Venerable Apollinaria (+c. 470)

The Venerable Apollinaria was the daughter of Anthemius, who governed the Byzantine Empire during the minority of Theodosius the Younger (408–450). She made a vow of virginity and obtained from her right-believing parents permission to go on pilgrimage to the holy places of the East. When they came from Jerusalem to Alexandria, the saint put on a monk’s clothing, slipped away from her servants, and settled in a marshy place, where she laboured for several years in strict fasting and prayer. Then, at the Lord’s direction, the maiden settled in the monastery of Saint Macarius of Egypt under the name of the monk Dorotheus, and soon became known for her ascetic life. Apollinaria’s parents had a second daughter, who was possessed. They sent her to the monastery of the Venerable Macarius. The hegumen brought the sick girl to the monk Dorotheus (Saint Apollinaria), who healed her by prayer. When the girl returned home, the evil one took hold of her again. The devil gave his vessel the appearance of a pregnant woman. This enraged her parents terribly. They sent soldiers to the monastery and demanded the one who had dishonoured their daughter.

Saint Apollinaria took the blame on herself and went with the soldiers to her parental home. Here she made herself known to her father and mother, and returned again to the monastery. Apollinaria reposed in peace in 470. Only after her death did the brothers learn that the valiant ascetic Dorotheus was a woman. The saint’s body was buried in the monastery of Saint Macarius of Egypt.