St. Xenia of Rome icon

Orthodox Icon of Saint Xenia of Rome. Commemorated January 24. This Orthodox Icon shows Saint Xenia of Rome who was the only daughter of a Roman senator. From her youth she loved God, and wished to avoid marriage which had been arranged for her. She secretly left her parental home with two servants devoted to her. Through God's Providence when she set sail she met the head of the monastery of the holy Apostle Andrew in Milassa, a town of Caria (Asia Minor) who took her to Milassa. She changed her name, calling herself Xenia [which means stranger or foreigner in Greek]. At Milassa she bought land, built a church dedicated to St Stephen, and founded a woman's monastery. Soon after this, Bishop Paul of Milassa made Xenia a deaconess, because of her virtuous life. The saint helped everyone: for the destitute, she was a benefactress; for the grief-stricken, a comforter; for sinners, a guide to repentance. She possessed a deep humility, accounting herself the worst and most sinful of all. In