Margaret Pelagius

Who they were

Pelagia, more often called Margaret for her famous pearls, was in the story an actress of Antioch whose beauty and way of life were notorious. Converted by the preaching of Bishop Nonnus of Edessa, she was baptised, gave her goods to the poor, and left the city dressed as a man.

She lived as a hermit on the Mount of Olives, known as Pelagius the beardless monk, and her sex was only discovered at her death. Butler says the whole story must be set aside as a religious romance, built on a sermon of St John Chrysostom about an unnamed actress of Antioch and confused with a real virgin martyr, Pelagia of Antioch.

The miracles

There was never a formal cause: she has been honoured as a saint since before the Church's formal processes began.

Why that counted as sanctity

The penitent actress of the Antioch legend, also known as Margaret.

Connected on this site

• John Chrysostom Saint
  “Butler says the whole story must be set aside as a religious romance, built on a sermon of St John Chrysostom about an unnamed actress of Antioch and confused with a real virgin martyr, Pelagia of Antioch.” — this site's research