DOMNINA OF SYRIA

On March 1 according to the Julian calendar—which corresponds to March 14 in the modern calendar—the Church commemorates saint Domnina of Syria (+460). She is the last of the holy men and women described by the ancient church historian and Doctor of the Church, Theodoret of Cyrrhus (393–457). The account of the saint is included in the final, thirtieth chapter of Theodoret’s patristic work, “A History of the Monks of Syria”. It consists of eight paragraphs, only three of which are devoted directly to saint Domnina herself. The Bishop of Cyrrhus knew the ascetic personally and blessed her with his hand, as was the custom among bishops of that time: “Often, taking my right hand and pressing it to her eyes, Domnina would release it so wet that it seemed as though the hand itself were streaming with tears.”

The name “Domnina” is of Latin origin. It translates as “Lord” and is, in essence, the equivalent of the Roman name “Matrona,” which It is now popular in Russia and other Orthodox countries.. In the case of Saint Domnina, this may have been her real name or a pseudonym. Apparently, she was the daughter of very wealthy parents and chose a life of asceticism out of an extraordinary desire for self-restraint.

“In the garden of her mother’s house, she made herself a small tent out of millet stalks.” She dressed in a hair shirt, hid her face from strangers, and never looked at anyone herself. She ate lentils soaked in water, lived in extreme poverty, yet constantly helped everyone who came to her, having the right to manage her mother’s and brothers’ estate, “upon which, thanks to her, God’s blessing rested.”

At the very beginning of the day and at its end, she would go to the church to participate in communal worship. “Together with other men and women, she praised the Lord of all in the church..” She showed love and charity toward the church in the village where she lived. “She believed herself and inspired others to believe that a place dedicated to God is more honorable than any other. Therefore, she herself considered it worthy of every care, and persuaded her mother and brothers to spend their wealth on the house of God.”

The story of Saint Domnina concludes the narrative of the entire Paterikon, as it transitions into the treatise “On Divine Love,” which some consider a separate work. In this way, the author wishes to conclude his story of the saints with a testimony to the ascetic deeds of women, which he specifically mentions, while at the same time emphasizing that, in the words of Paul in the Epistle to the Galatians, in Christ Jesus “there is neither male nor female” (3:28). “Virtue does not differ between men and women, nor does wisdom differ between these two, for Christians differ only in body, not in spirit,” writes Theodoret. In this quote, we see traces of the idealistic early Christian worldview, which anticipated the imminent and immediate coming of the Kingdom of God, and, at the same time, of monastic idealism, which often simply does not recognize or acknowledge the differences that truly exist between men and women.

At the same time, Theodoret asserts that the very images of the saints differ greatly from one another. It was precisely for this reason that he described so many great saints in his work, so that every Christian might find inspiration in a specific example that holds a special place in their heart. “Just as painters, looking at a model, make copies of the eyes, nose, mouth, cheeks, ears, forehead, and even the hair and beard, and furthermore, depict a person sitting or standing, capturing the expression in his eyes—whether stern or cheerful—so too, let those who read this account choose whichever life they wish, and, as far as possible, let them model their own lives on it.”

The commemoration of Saint Domnina concludes a long series of commemorations of holy ascetics, whom the liturgical calendar сcommemorates one after another, practically day after day, during the period leading up to Great Lent and the beginning of Great Lent. For most people, even those who regularly attend church, this feature of the Orthodox liturgical calendar goes unnoticed. It is important to be able to notice and appreciate such “hidden subtleties,” for they give Orthodoxy its distinctive ascetic beauty.