy baptism. I am not a deceiver; rather, I am ashes and dust.” Then she crossed her face and chest again and said, “O Zosimās, thus it is fitting that we drive from us the forces of the Enemy and ask God to save us from him.” When the old man heard her speaking like this, he prostrated himself on the ground and began to kiss her feet; he said, “I adjure you by God, who became incarnate through the holy virgin Mary, mother of the Lord, for whose sake you have suffered (in) your body and afflicted yourself in this desert, to recount to me who you are and whence you have come, and how long (lit., when) you have stayed in this wasteland. Do not hide anything from me, that God’s wonders may be revealed. For hidden wisdom is not useful and a concealed treasure is not visible. By God your Lord, you must tell me all your secrets. For this is not to flatter; but rather, help an old sinner man, for I say, it is God that has supported you and brought me into this desert, that your mystery may be revealed. For God does not want to hide or obscure from his flock a story like you(rs). If he had wanted to hide the mystery of your secrets, he would not have brought me to you, and he would not have supported me along the way with all this hardship and affliction. And I, a very old man, would not have left the monastery at all.” When Zosimās had said this, while prostrate, she took his hand, raised him up, and said to him, “I am ashamed to speak to you, father; forgive me. But I will reveal to you my actions just as God has shown you my naked body, lest it seem to you that I refused to tell you when you asked me before, because it was not out of boasting or seeking praise that I was hiding from you. For I say, when you have heard my actions, you will flee from me as a person flees from a serpent; for you will not be able to be tolerant when you hear the tale of shame and ignominy. Nothing at all will be concealed from you. But I want you to ask God, for me, that I might find mercy and pity before him.” The old man, however, was weeping and shedding tears. Then she began to tell him, saying thus: “Father, my country is Egypt. When I was 12 years old, while my mother and father were (still) living, I separated myself from them–I had become so rebellious–and I arrived in Alexandria. But I am not ashamed to tell you and to recount to you how I disgraced myself and corrupted my body, insatiable with the lust of youth. Then I remained for 16 years with no other occupation apart solely from whoring. And I did not want them to give me anything at all; I would not take the pay of whoring even from someone who wanted to give (it) to me, so that there would be many who would seek to have sex with me. And in such conduct I remained in Alexandria, in vain satisfying my lust with them. But let it not appear to you, father, that I was becoming very rich or had a lot of property, which I did not receive from them at all. Rather, being poor, I would ask and entreat something to eat. I would still spin wool, and want whoring, so my life every day was whoring and sin; and this I considered (to be) an advantage, and a life. “While I was behaving this way, I arrived one day at the seashore, where there were men in boats, looking to go abroad . I asked them and said, ‘Where are you going?’ They said to me, “We are planning to go to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Cross.’ I said to 1 of them, ‘Will you take me with you?,’ and he said to me, ‘If you have the fare and provisions, no one will prevent you from coming.’ I said, ‘I have, brother, neither fare nor provisions. But I want to go with you. Let me eat and drink, and in exchange for that I will lie with you.’ Father, my sin is not the boat fare that I would give them, but rather the fact that I might satisfy the lust for whoring with those many men. Forgive me, father Zosimās; I told you not to press me to recount my actions to you, for God knows that I am trembling and terrified from your greatness and dignity.” Zosimās said to her, weeping all the while, “Tell me, woman; do not stop recounting to me.” She said, “Father, when that young man heard the words of my speech, he laughed. And when I saw that he was laughing, I cast the wool I was spinning from my hand and went fleeing to the sea. Those boats needed to go, but then I saw 10 men in one boat, and said, ‘Those will suffice to have sex with me.’ Other young men too boarded the boat, so I, as usual, flew and joined them without shame. I said to them, ‘Take me with you.’ So they picked me up and brought me aboard the boat, and we started to go. Would that my tongue were not able to speak, nor my ear to hear! For I continued seducing them against their will. There was no sexual act that I refrained from doing with those poor men; in fact I became their teacher in every sexual act and defilement. So I marvel, father, at how the sea endured my sin, and the land did not swallow my soul to send me down to Sheol, for I became a net and a trap to many people. “While I was behaving like this, we reached the temple. Then I remained for a little while, and sinned and whored even more, which was worse than before; for although then I had seduced many young men in the boat, I now became a trap to other people of the city. “But, it seems to me, God was waiting for my repentance, for God does not desire the death of sinners who convert and repent. When the Feast of the Holy Cross arrived, I was, as was my old habit, going around ensnaring the young men. Then all the people of the city went to