Melania Junior

Daughter of Senator Valery Pubiccola (originating from an ancient Roman patrician family of Valerians ), who had possessions in Rome , Sicily , Spain , Gaul , Aquitaine , Brittany and North Africa . Mother - Ceionia Albina belonged to the Ceionion family. Melania was led to Christianity by a grandmother, Valeria Publicola’s mother, Melania , who, after her husband’s untimely death, took a vow of chastity, distributed her wealth to the poor, and led an ascetic life in Jerusalem , where she founded a convent.

The father, who saw in the daughter of the heiress and continuer of the clan, against the will of Melania at the age of 14, gave her in marriage to the noble youth of Apianian. From the very beginning of life together, the saint begged her husband to live with her in purity. But under the pressure of his parents, he insisted on having two children to continue the race. The girl died a few years after giving birth, and the boy died immediately after giving birth. Melania falls ill, and, seeing her suffering, Apinian takes a vow of chastity in case of her recovery. Melania is recovering, and Apianian takes a vow, unfortunately to Publikol. However, a few years later, on her deathbed, he asks her forgiveness for the obstacles in chastity, asks to pray for him, and leaves to her all his possessions.

In 406-408 years. Melania and Apinian decide to sell all their properties in Italy to help those in need and to move to North Africa. The relatives made this decision badly, especially Apianian’s brother, who tried in every way to prevent this by filing lawsuits before the tribunals.

Melania, in order to ensure the proper sale of the property, requested the help of the mother-in-law of Emperor Honorius , Serena , who, because of this, subsequently executed the Senate, calling her a traitor to Rome. Indeed, this sale of property was so huge that it destabilized the economy of the Western Roman Empire at a critical moment, when there was an urgent need for monetary resources to finance the army to fight the Goths of Alaric ^{[2] [3]} .

With the money raised from the sale of property, Melania helped many poor, sick, prisoners, many slaves were freed. A lot of funds were used to help churches and monasteries, particularly in Palestine , Syria and Egypt .

During the invasion of Alaric , in 410, Melania, Apinian, Albina and grandmother Melania flee to North Africa and settle on their estate in Tagasta ( Numidia ), where they meet Aurelius Augustine , with whom they have a strong friendship. Melania founded 2 monasteries in Tagasta. Her whole life was devoted to prayer, fasting, helping the poor and sick.

In 417, Melania moves to Palestine with her husband and mother. In Jerusalem, where she lived for twenty-two years, she continued to engage in charity and help the poor, selling her estates in Spain. Founded a large monastery near the Mount of Olives . Here she meets Jerome Stridonsky , becomes his faithful friend and helper. Visits hermit fathers , marveling at the simplicity of their ascetic life.

In December 439, in anticipation of a quick death, Melania went to Bethlehem to take part in the Christmas service. On December 31, Melania calmly dies, pronouncing the words before her death: “As much as it pleased the Lord, this was done” ( Job 1:21 ).

In Jerusalem, near the Church of the Holy Sepulcher , there is a cave of St. Melania, where she labored during her life. It is located under the small monastery of Great Panagia, one of the oldest monasteries of Jerusalem . For some time her relics were located here, which were subsequently taken away by the Crusaders to Venice .

Today, the relics of Saint Melania reside in Rome , Italy , in the church of Santo Stefano Rotondo .