Saint Who?
Saints Who Studied Law
Saint Pulcheria of Constantinople
Married laywoman († 453) Feast: September 10
Pulcheria was born in 399 in Constantinople to the Roman emperor Arcadius. When her father died, the fifteen-year-old Pulcheria was given the imperial title Augusta and essentially served as empress until her younger brother was old enough to govern. Pulcheria took a vow of virginity at the same time, probably to clarify her role as regent for her brother, but she was a devout, modest young woman and kept that vow for the rest of her life.
This Byzantine princess was a force to be reckoned with. While some scholars argue that teenaged Pulcheria had an advisory body to help her govern, she was an intelligent woman and a vigorous and conscientious leader in her own right. Her brother, however, did not care much about the law or the business of being emperor. To teach him a lesson, Pulcheria wrote up a decree to put herself to death; her lazy brother signed it without reading it. One can almost imagine her lecturing him about the importance of just laws and his own responsibilities as she tore up the decree.
Her brother eventually became emperor. After his sudden death, Pulcheria entered into a chaste marriage with Marcian, a Roman tribune. He ruled justly as emperor alongside the wise Pulcheria until her death.
Creator God, help us to live out our vocations
with intentionality and devotion.
