Saint Pelagia
 

Opposite the Holy Monastery of the Ascension lie the cave and the tomb of Saint Pelagia from Antioch.

Saint Pelagia lived at the end of the 4th century. She was a sinful woman, who became aware of her sins after meeting the Holy Bishop Nono. Then she wanted to become a nun, came to the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem and she lived in a cave, close to the place of the Ascension of our Lord. She dressed as a man because at that time there was no monastic life for women in Jerusalem. She led an ascetic life of repentance, she thus reached a peak of asceticism and passed away as a saint nun. Her commemoration is celebrated on the 8th of October.

Her cave, which shelters her tomb, has been held by the Muslims since the 7th century and it is open daily for pilgrims.

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