Died 665 AD, Naples, Italy Role Martyr | Name Patricia Naples Feast August 25 Patronage Naples | |
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Similar People Saint Cajetan, Giuseppe Moscati, Selim III, Caterina Volpicelli, Januarius Maria Sarnelli | ||
Venerated in Roman Catholic Church | ||
Saint Patricia of Naples (or Patricia of Constantinople) (Italian: Santa Patrizia) (died ca. 665 AD) is an Italian virgin martyr and saint. Tradition states that she was noble; she may have been related to the Roman Emperor. Some sources say that she was a descendant of Constantine the Great.
Wishing to escape a marriage arranged by Constans II and become a nun, she went to Rome. There she received the veil from Pope Liberius. Upon the death of her father, she returned to Constantinople and, renouncing any claim to the imperial crown, distributed her wealth to the poor. She then planned to go on pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
However, a terrible storm shipwrecked her on the shores of Naples. Finding refuge on the tiny island of Megarides (the site of the present-day Castel dell'Ovo), the site of a small hermitage, Patricia died shortly after from disease.
Veneration
The monastery of Sante Patricia contained her relics. During the turbulent events of 1864, they were translated to the monastery of San Gregorio Armeno. Covered in wax, her relics were contained in an urn of gold, gems, and silver, and hi. The monastery also preserves her blood. Her blood, like that of Januarius, the other, more famous patron saint of Naples, is also said to liquefy periodically. The associated legend states that after Patricia died, a zealous man pulled out one of her teeth, causing the body to hemorrhage. Patricia's followers collected the blood and exposed it. It then liquefied. Her blood is said to turn to liquid on her feast day of August 25, and on every Tuesday morning.