the Feast of the Cross, and quickly entered the church. There was a great crush by the door and I began to enter with them. When I reached the second door, a force came to me that kept pushing me and turning me back, until I was unable to enter. I could see all the people entering, but I kept being turned back, for I was unable to enter. So I waited by myself until they were all on their way in, and nobody, not 1, remained by the door. I wanted to go, too, and I remained like that, wanting to enter, for a long time, but could not. When I understood that I was rejected and cast out, it being improper for me to see the cross of the wood of life, and then realized that the wretchedness of my behavior and the wickedness of my life were what was preventing me from entering God’s temple that day, I wept and sang and beat my chest, wailing from the depth of my heart. “While in that state, I saw, in the place where I was standing, above the door, the image of holy Mary, mother of the Lord. Immediately I looked devotedly at her and said, ‘Our Lady, pure virgin who bore the Lord in the flesh, I know truly that it is not proper for me to look at your image, for I am defiled and unclean. Indeed I am hateful and vile. But, my Lady, the Lord whom you bore became human for this, to call sinners to repentance. Now, hear me, receive me, permit me to enter the temple, and do not prevent me from looking at the wood of the cross of your only son. For the one who shed his blood for our sake and redeemed us, permit me, my Lady, to enter and worship at the glorious cross. You, redeem me by the Lord who was born of you. From now, I swear by God that I will not sin again and will not corrupt my flesh in vain. As soon as I have worshiped at the wood of the cross on which your son was crucified, at that time I will leave the world and everything in it, and I will go where you have commanded me; I will submit to you. Help me and save me, my Lady.’ “Thus I said by strength of faith in her, and I believed in the mercy of the mother of the Lord. Then I joined with those entering the church, with nothing preventing me or pressing in on me or pushing me. It came over me like a strong man; it carried me and let me reach the church. Then trembling and terror seized me, and I saw the holy mysteries of the Lord, who accepts the repentance of sinners who repent and have been counted among the saints. I marveled, and said, ‘How God has been merciful to me and increased his mercy on me, so that I became worthy to see the tree of life!’ “When I finished praying, I went outside and fell to the ground where the picture of our Lady Mary, mother of the Lord, is. I said to her, ‘My Lady, you, who love good, have revealed to me–and you did not hesitate to receive my request, though I was unclean and impure–truly, I have seen the glory and sanctity that sinners without repentance do not see. And while I am speaking thus, my Lady, complete my redemption and lead me where you would. Become my guide to the road of repentance.’ And I heard a voice that said, ‘If you cross the Jordan, you will find pleasing rest.’ I believed that that voice had come for my sake, and so I wept and looked up at the mother of the Lord, saying, ‘My Lady, do not leave me, do not cast me aside.’ “Having said this, I quickly left the temple, and as I was leaving, a man met me and gave me 3 pennies. He said to me, ‘Take this, blessed one.’ I took (it) and bought 3 (loaves of) bread. I asked the one selling the bread, ‘Where is the Jordan road?,’ and he showed me the road. So I went that day in the 3rd hour. When the sun went down, I arrived at the church of John the Baptist, near the Jordan. I worshiped, prayed, and received the Eucharist there; and I went down to the Jordan and washed myself in that water. Then I ate part of the bread that I had brought along, and drank the Jordan’s water, and spent the night there. When dawn came, I found a small boat and crossed the Jordan in it, petitioning and praying to the mother of the Lord who had redeemed me, to lead me where she wished. Then I arrived in this wasteland, hoping for the mercy of my Lord.” Zosimās said to her, “O saint, how many years have you dwelt in this wasteland?” She said to him, “47 years.” When Zosimās said to her, “How do you sustain yourself here?,” she said, “I tell you, I had two (loaves of) bread and a bit; since the time that I crossed the Jordan, it dried out and become like stone. I sustained myself with it little by little, until that bread was finished. Would then that I might tell you the greatness of God’s mercy, how he has protected me and sustained me and increased his kindness to me.” Zosimās said to her, “Is then your mind not disturbed as before?” She said to him, “Forgive me, father, for the many thoughts, desires, and sorrows, that it is not possible to tell you about.” But Zosimās said to her, “Do not hide any of your story, for God did not bring me here for nothing, but on the contrary that I may hear your story for the benefit of many.” So she said to him, “Let me tell you, father. I remained in this desert 17 years, wandering around; as I said to you, it (my mind) was being disturbed by unclean desire, and the Enemy would keep my mind awake and remind me of eating flesh and drinking wine and all (types of) food that I had seen in the land of Egypt. Moreover, demons would remind me of whoring all the time. But I would keep in mind Mary, who redeemed me. Then I would wander around weeping and beating my chest, and my mind would be on the image of our Lady