Syncletica of Alexandria

Syncletica of Alexandria .

Amma Syncletica von Alexandria (* allegedly 270 ; † around 350 ) is a Christian saint and desert mother in the 4th century who grew up wealthy in Alexandria , was allegedly very beautiful and dedicated her life to God at a young age.

Since taking responsibility for her family after the death of her parents, who moved from Macedonia to Alexandria in Egypt, she has given the poor all that was left of her. With her younger, blind sister, Syncletica gave up the city life, cut her hair and instead resided in a crypt in a reclusive lifestyle . She fasted strictly and whipped herself regularly. Her sacred life soon caught the attention of the locals, and little by little, many women joined her to live as her disciples. At the end of her life, she was struck with cancer that began with an ulcer on her mouth, consumed much of her face, and then spread to the rest of the body.

Syncletica is seen as the “mother of the desert” and the “mother of the nuns”. She is considered the founder of the desert monasteries for women, just as Saint Anthony the Great is for men. It is believed that she died around A.D. 350 when she was 80 years old.

Remembrance day

The feast day of the saints on January 5th is celebrated in the following churches:

• orthodox churches
• armenian church
• Roman Catholic Church

Quotes

• One must never stop worrying about the salvation of one's soul. - O how happy we would be if, in order to please God and deserve heaven, we did what the people of the world do, suffer and undertake in order to obtain perishable goods. - We have to be on our guard because we live in constant war. Without this vigilance, the enemy will surprise us when we think least about it. - Be constant in good and patient in tribulations; because see, everything comes to an end.

See also

• Sara the Hermit
• Mary of Egypt

Individual evidence

1. ↑ [1] On this day: Amma Syncletica
2. ↑ [2] Holy legend Synkletica
3. ↑ [3] Traunsteiner Tagblatt Heilige Syncletica, Jungfrau