Rediscovering the Story of Egeria - 4th Century Female Pilgrim

Egeria was a young woman who decided to make the trip of a lifetime and go to the Holy Land. But what inspired her to make that journey and walk half of the world all alone?

She was born in beautiful green Galicia and grew up surrounded by pagan stories and sacred sites related to pagan traditions. The people in this area have always known about magic and pagan rituals. Thus, Christianizing Galicia was a very slow process. In fact, even now many people of this North-West part of Spain believe in witchcraft and supernatural creatures.

It is likely that Egeria was still a young woman when she decided to change her life. Her incredible story was forgotten for seven centuries. Much of the information about her has been lost, but there is still a part of the text written by her hand which allows one to have some insight into her thoughts.

read more here @ Ancient Origins (30th October 2016)

read also here @ Women of History - Etheria (10th February 2008)

Women of Faith in the Latter Days

From Deseret News:

The first book in a series dedicated to highlighting the inspirational lives of Mormon women is finally hitting bookshelves. “Women of Faith in the Latter Days,” the first of seven volumes, features the biographies of women born between 1775 and 1820. Each biography was submitted by a contributor and edited by Richard E. Turley Jr. and Brittany A. Chapman of the Church History Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

“The women who appear in Volume 1 … were generally first-generation Latter-day Saints who experienced characteristic trials of their day, including abandonment by family or friends when they joined the church, persecution after joining, and the hardships of pioneering again and again as they moved from one location to another,” the editors wrote in the preface.

The realization that little has been published regarding the faith and dedication of the women in the church, both past and present, sparked the idea for the series. Approximately half the people in the history of the church have been women, Turley said in December 2010. “Most of history we’ve created focuses on men. We’ve recognized a huge gap that needs to be filled,” he said.

Plans for the series were announced in May 2010. Subsequent volumes will follow at about one-year intervals and each will cover a 25-year time span. Volume 2 includes women born between 1821 and 1845; Volume 3 from 1846 to 1870; Volume 4 from 1871 to 1895; Volume 5 from 1896 to 1920; Volume 6 between 1921 and 1945 and Volume 7 from 1946 to 1970.

Egypt: Suicide or Honor Killing

From the Belfast Telegraph:

Officially, Egypt has no "honour" killings. Young women may commit suicide, yes, but they are never murdered. This is the government line – and of course, it is a lie. The files in Azza Suleiman's Centre for Egyptian Women's Legal Assistance office – and in those of other NGOs in Cairo – tell the truth. In May of 2007, a farmer in southern Egypt decapitated his daughter after discovering she had a boyfriend. In March of 2008, a man identified only as "Mursi" electrocuted and beat to death his 17-year-old daughter because she had received a phone call from her boyfriend. "Mursi", a farmer from Kafr el-Sheikh in the Nile Delta, admitted he "beat her with a large stick" before finishing her off with electric shocks; the murder was only discovered when the body turned up at the local hospital.

Azza Suleiman's work provides much bleaker material. Incest is a major problem which no one will discuss, she says. Recently, an Egyptian man admitted killing his daughter because she was pregnant. But he was the father of his daughter's unborn child. It was a case of incest. But he killed her to protect the family's "honour". Four other women have recently been murdered by their families because they were raped. The Christian Coptic community – perhaps 10 per cent of the Egyptian population – has closed itself off from any "honour" killing investigations even though Christian girls have been murdered because they wanted to marry Muslim men. "Christians cannot talk about this outside the church," Azza Suleiman complains. "We have tried to open up shelters, but the government will not allow it. They say: 'Please, no talk of incest.' And 'honour' crimes are often also related to inheritance."

Women-Only Gaza Flotilla

From the Guardian:

A ship bearing aid for Gaza is preparing to leave Tripoli in Lebanon this weekend in the latest attempt to defy the Israeli blockade – with only women on board.

The Saint Mariam, or Virgin Mary, has a multi-faith international passenger list, including the Lebanese singer May Hariri and a group of nuns from the US. "They are nuns, doctors, lawyers, journalists, Christians and Muslims," said Mona, one of the participants who, along with the other women, has adopted the ship's name, Mariam.

The Mariam and its sister ship, Naji Alali, had hoped to set off several weeks ago but faced several delays after Israel launched a diplomatic mission to pressure Lebanon to stop the mission.

