logo
livingroom

decorative bar

biographies


corner Last update of this page: September 12th 2002 corner
Apollinaria
(550 - 600) Rome

Apollinaria

Saint - Feast day - 5 Jan.

separator

ApollinariaSt. Apollinaria, also called Apollinaris Syncletica, was a daughter of Anthemias, a former proconsul of the Byzantine Empire, during the reign of Theodosius the Younger (408-450). Disdaining marriage, she requested her parents’ permission to make a pilgrimage to the holy places of the East. Arriving in Alexandria from Jerusalem, she slipped away from her servants and changed into monastic garb. She hid in a marsh, where she practiced asceticism for several years in strict fasting and prayer.

An angel appeared to her in a dream and told her to go to the monastery of Sketis (Syrian Orient), which was under the spiritual direction of St. Macarius of Egypt, and to call herself Dorotheus. St. Macarius accepted her as one of the brethren, and she quickly distinguished herself by her ascetical life. So disfigured was she by her ascetic life, that she was thought to be a man, also because she lived transvestite as a monk.

St. Apollinaria’s parents had another daughter who was possessed by demons. They sent her to Sketis to St. Macarius, who brought the afflicted girl to Dorotheus (Apollinaria). By her prayers, the maiden received healing. After she returned home, the maiden was attacked by a violent demon, who made her appear pregnant. The demon spoke through the girl’s lips, saying that Dorotheus had forced himself on her. Her outraged parents sent soldiers to the monastery to find the one who had defiled their daughter.

St. Apollinaria took the blame and accompanied the envoys to the home of her parents. There she revealed her secret to her parents, healed her sister, and returned to Sketis. She died shortly thereafter in the year 470. Only after the death of Dorotheus was it revealed that “he” was actually a woman. The saint was buried in a cave in the monastery church of St. Macarius of Egypt.

separator

Click on the letter A to go back to the list of names

corner © Matt & Andrej Koymasky, 1997 - 2008 corner