By Bishop Nikolaos of Amathountos
As is known, on August 18, 2004, Sister Mariam, our well-known Miss Maroula, fell asleep in the Lord at the age of 79. She had spent the last five months of her pain and torment in the EOKA Fighters' Camp in Palodia, where she breathed her last, surrendering her purified soul to God the Crown-giver.
Of course, it is a difficult and at the same time dangerous thing to speak of people who, with their martyric patience and unwavering faith in Christ, have become a true dwelling place of God's grace. However, we dare to do this as a spiritual duty and as a sacred memorial to this bright candle, which for many years, while she was literally melting on the bed of pain and suffering, nevertheless illuminated all who knew her or visited her - not only from our city, but also from all over Cyprus and beyond - showing them with her humble example the unerring path of sanctification and grace.
Sister Mariam, who was completely bedridden for more than thirty years, showed such patience and faith in the face of her pain and illness that she has proven to be a modern martyr who never complained, but all her words were adorned with the exclamation: "Glory to you O God!"
Sister Mariam was a true comfort and mother of thousands of people, truly a living testimony of God's presence in people's lives. She was a verification of the Gospel in our modern rationalistic and materialistic era and an answer to the endless "whys" that we all project in the face of our pain and sorrows. Those who went to her to support and console her, ultimately left themselves benefited and stronger to continue their spiritual struggle.
Many were the divine visits and consolations that she had, which also supported her, as we read in the Synaxaria of the Martyrs. The most characteristic case is the visit of the Crucified Jesus after many temptations and sorrows, which not only gave joy and strength to her soul, but also filled her entire room with an indescribable fragrance.
She had the blessing of receiving the Great and Angelic Schema in April 2000 from the hands of our Metropolitan Athanasios of Limassol, whom she loved very much and prayed for him daily, especially during his period of temptations and sorrows. The funeral service for the blessed Sister Mariam was chanted at the Metropolitan Church of Panagia Pantanassia Katholiki on August 19 at 3.00 p.m. First, the funeral service for Monastics was chanted and then the usual service, presided over by our Metropolitan Athanasios and attended by a multitude of priests and people, who rushed early to receive her blessing for the last time and to give their last embrace in the Lord to their spiritual mother. Her multi-athletic and martyred remains were buried in the cemetery of Agios Nikolaos, Limassol. May we have her blessing and may her bright example always be a guide in our lives. May her memory be eternal!
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
