Saint Aurea of Córdoba | |
---|---|
Martyr | |
Born | 810 Córdoba, Spain |
Died | 856 Córdoba |
Canonized | Pre-congregation |
Feast | 19 July |
Aurea of Córdoba (810–856) [1] was a saint, nun, and martyr, part of the Martyrs of Córdoba, a group of 48 Christian martyrs executed during Muslim rule in al-Andalus. Aurea's feast day is 19 July. [2]
Aurea was a widow who had been born into an Arab noble family; her father was a Muslim from Seville, and three members of her family were qadis, or Arab judges. [3] [4] [2]
After her brothers John and Adulphus were executed for their apostasy from Islam in 825, [5] Aurea went to live with her mother Artemia, who was also a nun, at the convent at Cuteclara for 30 years. [1] [3] She had also witnessed the deaths of three Christians who had been connected with her convent in the early 850s. [4]
According to historian Kenneth B. Wolf, Aurea remained at Cuteclara without the knowledge of her relatives, [4] but historians Jessica Coope and Reginald Haines stated that Aurea's relatives ignored her Christian faith, even though it was well known, for most of her adult life. [3] [6] Wolfe also stated that Aurea's Muslim relatives from Seville came to her convent, recognized her, and brought her before a judge to force her to recount her Christian faith. [4] She was frightened into submission and released, but after "repenting of her compliance, and avowing herself truly a Christian", [6] was arrested again and was executed in 856. [3] [4] Hagiographer Agnes Dunbar compared Aurea's regret and public confession during her second trial to St. Peter's denial of Christ in the Bible. [7] Dunbar also stated that Aurea "was slain by a sword and hung on a giblet with her head down", [7] although other sources state that she was beheaded. [8] Her body was thrown into the Guadalquivir River and was never recovered. [1]
Saint Aurea of Córdoba | |
---|---|
Martyr | |
Born | 810 Córdoba, Spain |
Died | 856 Córdoba |
Canonized | Pre-congregation |
Feast | 19 July |
Aurea of Córdoba (810–856) [1] was a saint, nun, and martyr, part of the Martyrs of Córdoba, a group of 48 Christian martyrs executed during Muslim rule in al-Andalus. Aurea's feast day is 19 July. [2]
Aurea was a widow who had been born into an Arab noble family; her father was a Muslim from Seville, and three members of her family were qadis, or Arab judges. [3] [4] [2]
After her brothers John and Adulphus were executed for their apostasy from Islam in 825, [5] Aurea went to live with her mother Artemia, who was also a nun, at the convent at Cuteclara for 30 years. [1] [3] She had also witnessed the deaths of three Christians who had been connected with her convent in the early 850s. [4]
According to historian Kenneth B. Wolf, Aurea remained at Cuteclara without the knowledge of her relatives, [4] but historians Jessica Coope and Reginald Haines stated that Aurea's relatives ignored her Christian faith, even though it was well known, for most of her adult life. [3] [6] Wolfe also stated that Aurea's Muslim relatives from Seville came to her convent, recognized her, and brought her before a judge to force her to recount her Christian faith. [4] She was frightened into submission and released, but after "repenting of her compliance, and avowing herself truly a Christian", [6] was arrested again and was executed in 856. [3] [4] Hagiographer Agnes Dunbar compared Aurea's regret and public confession during her second trial to St. Peter's denial of Christ in the Bible. [7] Dunbar also stated that Aurea "was slain by a sword and hung on a giblet with her head down", [7] although other sources state that she was beheaded. [8] Her body was thrown into the Guadalquivir River and was never recovered. [1]