The life of the holy '''empress''', St. and right-believing Empress '''Theodora of Arta''' and all Epiros, was the wife of [[Wikipedia:Michael II Komnenos Doukas|Michael II Komnenos Doukas]] (, who reigned 1231 - 1267-/68). She is commemorated by the Church on [[March 11]].

There is no doubt that Theodora is as much a historical figure as she is a [[saint ]] of the church. It is estimated that Theodora was born ca. 1225 as '''Theodora Dukaina Petraliphaina'''. She married Michael II Komnenos Dukas Notho Angelos shortly after he became ruler of Epiros ca. 1231 (an illegal about the age by our standards and possibly even the Byzantium standardsof 6) and through this marriage they had six children, including Anna (Agnes) Komnenodukaina, Lady of Kalamata and Clermont, who married Prince Guillaume II de Villehardouin of Achaea and then Nicholas II of Saint-Omer, Lord of Achaia.

Her Orthodox story commences when she She entered [[monasticism ]] after being widowed ca. 1267 or 1268. She is closely associated /8, similarly to St. [[Athanasia of Aegina]] and St. [[Theodora of Thessalonica|Theodora of Thessalonike]]; and like . Like St. [[Matrona of Chios]], [[Thomais of Lesbos]] and St. [[Mary the Younger]] , she suffered abuse at the hands of her husband.

She founded a convent in Arta and her attributes are described by her [[iconographer ]] as ascetical [[ascetic]]al and charitable.

Theodora forenew foreknew the time of her death , and her tomb attracted popular [[veneration ]] soon after her death and continues to do so to this present day.

*Topical Saint of the [[Metropolis of Arta]].

==SourceSources==*[http://www.doaks.org/HolyWomen/talbch10.pdf The Life of St. Theodora of Arta(PDF)] extract from the ''Holy Women of Byzantium (DOAKS)*[http://www.eortologio.gr/data/bios.php/?id=1999 Icon of St. Theodora of Arta] from "Eortologio" a website Ten Saints' Lives in GreekEnglish Translation''*[http://genealogy.euweb.cz/byzant/byzant4.html Family Tree The Angelos family] including Theodora Dukaina Petraliphaina](A1, B1, C7, D5)