SAINT OLYMPIAS

SAINT OLYMPIAS

Saint Olympias was born into a wealthy noble Constantinople family. She was orphaned and was given over to the care of Theodosia by her uncle, the prefect Procopius. She married Nebridius, also a prefect, who died and left her a widow. Refusing several offers of marriage her fortune was put into a trust until she was thirty by Emperor Theodosius.

When her estate was restored in 391 she was consecrated deaconess and with several other ladies founded a community. She established a hospital and an orphanage and gave shelter to the expelled monks of Nitria. She was a firm supporter of Chrysostom when he was expelled in 404 from Constantinople and refused to accept the usurper Arsacius as Patriarch.

Saint Olympias spent the last years of her life beset by illness and persecution but comforted by Chrysostom from his place of exile. She died in exile in Nicomedia on July 25 less than a year after the death of Chrysostom.

Her feast day is December 17th.

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