Pura (Christianity)

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According to legend, Pura (Latin for pure ) was a martyr of early Christian times .

Legend

Pura is said to have lived as a Christian in Antioch and, on the orders of the emperor, was to be brought to a brothel as a punishment for her belief. At her prayer, a young man, also seen as an angel in human form, came and ordered her to exchange clothes with him. A soldier who tried to rape the alleged girl and was defeated in battle reported the incident to the emperor. The matter was investigated and the hoax was discovered. The emperor condemned the deputy in disguise to be killed at the stake. Pura then rushed to the place of execution and offered to die in place of her savior, which he refused. They were both put on the stake, but the young man took the girl to heaven, whereupon many pagans were baptized.

reception

The legend of Pura appears in literary form from the 16th century. In 1570 the beautiful new Meysterlied "Pura die Jungkfraw vnd heylig Märterin" by Hans Sachs was published in Nuremberg . As Sanctus Ambrosius described in the first two lines / As Val.ns the disdainful keyser drove is clear, he moved the legend of the martyrdom of Pura to the time of Emperor Valens and gave the source of St. Ambrose .

A little later, the martyr's death of the Pura is the subject of a song in the hymn book of the Anabaptists Aussbund Some beautiful Christian singing , like the one in the prison at Passav in the castle by the Swiss and other orthodox Christians. To use everyone and every Christian, whatever religion they may be, impartially and almost useful . These ballad-like song texts not only glorify martyrs from the Anabaptist circle, but also introduce saints whose fate could be interpreted in the spirit of the Anabaptists.

Another poetic treatment of this material was undertaken by the medical professor, publicist and poet of sacred songs Stephan August Winkelmann . His poem Pura appeared in the Göttingen Muses Almanac for 1803 .

A little later Achim von Arnim edited this text and included it in the first part of his and Clemens von Brentano's anthology Des Knaben Wunderhorn , published in 1806 .