Sainte Anthuse
Moniale à Constantinople (+811)
ou Anthouse.
Fille de l'empereur byzantin Constantin Copronyme, elle vivait au palais, mais plus souvent avec les pauvres et les malades, quittant alors ses habits somptueux pour être plus proche de leurs misères. Finalement elle renonça au monde et fut tonsurée moniale par saint Taraise, le patriarche de Constantinople, au monastère de la Concorde où elle fut désormais un modèle d'humilité pour toutes ses compagnes.
Après avoir été tourmentée pour le culte des Saintes Images, sous l'empereur Constantin Copronyme, elle put rentrer dans son monastère et y terminer ses jours en paix.
Au martyrologe romain au 18 avril: À Constantinople, en 811, sainte Anthuse, vierge. Fille de l'empereur Constantin Copronyme, elle apporta tous ses soins à aider les pauvres, à racheter les esclaves, à réparer les églises, à construire des monastères, et reçut elle-même, des mains de l'évêque saint Taraise, le voile des vierges.
Martyrologe romain
SOURCE : https://nominis.cef.fr/contenus/saint/7689/Sainte-Anthuse.html
Saint Anthusa
· Century: 8th & 9th Century
· Patronage: Convents, Abbeys
· Feast Day: July 27th
St. Anthusa was the daughter of the Iconoclast emperor
Constantine Corpronymos. She and her brother, the future emperor Leo were
born twins in 750. The Empress suffered very much with their birth so her
father summoned Abbess Anthusa of Mantinea from Prison and asked for her
prayers. The Abbess predicted the bith of the twins and their fate, and
the daughter was named in her honor.
When she grew up, the emperor began to urge her to
marry. But from her youth St. anthusa yearned for monasticism and would
not agree with his suggestions. She waited until after the death of her
father, and used all of her personal property to help the poor and
orphaned. He brother Emperor Leo’s wife, treated her with love and esteem
and invited her to be co-regent. St. Ann did not accept as she did not
want worldly honors. Being at court, she wore clothes beffiting her
position as an Emperor’s daughter, but underneath her finery, she wore pagan
clothing.
St. Anthusa founded the Omonia Monastery in Constantinople,
known specifically for its strict rule. St. Anthusa was herself and
example of humility. She did hard work, she cleaned the Church and
carried water. She never sat at the table during meals, but instead
served her Sisters. She saw to it that no one left the monastery uncared
for. She was a humble and gentle soul, who lived to the age of fifty-two,
and died peacefully in 801.
Practical Take Away
St. Anthusa was born into a noble, royal family.
She had every birth right to keep her place in society as a noble woman.
She however, did not desire the things of this world, but rather that of
God. She waited for her father to pass, and founded a monastery, giving
her riches to the poorest of the poor, and served those in her Convent.
She shows us that if we stay in tune with God’s Will for us, we can find the
peace and happiness we desire. In many cases, it is not in ways we think,
but what God wills for us – that we find true happiness and peace in our
lives. Through the intercession of St. Anthusa, we can find the Will of
God in our lives, if only we call upon her assistance.
SOURCE : http://www.newmanconnection.com/faith/saint/saint-anthusa
Saint Anthusa of Constantinople
Venerable Anthusa of Constantinople
The holy princess Anthusa of Constantinople was the
daughter of the Iconoclast emperor Constantine Copronymos (reigned 741-775) and
his third wife Eudokia. She and her twin brother, the future emperor Leo the
Khazar (775-780), were born on January 25, 750.
Constantine had tortured the holy Abbess Anthusa of
Mantinea (July 27) because she venerated the holy icons. During a campaign in
Paphlagonia, he had her brought before him again, promising her even harsher
torments if she did not come around to his way of thinking. She remained
steadfast in defending the icons, however. Constantine told her that his wife
was having difficulty in her pregnancy, and he asked her to pray for the
empress. She agreed to do so, and told him that the children would be born
safely, and even spoke about their future life.
Empress Eudokia's daughter was given the name Anthusa,
in thanksgiving for the safe delivery of the twins. When Saint Anthusa's
prediction was fulfilled, she was allowed to return to her convent, where she
died at a ripe old age.
When she grew up, the emperor began to urge his
daughter to marry. But from her youth Saint Anthusa yearned for monasticism and
refused to consider his suggestions. After the death of her father, she shared
her possessions with the poor, and used her wealth to adorn many churches. She
became a mother to orphans, and was also a protector of widows. She devoted herself
entirely to a life of piety, constantly offering prayers to the Lord and
reading the Holy Scriptures. The devout empress Irene (780-802), wife of Leo
the Khazar, regarded Saint Anthusa with love and esteem and invited her to be a
co-regent. Saint Anthusa, however, did not desire any worldly honors. Since she
lived at the palace, she wore clothes befitting her position as an emperor's
daughter, but underneath her finery she wore a hair-shirt.
