Osia Euphrosyne Daughter of Paphnutius of Egypt
Celebration date: 25/09
Osia Euphrosyne lived in the years of Theodosius the Younger (about 410 AD), she was an only daughter and very rich. Her father Paphnutios was the richest man in Alexandria and together with his wife were distinguished for their fervent faith in God.
At the age of twelve Euphrosyne was orphaned by her mother, and her father devoted himself even more lovingly to the care of his daughter. When Euphrosyne reached the age of 18, her father wanted to marry her off to a young man of high social class.
But Ephrosyne’s soul had been taken over by divine love. Marriage and worldliness would prevent her from systematically devoting herself to charity and the service of her neighbor. So one day, after distributing her possessions to the poor, she secretly left home, and after many adventures, she ended up disguised as a man in a men’s convent. There she took the name Smaragdos and all the monks admired her spiritual struggle and the ministry she willingly offered to everyone.
He lived in the monastery for 38 years. At the end of her life she also met her father, when he too became a monk in the same monastery. Thus, with her life, Euphrosyne reminds us of the words of the Holy Bible, which say: “denying worldly desires, let us live soberly and righteously and devoutly in this age” (To Titon, II. 12). That is, after denying the desires of this vain and sinful world, let us live in the present century with moderation in our lives, with justice towards our fellow men and with piety towards God.
