Today, August 6, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Transfiguration. But it also celebrates the Feast of St. Afra.


St. Afra was a martyr who died around the year 304, in Augsburg, in what is now Germany. This was during the Diocletian persecution, and St. Afra's martyrdom was similar to that of many Christians.


Except for one thing: she was a prostitute.


When she was hauled before the magistrate to answer charges that she was a Christian, he was incredulous. "I am informed that you are a prostitute," he said. "Sacrifice to the gods, therefore, as you cannot be accepted by the God of the Christians."

She refused. "My Lord Jesus Christ has said that He came down from Heaven to save sinners," she said. "The Gospel says that a sinful woman washed His feet with her tears and obtained pardon." To the end, she refused to sacrifice to the gods, saying that she would not add new crimes to her old ones. So they tied her to a post and burned her alive.


"Let the body which has sinned suffer; but I will not ruin my soul by false worship."

            -St. Afra

Comments

  1. ErinAugust 19, 2024 at 6:50 PM

    I've been meaning to comment on this - I don't remember hearing about this saint before. I already had Mary Magdalene pegged as a patron saint for Theresa, but now I know of another! An inspiring story that shows a person can repent and believe regardless of their past sins.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Br. GilesAugust 23, 2024 at 8:39 AM

      I, too, was inspired when I first read about her. To me, it's an answer to the question: "If you don't want to be remembered for the worst thing you've ever done, then be remembered for,..." St. Afra will forever be remembered for the last thing she ever did, which was to embrace her Savior.

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