Right-Believing
Right-Believing Right-Believing Empress Pulcheria
399–453
Also known as: Элия Пульхерия
Right-Believing Empress Pulcheria — a Byzantine empress-regent who vowed virginity and convened the Third and contributed to the Fourth Ecumenical Councils against the Nestorian and Monophysite heresies.
Pulcheria, daughter of Emperor Arcadius, became co-ruler and regent for her young brother Theodosius II (reigned 408-450). Together with her sisters she vowed perpetual virginity and ruled with piety and political wisdom, suppressing court intrigues and heresies.
After Theodosius II's death (450), she married the general Marcian on condition that her vow of virginity be preserved (a spiritual, essentially celibate union), thereby securing a legitimate succession without breaking her vow.
She convened and presided over the Third Ecumenical Council at Ephesus (431) against the heresy of Nestorius, who rejected the title Theotokos for the Virgin Mary, and actively contributed to convening the Fourth Ecumenical Council at Chalcedon (451) against the Monophysite heresy of Eutyches, championed by Dioscorus of Alexandria.
She built churches to the Theotokos in Constantinople, including at Blachernae (which housed the Mother of God's robe) and at the Hodegon; recovered and honored the relics of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste; and secured the return and honorable burial of St. John Chrysostom's relics in the capital. She founded hospitals and pilgrim hostels and distributed her wealth to the poor and the Church. She died peacefully in 453, at the age of 54.