Engratia (, ) is venerated as a
virgin martyr and
saint
In Christianity, Christian belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of sanctification in Christianity, holiness, imitation of God, likeness, or closeness to God in Christianity, God. However, the use of the ...
. Tradition states that she was martyred with eighteen companions in 303 AD.
History
Although her martyrdom is traditionally placed around 303 during the
Diocletianic Persecution, more recently it is considered probable that she died during the persecution of
Valerian (254-260).
Legend
Engratia was a native of
Braga
Braga (; ) is a cities of Portugal, city and a Municipalities of Portugal, municipality, capital of the northwestern Portugal, Portuguese Braga (district), district of Braga and of the historical and cultural Minho Province. Braga Municipality ...
who had been promised in marriage to a nobleman of
Roussillon. He sent as her escort to Gaul her uncle Lupercius (sometimes identified with the
Luperculus who was a
bishop of Eauze) and a suite of sixteen noblemen and a servant named Julie or Julia.
Upon reaching
Zaragoza
Zaragoza (), traditionally known in English as Saragossa ( ), is the capital city of the province of Zaragoza and of the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Aragon, Spain. It lies by the Ebro river and its tributaries, the ...
, they learned of the persecution of Christians there by the governor
Dacian, who reigned in the time of the emperors
Diocletian
Diocletian ( ; ; ; 242/245 – 311/312), nicknamed Jovius, was Roman emperor from 284 until his abdication in 305. He was born Diocles to a family of low status in the Roman province of Dalmatia (Roman province), Dalmatia. As with other Illyri ...
and
Maximian
Maximian (; ), nicknamed Herculius, was Roman emperor from 286 to 305. He was ''Caesar (title), Caesar'' from 285 to 286, then ''Augustus (title), Augustus'' from 286 to 305. He shared the latter title with his co-emperor and superior, Diocleti ...
. She attempted to dissuade him from his persecution, but was whipped and imprisoned when it was discovered that she was a Christian. She died of her wounds. Her companions were
decapitated.
Martyrs of Zaragoza
Many others, called the Martyrs of Zaragoza, were martyred at the same time.
They are also called the ''Countless Martyrs of Zaragoza''.
It is said that Dacian, to detect and so make an end of all the faithful of Saragossa, ordered that liberty to practise their religion should be promised them on condition that they all went out of the city at a certain fixed time and by certain designated gates. As soon as they had thus gone forth, he ordered them to be put to the sword and their corpses burned. Their ashes were mixed with those of criminals, so that no veneration might be paid them. But a shower of rain fell and washed the ashes apart, forming those of the martyrs into certain white masses. These, known as the "holy masses" (las santas masas) were deposited in the crypt of the church dedicated to St. Engratia, where they are still preserved.
Their number includes, besides Engratia, Lupercius and Julia:
*Caius and Crescentius, confessors rather than martyrs: they were imprisoned and tortured, but did not succumb to their treatment.
*Successus, Martial, Urban, Quintilian, Publius, Fronto, Felix, Cecilian, Evodius, Primitivus, Apodemius, and
*four men all sharing the name Saturninus.
[Santa Engrazia](_blank)
/ref> who, according to St. Eugenius II of Toledo would be Jenaro, Casiano, Matutino and Fausto.
*Januarius[.]
Veneration
Prudentius, a native of Zaragoza, wrote a hymn
A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn'' d ...
in honour of these martyrs, and lists their names, and describes the terrible tortures suffered by ''Encratis'' (Engratia).synod
A synod () is a council of a Christian denomination, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. The word '' synod'' comes from the Ancient Greek () ; the term is analogous with the Latin word . Originally, ...
held at Zaragoza in 592, the church dedicated to her there was reconsecrated, an act celebrated on 3 November, which sometimes served as an alternate feast day
The calendar of saints is the traditional Christian method of organizing a liturgical year by associating each day with one or more saints and referring to the day as the feast day or feast of said saint. The word "feast" in this context does n ...
.[ It was rebuilt in the late 19th or early 20th century, and served as a ]parish church
A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the Church (building), church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in com ...
.[
]
Gallery
Francisco de Zurbarán, 1650
File:Santa Engracia, Museo de Bellas Artes de Sevilla.jpg, Saint Engracia, workshop of Francisco de Zurbarán, 1650, for the Hospital de las Cinco Llagas
File:Tabla panel derecho retablo de la Virgen de Jerónimo Cosida.jpg, Saint Engratia on the right panel of the altarpiece of the Virgin in the Museum of Zaragoza, Jerónimo Cosida, 1560
File:Santa Engracia (Museo Cerralbo, Madrid).jpg, Sanint Engracia, Bartolomé de San Antonio
File:1868, Mugeres célebres de España y Portugal, Santa Engracia, AB195 0149.jpg, Saint Engratia, Famous women of Spain and Portugal, 1868
References
External links
Santa Engrazia
{{Authority control
Saints from Hispania
303 deaths
4th-century Christian martyrs
4th-century Roman women
4th-century Romans
Year of birth unknown
Julii
People from Braga
Portuguese Roman Catholic saints
Christians martyred during the reign of Diocletian
Virgin martyrs