Therasia of Nola

Therasia was a Christian aristocrat from Spain.[1] Through her marriage to Paulinus of Nola she was influential in the early church, co-writing epistles and co-patron of the cult of St Felix with her husband.[2]

Early life

Therasia was born in Spain in the fourth century AD. She married Paulinus at a time soon after 381 AD, when he had moved to Gaul.[3] Therasia was a wealthy and devout Christian of "irreproachable character",[4] whose faith had a profound effect on her husband. By 389, Paulinus had also converted to Christianity and the couple moved to Spain.

Therasia was living with her husband in Spain between 389 to 394.[5][6] They owned property together and it was her wealth that supported much of their life together.[7] Shortly after the move to Spain, their only child, a son called Celsus, died aged 8 days old.[8] The death of their son appears to have made them embrace a more ascetic and spiritual life and by 395 they had retreated to Paulinus' estates at Nola.[9] It has been suggested that from this point on Therasia and Paulinus' marriage became platonic and they focussed on a 'marriage of friendship'.[10] St Jerome encouraged them in this self-denial through his correspondence with them.[4]

Religious life

Religious men in the late antique period wrote letters (epistles) to each other forming a fertile social network of debate. Women, such as Therasia were also part of that network of discussion, and also included: Melania the Elder, Paulina the wife of Pammachius, Amanda the wife of Aper, Galla wife of Eucherius.[9] Educated women had huge influence in the expansion of the Christian church, particularly in encouraging husbands to convert.[11]

Many ascetic communities were managed by "husband-and-wife" or "spiritual brother/sister" partnerships in the Late Antique period.[12] in It was here in Nola that Paulinus and Therasia wrote letters to other theologians together, founded a monastery and both became patrons of the cult of St Felix.[13]

Cimitile tomb of Felix of Nola

St Augustine praised the holiness of Therasia: "in te uno resalutamus" which translates as "in return, we salute her in you alone", meaning that although Therasia's holiness is praised - it is praised in terms of Paulinus' holiness.[14]

Gifts were an important exchange between Christians. Therasia jointly gave the gift of a piece of the relic of the True Cross to Sulpicius to give thanks for the churches he had built. The relic had been given to Therasia and Paulinus by Melania the Elder.[4] Augustine of Hippo gave the gift of a loaf of bread for eucharist to Therasia and Paulinus as a "token of unity" between them.[15]

Literary life

Therasia was co-author with her husband of several letters, including 'Epistles' 3-4, 6-7, 24, 26, 39-40, 43-5.[7] She also corresponded with other religious figures alongside her husband, including being Augustine of Hippo's first female correspondent. Letters between them include: Epistula 24 to Alypius, Epistula 25 to Augustine, Epsitula 30 to Augustine, received Epistula 31 from Augustine, Epistula 32 to Romanianus, Epistula 42 from Augustine, Epistula 45 from Augustine and Alypius, Epistula 80 from Augustine, Epistula 94 to Augustine, Epistula 95 from Augustine. She is also mentioned in Jerome's letters 58.2.6 and 118.5.[7]

Death

Therasia died between 408-10.[4] After her death, Paulinus was ordained as Bishop of Nola.[16] After his death they were interred in a double-tomb in the church of St Felix.[17]

References
  1. Knight, G R (2005). "Friendship & Erotics in the Late Antique verse-epistle". Rheinisches Museum für Philogie: 383. JSTOR 41234645.
  2. Wieser, Veronika (2016). ""Like a safe tower on a steady rock". Widows, wives and mothers in the ascetic elites of Late Antiquity". Časopis Filozofskog Fakulteta, Sveučilište Jurja Dobrile U Puli. 14: 10.
  3. Conybeare, Catherine. "The Expression of Christianity: themes from the letters of Nola" (PDF). Collections Canada. University of Toronto. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  4. "Paulinus, bishop of Nola". Christian Classics Ethereal Library. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  5. dates of letters between Paulinus and Ausonius, rhaetor of Bordeaux
  6. Knight, G R (2005). "Friendship & Erotics in the Late Antique verse-epistle". Rheinisches Museum für Philogie: 364. JSTOR 41234645.
  7. Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press. 1971. p. 909. ISBN 0521072336.
  8. "Paulinus of Nola". Franciscan Media. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  9. Conybeare, Catherine. "The Expression of Christianity: themes from the letters of Nola" (PDF). Collections Canada. University of Toronto. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  10. Nauman, Jonathan. "Alternative Saints: Eucherius, Paulinus of Nola, and Henry Vaughan's Silex Scintillans". The Seventeenth Century. 26:2: 264–78.
  11. Frend, W (1969). "Paulinus of Nola and the Last Century of the Western Empire". The Journal of Roman Studies. 59 (1/2): 5. doi:10.2307/299842. JSTOR 299842.
  12. Wieser, Veronika. ""Like a safe tower on a steady rock". Widows, wives and mothers in the ascetic elites of Late Antiquit". HRCAK. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
  13. Conybeare, Catherine. "The Expression of Christianity: themes from the letters of Nola" (PDF). Collections Canada. University of Toronto. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  14. Conybeare, Catherine. Paulinus Noster. Oxford University Press. p. 83.
  15. Prusak, B (1980). "The Theology of the Local Church in Historical Development". Proceedings of the Catholic Theological Society of America: 293. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  16. Frend, W (1969). "Paulinus of Nola and the Last Century of the Western Empire". The Journal of Roman Studies. 59 (1/2): 8. doi:10.2307/299842. JSTOR 299842.
  17. Korol, Dieter (1989). "Architekturdarstellungen in der Aula uber dem Felixgrab in Cimitile/Nola". Publications de l'École Française de Rome: 1330. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
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