St. Anna Simone, the brave queen of Constantinople, friend of beasts, and righteous anchorite is a worthy of example of what it means to trust in God with all and in all that we have. She willingly gave up her status, comfort, and even others' perception of her in pursuit of a relationship with the Almighty One.
Written by Klara Sefen
She was born in the 7th century to a royal and faithful family in Rome. Her father was the King of Constantinople, who brought her up in the fear of God.
Although she was raised in a palace with many riches, the humble saint avoided indulging in said fortunes by obtaining the bare necessities. When her parents departed in peace, St. Anna Simone was anointed queen against her will. Although everyone rejoiced at her rule, the humble queen desired to dedicate her life to God.
One night, she decided to leave the kingdom, keeping the gates of her palace open, and praying to God that He may keep the gates of His mercies, of Heaven, open to her. She headed our of her palace to the wilderness, where she will find solitude, a deeper relationship with God, and the many wild beasts who will later become friends. St. Anna Simon is known for her love, her strength and bravery, her love for studying the Bible, her avoidance of glorification and praise, and her toil for humility.
St. Anna Simone chose to live among the nuns at the convent, not as a nun, but as a lowly servant, ensuring no one would find about her true identity by pretending to be insane. She would spend her days cleaning and maintaining the convent's facilities, singing and praising the Lord in her heart every minute of the day. As soon as she saw anyone coming, she would revert to being tongue-tied and behaving irrationally. She accepted being debased, mistreated, and insulted on a daily basis, if it meant growing closer to the Almighty One who endured many things for our sake here on earth to grant us salvation in heaven.
St. Anna Simone's humility, in particular, stood out to me among her many noble virtues, because she reminded me of the Holy Theotokos Saint Mary, the Mother of God. When the angel appeared to St. Mary and told her she was going to be bear Jesus Christ in her womb, she did not go around, bragging about the message she received or about her becoming the Mother of the Almighty. She was humble and wise. I see this same humility and wisdom in St. Anna Simone.
Every person you meet is Christ in disguise. Bear that in mind throughout your daily interactions. Keep Christ in your heart and allow Him to bless how you see others, to reveal Himself in everything that you do.
St. Anna Simone's story is one of faith, strength, and strife. Read more here: http://anchorites.tripod.com/anasimon.html
May the prayers and blessings of St. Anna Simone the Brave Queen be with us all, amen.
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