On August 18, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of St. Nonna of Nazianth, the mother of St. Gregory the Theologian. Her life became an example of strong faith, persistent prayer, marital fidelity and active charity.
Saint Nonna was born into a Christian family and was raised in piety from childhood. Her husband, the wealthy landowner Gregory of Arianza, was not yet a Christian at that time. He belonged to the ipsistarians, a religious movement that combined pagan and Jewish beliefs.
It was an ordeal for Nonna. She wanted her union with her husband to be not only earthly, but also spiritual, so she prayed day and night for his conversion. St. Gregory the Theologian later wrote about his mother: "She wanted a spiritual union to join the carnal union."
One day, Gregory dreamed that he was saying the words of a psalm: "Let them rejoice over those who have spoken to me: let us go to the house of the Lord" (Ps. 121:1). After that, the desire to come to the Church was awakened in him. Nonna saw the answer to her prayers in what had happened. Soon her husband was baptized, then became a presbyter, and later Bishop of Nazianzus. Nonna herself was ordained a deaconess and devoted much of her energy to serving people.
She considered her main wealth not to be property and nobility, but faith and good deeds. According to St. Gregory the Theologian, his mother knew "one true nobility — to be pious" and "one reliable and inalienable wealth — to spend her possessions for God and for the poor." She helped those in need, took care of impoverished relatives, was frugal in daily life, but generous where help was needed.
Nonna became the mother of three children — St. Gregory the Theologian, St. Caesarea and St. Gorgonia. They were all raised in the Christian faith. However, the last years of her life brought her severe sorrows: first, her youngest son Caesarius died, and soon her daughter Gorgonia died. Saint Nonna bore these losses courageously, without losing her trust in God.
In old age, she suffered a serious illness. She couldn't eat for several days. One night she dreamed of her beloved son Gregory, who gave her the blessed bread. After this vision, her strength began to return.
In early 374, her husband, Bishop Gregory, died. After his death, Saint Nonna hardly left the temple. On August 5, 374, she peacefully went to the Lord during prayer.
The life of Saint Nonna is a reminder of the power of patient and loving prayer. She did not force her husband to believe, but testified about Christ with her own life. Her faith bore fruit not only in her family: her husband became a bishop, and her son became one of the greatest teachers of the Church.