Amma Syncletica

Amma Syncletica was an Egyptian 4th century desert dweller. She was from the great city of Alexandria, was of a wealthy background and is reputed to have been very beautiful. From childhood, Syncletica was drawn to God and had a great desire to dedicate her life to Him. When her parents died Syncletica and her sister gave all their inheritance to the poor and without haste, abandoned the life of the city and chose to reside in a tomb or crypt that belonged to a relative and adopted the life of a hermit. Her holy life soon gained the attention of locals and gradually many women came to live as her disciples in Christ. St. Syncletica is regarded as a "Desert Mother" and her sayings are recorded with those of the Desert Fathers. She is believed to have died in her 80's, around 350 AD. Before she died she told those around her the day and hour which she would die and this came to pass as she predicted. Her feast day in the Orthodox Church is celebrated on 5 January.

"There are many who live in the mountains and behave as if they were in the town; they are wasting their time. It is possible to be a solitary in one's mind while living in a crowd; and it is possible for those who are solitaries to live in the crowd of their own thoughts."

"Why hate the person how has harmed you? It is not the person who has done the wrong. Hate the sickness, but do not hate the sick person."