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Thursday, November 12
Prophet Ahijah the Shilonite
Sinaxarion

Venerable

Anthony the Meteorite

Founder of Saint Stephen, Meteora

Founder of Saint Stephen Monastery at Meteora, of the Cantacuzene family, venerated by the faithful without synodal canonization.

Feast
January 17old style January 30
Era
15th century
Place
St Stephen Monastery, Meteora
Order
Venerables

Life

Anthony the Meteorite was the founder and abbot of the Saint Stephen Monastery at Meteora, in the first half of the fifteenth century. The family name Cantacuzene is not certain; it appears in a note on a liturgical manuscript. A letter of 1413, concerning the gift of the head of Saint Charalambos to the Saint Stephen monastery, mentions him as archimandrite of the monastery, "lord Anthony (Cantacuzene)".

According to tradition, he was the son of Queen Maria Cantacuzene (who reposed after 1359), daughter of Emperor John VI Cantacuzene and of Nikephoros II Orsini, despot of Epirus. He lived according to God's will and reposed in peace. He is venerated by the faithful, without synodal canonization, and commemorated on 17 January.

Commemorated the same day January 17