St. Ilaria
In a few days, we celebrate the Feast of the Dormitionn of the Theotokos.
On that day we also commemorate St. Ilaria, on the anniversary of her repose.
St. Ilaria was the oldest daughter of Emperor ZenoIn. In Constantinople, Ilaria grew up surrounded by beauty, luxury, and power. She was well-educated and accomplished. But Ilaria’s parents taught her to love prayer and silence above all. Like many of us, Ilaria prayed for inspiration during the Liturgy, for guidance from the Gospel or Epistle, anything. Unlike many of us, she listened.
In Psalms: “His joy is sweeter than gold, and precious stones, and honey, and honeycomb.”
And then, the Gospel: “Whosoever does not forsake all that they have cannot be my disciple.”
Even the homily preached by the bishop seemed to be addressed to her, when he said, “Wherefore, O man, do you desire what passes away and what you must leave behind. Know that the lusts of this world pass away. Therefore, do not trust in riches, for our riches remain here while our sins precede us to the judgment-seat of the Lord.”
At the age of 12, Ilaria dressed as an imperial bodyguard and used a stolen signet ring to commandeer a ship to take her to Alexandria. Once in Alexandria, she found a monk and asked for his help in becoming a monastic. She made her home in Scetis, and prayed and fasted and fasted and prayed. She lived in a cave and rejoiced in her solitude. When after a few years her beard hadn’t come in (and due to her severe fasting, neither had her breasts), they decided she was Hilary the Eunuch. Abba Pambo knew the truth, but let her stay.
Meanwhile, her beloved younger sister, Theopiste, began to struggle. Finally, her parents sent Theopiste to the monks at Scetis, to the Monastery of St. Macarius, that she might be healed through prayer. Upon seeing her, the monk Hilary “drenched the ground with a flood of tears”. Seeing his strong reaction, they decided this was proof that he was the one who should pray for Theopiste. The sisters spent seven days together, without Ilaria revealing her true self to Theopiste.She held her and kissed her and slept curled up side by side, as sisters do and monks do not.When Theopiste—fully in her right mind and sound of body—traveled home, her father called for this Monk Hilary to come and explain himself.
Ilaria revealed herself and everyone cried tears of joy. For the rest of his life, Emperor Zeno supported the monastery that his daughter had committed her life to, supporting new building projects to create space for new monks. And the new monks came. The number of monastics in the wilderness increased, and increased, and increased. And the ancient monastery of St. Macarius remains in use in Scetis today.
Ilaria stayed in her beloved desert for a number of years after her return, then departed in peace.
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