Mary, hoping for her to drive every agitation and evil away from me. Afterward, a great light would appear to me, which would flash around me. At that time, my evil thoughts would be removed from me, and then my heart would rejoice and my tongue exult. “What should I tell you about thoughts of whoring? Because I kept burning, as with fire, the desire in my body until I would fall to the ground and roll in the dust like a snake and wet the dirt with my tears until I would see the one who redeemed me standing before me, admonishing me and exhorting me about desire. I would not rise from the ground until that light would appear to me. Afterward all thought of Satan would be driven from me, and I would ask my Lady/Lord for power and help against the force of the Enemy. And so I kept on for 17 years. But from that time he has left me and has not come to me until this day.” The old man, when he heard the saint’s words, praised and blessed and glorified God. He said to her, “After all this, have you not required food or clothing?” She said to him, “The bread is gone, as I told you. Afterward, I sustained myself with the vegetation of the desert. The clothes I had on wore out, so I wear the heat of the sun during the day and the cold at night. I suffered great affliction, and for a long time would fall to the ground and become like a corpse, until my Lady who redeemed me removed all this evil thought from me, and gave me strength and perseverance. From then on, I have sustained and clothed myself with the words of God, as the gospel said, “It is not by bread that a person lives.” Then she presented testimony from the writings of Moses, Job, David, Solomon, Paul, and the Gospel, and others as well. Zosimās was astonished when she began to tell him the words of God in the writings. Then she said to him, “Know, father, that since I left and came to this desert, I have not seen people, beasts, animals, birds, or anything. Moreover, I have not been taught the writings, nor the recitation of the psalter. But I ask you by the living Lord that you not tell anyone my secrets that I have revealed to you. But do pray for me, for I am a sinful woman.” The old man started to prostrate himself before her, crying and weeping and shouting and saying, “Blessed is the Lord who performs great wonders without number, fittingly to those who revere him. Truly, O Lord, you save those who trust in you.” At that point she took the old man’s hand, raised him up, and said to him, “I adjure you by the Holy Trinity that gives life to all that you not recount the story to anyone until God takes my soul and I leave this world. Now go in peace and remain in the monastery. When you come here next year, you will see me by God’s grace. But I ask you not to cross the Jordan until the day of the mysteries of Christ, which is the prayer of the fifth day. Then bring me the Eucharist, if I am worthy to be named to receive (it); for since the time I reached the church of John the Baptist near the Jordan, I have not received the Eucharist; since then until today I have not been given the Eucharist. Should you wish to come before that day, you will not be able to come. And Abbayon, the abbot of the monastery that is in your area: say to him, ‘Take care to guard your flock, for you should correct the path of those who are with you, and act on their concerns’. I do not want you to tell him today, but to wait until God commands you. And having said this, she got up quickly and went to the wasteland. Then the old man turned back and returned to the monastery, and remained that year, keeping silent and not having told anyone. But he would ask God to show him that day (when), as before , he would see that woman. When the Holy Fast arrived, the monks began to leave, as they were accustomed (to do). But a serious illness took hold of Zosimās in the monastery, and he was unable to leave. Then he remembered the saint’s words, who said, “If you would come before that day, you will not be able to come.” After that, he remained a few days and recovered. When the monks gathered in the monastery and it was the time of the prayer of the fifth day, Zosimās remembered what saint had commanded him, (and) immediately got up quickly and took the body of Christ and his precious blood in a chalice. He took as well a table on which were unleavened bread, dates, herbs, and lentils. Then he went and arrived at the shore by the Jordan as she had commanded, and he remained, awaiting the arrival of the pure and blessed one from the wasteland. And when she was late, Zosimās grew worried. He turned right and left, and was thinking, saying, “Did she come here, and leave when she didn’t find me?” As he was thinking this, moaning and weeping, he looked up to heaven and said, “My God and Lord, do not let me go without seeing the face that you love.” As he was beseeching and weeping thus, a thought came to him, saying, “What can I do (about the fact) that there is no boat in which she might cross?” And he continued petitioning and beseeching thus, saying , “Woe to me; who has prevented me from seeing this good thing?” But as he was saying this, that blessed and pure woman arrived and stood on the shore at the Jordan River from where she had come. Zosimās immediately got up, rejoicing and exulting. Then she made the sign of the cross (over) the Jordan River, and came to him quickly, walking on the water. He got up to prostrate himself to her, but she prevented him from pro- strating himself, saying, “Why are you acting like this, you being a priest and