Theosebia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Theosebia, also known as Theosebia the Deaconess is a 4th century Christian leader recognized as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church. As a saint she is referred to as Blessed Theosebia the Deaconess.
Her life and identification is ambiguous: her years of birth and death are uncertain (probably subsequent to 381). However, she is thought to have played an important role in the church in Nyssa, where she was called diaconissa, the deaconess.
Cyril of Jerusalem wrote a letter of condolence on her death to Gregory of Nyssa in which Cyril mentioned "your sister Theosebia" and "true consort of a priest". Hither comes the ambiguity of her identification. Some historians supposed Theosebia was the wife of Gregory of Nyssa, others suppose she was one of his sisters like Macrina the Younger; if so, then Theosebia was the sister of Basil the Great as well. Others imagined that she was the wife of Gregory Nazianzen, but there is no evidence to show that he was ever married.
