St. Olympias

St. Olympias lived in Constantinople during the fourth century AD. She was the daughter of Seleucus and Alexandra and she married a nobleman called Nebridius who was the Prefect of Constantinople. She was soon widowed and refused many subsequent offers of marriage. Olympias chose rather to dedicate her life to the church, serving as a deaconess. She used her wealth to build a hospital and an orphanage, and to take care of monks who had been exiled. She became a friend of St. John Chrysostom. This friendship later led to her own exile where she spent the rest of her life in Nicomedia. She died in 408 AD after a long illness. Her feast day is remembered on December 17th. In church art and stained glass windows St. Olympias is usually pictured holding a cross and sometimes a scroll. If you would like to purchase a stained glass window or door panel of St. Olympias, please contact us and we will gladly assist you.