Saint of the Day –23 December – Saint Victoria (Died c250) Virgin Martyr of Rome. Born in Rome and died there by being stabbed through the heart. Many believe her body is incorrupt but I can find no conclusive evidence.
The Roman Martyrology reads today: “At Rome, the holy virgin Victoria, a Martyr in the persecution of Emperor Decius. She had been promised in marriage to a pagan names Eugene but because she refused to marry him and to offer sacrifices to idols and because, by working many miracles, she brought many to the service of God, she was at the request of her betrothed, stabbed in the heart with a sword by the executioner.”
Victoria was a Christian noblewoman. She, was forced into an arranged betroyal to a pagan nobleman. Desiring to devote and consecrate herself entirely to God rather than marry, she refused all connections with any man.
Upon this refusal, her suitor denounced her as Christians to the authorities under the persecution of Roman Emperor Decius. Victoria was seized and put under house arrest in order to break her courageous resistance and faith and convince her to marry. Instead of weakening, her faith in Christ, by His grace, became more resolute.
While under house arrest she sold all of her belongings, gave the proceeds to the poor and inspired and converted many young virgins as well as the servants and guards to Christianity.
This so infuriated her rejected suitor, Eugene, he demanded immediate death by stabbing. She was stabbed through the heart. Below is her body in her Shrine in Rome.
AnaStpaul 