Christina of Bolsena
Encyclopedia
Saint Christina of Bolsena, also known as Christina of Tyre, or in the Eastern Orthodox Church
as Christina the Great Martyr, is venerated as a Christian
martyr
of the 3rd century.
Archaeological excavations of an underground cemetery constructed at her tomb have shown that she was venerated at Bolsena by the fourth century.
However, nothing is now known about her life. But by the ninth century, an account of her martyrdom was composed, which developed many variants. According to these, she was born either in Tyre (Eastern stories) or in Persia (Western stories) during the 3rd century or 5th century.
While the accounts of her martyrdom vary widely, they seem to agree on some details: Christina was the daughter of a wealthy pagan magistrate named Urbanus who had his daughter tortured because of her faith, but God thwarted his efforts on several occasions. The nature of the torture varies with each telling, and can include iron hooks, grilling by fire, placement in a furnace, torture on the wheel, assault by snakes, assailment by arrows, drowning tied to a millstone, and other assorted methods which she survives. After her father's death, his successor, Dion, continued to torture her. In all versions of the tale Christina eventually perishes, but not before God exhibits his wrath by lashing out at her tormentors.
Some scholars have concluded that her legend is the result of pious fiction
being mistaken for history. The theme of her legend (a beautiful Christian maiden is tortured to death by pagan men, who in return suffer the wrath of God) is repeated in many ancient and medieval hagiographies, particularly that of Saint Barbara
.
in Tuscany
, Saint Christina, Virgin and Martyr". This saint was once included in the Roman Catholic Calendar of Saints
to be commemorated universally, wherever the Roman Rite
was celebrated, but, while her cult remains approved, she was removed from that list in 1969, "because nothing is known of this virgin and martyr apart from her name and her burial at Bolsena." The Tridentine Calendar
gave her a Commemoration
within the Mass of the Vigil of Saint James. When in 1955 Pope Pius XII
suppressed this vigil, the celebration of Saint Christina became a "Simple" and in 1962 a "Commemoration". According to the rules in later editions of the Roman Missal
, Saint Christina may now be celebrated with a "Memorial" everywhere on her feast day, unless in some locality an obligatory celebration is assigned to that day.
in the Province of Rieti
displays her relics in a transparent urn. Palermo
, of which Christina is one of four patron saints, also claims to hold her relics.
The Eastern tradition that connects Saint Christina with Tyre, Lebanon may be due to confusion with the name of a locality near Bolsena.
The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Cleveland Ohio claims "In the Resurrection Chapel, below the altar, is the reliquary of St. Christine, including her entire skeleton and small vial of her blood. The relics were presented to Archbishop Schrembs in 1928 by Pope Pius XI. Tradition says that Christina was a girl of 13 or 14 who died for her faith around 300 A.D."
St. Christina was the daughter of a rich and powerful magistrate named Urbain. Her father, who was deep in the practices of heathenism, had a number of golden idols, which our saint destroyed, and distributed the pieces among the poor. Infuriated by this act, Urbain became the persecutor of his daughter. He had her whipped with rods and then thrown into a dungeon. Christina remained unshaken in her faith. Her tormentor then had her body torn by iron hooks, and fastened her to a rack beneath which a fire was kindled. But God watched over His servant and turned the flames upon the lookers-on. Christina was next seized, a heavy stone tied around her neck, and she was thrown into the lake of Balsena, but she was saved by an angel, and outlived her father, who died of spite. Later, this martyred suffered the most inhuman torments under the judge who succeeded her father, and finally was thrown into a burning furnace, where she remained, unhurt, for five days. By the power of Christ, she overcame the serpents among which she was thrown; then her tongue was cut out, and afterwards, being pierced with arrows, she gained the martyr's crown at Tyro, a city which formerly stood on an island in the lake of Balsena in Italy, but was long since swallowed up by the waters. Her relics are now at Palermo in Sicily.
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
as Christina the Great Martyr, is venerated as a Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
of the 3rd century.
Archaeological excavations of an underground cemetery constructed at her tomb have shown that she was venerated at Bolsena by the fourth century.
Legend of Saint Christina
While the accounts of her martyrdom vary widely, they seem to agree on some details: Christina was the daughter of a wealthy pagan magistrate named Urbanus who had his daughter tortured because of her faith, but God thwarted his efforts on several occasions. The nature of the torture varies with each telling, and can include iron hooks, grilling by fire, placement in a furnace, torture on the wheel, assault by snakes, assailment by arrows, drowning tied to a millstone, and other assorted methods which she survives. After her father's death, his successor, Dion, continued to torture her. In all versions of the tale Christina eventually perishes, but not before God exhibits his wrath by lashing out at her tormentors.
