Sainte Soline

Who they were

Solina, also called Soline, was venerated from the 10th century at the abbey of Saint-Père in Chartres, with her feast celebrated solemnly on 17 October by the 12th century, and further feasts marking the translation (27 August) and the return (3 March) of her relics. Three villages of the Poitou region -- Sainte-Soline, Sainte-Souline and Sainte-Soulle -- take their name from her, and she was also venerated at the church of Saint-Hilaire in Poitiers.

No reliable document tells us about her life. According to lessons published from the 1741 Breviary of Chartres, she was born in Aquitaine and made a vow of virginity at the shrine of Our Lady in Chartres; arrested there by the prefect Quirinus, who had already put to death Saints Sabinian and Potentian of Sens, she confessed her faith and was beheaded. She was buried where the abbey of Saint-Père later arose, and, if the account can be trusted, she lived in the 3rd century.

The miracles

There was never a formal cause: she has been honoured as a saint since before the Church's formal processes began.

Why that counted as sanctity

Legendary virgin martyr of Chartres, venerated since the 10th century, with feast 17 October; three Poitou villages bear her name.