Mother Irini
Mother Irini, الأم إيرينى(Tamav (Coptic for Mother) Irene),(Umina (Our Mother in Arabic) Irini) (died October 31, 2006) was Abbess of St. Philopateer Mercurius (Abu Sefein) Convent in Old Cairo, Egypt.
Tamav (a Coptic word for "my mother") Irini, Mother Superior of the convent of St Philopater Mercurius in Old Cairo, died on 31 October. She was consecrated head of the convent on 15 October 1962 (Babah 5th 1679 according to the Coptic Calendar). She is believed to have been visited by, and to have communicated often with, saints such as St. Philopatyr Mercurius and St. Anthony the Great. She did numerous miracles, both before and after her death. Several books have been written about her that include many miracles she did. At least six of her books have been translated in English.
Upbringing
Tamav Irini was born on 9 February 1936 in Girga, a small town in Upper Egypt in Sohag Governorate.
She was the eldest of seven children born to Coptic Orthodox Christian parents.
She was baptised in the Monastery of Saint Shenoudah the Archimandrite.
Abu-Sefain monastery
On 6 October 1954, Mother Irini became a nun in the Monastery of Abu-Sefain at the age of 18, the youngest nun in the monastery. On 15 October 1962 at the young age of 26 mother Irini, or as she would later be called Tamav Irini [Tamav; Coptic name for mother] was ordained the abbess of the Monastery of Abu-Sefain.
The Journey at the monastery
Like St Syncletica (d. 400 AD) Mother Ireni came from a wealthy family, though she renounced worldly treasures, opting for a life of voluntary poverty following her consecration as a nun on 26 October 1954. St Syncletica and other [Desert Mothers] contributed to the extraordinary development of monasticism during the fourth and fifth centuries. They established a tradition equal to that of the desert fathers and attracted many disciples and listeners, male and female. The teachings of these mothers focus on the life of vigil, prayer, fasting and struggle, purity of heart, poverty, solitude and stillness. Tamav Irini's words tackle many of the same issues; like the ascetic literature left by these mothers and fathers, her sayings represent the fruit of her personal labour and struggle.[1]
At the outset of her upholding the monastery's responsibility, Tamav Irini, after much prayer, had a vision of Christ and of St Pachomios (292-348 AD), one of founders of the communal life of monks and nuns, who told her to set in the convent the rules of the Pachomian Koinonia. She restructured the nuns' life accordingly, banning all forms of personal property or segregation. Group prayers and meals were introduced.
Before Tamav Irini's assumption of the monastery's responsibility, the nuns used to attend mass and communion in an adjacent church, also dedicated to St. Mercurius. Tamav Irini founded St. Mercurius' Church and subsequently founded a second church inside the convent in honor of St. Mary, on the site where the Virgin is said to have sat with her Son during the Holy Family's flight to Egypt.
Mother Ireni popularised St Philopater among Copts. In this sense she is often compared with Pope Kyrillos VI whose name became associated with the Egyptian martyr, St Mena. On Abi Seifein's feasts—celebrating his martyrdom, the coming of his relics to Egypt, and the consecration of the first Coptic church in his name—she would speak to the thousands who gathered about the miracles performed through the intercession of the saint.[1]
In her weekly meetings, which took place on Fridays until just a few years before her death, Tamav Erene would speak of heaven in a way that brought hope and consolation to her listeners. Her message and vocation attracted many, and the number of nuns increased under her guidance—there are now more than 100—and some of her daughters are now mothers superior of other Cairo convents.[1]
Under her guidance the convent published a well-researched and documented book highlighting the contribution of women to monastic and ascetic life. The Angelic Life: The Virgin Mary and Other Virgins in Different Ages (Cairo: Harmony Printing House, 2002), can be regarded as a feminist and a new historicist reading of the monastic movement, from which perspective it sets the record straight regarding the role played by women in this movement.[1]
Illness
For more than 25 years Tamav Irini suffered from ill health.
In their memorial the nuns at the convent described her as their "enlightened mother, mentor, teacher, guide and the lamp whose light would remain for ever". They also expressed their gratitude "for being the daughters of the mother of monasticism in this generation, for having been watered by the fountain of her sacred life and enlightened by the torch of her monastic and spiritual teachings which will remain to guide us until we meet her in heaven".[1]
The reading of the Gospel on the day before her death was from the Gospel of Matthew 25:21 "His master replied, 'well done, good and faithful servant! you have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness". On 31 October 2006 Mother Irini died. At her funeral Bishop Raphaeil (General Bishop) spoke on behalf of Pope Shenouda III.
Thousands of mourners queued to pay their last respects on the day following her death. Some of them had never seen her before, but had heard of her love, simplicity and humility. She departed the world, but will continue to live in the hearts of her children.[1]
References
External links
- The departure of Mother Irini
- Tamavireneforall is a nonprofit site that shows material about Tamav Irene whether in video, audio or in written form. This great site is a complete reference to her life.
- Tamav Irene: The life and the legacy of Tamav Irene
- Facebook page about Mother Irini
- Memorial article for Tamav Irene, Al-Ahram Weekly on-line, Issue no. 820, 16-22 November 2006. Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875.