Righteous Nonna of Nazianzus

IMPORTANT MERGE NOTE: the card nonna_of_gaza has been merged into this one — thorough searching (Russian, Greek, and English sources, including the complete Synaxarion and Sinai Patericon) found no independent saint "Nonna of Gaza"; every result led back to Nonna of Nazianzus, and the merged card's previously listed date ("July 9") did not match any saint of that name on that day. Visual inspection of the merged card's images confirmed contamination: one image turned out to be an icon of Equal-to-the-Apostles Nino, Enlightener of Georgia (!), another an icon of an entirely different, newly-glorified Russian New Martyr ("Hieromartyr Barbara Chernysheva" of Votkinsk, d. 1919) — neither was carried over. The category "righteous" is confirmed correct — Nonna was a married laywoman (later a deaconess), not a nun, so not "venerable."

Righteous Nonna was the daughter of the pious Philtatus and Gorgonia (aunt of St. Amphilochius of Iconium). She married Gregory, a wealthy pagan landowner (a Hypsistarian, worshipping the "Most High God" with elements of Jewish and fire-cult worship). Through prayer and persistence she converted him to Christ; he was baptized, ordained presbyter, and then became Bishop of Nazianzus. Nonna herself was made a deaconess, devoting herself to charity and prayer. She raised three children who became saints — St. Gregory the Theologian, Caesarius, and Venerable Gorgonia.

She outlived her husband by several months, dying at prayer in church in 374. Five members of her family are canonized by the Church.

Her feast is kept on August 5/18.