The co-ordinator of the voyage, Samar al-Haj, told the Guardian this week the Lebanese government had given permission for the boats to leave for Cyprus, the first leg of the journey, this weekend.

Hypatia: The Movie

From The Examiner:

Filmmaker Alejandro Amenabar is bringing the story of Hypatia and the fall of the Library of Alexandria to the big screen in his new epic film, Agora, starring Rachel Weisz as Hypatia, the last currator of The Library of Alexandria, The film has already premiered at cannes.

Hypatia was a mathematician, astronomer, philosopher, and librarian working in a man’s world in 4th century A.D. Egypt before a Christian mob violently murdered her, destroyed the Library of Alexandria, and brought about the beginning of the Dark Ages. Hypatia struggled to preserve scientific knowledge amid militant Christianity. But she failed. The Christians declared her a witch, stripped her, dragged her body through the streets, and burned her at the stake before destroying the library, leading the Western world into a thousand years of darkness. She died a hero and a martyr for science and reason.

See also: TIFF Review

NK Executes Christian Woman

From Fox News:

North Korea publicly executed a Christian woman last month for distributing the Bible, which is banned in the communist nation, South Korean activists said Friday.

Ri Hyon Ok, 33, was also accused of spying for South Korea and the United States and organizing dissidents. She was executed in the northwestern city of Ryongchon near the border with China on June 16, according to a report from an alliance of several dozen anti-North Korea groups.

Ri's parents, husband and three children were sent to a political prison camp in the northeastern city of Hoeryong the following day, the report said, citing unidentified documents it says were obtained from North Korea. It showed a copy of Ri's North Korean government-issued photo ID. It is virtually impossible to verify such reports about secretive North Korea, where the government tightly controls the lives of its citizens and does not allow dissent.

On Thursday, an annual report from a state-run South Korean think tank on human rights in the North said that public executions, though dropping in number in recent years, were still carried out for crimes ranging from murder to circulating foreign movies.

North Korea claims to guarantee freedom of religion for its 24 million people but in reality severely restricts religious observances. The cult of personality surrounding national founder Kim Il Sung and his son, current leader Kim Jong Il, is a virtual state religion.

The government has authorized four state churches, one Catholic, two Protestant and one Russian Orthodox, but they cater to foreigners and ordinary North Koreans cannot attend. However, defectors and activists say more than 30,000 North Koreans are believed to practice Christianity secretly.

The U.S. State Department reported last year that "genuine religious freedom does not exist" in North Korea.

"North Korea appears to have judged that Christian forces could pose a threat to its regime," Do Hee-youn, a leading activist, told reporters, claiming public executions, arrest and detention of North Koreans are prevalent.

Christian Women - a moral light

From Modern Ghana:

The Taifa Area branch of Christ Apostolic Church International (CAC), has ended the quarterly women’s week programme of the Good Women Fellowship of the Ministry, with a call on members to make a positive impact on society with their religious virtues.

Mrs Mary Osafo, a teacher and the spouse of the local Minister, Rev Enoch Osafo, who preached the sermon, to climax the week- long programme on Sunday, at the Taifa Assembly, asked Christian women to use their influence as leaders, teachers, politicians or social workers, to reflect positively on society.

“This should not be seen in your family situations alone, but should be reflected on the larger society and at the national level so that posterity would always remember your good deeds.” Mrs Osafo was speaking on the sub- theme: “Woman, It is Time to Make an Impact” under the General theme: “Women and God’s Hour of Visitation.” The members clad in their white uniform, were led by the local Minister, Rev. Enoch Osafo to sing praises and offer intercessory prayers for the Church, the nation and its leaders.

Mrs Terricone who also led the members to pray for the patients said, it was necessary for Christians to be part of all the good works exhibited by the early men of God, whose dedication were worthy of emulation. Mrs Bertha Odoi, Principal Nursing Officer of the Hospital, who received the items, expressed appreciation for the kind gesture. Mrs Odoi appealed to Christian mothers to imbue their children especially the girls with Christian virtues, to enable them to become responsible leaders in future.

She appealed to other benevolent organisations to come to the aid of the Hospital. Present at the ceremony were Rev J.O. Adarkwah, Pastor incharge of the GWF and Rev Emmanuel Botwe, the Area Secretary of the Church and other members of the Fellowship.

Normalising the Virgin Mary

From the Telegraph:

Church leaders turned the Virgin Mary from being a "serious, official, imperial" figure into a normal "mum" to widen Christianity's appeal, according to a leading medieval historian.

