Venerable Thaisia of Egypt (†340) — October 8 / October 21 (Julian Calendar)

On this day, October 8 according to the Julian Calendar (October 21 civil calendar), the Georgian Orthodox Church commemorates Venerable Thaisia of Egypt.

Venerable Thaisia was the daughter of a harlot and from her youth was herself plunged into depravity. By her remarkably captivating beauty she led many astray. At that time the monk Paphnutius lived in the monastery of Heracleia in Egypt, and he set many who had gone astray on the path of salvation. When he learned of Thaisia, he put on secular clothing, went to the woman, and asked her to arrange a meeting in a secluded place where neither man nor God could see them. Thaisia, in whose soul thoughts of the Lord had not yet been extinguished, answered with a smile that this was impossible, for God is everywhere and sees everything. Then the venerable father revealed his identity and set before the chosen one of the Lord the gravity of her sins and the unbearable torments awaiting her in the life to come for the soul of every person she had tempted and destroyed. The elder’s words shook the sinful woman’s soul, and heavenly light shone in her heart. She gathered all her wealth, heaped it in the city square, and burned it with her own hands, as a sign that she publicly acknowledged the vileness of her former life and did not consider this treasure, won through depravity, worthy even to be given to the poor.

Venerable Paphnutius led the saint to a convent of women, where she settled in a narrow cell; each day a piece of bread and a little water were passed to her through a small window. The blessed woman spent three years there in complete solitude. Worn by strict fasting, the chosen one of the Lord ceaselessly repeated a short prayer: “O my Creator, have mercy on me!” Meanwhile Paphnutius felt great compassion for her and went to Venerable Anthony the Great (commemorated January 17) to learn whether the Lord had forgiven Thaisia. Saint Anthony gathered his disciples and stood in prayer with them the whole night. At last one of them, Venerable Paul (commemorated March 7 and October 4), was shown in a miraculous vision that Thaisia’s sins had been blotted out. Paphnutius came to the convent, where the holy mother was struggling, and opened the door of her cell. Thaisia said humbly, “I wish to remain in seclusion,” but the blessed elder commanded her to come out. The saint obeyed, saying, “God is my witness, from the moment I entered the cell, all my sins were before my eyes, and I poured out tears as I looked upon them.” Paphnutius replied, “It is precisely for this, and not for the severity of your seclusion, that the merciful Lord has had mercy on you.” After this Thaisia lived only fifteen more days. She departed in peace to the Kingdom around the year 340. This venerable mother should be distinguished from Blessed Thaisia, whom the holy Church commemorates on May 10.