Cyriaca, also known as Dominica, was a Roman widow, and patroness to
St. Lawrence
Saint Lawrence or Laurence ( la, Laurentius, lit. " laurelled"; 31 December AD 225 – 10 August 258) was one of the seven deacons of the city of Rome under Pope Sixtus II who were martyred in the persecution of the Christians that the Roman ...
, and eventually suffered
martyrdom.
Life
Cyriaca was a wealthy Roman widow who sheltered persecuted Christians.
St. Lawrence
Saint Lawrence or Laurence ( la, Laurentius, lit. " laurelled"; 31 December AD 225 – 10 August 258) was one of the seven deacons of the city of Rome under Pope Sixtus II who were martyred in the persecution of the Christians that the Roman ...
used her home in
Rome to give food to the poor. After his death, she brought his remains to a catacomb that had been dug into a hill on land she owned. This is now the site of
San Lorenzo fuori le mura.
Cyriaca suffered
martyrdom, by being
scourged to death for her faith.
St. Cyriaca
Catholic Online
St. Cyriaca is commemorated on August 21.
References
249 deaths
Saints from Roman Italy
3rd-century Christian martyrs
Year of birth unknown
Executed ancient Roman women
3rd-century Roman women
Ante-Nicene Christian female saints
People executed by scourging
People executed for apostasy
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