Emerentiana
Saint Emerentiana | |
|---|---|
| Died | c. 304 Rome |
| Feast | January 23 |
| Attributes | stones, lillies |
| Patronage | stomach problems |
Saint Emerentiana was a Roman martyr, who lived in the 3rd century.
According to Christian hagiography, Emerentiana's mother was the wet nurse and nanny of Saint Agnes, a rich Roman heiress who was martyred after refusing her engagement due to her Christian religion. Emerentiana herself was a catechumen, still learning about Christianity before being officially baptized. Catholics believe martyrs are "baptized by blood," and otherwise go to heaven.
A few days after Agnes' death, Emerentiana was caught praying by her tomb; upset upon the death of her best friend and foster sister, she claimed that she was a Christian as well and belittled the pagans who had killed Agnes, and was stoned to death by the crowd.
Her feast day is 23 January, and she is represented as a young girl who either has stones in her lap and lillies in her hand, or is being stoned to death by a mob. Her tomb is at the Church of Saint Agnese in Rome.
Popular culture
Emerentiana had a tiny cameo in Cardinal Nicholas Wiseman's Fabiola, where she is seen mourning for Agnes right after the latter's martyrdom.
External links
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