(October 21, October 8 old calendar).

A repentant sinner, St. Thaïsia was an Egyptian by birth. Like St. Pelagia, St. Thaïsia spent her youth in prostitution being set on the way of evil living by her shameless mother. But God the merciful, who desires not that sinners should perish but that they should be saved, found a way in His wonderful providence to save the sinful Thaïsia. One of the disciples of St. Antony the Great, Paphnutius the Sindonite, heard of Thaïsia, of her sinful life and the spiritual poison with which she was poisoning the souls of many, and he decided, with God's help, to save her. Holy Paphnutius, therefore, dressed himself in ordinary clothes, took a gold piece and went to the town. He found Thaïsia and gave her the coin. Thaïsia, thinking that the man had given her the gold piece with evil intent, took Paphnutius off to her room. Then Paphnutius opened his blessed lips and denounced Thaïsia's sin, calling her to repentance. Thaïsia's soul and conscience were roused, and she gave herself to tears of heartfelt repentance. Giving away all her goods to the needy, she went to a monastery of virgins, near to Paphnutius' hermitage, and stayed there for about three years, shut in a cell and living only on bread and water. Just before her death, St. Paphnutius visited her, and made her leave her cell against her will. She quickly fell ill and, after a short illness, gave her purified and sanctified soul to God. St. Paul the Simple, another disciple of St. Antony, saw in a vision in Paradise a most beautiful dwelling prepared for the penitent Thaïsia. This holy soul entered into rest about the year 340.

Thou didst abandon dark ignorance through knowledge of the Faith,/ O Thaisia, fair handmaid of Christ./ Thou wast refreshed by His dew and didst finish thy contest by fire./ O glorious Martyr,/ entreat Christ our God to grant us His great mercy.

Having escaped the fog of sin,/ and having illumined thy heart with the light of penitence,/ 0 glorious one,/ thou didst come to Christ and didst offer to Him/ His immaculate and holy Mother as a merciful intercessor./ Hence thou hast found remission for transgressions,/ and with the Angels thou ever rejoicest.