saint
St Pelagia of Antioch
Πελαγία ἡ ἀπὸ Ἀντιοχείας · Преподобная Пелагия Антиохийская
Fourth-century penitent of Antioch (according to the Vita attributed to Jacob the Deacon); a courtesan converted by the preaching of Bishop Nonnus, who afterwards lived as a monk on the Mount of Olives under the male name Pelagius. Feast day 8 October.
Mentioned in 1 passage.
(1), June 9, virgin and martyr at Antioch about A.D. 306, She drowned herself to avoid defilement, according to St. Ambrose, De Virgin. lib. iii. cap. 7, and List. 37 ad Simplicianum, Chrysostom in his homilies (Migne, P. G. t. i. 579) on her feast, says she committed suicide by flinging herself from the roof of her house. Her mother's name is supposed by some to have been Domnina, who also drowned herself with her daughter; see the acts of both in Ruinart, AA. Sine. pp. 520 and 576, There was a church at C. P. dedicated to St. Pelagia, which Constantinus Copronymus destroyed. Ceillier confuses Pelagia, virgin and martyr of Antiovh, with Pelagia the converted actress [PELAGIA (3)], but there was a century and a half between them.
[G. T. S.]
(2), May 4, virgin and martyr at Tarsus. She was of singular beauty. Her acts tell a long story about Diocletian's desire to marry her after his own son had committed suicide, upon her conversion to Christianity. Upon her refusal she was put to death by burning in a brazen bull, Her story is told in AA. SS. Boll. Mai. i. 454-458, cf. 747. Her Greek acts have been critically reprinted, with learned notes, by H. Usener in his Legenden der Heiligen Pelagia, Bonn, 1879, p. 52, She must be carefully distinguished from the two Pelagia's of Antioch [PELAGIA (3)]. [G. T. 5.]