Themestia of Mere

Venerable Themestia (ninth century) was, for forty years, deaconess 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, mentions her in the account of the death of the priest Matoi, the convent's confessor. Matoi, keeping to full virginity, would not even take the censer from her hand. On the night after Matoi's death, Themestia and the hermit Anatoli had the same vision: she saw Matoi as a tall, handsome man, in shining vestments, a golden censer in his hand, and asked him how he had grown strong after all his weakness. He answered that he had been counted worthy to stand before the heavenly Throne and serve unceasingly. No other details of her life survive.