Saint Emily
Next article: Cosmology
Previous article: Eucharist 2004
There are precious few descriptions of St. Emily’s life. The following is drawn from various sources, including the lives of her mother-in-law, St. Macrina the Elder, her eldest daughter, St. Macrina the Younger, and her most famous son, St. Basil the Great. Churches of the Russian tradition keep her feast on January 1, along with her son Basil. Greek churches keep her feast on May 30, along with her husband St. Basil the Elder.
St. Emily was the daughter of a martyr and the daughter-in-law of St. Macrina the Elder. Along with her husband St. Basil the Elder, she gave birth to ten children. She instilled the orthodox faith in her children, teaching them to pray and devote their lives to the service of the Church. As a result of her zealous yet maternal instruction of her children, five of them are commemorated as saints on the calendar of the Church: Ss. Macrina, Basil, Peter of Sebaste, Gregory of Nyssa, and Theosebia, a deaconess. Therefore, St. Emily is often called without exaggeration “the mother of saints.”
When her son Naucratius suddenly died at the age of twenty-seven, she was consoled by her eldest daughter Macrina. St. Macrina reminded her that it is not befitting to a Christian to “mourn as those who have no hope” and inspired her to hope courageously in the resurrection vouchsafed to us by the Pascha of the Lord.
After her children left home, St. Emily was persuaded by Macrina to forsake the world. Together they founded a monastery for women. Emily divided the family property among her children and freed her slaves. Retaining only some meager possessions, she and Macrina withdrew to a secluded family property in Pontus, picturesquely located on the banks of the Iris River and not far from St. Basil’s wilderness abode. A number of liberated female slaves desired to join the pair, and a convent was formed. They lived under one roof and held everything in common: They ate, worked, and prayed together, serving the Lord in with a singular purpose. They were so eager to advance in virtue that they regarded fasting as food and poverty as riches. The harmony of this model community of women was unspoiled by anger, jealousy, hatred, or pride. Indeed, as the church sings of monastics, they lived like angels in the flesh.
Living in this manner for many years, Emily reached old age. When an illness signalled her departure from this world, her son Peter came to her side. Together with Macrina, he tended to his mother in her last days. As the oldest and the youngest, Macrina and Peter held a special place in Emily’s heart.
Before committing her soul to the Lord, she raised her voice to heaven, saying, “To you, O Lord, I give the first fruits and the tithe of the fruit of my womb. The first fruit is my first-born daughter, and the tithe is this, my youngest son. Let these be for you a rightlytruly acceptable sacrifice, and let your holiness descend upon them!” St. Emily was buried as she had requested, with her husband in the chapel of their estate in Annesi, where Naucratius had also been laid to rest.
St. Emily is also known by the names Emmelia and Emilia.
The URL to trackback this post is:
http://kevinbasil.com/2004/11/26/saint-emily/trackback/
10 Responses to “Saint Emily”
Copyright © 2002–2011 Kevin Robert (Basil) Fritts, all rights reserved.
November 26th, 2004 at 11:40 am
Nicely done, and since I forgot to say it in my last comment, congratulations on your advancement in rank, your character and hardwork are being rewarded.
November 26th, 2004 at 1:12 pm
Thank you. May it continue to be so, by God’s grace.
April 7th, 2005 at 4:35 am
does anyone know what a good conifirmation name for a girl is?!?!?
i want grace but it always say they dies gracefuly so does anyone know a good one please help!!!!!!!!111
April 7th, 2005 at 4:36 am
or saint emily but not that much
April 7th, 2005 at 4:36 am
if anyone knows a good one talk 2 me on msn at roxy_rulz_ya@hotmail.com
October 24th, 2006 at 6:36 pm
st.emily the saint what is her feast day
June 5th, 2007 at 10:57 am
Her feast is also May 8! That is the day she fell asleep in the Lord, and her feast celebrated alone
July 7th, 2007 at 7:08 pm
i hope my neice will be like her.to love the lordand help people.
November 4th, 2007 at 10:49 am
hey Georgie this is caleigh i just wanted to know when are you coming home because i sure do miss you and all your family misses you to i sure hope you feel better. I love you.
October 8th, 2008 at 9:53 pm
My daughter, Emily and I were happy to find that there is, indeed, a St. Emily. Thanks for providing the information.