Christina of Bolsena
Christina of Bolsena, also known as Christina of Tyre, is venerated as a virgin martyr of the third century. Evidence for her existence is sparse, with legends placing her in either Tyre or Bolsena, Italy. She is chiefly remembered for her martyrdom and the subsequent veneration at her tomb.
- Century
- 3rd century
- Country Or Region
- Italy
Key Facts
- ›Christina is venerated as a virgin martyr of the third century.
- ›Archaeological evidence suggests veneration at Tyre by the fourth century.
- ›Some accounts place her birth in Tyre or Persia, while others point to Bolsena, Italy.
- ›Traditional accounts describe her martyrdom involving torture and eventual beheading.
- ›A sixth-century mosaic in Ravenna depicts a saint named Christina.
- ›The Miracle of Bolsena, a Eucharistic miracle, is associated with a church named after her.
Christine of Bolsena, Christina the Great martyr
Martyr's Crown, Idols, Serpents, Arrows, Furnace
About Christina of Bolsena
Saint Christina of Bolsena
Saint Christina of Bolsena, also known as Saint Christina of Tyre or, in the Eastern Orthodox Church, Christina the Great Martyr, is venerated as a virgin martyr from the third century. While her historical existence is not strongly attested, her veneration is documented from the fourth century onwards.
Life and Historical Context
Traditional accounts of Christina's life are varied and often legendary. Some versions place her in Tyre in Phoenicia, while other evidence points to her veneration at Bolsena in central Italy. Archaeological excavations at Bolsena revealed catacombs containing an early Christian church and the tomb of a female martyr, with inscriptions identifying her name as Christina and confirming local veneration by the late fourth century. A sixth-century mosaic in the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna further supports her veneration, depicting a procession of virgins including one named Christina wearing a martyr's crown.
Traditional Accounts of Martyrdom
By the ninth century, an account of her martyrdom was composed, which has since developed numerous variants. According to these legends, Christina was born into a wealthy family, with her father serving as governor of Tyre. At a young age, she was exceptionally beautiful and sought after in marriage, but her father intended for her to become a pagan priestess. He placed her in a special dwelling filled with gold and silver idols and commanded her to burn incense before them.
In some narratives, Christina was visited by an angel who instructed her in the Christian faith, calling her a bride of Christ and foretelling her future suffering. In response, Christina is said to have smashed all the idols and thrown the pieces out of her room. When her father, Urbanus, discovered this, he had her tortured for her faith. The nature of her tortures varies widely across different accounts, including iron hooks, fire, placement in a furnace, torture on the wheel, assault by snakes, and being pierced with arrows, all of which she is said to have survived. After her father's death, his successor, Dion, continued to torture her, and she was eventually beheaded.
Veneration and Relics
Christina's entry in the 2004 Roman Martyrology describes her breaking her father's idols, distributing their fragments to the poor, and enduring lashes and other tortures. She was reportedly thrown into a lake with a great weight of stone but saved by an angel. Under her father's successor, she faced more severe tortures, survived being behind a burning furnace for five days, overcame serpents through Christ's power, and was ultimately pierced with arrows to complete her martyrdom.
Christina was formerly included in the General Roman Calendar. The older Tridentine calendar gave her a commemoration on the Vigil of Saint James the Great. In 1955, Pope Pius XII suppressed this vigil, reducing her celebration to a "simple" commemoration, and by 1960 to a "commemoration." The 1969 revision omitted her from the calendar, stating that "nothing is known of this virgin and martyr apart from her name and her burial at Bolsena," but she remains in the official list of recognized saints, the Martyrology. According to current rubrics, she may be celebrated with a "memorial" on her feast day.
Her relics are displayed in Toffia in the Province of Rieti in a transparent urn. Palermo also claims to enshrine her relics at the Church of Santa Cristina Gela, and she is one of its four patron saints. It is important to note that Saint Christina of Bolsena is not the individual whose relics are enshrined in the Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist in Cleveland, Ohio.
The Miracle of Bolsena
A separate legend, often depicted in Raphael's "The Mass at Bolsena," is connected to the Basilica of Santa Cristina in Bolsena. This Eucharistic miracle is considered a catalyst for the Feast of Corpus Christi. In 1263, a priest named Peter from Prague, experiencing doubts about the Real Presence of Christ in the Host, celebrated Mass at the basilica. As he repeated the Words of Institution, the Host allegedly dripped blood onto his hands and the corporal below.
Source: Wikipedia ↗
Frequently Asked Questions
Where was Saint Christina from?
The existence of Saint Christina is poorly attested, with some versions of her legend placing her in Tyre (Phoenicia) and other evidence pointing to Bolsena, an ancient town in central Italy. Archaeological evidence suggests veneration at Tyre by the fourth century.
What is Saint Christina remembered for?
She is venerated as a virgin martyr of the third century. Traditional accounts describe her suffering and eventual beheading for her Christian faith.
Is there any historical evidence for Saint Christina?
Archaeological excavations of an underground cemetery constructed over her tomb have shown that she was venerated at Tyre by the fourth century. Inscriptions at a site in Bolsena confirmed a martyr with a name like "Christina" was venerated there by the end of the fourth century.
What is the Miracle of Bolsena related to Saint Christina?
A second legend connected to Christina involves a Eucharistic miracle in Bolsena in 1263. During Mass, the Host dripped Precious Blood, an event often considered a catalyst for the Feast of Corpus Christi.
When was Saint Christina's feast day?
Saint Christina was once included in the General Roman Calendar. While her feast day is not explicitly stated with a date in the provided text, she may be celebrated with a "memorial" everywhere on her feast day according to the present rubrics of the Roman Missal.
Related Saints
Philomena
Philomena was a Greek virgin martyr whose relics were discovered in the Catacombs of Priscilla in 1802. She is venerated as "The Wonderworker" and is the patron saint of babies, infants, and youth, with widespread devotion stemming from numerous miracles attributed to her intercession.
Sebastian
Saint Sebastian was an early Christian saint and martyr venerated in the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches. According to tradition, he was martyred twice during the Diocletianic Persecution, first shot with arrows and then clubbed to death. He is widely recognized as the patron saint of athletes, archers, and protection against plagues.
Agrippina of Mineo
Agrippina of Mineo, also known as Saint Agrippina, was a virgin martyr venerated in the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. Her legend describes her as a noble Roman princess martyred during the reign of Emperor Valerian, with her body later taken to Mineo, Sicily. She is invoked as a patron saint against various afflictions and evil spirits.