Desiring a life of solitary asceticism, Anthusa
entered the monastery of Saint Euthymia, and received the monastic tonsure from
Saint Tarasius, the Patriarch of Constantinople (Feb. 25). She founded the
Omonia (Concord, or Charity) monastery at Constantinople, which was known for
its strict Rule. Saint Anthusa was an example of humility to the other nuns.
She did hard work, she cleaned the church, and carried water. She never sat at
the table during meals, but served the sisters instead. She made sure that no
one left the monastery in need.
The humble and gentle ascetic lived until the age of
fifty-two, and died peacefully in 801. Other sources say she reposed in 808
when she was fifty-seven.
SOURCE : https://www.oca.org/saints/all-lives/2007/04/12
Sant' Antusa di Costantinopoli Vergine, principessa imperiale
Costantinopoli, 750 ca. – 801
In data odierna il Martyrologium Romanum commemora la santa principessa Antusa, vergine, figlia dell’imperatore iconoclasta Costantino V Coprònimo. Sant’Antusa aiutò i poveri, liberò gli schiavi, costruì chiese e monasteri e ricevette l’abito monastico dal santo vescovo Tarasio. La tradizione orientale la vuole anche morta martire, ma questa versione dei fatti non è contemplata dal martirologio latino.
Martirologio Romano: A Costantinopoli, santa Antusa, vergine, che, figlia dell’imperatore Costantino Copronimo, si adoperò con ogni mezzo nell’aiutare i poveri, nel riscattare gli schiavi, nel riparare le chiese e nel costruire monasteri e ricevette la veste monacale dal vescovo san Tarasio.
Figlia dell’imperatore d’Oriente Costantino V Copronimo e dell’imperatrice Irene, alla nascita le fu dato il nome di Antusa in omaggio alla santa omonima dell’Onoriade, venerata il 27 luglio, fondatrice di monasteri maschili e femminili, che perseguitata a causa dell’iconoclastia, aveva poi vaticinato il felice esito della difficile gravidanza gemellare dell’imperatrice.
La principessa Antusa nacque verso il 750 a Costantinopoli e rimase ben presto orfana della madre, rimanendo insieme al fratello gemello Leone, alla corte dell’empio padre.
Costantino V Copronimo (718-775), imperatore d’Oriente dal 741 al 755, figlio di Leone III l’Isaurico, sin dall’inizio del suo regno, ripristinò il prestigio imperiale, riconquistando lo Stato dall’usurpatore Artavasde, combatté gli Arabi e salvò Costantinopoli la capitale, attaccata dai Bulgari, vincendoli nel 755 ad Anchialo; riportò anche successi sugli Slavi.
In Occidente le cose non andarono bene, perse nel 751, ad opera dei Longobardi, l’esarcato di Ravenna; l’intervento poi di re Pipino e di Carlo Magno, fecero tramontare i suoi progetti di riconquista della Penisola Italiana, inoltre i dissidi religiosi con il Papato provocarono la rottura con Roma.
Se all’interno dell’Impero, la sua politica amministrativa fruttò una reale prosperità alla monarchia, d’altra parte la questione dell’iconoclastia, turbò profondamente il suo regno.
Il Concilio di Hieria del 754, condannò il culto delle immagini e l’imperatore ne pose in atto i deliberati con un rigore, che dopo la congiura del 765, ebbe carattere di persecuzione.
I monaci più degli altri furono colpiti e ciò valse a Costantino V da parte degli avversari, insultanti soprannomi (Copronimo, da kópros, sterco; staffiere).
Antusa non condivise le posizioni del padre e rinunziando al matrimonio, dedicò la sua vita al servizio di Cristo; quando nel 775 Costantino V morì e gli successe l’altro figlio e fratello di Antusa con il nome di Leone IV, la principessa distribuì le sue ricchezze ai poveri, restaurando chiese, edificando monasteri e riscattando schiavi.
Quando anche Leone IV morì nel 780, sua moglie Irene, diventò reggente per il figlio minore Costantino VI e offrì alla cognata Antusa di associarsi a lei nel governo dell’Impero.
Ma Antusa ormai era tutta di Dio e preferì rifiutare, continuando nelle sue pratiche di carità, occupandosi soprattutto delle vedove e degli orfani, provvedendo alla loro educazione a sue spese, finché nel 784 ricevette l’abito monacale dal patriarca san Tarasio, nel monastero della Concordia di Costantinopoli, dove trascorse gli ultimi suoi anni, svolgendo anche i servizi più umili e assistendo con amore le consorelle.
Morì a quasi 52 anni nell’801; la tradizione orientale la considera anche come martire, ma questo titolo non è riconosciuto dal Martirologio latino; è celebrata sia in Oriente che in Occidente, il 18 aprile.
Autore: Antonio Borrelli
