Baramhat 15 : The Departure of St. Sarah the nun and the Martyrdom of St. Helias of Hnes.

1. The Departure of St. Sarah the nun.

On this day departed the righteous and ascetic St. Sarah the nun who was a native of Upper Egypt. Her parents, who were exceedingly rich, were Christians and had no other children. They raised her in a christian manner and taught her reading and writing. She was always reading the books of the church and especially the biography and sayings of the fathers the monks. She was influenced by their lives and desired the ascetic life. She went to one of the convents of Upper Egypt and dwelt there for many years serving the virgins.

Then she put on the monastic garb, persisting on fighting the lust of Satan for thirteen years until Satan was weary of her. When Satan was exasperated from her steadfastness and purity, he wished to overthrow her by the sin of pride. He appeared to her while she was standing praying on the roof of her cell and said to her: "Rejoice for you have overcome Satan." She replied: "I am a feeble woman, and I can not conquer you except by the power of the Lord Christ" and then Satan vanished.

This Saint had many useful sayings that she used to say to the nuns. One of her sayings: "I never set my foot upon the step of the ladder, and I never go up to the next step without thinking I may die before I raise my leg so that the enemy might not entice me with the hope of a long life." And she also said: " IT is better for a man to show mercy even to satisfy men for the time will come that it will be to satisfy God." She also had many other sayings written in the Paradise of the Fathers. She stayed on the banks of the river in a cave for sixty years fighting a great fight and no one saw her until she departed to the eternal bless and she was eighty years old.

May her prayers be with us. Amen.

2. The Martyrdom of St. Helias of Hnes.

On this day also St. Helias of Hnes was martyred.

May his prayers be with us and Glory be to God forever. Amen.

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