Feast Day: January
30
Profile
Wealthy
daughter of a Christian Roman consul. On her parent's death, she gave away
her riches to the
poor and devoted herself to prayer. Tortured and
martyred in the persecution of Alexander Severus for refusing to
sacrifice to pagan gods. A basilica is dedicated to her at the Roman forum.
In the time after her death there were a series of biographies and
descriptions of her martyrdom written, each more extravagant that the last,
and none with historical value. Assorted miracles were ascribed to her, and
her story was blended with those of other early
martyrs, especially Saint Prisca and Saint
Tatiana of Rome. One of the writers claimed that when she was
beheaded, her body bled milk, a tale that led to her patronage of
nursing mothers.
Died
martyred in
228; relics discovered on
25 October
1634 in a crypt near Mamertine prison at the Roman forum during a church
construction project ordered by
Pope
Urban VIII
Canonized
Pre-Congregation
Patronage
nursing mothers,
Rome, Italy
Representation
maiden with a
lion; being
beheaded by a sword;
tortured by being hung on a two-pronged hook; receiving a lily and the
palm of
martyrdom from the Virgin and Child
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