A Long and Faithful Witness
Righteous Mariamne was the sister of the holy Apostle Philip. She made a vow of dedication to Christ and became the companion of St. Philip and St. Bartholomew, actively assisting them in their apostolic work. For this reason, she is sometimes known as “The Apostolic Virgin.”
Church historians tell us that after they successfully preached in the Phrygian city of Hieropolis, St. Philip, St. Mariamne, and St. Bartholomew were arrested and sent to prison. The Apostle Philip was martyred on a cross. St. Mariamne and St. Bartholomew were, for unknown reasons, set free. After burying the body of her brother, Mariamne went on to preach the Gospel at Lykaonia in Asia Minor. After a fruitful ministry, she died there in peace.
There is much we do not know about St. Mariamne’s life. When Christ called Philip to follow him, how old was she? Was she following close behind, along with the many other women who joined Christ’s ministry? Did she witness up-close the Resurrection, the coming of the Holy Spirit, the upheaval of Paul’s persecution and conversion?
What we do know is that St. Mariamne gave her life wholeheartedly to Christ, and to proclaiming the good news of the Gospel. She was unafraid to face death and persecution, yet this was not the witness she was ultimately asked to make. Instead, she was asked to follow Christ through a long and faithful journey dotted with unexpected twists and turns, far from home and full of the birth-pangs of the newly forming Church. Rather than a single burst of flame through martyrdom, her life became a slow-burning vigil of prayer, teaching, and the self-offering of love.
Many of us in the Church today are far from our original “homes.” We may be converts, or have had to uproot our lives and move due to work or family circumstances. We may be facing the commitment of a long and faithful road ahead of us through illness or community brokenness. Or, perhaps, we are facing a new beginning with joy and the truth that Christ will meet us there at the place of our resurrection. Wherever we are, witnesses like St. Mariamne remind us that our life in the Church is a daily cycle of opening our hearts to new life, and coming alongside others who he has placed in our midst.
In Heather MacKean’s icon of Women of the New Testament, St. Mariamne is in the bottom right corner. If you are able to support our current fundraiser, we would be deeply grateful. As a sign of our appreciation, we are pleased to offer you a high-quality 8×10 print of this icon, produced on heavyweight, acid-free cardstock with a matte finish, ready for framing. With a gift of $100 or more—or a monthly commitment of $10 or more—we will send you this icon as a reminder of the shared calling that your generosity helps sustain.