Blessed Cleopatra (+c. 327) and Her Son John (+320)

The blessed Cleopatra was born in the village of Edra near Mount Tabor in Palestine; she was a contemporary of the holy Martyr Uar and, by the will of God, witnessed his martyrdom. When Uar gave up his spirit, the executioners threw his holy body to the dogs to be torn apart, but at midnight Cleopatra, with her son and faithful servants, carried it to her home. Soon the devout widow, passing off the holy martyr’s relics as the remains of her husband, who had died only a short time before, translated them with the authorities’ permission to her homeland; she built a church in the name of Saint Uar at the family burial ground, and laid the holy relics in it in the presence of a company of clergy and a countless multitude of people.

Cleopatra dreamed of her son serving at the royal court, but John suddenly fell ill and died. The despairing mother ran to Saint Uar’s church, fell down before his reliquary and prayed fervently: “O thou well-pleasing to the Lord! Give me back my son; if not him, who will close my eyes, who will cast earth upon me?! Better that I myself should die than see my son dead. Either look on me with mercy, as Elisha looked on the Shunammite widow, or take my soul too. I do not want to live without John.” Weeping and lamenting like this at the saint’s relics, Cleopatra fell asleep. Suddenly Uar stood before her, holding the boy John by the hand. Both were clothed in shining garments. Uar said to the holy mother: “Thou who honourest the martyrs! I have not forgotten the honour thou didst pay my body, first in Egypt and then here. I always hear thy prayer and commend thee to the Lord. First I prayed for thy dead who are buried around me, and asked forgiveness of sins for them; then I besought the Lord that thy son John might join the company of the angels and become a servant of the eternal King. Seest thou his glory?! Today he stands before the throne of God. What has grieved thee so bitterly? Dost thou not wish John to enjoy this blessedness? If so, take him back!” At these words the youth John threw his arms round Uar’s neck and said: “Do not give me to my mother, though I love her with all my heart; do not send me back to the troubled and corrupt world; keep me with you for ever.” Then he said to Cleopatra: “Why do you weep, mother? If you love me, rejoice in my happiness: I am a fellow heir of the saints and a soldier of the heavenly King!” Cleopatra besought the saints: “Blessed souls! New dwellers in the Kingdom! Take me too with you; let me too taste the blessedness of the angels!” But Saint Uar answered: “First go in peace to thy God-pleasing works and live as before. The time will come when the Lord will call thee too. Such a dwelling is prepared here for thee as well.” At these words the saints vanished, and Cleopatra woke up. Filled with unspeakable joy, she told the bishop of her vision and buried John with honour beside Uar.

After this the blessed one shared out all her property among holy houses and the poor. She made herself a cell beside Saint Uar’s church and spent her days in prayer and fasting. While she prayed Uar often appeared to her in heavenly glory, holding the boy John by the hand. Seven years later Cleopatra committed to the Lord her soul, purified by prayer and fasting (+c. 327).