Saint Mary of Egypt: Three Medieval Lives in Verse (Volume 209)

by Ronald E. Pepin (Translator), Hugh Feiss OSB (Translator)

The saintly austerities of Mary of Egypt so impressed early monks that they recorded her life to edify their brethren. Many versions circulated and the tale traveled from Palestine to Europe, from Greek to Latin to French to Spanish, from prose to poetry, from hagiography to literature, and from the monastery into the world outside. Here we see Mary through the eyes of three medieval poets: Flodoard, a canon of Reims († 966), Hildebert of Lavardin, a bishop, († 1134), and an Anonymous Spaniard.

170 pages, Paperback

First published June 30, 2006

Reviews

[Paul LaGreca · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful and interesting Saint - Mary of Egypt - a prostitute who had a profound conversion and fled to the desert in penance.

There are three accounts of her life in this volume - from the desert fathers to a Spanish poem. This is a story that deeply touched my heart and will remain with me for a long time.

[K. P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fine short read of one of the great penitent saints who was very well known in the Middle Ages, many copies of these lives remain from when it was copied out by hand prior to print technology. She is a patron of the sexually addicted. The telling of her lifves are beautiful,

[Laura Turchetti · Rating 4 out of 5]

thoroughly enjoyed the first 2 interpretations. not so much the Spanish version, which took incredible liberties with the story.