One of The most famous legends regarding the area of ‘Wadi al-Kharrar’ is about the life of Saint Mary the Egyptian, who chose to live a disreputable life in Alexandria in her youth. She abandoned her life of sin during a visit to Jerusalem and went on to become a model of repentance.

After consulting the Virgin Mary in Jerusalem, she had heard a voice telling her: ‘Cross the Jordan and you will find rest’. She crossed to the east bank of the Jordan River, and spent the last 47 years of her life living alone, praying and fasting in the Jordanian desert where she could be close to God. Before dying she was found by the monk Zosima from a nearby monastery, who prayed with her, listened to her story, and gave her Holy Communion shortly before she died. Zosima buried her, reportedly with the help of a lion, that helped him dig her grave with its paws.

The site associated with Saint Mary the Egyptian is in the ‘Zor’ area close to the place where Jesus was baptized.