St. Petronille

Our parish bears the Anglicized name of the early Roman St. Petronilla.  The dates and circumstances of her life and death are scarce and, where they are available, they are often in conflict.  Modern scholarship places her death during the mid to late third century.

 

There seems no doubt that St. Petronilla was a virgin whose death was related to her commitment to the vow of chastity.  She was a Roman noblewoman of the family of Domitilla.  Her death followed, by circumstances not entirely clear, her refusal to marry Count Flaccus.  One account has it that following this refusal, for which the nobleman threatened to have her killed, St. Petronilla spent three days in prayer and fasting. She died in bed after having received Holy Communion.  Other histories allude to her persecution and death as a result of her refusal.  The prevailing view is that she died for her faith.  A painting of a saint receiving a deceased woman named Veneranda into Heaven, done in the second half of the fourth century, bearing the saint's name "Petronilla Mart" - would seem to support this view.

 

St. Petronilla's image appears rather often in English late medieval stained glass and on painted screens.  She is often depicted as a young girl, with a book and a palm or keys, presumably the keys of St. Peter.  Her feast day is May 31. 

 

BACK