![]() ![]() Isidora's dedication to her Christianity led her to manifest the words of St. Referenced in all accounts of Isidora, is that her madness or possession was “feigned” or a matter of pretend. Palladius also writes that despite everything, “never did she insult any one nor grumble nor talk either little or much, although she was cuffed and insulted and cursed and execrated.” Rather Palladius writes “she never sat at table, nor partook of a piece of bread, but wiping up the crumbs from the tables and washing the kitchen pots she was content with what she got in this way”, suggesting that Isidora subsisted mainly on crumbs left behind from the other sisters and the dishwater she used for cleaning. It was noted that none of the four hundred sisters ever saw Isidora “chewing” (eating a formal meal) during the years of her life. ![]() Palladius writes that Isidora was detested to the point that the other sisters would not eat with her (something that she purportedly preferred). However, her behavior was enough to alienate her from the other sisters and due to this perception of “madness” she was treated with derision and open contempt, sometimes being beaten for her behavior. In the Lausiac History, Palladius writes that Isidora “feigned madness and possession by a demon”, though no examples of her behavior are provided. This type of head covering was in sharp contrast to the standard tonsure or cowls worn by the other sisters.īy all accounts, Isidora maintained a pattern of erratic behavior for which the other sisters at the monastery considered her "insane" or "demon possessed". While it was said that Isidora was tonsured when joining the monastery, she stood apart from the other sisters by wearing a rag (most likely a dish towel from the kitchen) on her head. She was commonly referred to as "the monastery sponge," referring to the fact that she occupied herself by doing the dirtiest of jobs at the monastery. As part of the community at the monastery, Isidora remained a type of outsider, known to wander about in the kitchen, focused on doing every type of menial job to be found. It is unknown what year St Isidora came to the monastery established by Maria or how old she was at the time, however it is the events at the monastery that provide the few biographical details in existence.Īt the time Isidora lived at the monastery, it is believed about four hundred women lived and worked there, devoting themselves to monastic life. ![]() Subsequently, Pachomius's sister Maria, with his help, established a woman's monastery near her brother's, creating the first full community for women in Egypt. Pachomius believed that groups of monastics living together would be able to better support each other in their devotion to Monastic rules and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and his elder Palaemon, traveled to Tabennesi to establish his monastery. Prior to that time, the tradition was for monastics to live alone as hermits or anchorites, each devoted to a Monastic rule they had individually received from God. Tabenna, or Tabennesi, was the original monastery established by St. Isidora's birthdate is unknown, as is her age at the time she joined the Tabenna Monastery in Egypt. Isidora, the Lausiac History is the most commonly referenced text about the saint's life. While other texts from this time mention the story of St. Most of what is known can be found in the Lausiac History (Historia Lausiaca) written in 419-420 by Palladius of Galatia, at the request of Lausus, chamberlain at the court of the Byzantine Emperor Theodosius II. There are few biographical details concerning the life of Saint Isidora. This ideal was extremely important to the early Desert Fathers and Mothers who recorded Isidora's story. Paul that “Whosoever of you believes that he is wise by the measure of this world, may he become a fool, so as to become truly wise.” The story of Isidora effectively highlights the Christian ideal that recognition or glory from man is second to one's actions being seen by God, even if that means one's actions or even one's self remains unknown or misunderstood. While very little is known of Isidora's life, she is remembered for her exemplification of the writing of St. She is considered among the earliest fools for Christ. ![]() Saint Isidora, or Saint Isidore, was a Christian nun and saint of the 4th century AD.
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