Saint of the day September 7: Saint Regina. Catholic Saints

Every September 7, the Catholic Church celebrates Saint Regina (237-253), virgin and martyr, also known as Saint Regina of Alesia, after the city where she was born, capital of the kingdom of the Mandubians, a territory that housed the confederation of Gallic tribes. who inhabited Burgundy and Jura.

Regina was born in Grignon (France) in the 3rd century and belonged to the Eudo people. Although little information is available about her life, her veneration remains alive in the Church, especially among French Catholics.

Nurtured by faith

Regina means “queen” in Latin, so the French usually refer to her as Holy Queen (the Holy Queen).

Regina was the daughter of a pagan citizen of Alice (Alesia) named Clemente, a native of Burgundy. According to tradition, Regina’s mother died during labor and, as a consequence, the little girl was given to a wet nurse to be breastfed. That woman did not nourish her only with the milk of her breasts but, because she was a Christian, she sowed the seed of faith in Regina’s heart; and, as she cared for her as if she were her own daughter, when the time came, she asked for Regina’s Baptism.

The woman who knew freedom

Years later, according to tradition, when Regina was already a young girl, a Roman prefect named Olibrio noticed her; and, upon learning of the young woman’s noble origin, he decided to pursue her immediately. Regina flatly refused to get married, despite her father’s insistence that she do so.

Olibrio, upon learning that Regina was a Christian, it occurred to him that he could break her will with threats. He plotted to lock her in a dungeon for the purpose of blackmailing her. He had her interrogated, harassed her and mistreated her, hoping that her young woman would change her mind.

However, despite the cruel strategy, the ignoble prefect miscalculated. Regina would not give in at any time; she alone she wanted to be faithful to the promise she made to Christ to remain a virgin—she alone she loved Him she loved her and for Him she would stop marrying.

God, source of all comfort

On one of the terrible nights she spent in captivity, Regina received divine consolation through a vision of the cross, from which came a voice announcing that her liberation was near. And so it was.

The next day, Olibrio ordered that Regina be taken from her cell and tortured.

According to the Records of the martyrsRegina was executed by beheading on September 7, probably in the year 251 (the year is uncertain, and some sources indicate 253 as the year of her death). It is also noted that during her execution a very white dove appeared and landed on her. Witnesses considered this as a sign of the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Regina’s death subsequently sparked countless conversions among those who were nearby in the days of her captivity and sacrifice. Something similar would happen among those who had news of her martyrdom.

Iconography and patronage

Saint Regina has been immortalized in numerous artistic representations throughout history.

She is usually represented with the palm of triumph between her hands (the palm of martyrdom) and with an ax or sword at her side, a representation of the weapon with which she was executed.

The chains with which she was tied (sometimes held in one of her hands) also appear, today venerated in the commune of Flavigny-sur-Ozerain, in Burgundy. A dove suspended in the air is usually painted above the saint’s head, alluding to the presence of the Holy Spirit during her martyrdom. A sheep appears next to her, as a reference to the job of shepherd, which Regina performed when she was a child.

Saint Regina of Alesia is the patron saint and protector of victims of torture, shepherds and carpenters.