Saint Xene - Aged Byzantine Icon

Commemorates on: January 24

Our righteous Mother Xene of Rome was of a distinguished family. While her parents were preparing to wed her, she stole away secretly, taking two handmaids with her, and departed for Mylasa of Karia in Asia Minor, and there she completed her life in Asceticism. She was ordained deaconess by Paul, her spiritual father, who became Bishop of Mylasa. Although she was originally named Eusebia, to conceal her identity, she took the name Xene - which means "stranger" in Greek - because of her estrangement from her country.