Saint Afra
Encyclopedia
Saint Afra was a Christian
martyr
. Her actual existence is not mentioned until the 5th century martyrologies, giving her dubious historicity
.
version, the Acts of St Afra, set down many centuries later. According to this source, she was originally a courtesan
in Augsburg
, having come there from Cyprus, maybe even as the daughter of the King of Cyprus
. She is reputed to either run a brothel
in that town, or work as a hierodule
in the Temple
of Venus
. As the persecution
of Christians during the reign of Eastern Roman Emperor Diocletian
began, Bishop
Narcissus of Girona
(in Spain
) arrived there and lodged with Afra and her mother, Hilaria. The bishop did not know their profession
, but soon convert
ed them. She continued to hide the bishop from the authorities, but was arrest
ed, and condemned
to be burnt to death. Her mother and her maids Ligna, Eunonia and Eutropia later suffered the same fate, for inter
ring her in a burial vault
.
In an alternative, and earlier document, it is stated that she was beheaded, rather than burnt. The Martyrologium Hieronymianum
(a compilation of martyrs) mentions Afra as having "suffered in the city of Augsburg" and as being "buried there".
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
. Her actual existence is not mentioned until the 5th century martyrologies, giving her dubious historicity
Historicity
Historicity may mean:*the quality of being part of recorded history, as opposed to prehistory*the quality of being part of history as opposed to being a historical myth or legend, for example:** Historicity of the Iliad**Historicity...
.
Biography
Although many different accounts of her life exist, the most widely known is that of an unreliable CarolingianCarolingian
The Carolingian dynasty was a Frankish noble family with origins in the Arnulfing and Pippinid clans of the 7th century AD. The name "Carolingian", Medieval Latin karolingi, an altered form of an unattested Old High German *karling, kerling The Carolingian dynasty (known variously as the...
version, the Acts of St Afra, set down many centuries later. According to this source, she was originally a courtesan
Courtesan
A courtesan was originally a female courtier, which means a person who attends the court of a monarch or other powerful person.In feudal society, the court was the centre of government as well as the residence of the monarch, and social and political life were often completely mixed together...
in Augsburg
Augsburg
Augsburg is a city in the south-west of Bavaria, Germany. It is a university town and home of the Regierungsbezirk Schwaben and the Bezirk Schwaben. Augsburg is an urban district and home to the institutions of the Landkreis Augsburg. It is, as of 2008, the third-largest city in Bavaria with a...
, having come there from Cyprus, maybe even as the daughter of the King of Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
. She is reputed to either run a brothel
Brothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
in that town, or work as a hierodule
Hierodule
In ancient Greece and Anatolia a hierodule, from the Greek ' , was a temple slave in the service of a specific deity, often with the connotation of religious prostitution. Her prostitution would technically be excused because of the service she provided to the deity...
in the Temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
of Venus
Venus (mythology)
Venus is a Roman goddess principally associated with love, beauty, sex,sexual seduction and fertility, who played a key role in many Roman religious festivals and myths...
. As the persecution
Persecution
Persecution is the systematic mistreatment of an individual or group by another group. The most common forms are religious persecution, ethnic persecution, and political persecution, though there is naturally some overlap between these terms. The inflicting of suffering, harassment, isolation,...
of Christians during the reign of Eastern Roman Emperor Diocletian
Diocletian
Diocletian |latinized]] upon his accession to Diocletian . c. 22 December 244 – 3 December 311), was a Roman Emperor from 284 to 305....
began, Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
Narcissus of Girona
Girona
Girona is a city in the northeast of Catalonia, Spain at the confluence of the rivers Ter, Onyar, Galligants and Güell, with an official population of 96,236 in January 2009. It is the capital of the province of the same name and of the comarca of the Gironès...
(in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
) arrived there and lodged with Afra and her mother, Hilaria. The bishop did not know their profession
Profession
A profession is a vocation founded upon specialized educational training, the purpose of which is to supply disinterested counsel and service to others, for a direct and definite compensation, wholly apart from expectation of other business gain....
, but soon convert
Convert
The convert or try, in American football known as "point after", and Canadian football "Point after touchdown", is a one-scrimmage down played immediately after a touchdown during which the scoring team is allowed to attempt to score an extra one point by kicking the ball through the uprights , or...
ed them. She continued to hide the bishop from the authorities, but was arrest
Arrest
An arrest is the act of depriving a person of his or her liberty usually in relation to the purported investigation and prevention of crime and presenting into the criminal justice system or harm to oneself or others...
ed, and condemned
Sentence (law)
In law, a sentence forms the final explicit act of a judge-ruled process, and also the symbolic principal act connected to his function. The sentence can generally involve a decree of imprisonment, a fine and/or other punishments against a defendant convicted of a crime...
to be burnt to death. Her mother and her maids Ligna, Eunonia and Eutropia later suffered the same fate, for inter
Inter
Inter may refer to:* inter to place inside of the earth, from the Latin "in" + "terra" * Inter- is a Latin prefix meaning "between", among, or "within a group".* An intersexual person* Inter, Ukrainian TV-channel...
ring her in a burial vault
Burial vault
Burial vault may refer to:*Burial vault , protective coffin enclosure*Burial vault , underground tomb...
.
In an alternative, and earlier document, it is stated that she was beheaded, rather than burnt. The Martyrologium Hieronymianum
Martyrologium Hieronymianum
The Martyrologium Hieronymianum was a medieval list of martyrs, one of the most used and influential of the Middle Ages...
(a compilation of martyrs) mentions Afra as having "suffered in the city of Augsburg" and as being "buried there".