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The ==Life==What is known of the life of the holy Theodora is from a ''vita'empress''', Stcontained in a fifteenth or sixteenth century manuscript attributed to a monk named Job. In view of the many errors of chronology and genealogy in the ''vita'Theodora of Arta''' and all Epiros, was as well as its style, the wife attribution of [[Wikipedia:Michael II Komnenos Doukas|Michael II Komnenos Doukas]] (reigned 1231 - 1267-68). She is commemorated by the Church on [[March 11]]''vita'' to a Job Iasites has been questioned.

==Life==There is no doubt that Theodora is as much was the daughter of John and Helena Petraliphas. John Petraliphas was a historical figure as she is a saint ''sebastokrator'' and ruler of the churchMacedonia and Thessaly. It Theodora is estimated that Theodora was thought to have been born ca. about 1225 as '''Theodora Dukaina Petraliphaina'''. She married Michael II Komnenos Dukas Doukas Notho Angelos shortly after he became ruler of Epiros ca. about 1231 (an illegal about the age by our standards and possibly even the Byzantium standardsof 6, uncanonical for marriage) and through . Through this marriage they had six children, including Nikephoros I Komnenos Doukas, 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.  She was noted as a person who was not carried away with her new position as empress nor with her luxurious life. Early in their marriage, Michael II became enamored by a noblewoman, causing Michael to reject Theodora. She was banished under a decree that she was not to be supported. She existed in exile by living "off the land" in the open for five years, nobly enduring her life without complaint. During her exile she maintained her virtue, although reduced to picking wild greens for food and while caring for her son whom she bore in exile. A priest from the village of Preniste found her while she was collecting wild greens, and after getting her to identify herself, he took her, with her son, under his care and concealed her until court officials drove the wicked noblewoman out and returned Michael to his senses. Michael then took Theodora back into his house. Until Michael died, the couple lived virtuously in peace and love, raising their family of children. Michael established two monasteries, Pantanassa and Panagia, while Theodora founded a women's monastery dedicated to the great martyr George, that later was named for St. Theodora.

Her Orthodox story commences when she entered monasticism after being widowed ca. After the death of her husband, about 1267 or 1268, Theodora entered monasticism and lived a pious life of praying, attending vigils, serving orphans and widows, and the other nuns. She is closely associated to Stwith Ss. [[Athanasia of Aegina]] and St. [[Theodora of Thessalonica|Theodora of Thessalonike]]; and like St, as well as Ss. [[Matrona of Chios]], [[Thomais of Lesbos]] , and St. [[Mary the Younger]] she who like her suffered abuse at the hands of her husbandtheir husbands.

She founded a convent in Arta and Theodora foresaw the time of her death; her attributes are described by tomb attracted popular [[veneration]] soon after her iconographer as ascetical death and charitablecontinues to do so to this day.

Theodora forenew the time ==See also==*[[Metropolis of her death and her tomb attracted popular veneration soon after her death and continues to do so to this present day.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)