Saint Syncletica of Alexandria

Commemorated on 5 January 

Syncletica of Alexandria, a Christian saint and Desert Mother of the 4th century, was of a wealthy background and is reputed to have been very beautiful. From childhood, however, Syncletica was drawn to dedicate her life to God.

From the time she took responsibility for her family's affairs, after her parents' deaths, she gave to the poor all that had been left to her. With her younger blind sister, Syncletica abandoned the life of the city and instead resided in a crypt, thus adopting a hermiticlifestyle.^[1] Her holy life soon gained the attention of locals and, gradually, many women joined her to live as her disciples in Christ.

Amma 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 eightieth year, around 350 AD. She is commemorated on 5 January in the Orthodox Church, Eastern Catholic Churches, and the Roman Catholic Church.