Victoria, Anatolia, and Audax

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Saints Victoria, Anatolia, and Audax
Image:Ravenna, sant'apollinare nuovo Sante Vergini (seconda metà del VI secolo).jpg

Victoria and Anatolia are portrayed amongst the mosaic Procession of Virgins in the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna.
Died 250 AD, Trebula Mutuesca (Victoria); Thurium (Anatolia and Audax)
Venerated in Roman Catholic Church; Eastern Orthodox Church
Feast 23 December (formerly July 9)
Patronage Monteleone Sabino
Image:Gloriole.svg Saints Portal

Saints Victoria, Anatolia, and Audax (Italian: Sante Vittoria, Anatolia, e Audace) are venerated as martyrs and saints by the Catholic Church. Their story has been called "a worthless later legend; Anatolia is not even mentioned in the Roman Martyrology."[1] Their legend states that they were martyred during the reign of Decius. Anatolia was first mentioned in the De Laude Sanctorum composed in 396 by Victrice (Victricius), bishop of Rouen (330-409). Anatolia and Victoria are mentioned together in the Martyrologium Hieronymianum under July 10: VI idus iulii in Savinis Anatholiae Victoriae; Victoria is also mentioned alone under December 19: In Savinis civitate Tribulana Victoriae.[2] The two saints appear in the mosaics of Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, at Ravenna, between Saints Paulina and Christina. A Passio SS. Anatoliae et Audacis et S. Victoriae of the sixth or seventh century was mentioned by Aldhelm (d. 709) and Bede (d. 735), who mention the saints in their martyrologies. Caesar Baronius lists Anatolia and Audax under July 9 and Victoria under December 23.[3]

Contents

[edit] Legend

Their legend states that Anatolia and Victoria were sisters whose marriage was arranged to two noble, non-Christian Roman men.[4] They resisted matrimony and their prospective grooms denounced them as Christians. They received permission to imprison the women on their estates and convince them to renounce their faith.

Anatolia's suitor, Titus Aurelius, gave up, and handed her back to the authorities. Victoria’s suitor, Eugenius, was more persistent, but also ended up returning her to the authorities.

Both were ordered to be killed by the prefect.

[edit] Death

Victoria’s legend states that she was stabbed through the heart in 250 at Trebula Mutuesca (today Monteleone Sabino)[5]; an elaboration on her legend states that her murderer was immediately struck with leprosy, and died six days later.

Anatolia was also killed in 250 either at Trebula or at a place called "Thora," "Thyrum," or "Thurium" (the identity of the place is not clear). Her legend states that she was at first locked up with a poisonous snake. The snake refused to bite her, and a soldier named Audax was sent into her cell to kill her. The snake attacked him instead, but Anatolia saved him from the snake. Impressed by her example, he converted to Christianity and was martyred by the sword with her.

[edit] Veneration

[edit] Spread of cult

Image:ItalyAbbaziaFarfaTorre.jpg
The Abbey of Farfa.

Due to the translation of their relics, their cult spread across Italy. The body of Saint Victoria was transferred in 827 by Abbot Peter of Farfa to Mount Matenano from the Piceno due to the Moorish invasions[6]; the town of Santa Vittoria in Matenano is named after her. Ratfredus, subsequent Abbot of Farfa, brought the body to Farfa on June 20, 931.

The bodies of Anatolia and Audax were transferred by Abbot Leo to Subiaco around 950 AD. At an unknown date, an arm of Saint Anatolia was translated to the present-day Esanatoglia, named after her, in the province of Macerata. The current name Esanatoglia was born later in 1862, from a combination between Aesa and Anatolia, replacing therefore the medieval Santa Anatolia, derived from the female Saint Anatolia, martyr of the 3rd century CE. The first known document referring to Santa Anatolia dates from 1015, the foundation of the monastery of Sant’Angelo by Count Atto and his wife Berta. The monastery became soon the most important religious establishment in the area.

The bodies of Anatolia and Audax still rest at Subiaco in the basilica of Santa Scholastica, under the altar of the sacrament.[7]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/1223.htm
  2. ^ http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/90643
  3. ^ http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/90643
  4. ^ http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintv19.htm
  5. ^ http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/90643
  6. ^ http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/90643
  7. ^ http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/90643

[edit] External links

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