Some scholars have concluded that her legend is the result of pious fiction
Pious fiction
A pious fiction is a narrative that is presented as true by the author, but is considered by others to be fictional albeit produced with an altruistic motivation. The term is sometimes used pejoratively to suggest that the author of the narrative was deliberately misleading readers for selfish or...
being mistaken for history. The theme of her legend (a beautiful Christian maiden is tortured to death by pagan men, who in return suffer the wrath of God) is repeated in many ancient and medieval hagiographies, particularly that of Saint Barbara
Saint Barbara
Saint Barbara, , Feast Day December 4, known in the Eastern Orthodox Church as the Great Martyr Barbara, was an early Christian saint and martyr....
.
Roman Catholic veneration
The entry for her in the 2004 Roman Martyrology is very brief: "At BolsenaBolsena
Bolsena is a town and comune of Italy, in the province of Viterbo in northern Lazio on the eastern shore of Lake Bolsena. It is 10 km north-north west of Montefiascone and 36 km north-west of Viterbo...
in Tuscany
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
, Saint Christina, Virgin and Martyr". This saint was once included in the Roman Catholic Calendar of Saints
Roman Catholic calendar of saints
The General Roman Calendar indicates the days of the year to which are assigned the liturgical celebrations of saints and of the mysteries of the Lord that are to be observed wherever the Roman Rite is used...
to be commemorated universally, wherever the Roman Rite
Roman Rite
The Roman Rite is the liturgical rite used in the Diocese of Rome in the Catholic Church. It is by far the most widespread of the Latin liturgical rites used within the Western or Latin autonomous particular Church, the particular Church that itself is also called the Latin Rite, and that is one of...
was celebrated, but, while her cult remains approved, she was removed from that list in 1969, "because nothing is known of this virgin and martyr apart from her name and her burial at Bolsena." The Tridentine Calendar
Tridentine Calendar
The Tridentine Calendar is the calendar of saints to be honoured in the course of the liturgical year in the official liturgy of the Roman Rite as reformed by Pope Pius V, implementing a decision of the Council of Trent, which entrusted the task to the Pope....
gave her a Commemoration
Commemoration (prayer)
In the Roman Rite, when a higher-ranked liturgical celebration impedes the celebration of a lesser one that, either permanently or by coincidence, falls on the same day, the prayer of the lower-ranked celebration is usually added to that of the higher...
within the Mass of the Vigil of Saint James. When in 1955 Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
suppressed this vigil, the celebration of Saint Christina became a "Simple" and in 1962 a "Commemoration". According to the rules in later editions of the Roman Missal
Roman Missal
The Roman Missal is the liturgical book that contains the texts and rubrics for the celebration of the Mass in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church.-Situation before the Council of Trent:...
, Saint Christina may now be celebrated with a "Memorial" everywhere on her feast day, unless in some locality an obligatory celebration is assigned to that day.
Relics
ToffiaToffia
Toffia is a comune in the Province of Rieti in the Italian region Latium, located about 40 km northeast of Rome and about 25 km southwest of Rieti. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 948 and an area of 11.2 km²....
in the Province of Rieti
Province of Rieti
The Province of Rieti is a province in the Lazio region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Rieti.It has an area of 2,749 km², and a total population of 153,258 . There are 73 comuni in the province, see Comuni of the Province of Rieti.It was founded in 1927.-External links:*...
displays her relics in a transparent urn. Palermo
Palermo
Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old...
, of which Christina is one of four patron saints, also claims to hold her relics.
The Eastern tradition that connects Saint Christina with Tyre, Lebanon may be due to confusion with the name of a locality near Bolsena.
The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Cleveland Ohio claims "In the Resurrection Chapel, below the altar, is the reliquary of St. Christine, including her entire skeleton and small vial of her blood. The relics were presented to Archbishop Schrembs in 1928 by Pope Pius XI. Tradition says that Christina was a girl of 13 or 14 who died for her faith around 300 A.D."
St. Christina was the daughter of a rich and powerful magistrate named Urbain. Her father, who was deep in the practices of heathenism, had a number of golden idols, which our saint destroyed, and distributed the pieces among the poor. Infuriated by this act, Urbain became the persecutor of his daughter. He had her whipped with rods and then thrown into a dungeon. Christina remained unshaken in her faith. Her tormentor then had her body torn by iron hooks, and fastened her to a rack beneath which a fire was kindled. But God watched over His servant and turned the flames upon the lookers-on. Christina was next seized, a heavy stone tied around her neck, and she was thrown into the lake of Balsena, but she was saved by an angel, and outlived her father, who died of spite. Later, this martyred suffered the most inhuman torments under the judge who succeeded her father, and finally was thrown into a burning furnace, where she remained, unhurt, for five days. By the power of Christ, she overcame the serpents among which she was thrown; then her tongue was cut out, and afterwards, being pierced with arrows, she gained the martyr's crown at Tyro, a city which formerly stood on an island in the lake of Balsena in Italy, but was long since swallowed up by the waters. Her relics are now at Palermo in Sicily.
External links
- Passio di Santa Cristina
- Archidiocesis de Madrid: Santa Cristina
- Catholic Online-Saints & Angels: St Christina
- http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=102084