Martyr Myropia (Meropia) of Chios

IMPORTANT CORRECTION: the category has been corrected from "righteous" to "martyr" — Myropia suffered torture and execution for her faith.

Martyr Myropia was born in Ephesus, lost her father early in life, and was raised in the Christian faith by her mother. She frequently visited the tomb of Martyr Hermione (daughter of the Apostle Philip) in Ephesus, where she collected the myrrh flowing from the relics and used it to heal the sick — hence her name. During the persecution of Emperor Decius (249–251) she and her mother fled to the island of Chios, where they lived in fasting and prayer.

On Chios, the soldier Isidore, a man of deep faith, was tortured to death by the island's governor; Myropia secretly took and buried his body, which the guards discovered. She openly confessed her faith and what she had done, for which she was subjected to cruel torture (beaten and dragged across the island) and imprisoned. At midnight in her cell she was granted a vision of Isidore surrounded by angels, who announced her approaching martyrdom and heavenly reward; she died shortly after, and her cell, according to tradition, filled with fragrance. The pagan guard who witnessed this vision was so struck that he believed in Christ and was himself later martyred for confessing His name.

Her feast is kept on December 2/15.