Domnina of Syria

Venerable Domnina of Syria (also called Domnina the Younger, died between 450 and 460) was an ascetic of the fifth century, near Cyrrhus, a disciple of Saint Maron. She is commemorated on 1 March, in the Orthodox Church, in the Roman Catholic and, more solemnly, among the Maronites. The only source for her life is the "Religious History" of her contemporary, Theodoret, bishop of Cyrrhus, who devotes the thirtieth chapter to her.

Life

She was born into a wealthy family of Syrian Christians (according to the Russian source, at Antioch). A spiritual disciple of the hermit Maron, she built in youth a hut covered with straw in the garden of her mother's house, in Cyrrhus, near Antioch, on the family estate. She lived there all her life, in austere struggle: she fasted strictly, eating only lentils soaked in water, to the point of great thinness, and went to church morning and evening, kneeling and weeping unceasingly. She covered her face with a veil and showed it to no one, neither men nor women, neither those who respected her way of life nor those who demanded that she leave the place of her struggle. According to Theodoret, she reached such a state of spiritual elevation that she could not speak without weeping, being regarded as inspired by the love of God; yet, in spite of the unceasing weeping, her voice sounded clear.

In time a group of virgins and women gathered around her who chose the same life, two hundred and fifty in number, occupied with manual labour, chiefly the spinning of wool, and with the singing of spiritual hymns. Those who came to her she asked to stay in the village and sent them food. Domnina died about the years 450 to 460.