Zoe of Rome


Zoe of Rome
Saint Zoe, Martyr (18th-century, Portuguese)
Martyr
Bornnot known
Diedc. 286
Venerated inRoman Catholic Church
Eastern Orthodox Church
CanonizedPre-Congregation
FeastJuly 5

Saint Zoe of Rome (died c. 286) was a noblewoman, married to Nicostratus, a high Roman court official.

For six years she had been unable to speak. Saint Sebastian made the sign of the cross over the woman, and she immediately began to speak and she glorified Jesus.[1] Zoe asked for baptism.[2] She lived during the reign of Emperor Diocletian and his early persecution of Christians.

She was greatly devoted to Saint Peter, and was discovered praying by his tomb when she was arrested for her faith. She died, stifled by smoke, hung over a fire.[3] Her body then was thrown into the River Tiber.[1]

She is considered a saint in the Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Church[4] and has a feast day of 5 July in both, although she is also venerated by the Eastern Orthodox Church on 18 December along with Saint Sebastian and other martyrs.[5]

References

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  1. ^ a b Orthodox Church in America. "Lives of the Saints: Martyr Sebastian at Rome, and his companions". www.oca.org.
  2. ^ Orthodox Church in America. "Martyr Zoe at Rome". oca.org.
  3. ^ Butler, Alban. The Lives or the Fathers, Martyrs and Other Principal Saints, Vol.I
  4. ^ "St. Zoe at Rome". Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  5. ^ "Martyr Sebastian at Rome, and his companions". www.oca.org. Retrieved 2024-02-16.