Sunday, February 3, 2008

Anne (circa 840-918)

Born in Constantinople of wealthy parents.
The Emperor agreed with her parents that she should be forced into a marriage.
She fled to Egypt to avoid the marriage.
She became a hermit for the last twenty-two years of her life.
(She is thought to have possibly been martyred for her faith).

From Delaney "Dictionary of Saints"

By the way, notice that she's one of many examples of women who fled marriage and intimate relations. Celibacy was embraced by many men and women by choice prior to these last few decades of "anything goes."