Saint of the Day – 30 January – St Martina (Died c228) Virgin Martyr. Patronages –of Rome, Italy, of nursing mothers.
The Roman Martyrology reads today: “In Rome, commemoration of Saint Martina, holy virgin and Martyr.”
Martina was a Deaconess and the daughter of a noble ex-consul and orphaned at an early age, she was described as a noble and beautiful virgin. She so openly testified to her Christian Faith that she could not escape the persecutions under Severus Alexander (222-235). .
Being arrested and commanded to worship the idols, she refused, whereupon she was subjected to various tortures and was finally beheaded.
These tortures according to her Vita include being scourged. She was condemned to be devoured by wild beasts in the amphitheater but was miraculously untouched by them. These beasts, instead, lay docilely at her feet like pet cats.
She was then thrown onto a burning pyre, from which she also escaped unhurt and was finally beheaded. Her hagiography records that some of her executioners, seeing the glorious miracles and the great joy and courage with which she was filled during the tortures, converted to Christianity and were themselves beheaded.
Ostia, at the mouth of the Tiber, was the scene of her Martyrdom but her body was transported to Rome,where a Church near the Mamertine Prison, Santi Luca e Martina, was later dedicated in her honour. See the Church below and the beautiful Statue which is situate under the High Altar.
On 25 October 1634, during the restoration of the Crypt, buried remains were found by the painter Pietro da Cortona (see the first image above and the one showing her Martyrdom, above this paragraph, painted by da Cortona), president of the Accademia di San Luca and were attributed to the Martyred Saint Martina. Pope Urban VIII (1568-1644), who occupied the Holy See at that time, had the Church repaired and, it is believed that he composed the Hymns which are sung at her Office.
AnaStpaul 