⛪ Saint of the Day : January 23
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| Saint Emerentiana, Pray For Us ! |
⛪ Born : Roman
⛪ Died :
• Stoned to death c.304 at Rome, Italy • Buried in the cemetery at Via Nomentana • Relics later translated to the Basilica of Saint Agnes
⛪ Patronage :
• Against abdominal pains • Against colic • Against stomach ache
Virgin and martyr, died at Rome in the third century. The old itineraries to the graves of the Roman martyrs, after giving the place of burial on the Via Nomentana of Saint Agnes, speak of Saint Emerentiana. Over the grave of Saint Emerentiana a church was built which, according to the Itineraries, was near the church erected over the place of burial of Saint Agnes, and somewhat farther from the city wall. In reality Emerentiana was interred in the coemeterium majus located in this vicinity not far from the coemeterium Agnetis. Armellini believed that he had found the original burial chamber of Saint Emerentiana in the former coemeterium. According to the legend of Saint Agnes Emerentiana was her foster-sister. Some days after the burial of Saint Agnes Emerentiana, who was still a catechumen, went to the grave to pray, and while praying she was suddenly attacked by the pagans and killed with stones. Her feast is kept on 23 January. In the “Martyrologium Hieronymianum” she is mentioned under 16 September, with the statement: In coemeterio maiore. She is represented with stones in her lap, also with a palm or lily.
Source : Catholic Encyclopedia – Saint Emerentiana