The account of Domnina appears at the end of Theodoret's Historia
Religiosa, so not immediately after the account of Maron, who appears at
around the mid-way point. Some further points of interest: the hut is
said to be in the grounds of the family's property. In this respect, she
remains much closer to society than did Maron. She did not just attend the
shrine, but was responsible for tending it, and for preaching to visitors
on its significance.
c. 440, rather than 460 perhaps. The HR was composed in the early 440s,
but the exact year is in dispute.
There's a short article on Theodoret's account of Domnina in Journal of
Maronite Studies, at:
http://www.mari.org/jms/april97/history.htm
A tangential question. Domnina, like most if not all of the other saints
in the Historia Religiosa, is commemorated in the church's calendars.
Theodoret himself not only is not, but was part of the Three Chapters that
fell foul of the Fifth Council (but not for the HR). This has always
struck me as an intense irony - any parallels?
Ian Tompkins
At 10:08 01/03/00 +0000, you wrote:
>DOMNINA, virgin and hermit (about A.D. 460)
>
>Theodoret, after relating the virtues of S. Maro the hermit, goes on to
>tell of a holy virgin, named Domnina, who lived in a small shed, and
>attended prayers in the Church at cock-crow. She was exaciated with
>continuous fasting; she neither looked at any one, nor suffered her
>own face to be seen. Whenever she took the hand of Theodoret, the
>bishop, to kiss it, he drew it away moistened with her tears. She
>spent her time, when not engaged in prayer, in ministering to the
>necessities of travellers.
Ian G Tompkins, MA, BD, DPhil
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