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St. Olympias the Deaconess

Feast 07-25

Patron of

About

Olympias was a Christian Roman noblewoman of Greek descent, born into the highest ranks of Constantinople's society in the mid-fourth century. Orphaned young and widowed after a brief marriage to the senator Nebridius, she refused all further offers of marriage and devoted her great fortune to the Church and the poor. Ordained a deaconess, she became a close friend and steadfast supporter of St. John Chrysostom, Patriarch of Constantinople, standing by him during his exile and trials. She founded a community of consecrated women near the Great Church, dedicating her life to prayer, charity, and the service of the sick. After Chrysostom's exile she too suffered confiscation and exile, dying around 408. Venerated as a model of generosity and fidelity, she is honored on July 25.

deacons, deacon, diaconate, clergy, ministry, servants of the church, deacons office, deaconate, the poor, poor, the poor people, poverty, poor people, the impoverished, the needy, the destitute, the less fortunate, the underprivileged, the poor and needy, single women, single woman, unmarried women, single ladies, unmarried ladies, women living alone, single catholic women, single life women, spinsters, single girls

Suggested prayer

O God, who gave St. Olympias the grace to devote her wealth and her life to Your Church and to the poor, grant through her intercession that we may be generous stewards of what we have received and steadfast in fidelity to those who labor for the Gospel. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Sources

Other saints to pray to

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For the poor