Part 2 in our series “From Scandal to Saint.” Fr. Elijah tells the gripping story of St. Abraham the Hermit and St. Mary of Edessa—a holy niece who lived twenty years in purity, fell hard, then rose even higher by God’s mercy. Their lives reveal two truths we must hold together:
1. the horror of sin and what it does to the soul,
2. the greatness of God’s mercy, which pursues, restores, and sends us back stronger.

Walk through Mary’s despair, Abraham’s relentless love, and the dramatic rescue that mirrors the Good Shepherd. Learn why untested virtue is fragile, why despair is the soul’s killer, and how godly sorrow leads to real repentance. If you feel checkmated, remember: the King still has another move.