Saint of the Day – 20 June – Saint Florentia (Died c612) Virgin, Nun, sister of Saints Leander, Isidore and Fulgentius. Born towards the middle of the 6th Century in Cartagena, Spain and died in c612. Florentia was younger than her brother Leander, later Archbishop of Seville but older than St Isidore, who succeeded Leander as the Archbishop. Patron of – the Diocese of Plasencia. Also known as – Florentyna, Florentina.
The Roman Martyrology reads today: “At Seville, in Spain, the holy virgin Florentia, sister of the Holy Bishops Leander, Isidore and Fulgentius.”
Florentia’s family supplies us with an example of lives of total service to God and active engagement in furthering the best interests of the Church of Christ.
Florentina was the sister of three renowned and Sainted Bishops in the time of the Visigothic dominion, Leander, Isidore and Fulgentius, St Isidore also being a Doctor of the Church.
She consecrated her virginity to God. Before his elevation to the Episcopal dignity, Leander had been a Monk and it was through his influence that Florentia embraced the ascetic life. She, together with a number of virgins, who also desired to forsake the world, formed themselves into a religious community. Later sources declare their residence to have been the Convent of St Maria de Valle near Ecija (Astigis), where her brother Fulgentius, was the Bishop.
In any case, it is certain that she had consecrated herself to God before the year 600, as her brother Leander, who died either in the year 600 or 601, wrote for her guidance an extant work dealing with a Nun’s Rule of Life and with contempt for the world.
St Leander expresses the Rules according to which cloistered virgins, consecrated to God, should regulate their lives. He strongly advises them to avoid communication with women living in the world and with men, especially youths; recommends strict temperance in eating and drinking, gives advice concerning the reading of and meditation on Holy Scripture, enjoins equal love and friendship for all those living together in community and earnestly exhorts his sister to remain true to her holy state.
Florentia regulated her life according to the advice of her brother, entered with fervour into the spirit of the Rule in Religious life and was honoured as a Saint after her death.
Her younger brother Isidore dedicated his work “De fide catholica contra Judeos” to her which he wrote at her request.
Florentia died early in the 7th Century and is venerated as the patron of the Diocese of Plasencia. Below from the eldest Leander, then Isidore, then Fulgentius.
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