Venerable Martha, Mother of Symeon the Wonderworker (+551)
The Venerable Martha, the mother of Saint Symeon the Stylite (commemorated 24 May), who laboured on the Wondrous Mountain, was born in Antioch in the sixth century. From her youth she longed for the monastic life, but her parents persuaded her to marry. The saint’s husband, John, soon died, and the widowed Martha gave all her strength to bringing up her only son. She gave her son an example of the fear of God and piety: she went often to church, listened to the church services attentively and with reverence, and received the Holy Mysteries often; every night she rose to pray and besought the Lord fervently, with tears. Martha especially honoured John the Baptist, who was her heavenly patron and often appeared to her in miraculous visions. The venerable mother was also distinguished by wonderful mercy: she fed and clothed the poor.
No idle word ever escaped Saint Martha’s lips; no one ever saw her angry, quarrelling with anyone, or gloomy. The blessed mother’s whole life was a sermon. By her example she set many on the path of salvation. When the saint’s son, Symeon, became famous far and wide for his wondrous labours and miracles, his mother came to him and fervently besought him not to grow proud, not to forget his own weakness, and to glorify the Lord for everything. The approach of her end was revealed to the Venerable Martha beforehand: angels appeared to her with candles in their hands and told her that they would come for her in a year. A few days before her death the saint was made worthy to see in a vision from on high the heavenly dwelling prepared for her. The Mother of God showed her the radiant places prepared for the souls of the righteous.
The blessed mother reposed in peace in 551. Her body was buried on the Wondrous Mountain, at the place of the Venerable Symeon the Stylite’s labours. Many miraculous healings took place at the holy body.
