Venerable Zosimas of Palestine

Venerable Zosimas of Palestine labored from his youth in one of the Palestinian monasteries, where he spent about fifty-three years in monastic labor, perfecting his knowledge of monastic life. By special divine providence he was directed to a monastery located near the Jordan River, where it was customary to withdraw into the desert for solitary asceticism during Great Lent. During one such period of solitude in the desert, Zosimas encountered a remarkable ascetic — St. Mary of Egypt, who had labored there in complete solitude for many decades after her repentant conversion. It was he who, at her request, returning a year later to the agreed place, communed her with the Holy Gifts of Christ, and the following year, coming again, found her already reposed and buried her body with the aid of a miraculously appearing lion. The account of Mary of Egypt's life recorded by Venerable Zosimas became the basis for her widely known Life, read by the Church during Great Lent.