A religious at the monastery of Tabennisi in Egypt, Isidora feigned madness and possession to perform the lowliest tasks in the kitchen. Discovered by the hermit Piteroum who revealed her spiritual greatness, she fled the convent to end her days in obscurity and preserve her humility.
Guided reading
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SAINT ISIDORA OF TABENNISI (uncertain era).
Humility and feigned madness
Isidora lived in an Egyptian monastery, feigning madness and demonic possession to dedicate herself to the most menial tasks in the kitchen.
There was in a monastery of women, at Tabennes, in Egypt, relates Saint Basil, a sist er who passed herself off as mad and poss une sœur qui se faisait passer pour folle Egyptian nun who feigned madness out of humility. essed by a demon: the other sisters believed it so well that none of them would even eat by her side. She acted in this way so that she would never be removed from the kitchen, whose humble duties had seemed to her so suitable for her sanctification.
While the other nuns covered their heads with a cowl, she wrapped hers in a kind of turban made from tiny scraps of cloth: from which it appears quite clear that uniformity of dress was not required in the monasteries at that time.
None of the four hundred nuns who made up that community ever saw her eat; she never took a place at the table: she took her meal while washing the dishes, and even then, this meal was composed of the scraps left on the tables. She was never seen to eat a piece of bread. Mistreated by everyone, never did a murmur escape her lips: she spoke only out of necessity and most often not at all.
The vision of Saint Piteroum
An angel appears to the hermit Piteroum to reveal the spiritual superiority of Isidora despite her miserable appearance.
Now, at some distance from there, lived a holy man named P iteroum Pyotère Hermit who received an angelic vision to reveal the holiness of Isidora. . An angel from heaven appeared to him and said: 'Go to the women's monastery of Tabennisi: there you will find one of the nuns wearing a kind of crown around her head; you will learn that she is better than you. Despite the tribulations of day and night that visit her, her heart has never turned away from God. She struggles against a whole multitude and is never troubled, while you, who live alone here in the corner of the desert, let your thoughts wander through a thousand distractions.'
The recognition of the saint
Piter set out for the monastery and identified Isidora, forcing the other nuns to acknowledge their error and the holiness of their companion.
Piter set out immediately for this monastery: having arrived there, he asked the masters of the Brothers to introduce him into the women's dwelling. He was a Saint and, moreover, an old man; permission was therefore easily granted to him. He then asked to see all the sisters: now, the only one he wanted to see was not in the ranks of the community. "My sisters," he said to them, "you are not all here!" — "My father," they said to him, "there remains a madwoman in the kitchen; that is what we call those possessed by the demon." — "Allow me to see her." — They went to fetch the supposed madwoman. Now, she refused this exhibition. But when they had named Saint Piter to her, she yielded.
The Saint, having recognized her by her turban, threw himself at her knees and cried out: "Bless me." In her turn, she prostrated herself on the ground and said: "May your hand extend over me."
One can imagine the astonishment of all the sisters who all began to say at once: "My father, do not humble yourself to this point, you are dealing with a madwoman."
"You are all mad," replied Saint Piter: "She is your Amma (your mother) and m saint Pyotère Hermit who received an angelic vision to reveal the holiness of Isidora. ine. I pray to God to be fou Amma Honorific title for a spiritual mother in Eastern monasticism. nd as worthy as she is, on the day of judgment."
At these words, the nuns fell at the feet of the humble dishwasher as if struck by an electric shock, and each one confessed her wrongs toward her.
Saint Piter reconciled them with God and their love, then withdrew.
The flight into obscurity
Refusing human glory and the apologies of her sisters, Isidora secretly leaves the convent to end her life in anonymity.
A few days later, the humble kitchen helper, u l'humble aide-cuisinière Egyptian nun who feigned madness out of humility. nable to bear having been thus glorified, and blushing moreover at the apologies the nuns had made to her, secretly left the convent and went to end her life in the most complete obscurity.
Sources and moral conclusion
The narrative concludes with a maxim on spiritual wisdom and cites the Lives of the Fathers by Rosweyde as a source.
"If any one among you thinks that he is wise in this world, let him become a fool that he may become truly wise!".
Rosw eyde, *Lives o Vies des Pères Collection of hagiographic accounts concerning the Desert Fathers and Mothers. f the Fathers*.
Annexes & related entities
Structured data for exploration: events, miracles, quotes, places, attributes, patronages, and important entities cited in the text.
Key Events
- Entered the monastery of Tabennisi
- Feigned madness and possession to sanctify herself through humility
- Kitchen service and dishwashing
- Recognition of her holiness by Saint Piter
- Public confession of the other nuns at her feet
- Fled the monastery to return to obscurity
Miracles
- Angelic revelation of her holiness to Saint Piter
Quotes
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She is your Amma (your mother) and mine. I pray to God that I may be found as worthy as she is on the day of judgment.
Saint Piter