Saint Theodora of Alexandria

Saint Theodora of Alexandria lived during the 5th century in Alexandria, Egypt, during the reign of Emperor Zeno. According to hagiographer Sabine Baring-Gould, her story might have been embellished and was likely pieced together from the lives of other saints, such as Marina the Monk. Theodora was 'adorned with physical beauty' and devoted to her pious husband, Gregory (or Paphnutius), prefect of Egypt. However, she betrayed him out of remorse for adultery committed with another man, and left him to do penance by disguising herself as a male monk named Theodore in the Thebaid region. She practiced asceticism, did menial tasks, and prayed fervently for forgiveness. After two years, someone accused her of fathering a child with a woman from a nearby village. Instead of defending herself, she accepted expulsion from the monastery for seven years and raised the child in extreme poverty. She continued her asceticism until her death, during which time her identity as a woman was not discovered. Her husband attended her funeral, distributed his possessions to the poor, and moved into the monastery.