ABOUT ST OLYMPIA

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St Olympia was born 361 AD into a wealthy family of high ranking. Her father was the senator Anicius Secundus and through her mother, Alexandra, she was the granddaughter of the noted eparch Eulalios. After the death of her parents, St Olympia inherited great wealth. She distributed this wealth to the poor and needy, the orphaned and the widowed. She was also very generous with her donations to the churches, monasteries, hospices, and shelters for the homeless.
In her adult years, St Olympia married a nobleman called Nebridius who served as Prefect of Constantinople. After her husband died and refusing many offers of marriage, she dedicated her life to the church. She was appointed as a deaconess by the holy Patriarch Nectarius (381-397 AD) and provided great assistance to the hierarchs of Constantinople, including Amphilochius, the Bishop of Iconium, Onesimus of Pontum, Gregory of Nazianzus (the Theologian), Peter of Sebaste, Ephiphanius of Cyprus. Her generosity also greatly benefited the Patriarch Theophilus of Alexandria (385-412 AD). She was great friends with all of these holy great Fathers of the church.  St Olympia was especially close to St John Chrysostom. He had high regard for her, and he showed her goodwill and spiritual love.
When the hierarch was unjustly banished, St Olympia and the other deaconesses (Pentadia, Proklia, and Salbina) were deeply upset. Immediately after the banishment of this great saint, someone started a fire in the Great Church (The Church of the Divine Wisdom Hagia Sophia) and the fire consumed many prominent buildings in the capital. The enemies of Chrysostom accused his followers and this holy woman of initiating this malicious fire. St Olympia was twice put on trial on this absurd charge. Each time she was released after her spirited defence of herself, saying, in effect, “I who have helped build so many churches am not in the habit of burning them down” (Sozomen, Ecclesiastical History VIII.24; NPNF 2, vol. II, p. 415).
St Olympia’s support for St John Chrysostom led her to being banished from Constantinople to Nicomedia in 404 AD. This resulted in losing her house and living the rest of her life in exile at Nicomedia, where she died on July 25, 408 AD, after a long struggle with illness.
Shortly before her death, St Olympia gave instructions that she wanted her remains to be placed in a coffin and tossed into the sea, leaving her final resting place to divine providence.
St Olympia is one of the 140 Colonnade saints which adorn St Peter’s Square.
Holy Mother St Olympia, pray to God for us!