Saint Domnina the Younger of Syria

The Life of Saint Domnina the Younger1 was written by Theodoret of Cyrrhus in his Historia Religiosa (English title: A History of the Monks of Syria), containing the Lives of thirty ascetics.

The holy virgin Domina was born in the city of Cyrrhus in Syria, to pious and God-loving parents. From a young age she envied the life of the holy ascetics and emulated Saint Maron († February 14) by building a shack in a corner of her mother's garden. Her only food was lentils soaked in water. Early in the morning, and again at night, she went to the church, in order to pray and glorify the name of God. She always covered herself with a cloak so that no one would see her face. Theodoret says she spoke "softly and indistinctly, and her words were always accompanied by tears.”

After a long life of austere asceticism, the Venerable Domnina reposed in peace around the year 460.


1 Not to be confused with another Saint Domnina commemorated on October 4.