Venerable Piama the Virgin (+337)

The Venerable Piama the Virgin (+337) laboured near the city of Alexandria. She lived in her own house like a recluse, saw no one, took food every other day, and spent all her time in prayer and work. The Lord granted the saint the gift of foresight. Once the inhabitants of a neighbouring village decided to wipe out the villagers of Saint Piama, so that when the Nile flooded only their own fields would be watered. This was revealed to the holy virgin by the Lord, and she told the elders of her village. The frightened elders fell at the saint’s feet and asked her to go to the neighbouring village and bring its inhabitants to their senses. The virgin refused this, for she had long since broken off contact with people. Filled with love for God and her neighbour, she spent the whole night in prayer. In the morning, when the armed neighbours, their minds darkened by evil, came up to the holy virgin’s village, they suddenly stopped and could not move from the spot. By a revelation of the Lord they learned that it was Saint Piama’s prayer that bound their hands and feet; they came to their senses and repented of their evil intention, and then sent people to the holy virgin’s village and asked forgiveness.

Saint Piama reposed in peace in 337.