GOLINDUCH (GOLEN-DOḴT), female Christian martyr (d. 13 July 591). Golinduch (perhaps originally Golān-doḵt, “daughter of roses”) was a Zoroastrian woman of noble birth who was converted to Christianity by some Christian prisoners of war in her husband’s service (see CHRISTIANITY i). After her husband’s death in battle, she was baptized with the name Maria. On failing in his attempt to convert her back to Zoroastrianism, Ḵosrow I (r. 531-79) imprisoned her in the Castle of Oblivion, where she was condemned to death. She was subjected to further tortures under Hormizd IV (r. 579-90), but then, following a miraculous release from prison, she traveled to Nision (?) in Roman territory, where she was venerated as a “living martyr” (so already Evagrius, writing ca. 594, Ecclesiastical History 6.20). After visiting Jerusalem, she came to Hierapolis (Manbej), where she probably died. It was at Hierapolis that she met Ḵosrow II (r. 590-628), in the company of the emperor Maurice’s emissary, Domitian, bishop of Melitene.
Golinduch’s Life was composed shortly after her death by Stephan, bishop of Hierapolis; the original text, now lost, was probably the basis of the Georgian Passion. Extracts from this account are also to be found in a Panegyric written before 602 by Eustratios of Constantinople (Bibliotheca hagiographica Graeca 700-701; Clavis Patrum Graecorum 7521). Short accounts are also to be found in John of Nikiu (History chap. 96), Theophylact Simocatta (History 5.12), and Nikephoros Kallistos (Ecclesiastical History 18.25). She is commemorated in the Synaxarion of the Church of Constantinople on 12 July.
Bibliography:
Jean-Maurice Fiey, “Golinduch,” in Enciclopedia dei Santi: Le Chiese Orientali II, Rome, 1999, pp. 72-73.
Gérard Garitte, “La passion géorgienne de sainte Golinduch: Traduction latine du texte géorgien,” Analecta Bollandiana 74, 1956, pp. 405-40.
Paul Peeters, “Sainte Golinduch, martyre perse (m. 13.7.591),” Analecta Bollandiana 62, 1944, pp. 74-125.
(Sebastian Brock)
Originally Published: December 15, 2001
Last Updated: February 14, 2012
This article is available in print.
Vol. XI, Fasc. 1, pp. 95-96
