Venerable Theoctiste of Paros

Life

Born on the island of Lesbos, she became a nun at the age of seventeen. Wild Saracens attacked that island and captured all who came into their hands, including Theoctiste with her sister. When the Saracens brought the captives to market on the island of Paros, Theoctiste fled from the crowd and hid herself. She hid herself in the middle of the island in an abandoned church, where she struggled ascetically for thirty-five years. She reposed peacefully in the year 881.