Saint Agathoclia (Agathocleia;[a] Spanish: Santa Agatoclia) (died c. 230 AD) is venerated as a patron saint of Mequinenza, Aragón, Spain. Her feast day is September 17.

Saint Agathoclia
Miniature from the Menologion of Basil II
Diedc. 230 AD
Venerated inEastern Orthodoxy
Roman Catholic Church
FeastSeptember 17
PatronageMequinenza, Aragon

Biography

edit

Tradition states that she was a virgin Christian slave owned by two people who had converted to paganism from Christianity, named Nicolas and Paulina. They subjected Agathoclia to regular physical abuse, including whipping and other violence, in an effort to get Agathoclia to renounce her faith. She repeatedly refused to do so.

Her owners then subjected her to a public trial by a local magistrate. There too, she refused to renounce Christianity, which subjected her to savage mangling from the authorities. When she was found guilty, her sentence included having her tongue cut out, a nonfatal injury.

There is some disagreement about how Agathoclia met her death. Some sources say that her mistress Paulina poured burning coals on her neck. Other sources say that she herself was cast into fire.

Veneration

edit

The town of Mequinenza celebrates festivals in honor of Santa Agatoclia (called simply “La Santa”) from September 16 to 20.[1] There is also a confraternity in the town dedicated to the saint.[2]

See also

edit

Notes

edit
  1. ^ Latinization of the Greek name Ἀγαθόκλεια.

References

edit
  1. ^ "Fiestas locales - Ayuntamiento de Mequinenza". Archived from the original on 2007-07-01. Retrieved 2007-03-16.
  2. ^ "Cofradía Santa Agatoclia". Archived from the original on 2008-09-20. Retrieved 2008-09-13.

Sources

edit