- Theosebia
Theosebia, also known as Theosebia the Deaconess is a
4th century Christian leader recognized as asaint in theEastern 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 or wife of a deacon.Cyril of Jerusalem wrote a letter of condolence on her death toGregory 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 likeMacrina the Younger ; if so, then Theosebia was the sister ofBasil the Great as well. Others imagined that she was the wife ofGregory Nazianzen , but there is no evidence to show that he was ever married.
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