Basilla of Rome
saint martyred under emperor Valerian
Feast: 20 May (not on the universal Roman calendar; kept in the Roman Martyrology or local calendars)
Who they were
Basilla of Rome, also known as Basilissa and Babilla, was a saint and martyr of the 3rd century. According to myth she was born into a Roman noble family and was a niece of the emperor Gallienus. She was beheaded in 257 under the Roman emperor Valerian because she refused to marry Pompeius (or Pompey), a patrician and pagan described as "a man of equal rank" to her, after she converted to Christianity. She was baptized by Pope Cornelius. Her maid accused her of being a Christian, and Pompeius betrayed her to Valerian when "she remained steadfast in her refusal to marry him".
Summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0), until this page is written up in full.
The miracles
Limited information is available on this saint so far.
Why that counted as sanctity
Limited information is available on this saint so far.
- Santi e Beati — Santa Basilla — "Santa Basilla | Vergine e martire | † Roma, 304 | festa 20 maggio" — the Roman virgin martyr kept on 20 May, as on the page.
- Wikidata Q97495593 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Basilla of Rome (CC BY-SA)
Not yet written up in full. The Catholic source above names this person; the name, dates and step come from Wikidata and are not yet checked against Church records.