having the holy mysteries?” And he said to her, “Alright,” and immediately got up. Then she said to him, “Father, bless.” He answered her and said to her, trembling from the miracle he had seen, “Blessed are the pure of heart, for they will see the son of God.” He prayed, as customary, the Prayer of Faith and the Gospel Prayer. When he finished praying, he gave her the Eucharist. Then she cried out and wept, and said, “Now you may discharge your servant in peace, O Lord, as you have commanded, for my eyes have seen your salvation.” Then she said to the old man, “Go, father, (as one) protected, in peace to the monastery, and next year you may come to me in the wasteland where you first met me. There you will see me as God has desired.” He answered her and said, “I want not to be parted from you, that I may see the beauty of your face at all times. But carry out one request for me, an old man, and take a little of the food that I have brought you.” Then he presented to her the table that he had brought with him that time. She took 3 sprouted lentil beans, placed (them) in her mouth, and said, “The Holy Spirit satisfies my soul and protects it from all blemish.” Then she said to the old man, “Remember my toil always, my father.” He prostrated himself at her feet and asked her to pray for the members of the church, for the king too, and also for him. Then he parted from her and went, weeping and wailing, and returned in sadness to the monastery. She immediately made the sign of the cross at the Jordan river, passed over, and went to the wilderness. When that year was over, when it was the days of the fastings, Zosimās went forth to the desert as was his habit, and began to go to where he had seen the saint previously. But when he had gone all over the desert, he began to turn right and left like a clever hunter who is hunting, but he found nothing. He began to weep; he looked up to the sky, and prayed and said, “O Lord, show me the treasure that it is not proper for the world to see.” And having said this, he arrived, praying, at that place and turned from the east. He saw her from afar, and went to her. When he arrived, he found her body where she had died, and he prostrated himself at her feet, and wept bitterly; he prayed for her and interceded for her. Amen. Then he thought, saying, “Should her flesh be buried in the ground, or is it not the case?” While like that, he looked at the ground and found a book by her head. He picked (it) up and read, and found what it said in it, “Father Zosimās, you may bury the body of poor Mary in this place; return dust to dust; and pray for me for God’s sake.” (Her death was, in the Roman month, in the month of April; and in Ge‘ez, among us, on the 6th of the month of Miyāzyā, on that night in which our Lord Jesus Christ suffered.) When Zosimās saw the book, he started to think and say, “Who then wrote it?” – for she had said to him, “I don’t know (how to read) books” – and he rejoiced when he recognized her name. Then he realized that when she had received the Eucharist from him, she (then) came to (this) place and died. That road by which Zosimās had arrived was about a journey of 20 days; but she had arrived in a single hour. He moistened her feet with his tears, and thought, saying, “What then will I do, who have no spade with which to bury her body?” He turned and found wood strewn on the ground; he picked (it) up and (tried to) dig, but was unable to dig, because that ground was hard. The old man grew tired, and his sweat dripped; and there was nothing he was able to do at all. Then a lion came and stood by, and began licking the feet of the saint. When Zosimās saw (this), fear and trembling seized him, but he crossed his face and had faith, so that he would be safe from it. The lion was blinking its eyes like one with whom one exchanges greetings. So Zosimās said to it, “O lion, your claws are numerous and strong; dig with your claws as much as necessary where we will bury her body, for I am old and unable to dig, and I cannot go to my monastery to bring a spade, for it is far away.” On hearing this, the lion dug with its claws as much as necessary for them to bury the saint’s flesh. The old man was weeping and wetting her feet with his tears, and praying a great deal that God would have mercy for all through prayer to her. Then he buried her flesh in the ground, naked as before without those tatters that Zosimās had given her to cover her shame. After he had buried the saint, the lion went to the wilderness, whereas Zosimās turned around and went back to his monastery, blessing and praising God. And he began to tell the monks the story of the saint, and all the miracles she had performed, and he concealed nothing. On hearing this, they marveled at the greatness of God and his abundant mercy, and they cele- brated the saint’s memorial with great joy. Then the abbot found perverse men in the place, as the blessed one had said to him. Then Zosimas remained in that monastery until he was about 100 years old, and he pleased God with all of his work, and died in the gift of the grace of our Lord Jesus Chr- ist, to whom be greatness and glory and praise – to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

May her blessing be with the soul of her beloved Iyasu and his son, our king, Iyoas, and their mother, our queen, Walatta Giyorgis and with the soul of her servant Aleni , forever and ever. Amen.

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Sǝmʿu la-Māryām gǝbṣāwit

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