Jan 24, 2010

St. Xenia, Deaconess Of Rome

Saint Xenia the Righteous of Rome was a saint of 5th century A.D.

Born with the name Eusebia to wealthy parents in Rome, she is said to have left Rome at the age of 17 to escape an unwelcome arranged marriage. She traveled to the island of Kos in the Aegean Sea, where she was given the name "Xenia" (stranger) and eventually became a deaconess revered for having the power to heal. There she completed her life in asceticism.


Xenia of Rome. Image source: Wikipedia, Georges Jansoone,  Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.

The Feast of St. Xenia is celebrated in the Orthodox church on January 24, the day on which she died. She is said to have foreseen her own death.

References:
Xenia, Deaconess of Rome — Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
Saint Xenia the Righteous of Rome - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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