Bio

 

 Olympias was born in what is now Turkey to a wealthy and noble family. Her parents passed away when she was young, however, leaving her an enormous fortune. A woman named Theodosia was charged with taking care of her until she was 18 and married a prefect named Nebridius. She had a very happy marriage until, after only 2 years together, he died and left her a widow. She had many offers and proposals of marriage, including one recommended by the Emperor himself. Olympias refused even though, as punishment, her fortune was taken from her. She appealed, however, to have it restored to her, and must have made an outstanding case because it was, indeed, returned to her.

Olympias immediately began to distribute her funds to anyone in her community that was in need. She herself chose to live very simply, and dedicated the majority of her funds to the Church through the Archbishop John Chrysostom, with whom she became close friends. She used those funds to build a monastery, to which she and several other female relatives withdrew after they were all consecrated deaconesses. She then built a hospital and an orphanage, as well as housing refugee monks.

Things took a turn when John Chrysostom was exiled from the city in 404. She defended her friend staunchly and would not recognize the new Patriarch that had been put in his place. For this, she was fined and her religious community disbanded. Olympias herself was banished twice for her actions, losing her home and the rest of her money, but all throughout exile, John wrote her many letters encouraging and supporting her just as she had supported him. She saved those letters and many other documents, without which we would not have many of the ideas and Traditions we hold dear in the Church today.

 

She passed away while still in exile a year after John’s death.