Susanna the Deaconess

Susanna the Deaconess
Born	3rd century
Died	300s  Eleutheropolis
Occupation	Nun, deaconess

Susanna the Deaconess (Ancient Greek: Σωσάννα ἡ διακόνισσα) is a deaconess, cross-dressing saint and martyr who supposedly lived in Palestine in the 4th century.

According to her hagiographies, she chose to devote herself entirely to the Christian faith by cross-dressing as a man and joining a male monastery under the name "John". There, she led a pious life until she was discovered following false accusations of rape within the monastic community. She was later appointed as a deaconess by the bishop of Eleutheropolis. Finally, she would have been martyred under grim circumstances in the early 4th century in this city.

Her memory is commemorated on 15 December in the Eastern Orthodox Church.