Saint of the Day – 25 December – Saint Eugenia (Died c258) Virgin Martyr of Rome. Born in Rome and died there by being martyred. Also known as – Eugenia of Alexandria.
The Roman Martyrology reads today: “At Rome, in the Cemetery of Apronian, St Eugenia, virgin. In the time of the Emperor Gallienus, after working many miracles and gathering to Christ, troops of sacred virgins and after long combats under Nicetius, Prefect of the City, she was finally put to the sword.”
Eugenia was the daughter of the Roman nobleman Philip, who, by order of the Emperor Commodus, was appointed as the Prefect of Alexandria in Egypt, a post he accepted and travelled to that City with his entire family.
In Alexandria, Eugenia refused marriage to Aquilius, the Consul’s son and, aided by the eunuchs Saints Protus and Hyacinthus, her guardians, she secretly entered a Monastery, then an all-male Monastery, dressed as a man.
Her family believed her missing and grieved her possible death. In the Monastery, disguised and under the name of Eugenius, she distinguished herself by exceptional virtues, for which the Monks elected her their Abbot.
A noble matron, Melanthia, attracted by Eugenia’s reputation for sanctity, wanted to meet the Abbot but fell in love with her, unaware that she was a woman.
Rejected, Melanthia, filled with hatred, denounced the Abbot for immoral advances. A trial began during which Eugenia’s true identity was revealed, to the great joy of the family, who immediately converted to Christianity.
Her father, Philip, distinguished himself for helping the poor, to the point that the Alexandrians appointed him as the Bishop of the City. The new Prefect had him killed because he was a Christian.
The rest of the family then returned to Rome, where Eugenia’s mother, Claudia, established a shelter for widows and Eugenia assisted her and by her great virtue and piety attraced many disciples. Among them, a certain Bassilla, a relative of the Emperor Gallienus, was entrusted to the Saints Protus and Hyacinthus for a Christian education. Bassilla then, disiring to consecrate her virginity to the Lord rejected marriage. But her betrothed, Pompeius, took reveng by denouncing everyone to the Emperor, who had Bassilla, Protus and Hyacinthus killed and then, on 25 December, Eugenia too. Her mother, Claudia followed shortly thereafter.
Eugenia is certainly a Roman Martyr and her Tomb is near that of Protus Hycianth and Bassilla. A Basilica was built over her Tomb and she is depicted in mosaics in Ravenna, Naples and in Greece.
Today, her Relics rest in the Roman Church of the Holy Apostles. Her name is of Greek origin and means ‘well-born.‘
AnaStpaul 