Source: Alamy Stock Photo
Quinteria.
Beautiful name, isn’t it?
There's something special about interesting names like this, almost as if they're from another planet. At this point, I've concluded that having distinct names as great saints is some kind of criterion.
The most unique (and quite bizarre) thing about her is her reputation as the “Headless Saint.”
Sadly, not a lot of people are aware of her, but I’m here to change that!
You must be wondering how that title came about.
I'm a bit curious as well!
Now, let's get right to it.
Having been born into the world of Royalty in the Roman Empire, you could say that she was born with a golden spoon. Despite being a princess and one out of nonuplet daughters, she embraced humility in her life.
I wouldn’t say the same for her mother though. Due to the lack of sons she had, as well as the discomfort of her childbirth when delivering nine daughters, she ordered her maid to drown them in the river, without the knowledge of her husband.
Talk about cruelty.
As God would bring miracles, the maid was a Christian that refused to carry out such evil instructions. Instead, she took the nine daughters to a remote community where the love of God was embraced and practiced.
Growing up as baptized Christians themselves, Quinteria and her sisters stayed dedicated to their faith in Christ and His word. Despite being told of their royal lineage, they refused to return to their original home. They had made up their minds to become Christ’s anchors, where they traveled around the country and broke fellow Christians out of prisons. The sisters also took part in demolishing all idols that were not a representation of God.
A group of sisters fighting side by side for God? That’s definitely something you don’t get to see every day.
Martyrdom of the Virgin Saint Quinteriaa Quitéria
But sadly, the roman law caught up to them as they were brought before the governor for tampering with the illicit norms of the Roman Empire.
The governor turned out to be their father, who recognized them instantly. Having found out of his wife’s evil deeds in the past, he made an attempt to bring his daughters back into his home, with the condition of conforming to worshipping Roman Idols, as well as getting wed to Roman pagans.
They blatantly refused to give in to these conditions, which made their father furious to the extent of throwing them in prisons.
It’s still a bit bold to assume that a mere prison will hold them back from anything.
Not only did they break out from that prison, but they also freed other inmates that were kept against their will!
What is more epic is the war they waged a guerrilla war against their own hometown; the Roman Empire!
The battle must have been fierce, that’s for sure.
But alas, their battle came to a short end.
One of her sisters, Euphemia, was unable to escape from her enemies, so she threw herself off the cliff. According to an article from Pintakasi, the ground swallowed her up before she could hit the ground, where a spring emerged over time. The cliff today is known to be Penedo da Santa, Cliff of the Saint.
It may be a bit unbelievable, but who are we to raise questions?
Quinteria, on the other hand, was caught and executed. What makes this story even odd is that her body rose up and snatched her decapitated head before traveling to the area where she was eventually buried.
Source: Pintakasi
I mean, won’t anyone run from the sight of a moving headless body?
Again, who are we to raise questions?
Every year on May 22nd, the public honors her brave acts and martyrdom, particularly among Catholic populations. It was fascinating to learn about additional saints and martyrs who played important roles in building the Christian communities we have today. Such discoveries inspire goals in those who are growing in their faith.
To know more about Quinteria, click here!
There are other places you can check as well, such as Saints Feast Family and Towards the Height. There are alternate stories from here that you'd definitely enjoy!
To know more about daring women like her, come watch;
What other powerful saints would you like to know of? List them in the comments down below!
God Bless!
So what happened to the other sisters
This is
You keep surprising me back to
Wow
What a touching story! Scary and unbelievable to the carnal person. Surely with God all things are possible. There is a St. Dennis (Denis) with a similar legend involving headlessness. What great faith and love was shown there! May we desire to live heroic lives for our God- this generation is in dire need of such.
Weldone.