St Pachomius was born to pagan parents in Upper Egypt. His first contact with Christianity occurred in 312 when he was a conscript in the Roman army. As a soldier, he experienced great acts of charity from a local community of Christians whose members brought him relief while he was taken prisoner during that time.…

St. Theodora was born to wealthy Christian parents in Alexandria. When she was a child, her parents wanted to give her up for marriage, so they bought many costly apparels and jewelry. However, St. Theodora desired to worship God. As a result, she sold these gifts, and used the money to help the poor, needy,…

St. Anastasia, also known as Anastasia of Sirmium, is a highly revered Christian mother who exemplifies the monastic vows of chastity and poverty. Born in the late 3rd century in Rome, she came from a noble and wealthy family. Her father was a prominent pagan who held a high position in the Roman Empire while…

This week will be learning about St. Ammonius The Hermit, whose feast is on the 20th of Bashons. St. Ammonius was born in a village near Mariot in 294 A.D. to a righteous and rich Christian family. At a young age, St. Ammonius lost his parents and was taken in by his uncle. He longed…

This week we will be learning about the life of St Shenouda, whose feast is on the 7th of Abib. From his early days as a young shepherd, St. Shenouda’s love for a deep and intimate life with God radiated brightly (literally). In one instance, as he was lifting his heart in prayer, a fellow…

St. John Kolobos, commonly referred to as St. John the Short was a prominent desert father known for his obedience and wisdom. He was born in 339 AD to a poor but holy family and desired a monastic life from his early childhood years. When he was eighteen, he left his hometown and went to…

It has been a tradition of St. Mary & St. Athanasius Church to remember the Desert Fathers & Mothers during the month of June. During the next couple of weeks, we will be sharing the stories and sayings of some of these influential ascetics. We will start off by sharing the story of St. Sarah…