Every year on January 13, the Orthodox celebrate the day of memory of Melania of Rome (years of life 383 - 439) Pregnant women pray to the saint for a favorable resolution of pregnancy and the birth of healthy children The venerable woman came from a rich and noble ancient Roman family of patricians Her father and grandfather were senators The family owned lands in Europe (France, Spain, Gaul) and North Africa Melania learned about faith in God and Orthodox traditions from her paternal grandmother My grandmother had the same name as the holy ascetic – Melania She renounced the world after the death of her husband She spent all her time in prayer, asceticism, and founded a monastery on Israeli soil When the saint reached the age of 14, her father insisted on marriage The chosen one was the rich, respectable, 17-year-old young man Apinian He saw the purpose of marriage as the birth of two children, who were to continue the family line and become heirs of considerable wealth Melania was against married life, all her aspirations were directed towards God, a reclusive life The saint invited her young husband to live as brother and sister, praying, fasting, keeping himself pure and chaste The husband was adamant in his desire to produce heirs He invited his wife to think about monastic life after the birth of their children Soon the young couple had a girl Her father doted on her, and the saint only intensified her feat in the name of Christ: she prayed, began to wear a hair shirt, and strictly observed fasting After a short period of time, Melania became pregnant Before giving birth, the saint spent a lot of time in prayer The birth of my son was difficult The boy lived for several hours; only his parents had time to baptize him, when the baby went to the Lord After a difficult birth and the loss of a child, the saint became very ill She was on the verge of life and death The husband, passionately loving Melania, sobbed and made a vow to God about the beginning of an ascetic, chaste life and renunciation of carnal desires Thus, through illness, the saint achieved the goal of her entire life: serving Jesus Christ in purity and immaculateness Soon the couple lost their second child The girl got sick and died Having lost his children, Apinian saw this as God’s providence, a punishment for not listening to the requests and pleas of his pious wife for a chaste marriage The parents of Melania and Apinian were adamant in demanding heirs from their spouses The serious illness of the reverend's father forced her to reconsider her views The parent, in agony, blessed his daughter and her husband for an ascetic life Disposing of great wealth, the young couple (at that time they were 20 and 24 years old, respectively) helped wanderers, the homeless, convicted of debt, sold into slavery, the sick, the poor, and orphans They traveled to other countries, bought land for the construction of monasteries and temples (Numidia, North Africa) Thanks to the efforts of the holy couple, operating monasteries in Palestine, Egypt, Syria, and Israel received financial support Arriving in Israel, Melania retired to a cave, where she fervently prayed and fasted During her 14-year hermitage, her mother and Apinian, who became her spiritual brother, visited her The rumor about the ascetic life of the saint spread throughout the land of Israel Girls and women began to flock to the deserted monastery They asked Melania for spiritual guidance and support When the number of girls exceeded ninety, a decision was made to create a monastery The saint did not agree to the post of abbess, but served the nuns and parishioners as a slave, caring for the weakened, preaching the Lord On January 13 (December 31, old style) in Bethlehem, the earthly, labor-filled life of Saint Melania ended Every year on this day, Orthodox Christians remember the saint; festive services are held in churches in her honor