Prominent Contemporary Women As Well as Great Women In History
Below is a compilation of some of the world's most powerful, most talented, most influential as well as most intelligent women. This is to dispel any misconceptions that some may have that women being the gentler sex are less endowed with intelligence, talent or creative prowess. It is difficult for me to understand how Muslims believe their prophet who teaches them according to the hadeeth that “women are morally, physically, intellectually and emotionally deficient.” In my opinion, if women are capable of achieving sainthood and winning Nobel prizes in various areas of human endeavor then they are capable of anything…
Check out the Forbes List of The World's 100 Most Powerful Women of which I pic:k one very smart lady Anne Lauvergeon: (born August 2, 1959 in Dijon , Côte-d'Or , France ), is a French businesswoman , and former CEO of Areva .
There are many women that have been awarded the Nobel prize in various fields:
The Nobel Prize in Physics1963 1903 2018Donna Strickland co winner The Nobel Prize in Chemistry2009 1935 1911 The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine2018 Co winner of Nobel Prize in Chemistry Frances Arnold 2009 2004 1995 1988 1986 1983 1977 1947 The Nobel Prize in Literature2009 2007 2004 1996 1993 1991 1966 1945 1938 1928 1926 1909 The Nobel Peace Prize2004 2003 1997 1992 1991 1982 1979 1976 1976 1946 1931 1905 The Prize in Economic Sciences2009
Great Orthodox Female Saints:
St. Tatiana of Rome – (Commemorated on January 12): St. Tatiana lived in the 3 rd Century AD and was martyred for her faith in Christ. St. Maria of Alexandria (Commemorated on February 12) – St. Photini , the Samaritan Woman (Commemorated on March 20 (also commemorated on February 26 & the “Sunday of the Samaritan Woman”): St. Photini lived in first century Palestine. She was the Samaritan woman who Christ visited at the well asking her for water. Thrown by Roman emperor Nero down a well for refusing to renounce Christ and offer sacrifice to idols . Eudokia the Martyr of Heliopolis - (Commemorated on March 1) This Saint, who was from Heliopolis of Phoenicia (Baalbek in present-day Lebanon), was an idolater and led a licentious life. Being beautiful beyond telling, she had many lovers, and had acquired great riches. Yet brought to repentance by a monk named Germanus, and baptized by Bishop Theodotus, she distributed to the poor all her ill-gotten gains, and entered a convent, giving herself up completely to the life of asceticism. Her former lovers, enraged at her conversion, her refusal to return to her old ways, and the withering away of her beauty through the severe mortifications she practiced, betrayed her as a Christian to Vincent the Governor, and she was beheaded, according to some, under Trajan, who reigned from 98 to 117, according to others, under Hadrian, who reigned from 117 to 138. Matrona of Thessaloniki (March 27) This martyr was the servant of a certain Jewish woman named Pantilla, the wife of the Governor of Thessalonica. When Matrona refused to follow her mistress into the synagogue Pantilla beat her so severly that she died in a few days, and thus received the crown of her confession. St. Mary of Egypt (Commemorated on April 1). She was born in Egypt and lost her chastity as a young girl and lived an unrestrained and insatiable sensual life. When she was about 30 she visited the Holy Cross in Jerusalem and repented of her sins. She lived the rest of her life in repentance in the Jordanian desert for about 47 years. Agape, Chionia, & Irene, the Holy Martyrs ( April 16 ) When the Emperor Diocletian was at Aquileia, he learned that these Saints were Christians, and had them brought before him. Because they would not deny Christ, he had them imprisoned, and when he went into Macedonia, he committed them to Dulcitius the Prefect, who, however, lost his understanding and became incapable of doing them any harm. Diocletian then gave Count Sisinius charge over them. He had Saints Agape and Chionia burned; he ordered that Saint Irene be put in a brothel, but by the providence of God this was not accomplished, and she was shot with an arrow. These holy sisters suffered martyrdom in Thessalonica in the year 295. Elizabeth the Wonderworker (April 24) Saint Elizabeth was born in Heraclea of Thrace. She lived in virginity and exhausted herself with ascetical labours and every kind of hardship from the time of her youth, and was deemed worthy of the grace of wonderworking from God; she reposed in peace in Constantinople in the middle of the fifth century. Theodosia the Virgin-Martyr of Tyre (May 29) The holy Virgin Martyr Theodosia was born in Tyre of Phoenicia. At the age of eighteen she was seized in Caesarea of Palestine during a persecution and was brought before Urban the ruler. Because she refused to offer sacrifice to the idols, her sides and breasts were mercilessly scraped even to the inward parts and bones. She endured this in silence with astonishing courage. When Urban again asked her to sacrifice, she mocked him, and after being tormented even more horribly than before, she was cast into the sea in the year 308.
