Golindouch, Golindukht, Golindokht, or Dolindokht (Greek Γολινδούχ, Γολιανδοὺχ) (died 591) was a noble Persian lady who converted to Christianity, took the name Maria, and became a saint and martyr.

Golindouch
Maria
BornGolindouch
Hillah, Sasanian Empire
Died591
Mabbog (Hierapolis Bambyce)
FeastJuly 13

She converted from Zoroastrianism to Christianity in the reign of Khosrau I.[1] She was persecuted and tortured under Khosrau I and Hormizd IV, and later she died in the Roman city of Mabbog (Hierapolis Bambyce) in 591.

Sources

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There is a Passion in Greek by Eustratios of Constantinople, which may be based on a lost version by Stephen of Hierapolis written in Syriac shortly after her death.[2] The author of this document writes that he heard the facts from persons acquainted with the saint herself, in particular Saint Domitian, her bishop. In Greek, she is known as Αγία Γολινδούχ η Περσίδα που μετονομάστηκε Μαρία, meaning 'Saint Golindouch the Persian who was renamed Maria'. Her feast day is July 13.

There is also a medieval Passion in Georgian.[3]

Theophylact Simocatta discusses Golindouch at length.[4]

Evagrius Scholasticus mentions her briefly in his Ecclesiastical History, referring to Stephen of Hierapolis's Life of Golindouch and called her Golianduch (Γολιανδοὺχ).[5]

Notes

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  1. ^ Michael G. Morony, Iraq after the Muslim Conquest, p. 299
  2. ^ Angelo di Berardino, Patrology, p. 107
  3. ^ Rapp Jr, Stephen H. (2014). The Sasanian world through Georgian eyes: Caucasia and the Iranian Commonwealth in Late Antique Georgian literature. Ashgate. pp. 47, 318. ISBN 9781472425522.
  4. ^ Thérèse Olajos, Les sources de Théophylacte Simocatta historien, p. 67ff
  5. ^ Evagrius Scholasticus, Ecclesiastical History, 6.20

Bibliography

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