The Departure of St . Theognosta .

On this day also, the blessed Theognosta, departed . She was contemporary of the righteousEmperors Honorius and Arcadius .One day an envoy came with gifts from the King of India to the two emperors . On their way back,they found this Virgin Theognosta holding in her hand a book that she was reading . They seizedher and took her back with them to their country . She became the head of the King's attendantsand his wives .One day, the son of the King fell sick with a grievous sickness . She held him in her arms and madeover him the sign of the Cross, and he recovered immediately . This report spread throughout thatland, and since that day she was set free .Once the King went to war, there came upon him thick clouds and fog . Knowing of the sign ofthe Cross that St . Theognosta used to make, the King made the sign of the Cross over the fog andit cleared up . With the sign of the Cross he also vanquished his enemies .When the King returned from war, he bowed down at the feet of the Saint, and asked her for theholy baptism for him and for the people of his city . She told them that it was not for her tobaptize . They sent to Emperor Honorius to inform him of their acceptance of the faith and askedhim to send a priest to baptize them . He sent to them a priest who was a saintly anchorite, and hebaptized them all and he gave them the Holy Body and Blood of our Lord Christ . The virginrejoiced for his coming and they blessed each other . She built a convent for herself and for themany virgins who desired the monastic life .When the priest returned to the Emperor and related to him how the people of the city enteredinto the faith of our Lord Christ, he rejoiced exceedingly . The Emperor agreed with theArchbishop to ordain the priest a bishop and to send him back to them, and they rejoiced greatly .There they built a big church and they needed pillars . There was a large temple for idols whichhad pillars so they took them to build this church . The rest of the people of this city joined thefaith of the Lord Christ .The virgin St . Theognosta rejoiced for all that had happened . Later on she departed in thatconvent and was surrounded by the virgins .Her prayers be with us, and Glory be to our God, forever . Amen .