St Emerentiana

SAINT OF THE DAY

January 23

St Emerentiana

Virgin, Martyr 

As per the Roman Martyrology, St Emerentiana was the foster sister of St Agnes. Both of them were of much the same age, but Emerentiana was yet only a catechumen. She was stoned to death while praying beside the grave of St Agnes, thus receiving the baptism of blood. She was buried in the Cemeterium majus, a little farther, along the Via Nomentana in Rome, then the spot where the Basilica dedicated to St Agnes was erected. Later, her remains were transferred t0 the Basilica.