Righteous Mary the Younger (of Vizye)

Righteous Mary came from a noble Armenian family that had settled in Constantinople under Emperor Basil I. She married Nikephoros, a droungarios (military officer) who took part in the 894–896 war against Bulgaria and was later posted to the city of Vizye in Thrace. They had four sons, of whom the twins Baanes and Stephen survived (the latter later became the monk Symeon). Mary was renowned for generous charity and for treating servants as family members.

Around 900, her husband's sister and brother, Helena and Alexios, slandered her, accusing her of profligacy and an affair with a servant, Demetrios; her husband placed her under house confinement, extracted false testimony from her maid through torture, and stripped her of household authority. In 902/903, after a distorted report reached him that she had called him "no true Christian but a devil" for breaking a fast, he beat her; fleeing, she struck her head and died of the injury days later.

Fragrance emanated from her body; miracles occurred at her tomb — the healing of a demoniac, protection of the city from attackers — after which her repentant husband built a church in her honor. Her son later translated her incorrupt relics to her father's tomb (927).

Her feast is kept on February 16/March 1.