Venerable Athanasia

Life

Born on the island of Aegina, of wealthy and noble parents. She distributed her possessions to the poor and withdrew to a monastery, where she imposed upon herself an ever heavier and heavier ascetic discipline. She took food only once a day, and that bread and water; during the Great Fast once every two days; and only at the Nativity and at Pascha did she taste oil and fish. Although she was the abbess of the monastery, she was a servant to all the other sisters, and was ashamed to have anyone serve her. She was granted the great gift of wonderworking, both during her life and after her death. She reposed in the Lord in the year 860.