Olympias lived in the late 4th and early 5th centuries. She was rich. She was really rich. In fact, she was really REALLY rich! First off, Olympias was left an orphan (an only-child orphan, at that), and inherited the immense fortunes of both parents. Then, at a tender age, Olympias married high up in the Emperor’s circle–to a man who was the Imperial Treasurer! Then–within 21 days, her husband was dead and she inherited all of his considerable estate! Rich Rich RICH.

A rich and young widow, no pesky in-laws, no pesky children–this made Olympias an astoundingly desirable catch for a wife. And no less a person than the Emperor Theodosius himself got in on the match-making! It was the Emperor’s idea that Olympias should marry into his family–some close relative of his that was then living in Spain.

Olympias, however, had her own ideas–and another marriage held no appeal to her whatsoever.

The Emperor concluded that Olympias was clearly out of her mind. Three times he offered up his kinsman, and three times Olympias declined! So if Olympias was this unhinged, then she was clearly too unhinged to manage her finances, too! Thus, in an attempt to assert his Imperial will against an uppity woman, Theodosius turned over the administration of her financial holdings to the prefect of Constantinople…until such time as she should come to her senses (or grow to an age when she would no longer be marriageable).

Olympias’ response to the Emperor, however, was most unexpected to him. Butler reports of Olympias:

She told the Emperor that she was obliged to own his goodness in easing her of the heavy burden of managing and disposing of her own money; and that the favour would be complete if he would order her whole fortune to be divided between the poor and the Church.

In fact, because these kinds of interchanges were not secret (then as now) at that level of Important People, Emperor Theodosius more or less had to back off from asserting that Olympias was out of her mind (especially with the Church likely salivating over this unexpected windfall!). So he saved face by creating an inquiry team to explore the condition of Olympias’ mind and–amazingly!–she was declared sane after all, and the control of her fortune was restored to Olympias!

The story doesn’t stop here (had it, she wouldn’t have been a saint). Now back in charge of her funds, Olympias proceeded to disperse them among the poor and–not the Church–poor, small-c churches. Alas for the institution, Olympias chose to live a simple, austere life and focused her efforts and resources primarily upon the poor! Butler writes:

Her dress was mean, her furniture poor, her prayers assiduous and fervent, and her charities without bounds. These St. Chrysostom compares to a river which is open to all, and diffuses its waters to the bounds of the earth, and into the ocean itself. The most distant towns, isles, and deserts received plentiful supplies by her liberalities, and she settled whole estates upon remote destitute churches.

Imagine: charities like a river open to all, reaching throughout the known world. 

Saint Olympias. Divine in every way.