*Ø* Blogmanac July 24 | Feast of St Christina the Astonishing (Mirabilis)

Any reader who has incurred the wrath of a father will relate to this saint, as will anyone who has been thrown into a furnace for five days, had their tongue cut out and been rescued by angels.

Christina’s father, Urban, a devout pagan, had a number of golden idols. Oddly defying the Fifth Commandment, eleven-year-old Christina broke them, then distributed the pieces among the poor. Infuriated by this pre-adolescent petulance, father became the persecutor of his own daughter, having her beaten with sticks and thrown into a dungeon – reasonable enough so far, I hear you say.

Christina remained unshaken in her Christian faith, so Urban had her body torn by iron hooks, then fastened to a rack above a fire. In case any dad reading should try this at home, one notes that the flames shot back toward the onlookers, and several of them died. I myself have only ever done this when my daughter broke some of my best idols, and she was fully 17 at the time.

Christina was thrown into the lake of Bolsena in Tuscany, Italy, but was rescued by an angel and seen wearing a stole and walking on the water, accompanied by several angels. Hearing she was still alive, wicked Urban died in a painful paroxysm, making my point about being discerning with punishments.



Oh no, not another torment guy!
Urban was succeeded by another judge, Dyon, who persecuted her even more (then miraculously died), following which there was another persecutor, named Julian, who cried “Magician! Adore the gods, or I will put you to death!” Apparently deciding to stick with the strength, Christina was thrown in a raging furnace, and survived five days of burning. Serpents and vipers were thrown into her prison but did not touch her, instead killing the magician who had brought them there, but she restored him to life after first converting him. Finally, her tongue was cut out. Had her father lived I’m certain he would never have done this, though parents of 11-year-olds will understand the tempation.

At Tyro, a city which formerly stood on an island in the lake of Bolsena, but has since been drowned by the waters, Christina was eventually killed with arrows, and in art she may be portrayed with arrows, with a millstone, or her other symbol, a knife.

The legend of St Christina is actually that of St Christine of Tyre (cf Tyro), imported from the Eastern Church and adapted to local traditions in Tuscany. Both legends are tales of physical ordeals and miraculous happenings. The legend dates to the late-4th Century at Bolsena where recent archaeological evidence has shown that the patron of St Christina’s Church was indeed venerated there in medieval times. A miracle occurred in her church in 1263 when the sacrament turned to blood, and the stains are still to be seen on the floor. Or, so it is said.


Pip Wilson's articles are available for your publication, on application. Further details
Receive similar items free each day with a free subscription to Wilson's Almanac ezine. Send a blank email