3rd century
Saint Anthusa of Seleucia
Third-century ascetic from Seleucia who was baptised by Bishop Athanasius at Tarsus and lived for twenty-three years in the desert.
Biography
Anthusa, the daughter of wealthy pagan parents from Seleucia in Syria, wanted to meet Bishop Athanasius, who was preaching at Tarsus in Cilicia. She persuaded her mother to take her there, with two of her servants, on the pretext of visiting her old nurse; there Athanasius baptised her and tonsured her a nun.
She withdrew into the desert, where she lived as an ascetic for 23 years until her death. Athanasius and her two servants, Charisimos and Neophytos, later refused to sacrifice to idols before Emperor Valerian and were beheaded.