Saint Serapia
Encyclopedia
Serapia was the name of a Roman
saint
, a slave and martyr, also called Seraphia of Syria. Saint Seraphia was born at Antioch in the late 1st century, of Christian parents who, fleeing the persecution of Emperor Hadrian
, went to Italy and settled there. When her parents died, Seraphia was sought in marriage by many, but having resolved to consecrate herself to God alone, she sold all her possessions and distributed the proceeds to the poor. And then she sold herself into a voluntary slavery, and entered the service of a Roman noblewoman named Sabina. The piety of Seraphia, her love of work, and her charity soon gained the heart of her mistress, who became a Christian. She died in 119CE.
In the reign of Hadrian, Seraphia was commanded to do homage to the gods of Rome. She refused and was handed over to two men who tried to rape her, but she resisted. They then tried to set her on fire with torches, but could not do so. By command of the judge Derillus, she was beaten with rods and then beheaded by sword. Her body was buried by Sabina in Sabina's own tomb, near the Vindician field, but the memory of her martyrdom is kept more especially on September 3, on which day their common tomb was finished, adorned and consecrated as a fitting place of prayer.
In art, Saint Serapia holds a tablet or book; sometimes she appears with Saint Sabina
.
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
, a slave and martyr, also called Seraphia of Syria. Saint Seraphia was born at Antioch in the late 1st century, of Christian parents who, fleeing the persecution of Emperor Hadrian
Hadrian
Hadrian , was Roman Emperor from 117 to 138. He is best known for building Hadrian's Wall, which marked the northern limit of Roman Britain. In Rome, he re-built the Pantheon and constructed the Temple of Venus and Roma. In addition to being emperor, Hadrian was a humanist and was philhellene in...
, went to Italy and settled there. When her parents died, Seraphia was sought in marriage by many, but having resolved to consecrate herself to God alone, she sold all her possessions and distributed the proceeds to the poor. And then she sold herself into a voluntary slavery, and entered the service of a Roman noblewoman named Sabina. The piety of Seraphia, her love of work, and her charity soon gained the heart of her mistress, who became a Christian. She died in 119CE.
In the reign of Hadrian, Seraphia was commanded to do homage to the gods of Rome. She refused and was handed over to two men who tried to rape her, but she resisted. They then tried to set her on fire with torches, but could not do so. By command of the judge Derillus, she was beaten with rods and then beheaded by sword. Her body was buried by Sabina in Sabina's own tomb, near the Vindician field, but the memory of her martyrdom is kept more especially on September 3, on which day their common tomb was finished, adorned and consecrated as a fitting place of prayer.
In art, Saint Serapia holds a tablet or book; sometimes she appears with Saint Sabina
Saint Sabina
Saint Sabina, matron and martyr from Rome. The widow of Senator Valentinus and daughter of Herod Metallarius. After her female slave Saint Serapia was denounced as a witch and beheaded, Sabina rescued her slave's remains and had them interred in the family mausoleum where she also expected to be...
.