Domnina, Berenice, and Prosdoce

Saints Domnina, Berenice, and Prosdoce
Martyrs
Died 310 AD
Syria
Venerated in Roman Catholic Church; Eastern Orthodox Church
Feast October 4

Saint Domnina and her daughters Berenice (Bernice, Veronica, Verine, Vernike) and Prosdoce are venerated as Christian martyrs by the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches.[1]

According to Eusebius, Domnina was a Christian noblewoman from Antioch who had two young daughters.[2] According to one account, Domnina and her daughters settled at Edessa, Mesopotamia.[3] Her husband was a pagan.[3]

Domnina was arrested by soldiers for her adherence to the Christian religion.[2] Fearing that the soldiers would rape her and her daughters, they threw themselves into a river after they asked their guards for a chance to rest for a while[2] or after the soldiers had become drunk with wine.[3] All three women drowned.[2]

The account of St. John Chrysostom tells a slightly different story: according to Chrysostom, Domnina, after jumping into the river, pulled her daughters in with her to prevent them from being raped.[3] Chrysostom praised Domnina for her courage and Domnina’s daughters for their obedience.[3]

References

  1. ↑ "St. Domnina". Catholic Online. n.d. Retrieved May 19, 2009.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Eusebius; Paul Halsall (ed.) (Feb 1996). "Medieval Sourcebook: Eusebius: The Martyrdom of St. Domnina and Her Two Daughters". Internet Medieval Source Book. Retrieved May 19, 2009.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "St. Domnina". Self-Ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America. n.d. Retrieved May 19, 2009.
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