Saint of the Day – 19 May – St Pudentiana (Died c160) Virgin Martyr(?)

Saint of the Day – 19 May – St Pudentiana (Died c160) Virgin Martyr(?) although sources do not confirm her Martyrdom. Patronage – Co Patron of the Philippines, with St Rose of Lima under the Principal patronage of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conveption. Also known as – Potentiana.

The Roman Martyrology reads today: “At Rome, the saintly virgin, Pudentiana, who, after numberless tribulations, after with great respect, burying many Martyrs and distributing all her goods to the poor for Christ’s sake, departed from this world to go to Heaven.”

According to her Acta and the Martyrology of Reichenau, she was a Roman virgin of the early Church, daughter of Saint Pudens, friend of the Apostles and Disciples and sister of St Praxedes, also a Martyr.

These 2 sisters, together with Pope Pius I, built a Baptistry in the Church inside their father’s house and started to Baptise pagan converts there.

Pudentiana died at the age of 16, possibly a Martyr and is buried next to her father St Pudens, in the Priscilla Catacombs on the via Salaria.

While there is evidence for the life of Pudens, there is no direct evidence for either Pudentiana or Praxedes. However, these 2 have a Church in Rome but not their fahter.

Santa Pudenziana, a Basilica in Rome, is named for her, and her commemoration in the General Roman Calendar fell on 19 May until its 1969 revision. Pudentiana is still mentioned on 19 May in the Roman Martyrology.

The Spanish Conquistador, Miguel López de Legazpi, the Founder of the modern City of Manila, Philippines, gained possession of the territory on 19 May 1571. As it was the Feastday of Saint Pudentiana, Legazpi declared her the Patron.

By the Apostolic Letter “Impositi Nobis Apostolici” of 12 September 1942, Pope Pius XII, at the request of the Philippine Episcopacy, declared the Virgin Mary under the title of the Immaculate Conception, as principal Patron of the Country, with Saints Pudentiana and Rose of Lima, as secondary patrons. His Decree mentions the historic documents, indicated Pudentiana as Patron from the 16th Century and Rose of Lima from the 17th.

St Pudentiana’s Relics were transferred to the Basilica in Rome, (see below) dedicated to her and her sister from the Catacombs of Priscilla.