St. Pelagia of Antioch , Virgin & Martyr (Commemorated on June 9 ) St. Pelagia (meaning “of the sea”) was a fifteen year old Christian who lived in Antioch in the fourth century. Soldiers came in search of her, evidently during the Diocletian persecution, in order to force her to offer sacrifice to idols. She was alone in the house, and no one came forward to help her. She appeared before the soldiers, but when she learned of the order they had to execute, she requested permission to go into her house in order to put on other clothing. Knowing that she would be dishonored by the soldiers, she went up to the roof of the house and threw herself into the sea. She was the subject of two sermons written by St. John Chrysostom. St. Veronica , a Woman Healed by Christ (Commemorated on July 12) According to Tradition, St. Veronica was the woman with the issue of blood, who received healing by touching the hem of Christ's robe (Mt. 9:20). Marina the Great Martyr of Antioch (July 17) This Martyr lived during the reign of Claudius II (268-270). She was from Pisidia of Cilicia and was the only daughter of a certain priest of the idols. On being orphaned by her mother, she was handed over to a certain woman who instructed her in the Faith of Christ. When she was fifteen years old, she was apprehended by the ruler of Olmbrius, and when asked her name, homeland, and faith, she answered: "My name is Marina; I am the offspring of the Pisidia; I call upon the Name of my Lord Jesus Christ." Because of this she endured bonds, imprisonment, and many whippings, and was finally beheaded in the year 270. Saint Marina is especially invoked for deliverance from demonic possession.
St. Anthusa of Syria (Commemorated on August 22) St. Anthusa, a native of the city of Seleucia, Syria, was the daughter of illustrious pagans. Learning of the teachings of Christ, under pretense of visiting her benefactress, she traveled instead to Tarsus to St. Athanasius and received Baptism from him. Her parents were enraged at their daughter for becoming a Christian. She received monastic tonsure from St. Athanasius, then settled in the desert, where she spent 33 years at ascetic deeds. She died at the end of the third century while she was praying. The Martyrs Charisimos and Neophytus, who had been baptized together with St. Anthusa, were her servants, and they too accepted death for Christ. Sophia & her three daughters: Faith, Hope, and Love ( September 17) These Saints were from Italy and contested for the Faith about the year 126, during the reign of the Emperor Hadrian. Faith was twelve years old, Hope, ten, and Love, nine; each was tormented and then beheaded, from the eldest to the youngest. Their mother Sophia mourned at their grave for three days, where she also fell asleep in peace; because of her courageous endurance in the face of her daughters' sufferings, she is also counted a martyr. The name Sophia means "wisdom" in Greek; as for her daughters' names, Faith, Hope, and Love (Charity), they are Pistis, Elpis, and Agape in Greek, and Vera, Nadezhda, and Lyubov in Russian.
St. Pelagia of Tarsus (Commemorated on October 7 (also on May 4)) St. Pelagia of Tarsus in Cilicia (southeastern Asia Minor) lived in the third century during the reign of Emperor Diocletian (284-305) and was the daughter of illustrious pagans. When she heard about Jesus Christ from her Christian friends, she believed in Him and desired to preserve her virginity, dedicating her whole life to the Lord. Emperor Diocletian ordered that Pelagia be burned in a red-hot oven after she refused to be his wife.
Commemorated on October 25 St. Tabitha was a virtuous and kindly woman who belonged to the Christian community in Joppa. She was known for her good deeds and almsgiving. Having become grievously ill, she suddenly died. At that time, the Apostle Peter was preaching at Lydda, not far from Joppa. Messengers were sent to him with an urgent request for help. When the Apostle arrived at Joppa, Tabitha was already dead. On bended knee, St. Peter made a fervent prayer to the Lord. Then he went to the bed and called out, “Tabitha, get up!” She arose, completely healed (Acts 9:36). St. Tabitha is considered the patron saint of tailors and seamstresses, since she was known for sewing coats and other garments (Acts 9:39). St. Thekla, Protomartyr and Equal to the Apostles Commemorated on September 24 Thekla was born in Iconium (modern Konya, Turkey) to wealthy parents. After having heard St. Paul speak when she was eighteen years of age, she decided she must follow Christ and abandon her plans to marry. When St. Thekla had reached the age of 90, pagans appeared with the purpose of killing her. St. Thekla called on Christ, and a large rock split open, covering her. Thereafter, she offered up her soul to the Lord.
Anastasia the Martyr of Rome (October 29) Saint Anastasia, who was young in age and lived in a convent, was seized by the impious. Confessing Christ openly and with boldness and enduring manifold torments, she was beheaded in the year 256, during the reign of Valerian.
Barbara the Great Martyr (December 4) Saint Barbara was from Heliopolis of Phoenicia and lived during the reign of Maximian. She was the daughter of a certain idolater named Dioscorus. When Barbara came of age, she was enlightened in her pure heart and secretly believed in the Holy Trinity. About this time Dioscorus began building a bath-house; before it was finished he was required to go away to attend to certain matters, and in his absence Barbara directed the workmen to build a third window in addition to the two her Father had commanded. She also inscribed the sign of the Cross with her finger upon the marble of the bath-house, leaving the saving sign cut as deeply into the marble as if it had been done with an iron too. (When the Synaxarion of Saint Barbara was written, the marble of the bath-house and the cross inscribed by Saint Barbara were still preserved, and many healings were worked there.) When Dioscorus returned, he asked why the third window had been added; Barbara began to declare to him the mystery of the Trinity. Because she refused to renounce her faith, Dioscorus tortured Barbara inhumanely, and after subjecting her to many sufferings he beheaded her with his own hands, in the year 290. This page was created by Rami E. Cremesti M.Sc. Last Updated Feb 19, 2019
References:
http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/lists/women.html
http://www.antiochian.org/AW-WomenSaints
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