Emperor Zeno had two daughters, Helaria and her sister Thaopesta. Hilaria loved to live a solitary life since she was young, and she tought about the monastic life. When she was 18 year old she left the court of her father and travelled to Egypt, disguised in men clothing, she went to the wilderness of Scetis, where she met a holy man St. Bemwah (the mentor of St. Bishoy) and she was ordained a monk as a man not a woman under the name of Hilary.
Three years later St. Bemwah found out she was Hilaria the daughter of Emperor Zeno, and kept her secret. When she did not grow a beard, the monks thought that she was eunuch, and they called her “Helary the eunuch”
Meanwhile her sister Thaopesta became possessed with an unclean spirit , and her father spent on her great deal of money in vain. Emperor sent her to the elders of Scetis for the fame of their holiness had spread to all the Roman Empire, in order to pray for her and heal her. The elder fathers decided that Hilary should pray for her, St. Hilary did and the princess – her sister- was healed.
The Emperor wanted to know the monk who healed his daughter, so he sent for St. Hilary and what a surprise the monk was his other daughter Hilaria.
The Emperor offered to build a palace for her so that she can stay there and pray, but she refused and returned back to the wilderness. She also told her father about the attacks of the Berbers, so the Emperor ordered to build fortress in every monastery of the wilderness of Scetis.