Speaking at the Hay Festival in Wales, Mary Rubin, the author of Mother of God – A History of the Virgin Mary, said the transformation took place in the 11th and 12th century, with images of her knitting and cooking.

But the church became so worried about people worshipping Mary rather than Christ that rosaries were introduced in the late middle ages to "create a way of praying to Mary that is more monitored," she added.

Christian Women in Pakistan

From Women News Network:

Although 25% of religious minority women are not considered disadvantaged, Christian minority women who live on the bottom of society face many untold limitations. A policy of “living invisibly” with family members is often the only answer for protection for many minority Christian families who suffer under the great specter of poverty in Pakistan.

Most of the families of Christian minority women in Punjab came, at the turn of the 20th century, from families that were originally from India. They came from dalit Hindu families who moved to what would later become the Pakistan region in 1947. Their legacy of isolation and separation from Indian society is ongoing. As dalits they were part of the lowest “untouchable” caste in India. This has been a nemesis that has followed them, even after they converted from Hinduism to Christianity. Basic women’s rights and human rights are often out of reach for these women who daily experience conditions of extreme poverty.

Dalit Christian women who have been severely marginalized often suffer from a shortage of even the simplest basic needs. Lack of health care is common. Slum conditions can also be found where families are forced to live on the streets or to live together in crowded poorly constructed shelters, amid garbage, toxic chemicals and refuse. Their structures often have no electricity, heat or clean water.

Because of these conditions, many dalit Christian women fall into lifetime careers as sewer cleaners, domestic servants or brick kiln workers. Payments for these positions are painfully low, or at times non-existent. Some employers give payment loans ahead to trap minority women, preventing them from ever paying the loans back as they continue to work for free on wheels of never ending debt bondage.

Etheria (Aetheria)

Explorer

This remarkable woman was a Spanish Nun who journied to the Middle East toward the end of the 4th century. She recorded detailed descriptions of the years' daily liturgical activities in Jerusalem, especially the re-enactment, on location, of the Palm Sunday procession and other events during Holy Week leading up to Easter. This practice was all new to her.

Her writings have shown scholars that the impetus to change the widespread Christian was of merely fasting a week before Easter into symbolic enactments actually emanated from Jerusalem itself.

Visit: "The Pilgrimage of Etheria"

Fabiola

Fabiola (d.399AD)

Fabiola was a women from a Roman patrician family.

She converted to Christianity aged 20yo.

Fabiola divorced her first husband, who was said to have been abusive, remarried and was widowed.

Fabiola turned her immense energy and wealth to founding hospitals and raising the standards of nursing. Hers were by no means the first hospitals; however, they were unique in their time for being both public and giving general treatments. Fabiola's hospitals also practiced surgery as well as nursing. Fabiola opened a Hospice for pilgrims at Porto with St. Pammachius.

Among Fabiola's associates were at least 15 other well-educated Roman women. Fabiola visited Jerome at Bethlehem (395), and gave her support to him in his controversy with Patriarch John of Jerusalem.

Following her death, Fabiola was canonised.

More on Fabiola.

~~~ Melisende

Mary Ward

Mary (Joan) Ward

Mary was an English lay sister who entered the convent of Poor Clares at St.Omer (1606) and adopted the name of "Mary".

Mary founded a religious community for women in France three years later (1609) that included a school for girls. Mary went on to establish communities at: Liege, Cologne, Vienna, Prague, Rome, Naples and elsewhere. Each community would have a school for English refugee boarding students and poor local girls.

Mary attempted to establish a school in England (1619) similar to those she had established throughout Europe, emphasisng the study of Latin. However, she was forced to deny charges that it was her intent to have these women preach sermons and administer the sacrements. As such, the English authorities suppress her schools for girls. Mary will continue to operate them, defying persecution.

Pope Urban VIII issues a Decree (1631) dissolving her institutes for women. However, upon hearing of Mary's imprisonment in Germany, Pope Urban VIII orders her release from her small cell.

Mary will go to Rome where she will remain. Mary will again return to England (1639) and opens a school in her hometown of York. The Civil War is raging throughout the English countryside, causing disruptions of her classes at her schools (1642). Mary is now 57yo.

Mary will continue to run the school at York until her death (c.1645).

More on Mary Ward.

~~~ Melisende