Saint Euphrosyne of Alexandria was born at the
beginning of the fifth century in the city of Alexandria. She was the
only child in her family of illustrious and rich parents. Since her
mother died early, she was raised by her father, Paphnutius, a deeply
believing and pious Christian. He frequented a monastery, the igumen of
which was his spiritual guide.
When Euphrosyne turned eighteen,
her father wanted her to marry. He went to the monastery to his
spiritual guide to receive his blessing for the planned wedding of his
daughter. The igumen conversed with the daughter and gave her his
blessing, but St Euphrosyne yearned for the monastic life.
She
secretly accepted tonsure from a wandering monk, left her father’s house
and decided to enter a monastery in order to lead her life in solitude
and prayer. She feared, however, that in a women’s monastery her father
would find her. Calling herself the eunuch Smaragdos, she went to the
very same men’s monastery which she had visited with her father since
childhood.
The monks did not recognize Euphrosyne dressed in
men’s garb, and so they accepted her into the monastery. Here in a
solitary cell, St Euphrosyne spent 38 years in works, fasting and
prayer, and attained a high level of spiritual accomplishment.
Her
father grieved over the loss of his beloved daughter and more than
once, on the advice of the igumen, he conversed with the monk Smaragdos,
revealing his grief and receiving spiritual comfort. Before her death,
the nun Euphrosyne revealed her secret to her grieving father and asked
that no one but he should prepare her body for burial. Having buried his
daughter, Paphnutius distributed all his wealth to both the poor and to
the monastery, and then he accepted monasticism. For ten years right up
to his own death, he labored in the cell of his daughter.
Saint Euphrosyne is also commemorated on September 25.
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