Athanasia of Aegina
Encyclopedia
Saint Athanasia of Aegina (born circa 790 in Aegina
- died 14 August 860, Timia, Greece) was a saint who lived in the Byzantine Empire
and was for a while adviser to the Empress Theodora II.
, which is held in the manuscript, Vaticanus Graecus 1660, of 916 AD. The author is unknown but most likely a man who wrote soon after St. Athanasia's death.
Athanasia was the daughter of Christian nobles, Niketas and Irene, and experienced a mystical union of a star merging with her heart while weaving at the loom when she was a young girl. She wanted a spiritual life but an imperial edict required all single women of marriageable age to marry soldiers. At 16 years old, at her parents urging, she complied and married a young officer. Sixteen days after her wedding, her husband was killed in a battle with raiding Arabs. She again married this time to a deeply religious man who felt drawn to become a monk and left with her blessing to do so.
Athanasia then gave away the bulk of her possessions, converted their home into a convent and began building churches. She served as an abbess and was known for her miraculous healing of the sick and those seen as possessed. Her community later moved to Timia near the ancient church of Stephen the Protomartyr. Here crowds flocked to see her. As her fame grew she moved to Constantinople
seeking solitude as an Anchoress
in a cell for seven years. While walled away, she was an adviser to the Empress Theodora II. After seven years, she returned to Aegina, where she died of natural causes three days later at Timia on 14 August 860.
Her relics are preserved at Timia in a specially made reliquary
, and are revered for their reputed healing powers.
.
Aegina
Aegina is one of the Saronic Islands of Greece in the Saronic Gulf, from Athens. Tradition derives the name from Aegina, the mother of Aeacus, who was born in and ruled the island. During ancient times, Aegina was a rival to Athens, the great sea power of the era.-Municipality:The municipality...
- died 14 August 860, Timia, Greece) was a saint who lived in the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
and was for a while adviser to the Empress Theodora II.
Life
The life of Athanasia is contained only in a vitaeVitae
Vitae is a Latin word, meaning or pertaining to life.* The Academia Vitae is a liberal arts college in Deventer, The Netherlands.* Aqua vitae is an archaic name for a concentrated aqueous solution of ethanol....
, which is held in the manuscript, Vaticanus Graecus 1660, of 916 AD. The author is unknown but most likely a man who wrote soon after St. Athanasia's death.
Athanasia was the daughter of Christian nobles, Niketas and Irene, and experienced a mystical union of a star merging with her heart while weaving at the loom when she was a young girl. She wanted a spiritual life but an imperial edict required all single women of marriageable age to marry soldiers. At 16 years old, at her parents urging, she complied and married a young officer. Sixteen days after her wedding, her husband was killed in a battle with raiding Arabs. She again married this time to a deeply religious man who felt drawn to become a monk and left with her blessing to do so.
Athanasia then gave away the bulk of her possessions, converted their home into a convent and began building churches. She served as an abbess and was known for her miraculous healing of the sick and those seen as possessed. Her community later moved to Timia near the ancient church of Stephen the Protomartyr. Here crowds flocked to see her. As her fame grew she moved to Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
seeking solitude as an Anchoress
Anchoress
Anchoress is a Canadian hardcore punk band that was formed in 2010.The band released their debut EP, Set Sail, via Bandcamp on 4 March 2011.-Members:* Rob Hoover – vocals* Keenan Federico – guitar* Chris Lennox-Aasen – drums* Ricky Castanedo – bass...
in a cell for seven years. While walled away, she was an adviser to the Empress Theodora II. After seven years, she returned to Aegina, where she died of natural causes three days later at Timia on 14 August 860.
Her relics are preserved at Timia in a specially made reliquary
Reliquary
A reliquary is a container for relics. These may be the physical remains of saints, such as bones, pieces of clothing, or some object associated with saints or other religious figures...
, and are revered for their reputed healing powers.
Roma people
Contemporary scholars have suggested that one of the first written references to the Roma people, under the term "Atsinganoi", (Greek), dates from the Byzantine era during a time of famine in the 9th century. In 800 CE, Saint Athanasia gave food to "foreigners called the Atsinganoi" near ThraceThrace
Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. As a geographical concept, Thrace designates a region bounded by the Balkan Mountains on the north, Rhodope Mountains and the Aegean Sea on the south, and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the east...
.