Serbian Orthodox Church commemorates Saints Pelagia and Thaïs

The Serbian Orthodox Church and believers observe the feast days of Saint Pelagia of Palestine and Saint Thaïs. Both figures are celebrated in church tradition for their profound transformations from lives of sin to lives of devotion and prayer.

Saint Pelagia, originally from Antioch, was known for her beauty and wealth acquired through a life of sin. Following a sermon by Bishop Non regarding the Last Judgment, she sought baptism, distributed her wealth to the poor, and lived a life of asceticism in Jerusalem under a male name. She died around 461 AD.

Saint Thaïs, hailing from Egypt, also lived a life of worldly indulgence before being moved to repentance following a conversation with the monk Paphnutius. She subsequently entered a monastery and dedicated herself to prayer and asceticism.

In the Orthodox calendar, this day is observed as a fasting day. Other saints commemorated alongside them include Saint Dositheus and Saint Tryphon of Vyatsk.