Egeria was a Christian woman from Spain who lived during the 4th century CE. Her narrative of her pilgrimage is an important document, as it shows rare insight into the lives of women during that time period. She was not only able to travel to visit holy sites in Constantinople, Jerusalem, and other holy places, she was also literate and able to write of her experiences. Furthermore, this passage shows her meeting a friend, a woman named Marthana, who has a leadership position in the local nunnery.
From there we
traveled to the [shrine of] St. Thecla, located about a mile and a half outside
of the city on a small hill. I wanted to go there and spend some time there as
I’d planned. There really isn’t anything there at the holy church except living
quarters of countless monks and nuns.
While I was there, I
found one of my dearest friends, a holy deaconess named Marthana, whose life
everybody in the east could testify about. I had gotten to know her in
Jerusalem, where she had visited for the sake of prayer; now, however, she was
in charge of the nuns there. When she saw me, I couldn't tell who was more full of
joy, her or me!
2. Et quoniam inde ad
sanctam Theclam, qui locus est ultra civitatem in colle sed plano, habebat de
civitate forsitan mille quingentos passus, malui ergo perexire illuc, ut
stativa, quam factura eram, ibi facerem. Ibi autem ad sanctam ecclesiam nihil
aliud est nisi monasteria sine numero virorum ac mulierum.
3. Nam inveni ibi
aliquam amicissimam mihi, et cui omnes in oriente testimonium ferebant vitae
ipsius, sancta diaconissa nomine Marthana, quam ego apud Ierusolimam noveram,
ubi illa gratia orationis ascenderat; haec autem monasteria apotactitum seu
virginum regebat. Quae me cum vidisset, quod gaudium illius vel meum esse
potuerit, nunquid vel scribere possum?
--Egeria ITINERARIUM
PEREGRINATIO 1.23.2-3
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