Pheronia of Samtskhe

Venerable Pheronia of Samtskhe (ninth century) was the first abbess of the convent of Mere, in the Klarjeti desert. She is venerated as a saint in the Synaxis of the Venerable Fathers and Mothers of Klarjeti of the Orthodox Church of Georgia, canonized in October 2002 (by other data in 2003); she is commemorated on 5 October (old calendar).

The Life of Venerable Gregory of Khandzta, written in 951 by George Merchule, says that she had great authority in the Klarjeti desert: the abbots of the Klarjeti monasteries began no undertaking without her approval. Venerable Zenon came from her family and, according to some sources, Demetrius the Christ-⁠bearer was her disciple. When the priest sent by Gregory as confessor of the nuns died, Pheronia was grieved, but God made known to her that a new priest would shepherd them better; she wrote to Gregory, and he blessed Matoi to serve in the convent. Matoi remained for forty years the confessor of her community. No other details of her life survive.