Justina of Padua

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Saint Prosdocimus
PatronagePadua, Palmanova, Venice

Justina of Padua (Italian: Santa Giustina di Padova) is a Christian saint and a patroness of Padua. Her feast day is October 7. She is often confused with Justina of Antioch. She was devoted to religion from her earliest years and took the vow of perpetual virginity. When she was brought before Maximian the prefect, she remained firm against all attacks. The prefect caused her to be slain with the sword.

Hagiography

St. Justina of Padua (October 7) was a virgin of noble birth in the city which claims her patronage. Born in Padua about the middle of the first century, her father Vitalian was a rich nobleman and prefect of Padua. Her parents were converted to Christianity by the preaching of Saint Prosdocimo, and not having been blessed with children up to that time, they received Justina in answer to their prayer.[1]

She was devoted to religion from her earliest years and ultimately she took the vow of perpetual virginity. At this time arose the persecutions of the Christians by Nero, and Maximian the prefect who had succeeded Vitalian, proved himself particularly brutal. As Justina would visit the prisons to comfort and encourage the Christians there, Maximian ordered her arrest. While she was passing by the Pont Marin near Padua she was seized by the soldiers. When she was brought before Maximian he was struck by her beauty and endeavoured by every means to shake her constancy. However, she remained firm against all attacks and the prefect caused her to be slain with the sword.[1]

bishop of Padua, is said to have been Justina's teacher; his hagiography states that he was sent from Antioch
by Peter. This however is chronologically impossible as Justina being a young woman in 304 AD could not have known Prosdocimus as he died in approximately 100 AD.

Veneration

St. Justina is a patron saint of Padua. After St. Mark, she is also a second patroness of Venice.[2] Her feast day is October 7 and coincided with the end of the grape harvest and the time for settling agricultural contracts.[3]

In the 6th century the Paduans dedicated a church to her and she was among the virgin martyrs portrayed in the presbytery arch in the Euphrasian Basilica (at left) and in the procession of virgins in Sant'Apollinare Nuovo. In the 7th century, Venantius Fortunatus, writing in Gaul, urged travellers to Padua to visit her relics there.[4]

The

St. Luke
.

Iconography

Justina is represented in Christian Art crowned as a princess, and with a sword transfixing her bosom, in accordance with her martyrdom, AD. 303.[5]

Gallery

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Allen Banks Hinds, M.A. “Saint Justina of Padua”. A Garner of Saints, 1900. CatholicSaints.Info. 20 April 2017Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. ^ Butler, Alban. "St. Justina of Padua, Virgin and Martyr", The Lives of the Saints. vol.X, 1866
  3. ISBN 9788866556633
  4. ^ Stracke, Richard. "Saints Justina & Prodoscimus of Padua and Saints Justina & Cyprian of Antioch", ChristianIconography.info, University of Augusta
  5. ^ Wagner, Leopold. "Patron Saints and Their Attributes", Manners, Customs, and Observances, London, William Heineman, 1894
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