Elisabeta din Constantinopol

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Cuvioasa Elisabeta din Constantinopol sau Elisabeta făcătoarea de minuni a fost o cuvioasă maică care a trăit la Constantinopol în secolul al V-lea. Prăznuirea ei în Biserica Ortodoxă se face la data de 24 aprilie, în ziua care urmează prăznuirii sfântului mare mucenic Gheorghe.

Viața

Elisabeta s-a născut în secolul al V-lea, într-o familie nobilă și înstărită. Her father held a high honorary title of the Byzantine Empire, and the family owned an estate in Abydenoi, a village near the Thracian provincial capital of Herakleia. During the week-long annual festival for St. Glykeria in that city, her parents had a vision from the saint promising them a child. This promise was fulfilled and, true to the vow the father had made in return, the child was baptized with the name Elisabeth by the archbishop of Herakleia.

After the death of her parents, Elisabeth gave away her wealth to the poor and traveled to Constantinople, where she entered the convent of St. George, whose abbess was her paternal aunt. There she distinguished herself by her asceticism. When her aunt died two years later, Elisabeth became the superior of the monastery. Many miracles are attributed to her, including the slaying of a dragon said to have haunted the area of Hebdomon, the restoration of sight to a man born blind, and several healings of women suffering from menorrhagia (in fact, she appears to have been a “patron saint” of women with profuse menstrual bleeding). In addition, she is credited with having received premonitions and visions, such as that of the catastrophic fire that engulfed Constantinople in 465,2 and a vision of the Holy Spirit descending on the altar during the Divine Liturgy. Returning to Herakleia for a last visit, she had a vision of St. Glykeria, who warned her of her imminent death. She returned to her monastery and was stricken by a fever following the feast of St. George, dying the following day. Several more miracles were attributed to her by pilgrims visiting her tomb after her death.

From an early age and throughout her life, Elizabeth manifested holiness through strict asceticism. She became a nun at the Convent of Ss. Cosmas and Damian in Constantinople.

After her repose, her relics, and even the soil around her grave became known for healing the sick and suffering.

In some icons, she is shown having triumphed over a dragon. Her feast day follows that of St. George the Dragon-slayer.

Legături externe

• St Elizabeth the Wonderworker of Constantinople (OCA)
• "Life of St. Elisabeth the Wonderworker" translated by Valerie Karras, an extract from Holy Women of Byzantium: Ten Saints' Lives in English Translation, edited by Alice-Mary Talbot
• The Nun Elizabeth the Wonderworker
• Sinaxar 24 aprilie

Surse

• "Life of St. Elisabeth the Wonderworker", translated by Valerie A. Karras, in: Holy Women of Byzantium: Ten Saints' Lives in English Translation, edited by Alice-Mary Talbot, 1996 Dumbarton Oaks
• "The Life and Struggles of Our Holy Mother Among the Saints, Elisabeth of Constantinople, Whose Memory the Holy Church Celebrates on the 24th of April." from The Lives of the Spiritual Mothers, published by Holy Apostles Convent, pp. 136-138.
• "Ven. Elizabeth the Wonderworker" from Bulgakov's Handbook for Church Servers, translated by Fr. Eugene Tarris (OCA)