Celebrating Women Pioneers of the Early Church

The conversion of Emperor Constantine in 312 AD elevated Christianity to a state religion and brought an end to three centuries of state persecution. The church moved from the margins of society into the centre. It was at this time when Christians began to feel at home in the world that some withdrew to desert places to be alone. Leaving behind their comforts to become ascetics, they lived a life of fasting, little sleep and toil, and became known as the Desert Fathers (Abbas) and Desert Mothers (Ammas).

They went into the desert to seek and hunger after God, and it was a place of spiritual battle. Soon, this movement gained momentum and more men and women joined them. Giving rise to what would become the monastic movement. (1)

The Apophthegmata Patrum, or the Sayings of the Fathers, is a collection of the advice and sayings of these men and women from the fourth century. Within its pages is the wisdom of the Mothers alongside those of the Fathers. It is a spiritual treasury of the wisdom of the early Christianity. Despite being fewer in number, there were many wise Desert Mothers who are still remembered. This was a time when society often minimised, destroyed, or falsely attributed writings by women to men, but as we shall see, enough of their writings have survived to be celebrated here.

This post will look at two of the desert mothers, Amma Syncletica and Amma Theodora, and explore the treasury of wisdom left in their sayings. (2)

Some sayings may seem overly harsh to modern ears and may not be very useful for personal prayer, but they were written at a time when people prioritised fasting and limiting sleep. I hope that the selection highlighted here will speak to you and be a source of wisdom and inspiration.

Amma Syncletica

There are two stories about where Syncletica came from. One says she was from Alexandria and began her monastic life in her home before following her call into the desert. She gave all her wealth away, cut her hair and moved into the desert with her blind sister, to live a life of simplicity and prayer. (3) Another story suggests she was from Constantinople and when engaged to be married, asked to first make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and then escaped to the desert.

Soon, more women followed her into the desert and she became their spiritual mother, or Amma. She was also an avid learner and taught that ignorance hinders spiritual growth. Despite her ascetic lifestyle and the pain of tumours, she lived into her eighties. (4)

She was renowned as a wise counsellor, and many of her sayings and wisdom survive, some of which are reproduced here. (5)

“Choose the meekness of Moses and you will find the stony places in your heart transformed into springs of water.”

“There is struggling and great toil at first for those advancing towards God; but afterwards inexpressible joy. Indeed, just as those seeking to light a fire at first are engulfed in smoke and are teary-eyed, thus they obtain what they seek to experience. As it is said, ˋOur God is a consuming fireˊ (Hebrews 12.29) So, we ought to kindle the divine fire in ourselves with tears and toil.”

“Staying awake to meditate cleanses the mind, fasting humbles the body, prayer unites us to God.”

Amma Theodora of Alexandria

Theodora was the wife of a Roman Prefect of Egypt, and when she wanted to follow Christ into the desert, dressed as a man to enter a monastery. She earned a reputation as a trusted friend of Bishop Theophilus of Alexandria, one of the Church Fathers. (6) many people visited her to discover the secrets of the monastic prayer life.

“My children, all of us -male and female- know about being saved. ˋYou shall love the Lord your God will all your heart, and your neighbour as yourself.ˊ (Matthew 22:37,39). Whatever people say by the grace of the Spirit, therefore, is useful if it springs from love and ends in it. Salvation, then is exactly this – the two-fold love of God and of our neighbour.”

Conclusion

At a time when the words of women were not given the same priority as men, it is encouraging to hear their voice contained in these sayings which echo down the centuries to us. Few of us are called to live a life of an ascetic, but even today, many of us desire to live a more simple life. I hope you will find inspiration in these two Desert Mothers.

This post is indebted to the work of VK McCarty and her research into the lives and sayings of these Desert Mothers. If you want to read more about them, download her papers found in the notes.

If you have enjoyed this post, check out the previous four celebrating the women pioneers of the Early Church.

Women Evangelists and Apostles

Women Church Leaders

Women Theologians and Bible translators

Women Martyrs

My next post will round off this series celebrating women pioneers of the Early Church

I shall leave the last word to Mary of Egypt, a 4^th Century Egyptian ascetic.

“Now therefore, lead me wherever you please; Lead me to salvation, teach me what is true, and go before me in the way of repentance.”

https://www.axiawomen.org/wow/desert-mothers-syncletica-theodora-and-sarah

“Just as a ship is impossible to assemble without sails, a soul is impossible to save without a humble spirit.” Amma Syncletica

https://www.axiawomen.org/wow/desert-mothers-syncletica-theodora-and-sarah

“Even if you realise that you, yourself have done evil, remember: if in any fall, you say with humility: ˋplease forgive me,ˊ then it shall be forgiven you.” Amma Syncletica

“If you think upon that which is good, you will be disposed to it. Human thought is never hidden from God. For this reason, your thoughts must always be clean of all evil.” Amma Syncletica

“Never forget that in a life of intense prayer, God becomes your defence in all the virtues. When needed, the mighty Lord will come to your defence, fully armed.” Amma Theodora

(1) Trevor Miller, The Northumbria Community, Understanding Desert Monasticism https://www.northumbriacommunity.org/articles/understanding-desert-monasticism/

(2) V K McCarty, (2023), Encountering Wisdom and Encouragement from the Desert Mothers, Sacred Studio One, New York City 10023 Downloaded at https://www.academia.edu/107817246/_Encountering_Wisdom_and_Encouragement_from_the_Desert_Mothers_by_VK_McCarty_A_little_handbook_of_Wisdom_Sayings_from_the_Desert_Mothers_to_inspire_your_Prayer

(3) V K McCarty, (2023)

(4) M Haddad, (2016), Women’s History Month: Early Church Women and Desert Mothers, downloaded at https://www.cbeinternational.org/resource/womens-history-month-early-church-women-and-desert-mothers/

(5) M Haddad, (2016)

(6) V K McCarty, A Glimpse into the Wisdom of the Desert Mothers: Bibliography and Prayer Practice for Modern-Day Practitioners, Downloaded from   https://www.academia.edu/7457293/A_Glimpse_into_the_Wisdom_of_the_Desert_Mothers_Bibliography_and_Prayer_for_Modern_day_Practitioners_by_VK_McCarty

(7) V K McCarty, A Glimpse into the Wisdom of the Desert Mothers: Bibliography and Prayer Practice for Modern-Day Practitioners