During their Flight into Egypt they passed through an area that was infested with robbers. Two robbers named Dismas and Gestas came across to Our Most Holy Mother of God to see what she was holding so closely to her. When Dismas saw the beauty of Baby Christ, he remarked “If God were to take human flesh, He would not be more beautiful than this Child!” Dismas then gave money and his belt to his fellow robber, beseeching him let them pass by in peace. Our Most Holy Mother of God said to Dismas with gratitude “My Child will reward thee richly for having spared Him this day. The Lord God will receive thee to His right hand and grant thee pardon of thy sins.” Thirty three years later, at the Crucifixion of Our Saviour Jesus Christ, it was these two thieves who were crucified on either side of Christ. And that day Dismas the thief became Saint Dismas the first person to enter Paradise with Christ.

Continuing along their journey, Saint Joseph, Saint Iakovos, Our Most Holy Mother of God, and Baby Jesus camped under the shade of a tree for a few days. Here Christ caused water to flow, providing for them a source of drink and also a place they could bathe and wash their clothes.

Another Holy Tradition tells us that the Mother of God bathed Christ in the water, and the wife of the abovementioned thief, who warned other thieves to not harm Christ, also washed her sick child with the same water, and the child immediately became well, and he grew up to be Saint Dismas.

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Our Most Holy Mother of God the Milk-Giver