Pelagia the Virgin

Pelagia (Greek: Πελαγία), distinguished as Pelagia of Antioch and Pelagia the Virgin, was a Christian saint, virgin, and martyr who committed suicide during the Diocletian Persecution rather than be forced by Roman soldiers to offer a public sacrifice to the pagan gods.[1] She was 15 years old. Originally, her feast day was celebrated on October 8,[2] in common with SS Pelagia the Harlot and Pelagia of Tarsus.[3] In the Roman Catholic Church, it came to be celebrated on June 9[1] and, at Naples in Italy, she is celebrated on October 5.[4]

Saint Pelagia
Virgin & Martyr
Born	late 3rd century
Residence	Antioch
Died	Antioch
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church Greek Orthodox Church
Major shrine	Antioch
Feast	October 8 (Greek Orthodox) June 9 (Roman Catholic) October 5 (Naples)

Life

Pelagia is mentioned by Ambrose[5] and was the subject of two sermons by John Chrysostom.[6] She was home alone during the Diocletian Persecution when Roman soldiers arrived. She came out to meet them and, discovering they intended to compel her to participate in a pagan sacrifice, she received permission to change her clothes. She went to the roof of her house and threw herself into the sea.[1] The patristic sources treat this as a sacred martyrdom rather than an ignoble suicide.

Legacy

Pelagia's story was the probable basis for the later dubious accounts of Pelagia of Tarsus.[1]

See also

• SS Marina the Monk & Margaret the Virgin, with whom she is also conflated

References

Citations

1. Kirsch (1911).
2. Wright's Syriac Martyrology.
3. Greek Synaxarion.
4. Butler (1866), "8 October: St. Pelagia, Penitent".
5. Ambrose, De Virg., III, 7, 33.
6. Chrysostom, Hom. in Matth. lxvii. (in Latin)

Bibliography

• Butler, Alban (1866), The Lives of the Saints, Vol. X: October.
• Kirsch, Johann Peter (1911), "Pelagia" , Catholic Encyclopedia: An International Work of Reference on the Constitution, Doctrine, Discipline, and History of the Catholic Church, Vol. 11, New York: Robert Appleton Co.