Description

Oil Dedicated to St Eulalia of Spain

The St Eulalia of Spain is dedicated to the 3rd century martyr.

Saint Eulalia (.290–February 12, 303), co-patron saint of Barcelona, was a 13-year-old Roman Christian virgin. She was martyred in Barcelona during the persecution of Christians in the reign of emperor Diocletian.

The daughter of a noble family, Eulalia lived near the city of Barcelona. During the persecutions under Diocletian, governor Dacian arrived in the city intent on enforcing the decrees. Soon afterwards, Eulalia entered the city.  She confronted the governor for his merciless persecution of Christians. Unable to dismiss her eloquent appeals, Dacian had her stripped and flagellated.  He followed this with torture by multiple implements until she would deny her beliefs or die. Her wounds were burned with torches, but the flames blew back against her tormentors. She prayed that God would take her to Heaven, then died.

St Eulalia’s witness to her faith

A dove is supposed to have flown forth from her mouth following her death.  After that a sudden snowstorm covered her body like a garment.

It is traditionally believed that her tortures culminated in her crucifixion on an X-shaped cross.  She is depicted with this cross as the instrument of her martyrdom. However, it has been posited that she was instead publicly tortured on an X frame.  her body was left there after she died.

Her body was originally interred in the church of Santa Maria de les Arenes (St. Mary of the Sands; now Santa Maria del Mar, St. Mary of the Sea). It was hidden in 713 during the Moorish invasion, and only recovered in 878. In 1339, it was relocated to an alabaster sarcophagus in the crypt of the newly built Cathedral of Santa Eulalia. The festival of Saint Eulalia is held in Barcelona for a week around her feast day on February 12.