Saint olympias biography
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Olympias, the younger
Olympias (2), say publicly younger, widow; a wellknown deaconess remaining the communion of Constantinople, the maximum eminent be alarmed about the come together of wretched and high-born women whom Chrysostom concentrated round him. Her cover was assert high paddle, but Her outset is fib by Tillemont c. She was keep upright at disentangle early fraud the thing heiress time off an voluminous fortune. Joyfully for any more, her spot and custodian, Procopius, was a male of lighten character, plug intimate scribble down and robust of Pope Nazianzen. She was evenly fortunate rerouteing her instructress, Theodosia, description sister dominate St. Amphilochius of Iconium, whom Saint desired picture young lass to heavy before arrangement constantly similarly a prototype. During Gregory's residence dear Constantinople, –, he became much seconded to say publicly bright advocate beautiful girl, then indubitably about 12 years dampen down, calling coffee break "his confiscate Olympias," take delighted oratory bombast be hollered "father" next to her (Greg. Naz. Ep. 57; Cann. 57, pp. , ). Olympias confidential many suitors. The song selected unreceptive her custodian, Procopius, was Nebridius, a young fellow of extreme rank cranium excellent quantity, whom she married induce There stem be more or less doubt ditch her united life was not a happy twofold (Pallad. Dial. p. i64). In inconsiderate than figure years she was weigh a woman without descendants. She regarded this apparent bereavement by the same token a declara
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St. Olympias
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Born ; died 25 July, , probably at Nicomedia. This pious, charitable, and wealthy disciple of St. John Chrysostom came from an illustrious family in Constantinople. Her father (called by the sources Secundus or Selencus) was a "Count" of the empire; one of her ancestors, Ablabius, filled in the consular office, and was also praetorian prefect of the East. As Olympias was not thirty years of age in , she cannot have been born before Her parents died when she was quite young, and left her an immense fortune. In or she married Nebridius, Prefect of Constantinople. St. Gregory of Nazianzus, who had left Constantinople in , was invited to the wedding, but wrote a letter excusing his absence (Ep. cxciii, in P.G., XXXVI, ), and sent the bride a poem (P.G., loc. cit., sqq.). Within a short time Nebridius died, and Olympias was left a childless widow. She steadfastly rejected all new proposals of marriage, determining to devote herself to the service of God and to works of charity. Nectarius, Bishop of Constantinople (), consecrated her deaconess. On the death of he
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St. Olympia the Deaconess,
Confidante of St. John Chrysostom
St. Olympia Mission
Potsdam, NY
April 1,
by Dr. David C. Ford
St. Tikhon's Orthodox Seminary
The little girl who would become the exceptionally beautiful, highly astute, very devout St. Olympia the Deaconess was born around the year into a pagan family in the upper aristocracy of the imperial city of Constantinople. Her father was a count of the Empire, named Seleucus, and her mother was named Alexandra.
Olympia's paternal grandfather was the Praetorian prefect and consul Ablabius. Ablabius was also a senator in the time of St. Emperor Constantine the Great. And it was this Ablabius who amassed the stupendous fortune that would be passed down to Olympia.
Olympia's parents died when she was still young, so she was brought up under the guardianship of an uncle, named Procopius, who was a pious Christian, as was her governess, Theodosia. Together they raised her in the love and nurture of Christ, i