Marcella of Rome

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Jan Hovaert - St. Jerome with his pupils

Saint Marcella of Rome (* around 325 in Rome , † around 410 in Rome) was a martyr of the early Church. Her feast day is January 31st.

Surname

The Latin first name Marcella is actually an old family name . It goes back to the Roman name Marcus (" consecrated to the god of war Mars ").

Vita

Marcella, who came from an ancient Roman noble family, refused to remarry after the untimely death of her husband. Their marriage had only lasted seven months. Instead, she dedicated her life to Christ and gathered a group of young girls and devout widows with whom she spent her time in prayer and asceticism . Marcella herself was tutored in the years 382–384 by Hieronymus , who was about 20 years her junior and who later wrote her biography.

When the Goths invaded Rome under their leader Alaric I , Marcella was severely mistreated. She was able to save herself in a church , but there she soon died of her injuries. The exact date of death is not known. According to tradition, her burial took place a few years after her death, because this was not possible due to the invasion of the Goths.

presentation

Medieval representations of St. Marcella are not known. In the rare modern portraits, Marcella is usually depicted as an elegant Roman woman, teaching women and girls, with a crucifix at her side and reading the Bible .

Others

Marcella also found its way into the visual arts of the 20th century. The feminist artist Judy Chicago made her role in the history of women clear: In her work The Dinner Party , she dedicated one of the 39 place settings at the table to her.

See also

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Brooklyn Museum page on the artwork, accessed April 15, 2014.
personal data
SURNAME Marcella of Rome
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Marcella
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Martyr and saint
DATE OF BIRTH at 330
PLACE OF BIRTH Rome
DATE OF DEATH around 410
Place of death Rome