Sainte Dafrose
Martyre à
Rome (IVe siècle)
Dafrose ou Afrosia
Epouse de Flavien, mère de Bibiane et
de Démétrie. Le récit
de son martyre est peu fiable; elle figurait autrefois au martyrologe romain.
Martyrologe
Romain publié par l'ordre de Grégoire XIII, 1830 - page 5
SOURCE : https://nominis.cef.fr/contenus/saints/12743/Sainte-Dafrose.html
Saint Dafrosa of
Acquapendente
Also
known as
Dafrosa of Rome
Aifrosa…
Affrosa…
Daphrosa…
Profile
Married
to Saint
Flavian;
mother
of Saint
Bibiana
and Saint
Demetria.
Martyred
in the persecutions
of Julian
the Apostate. Her story is included in the Acts of
Bibiana.
Additional
Information
Book
of Saints, by the Monks
of Ramsgate
Lives
of the Saints, by Sabine Baring-Gould
Roman
Martyrology, 1914
edition
Saints
of the Day, by Katherine Rabenstein
books
Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints
other
sites in english
webseiten
auf deutsch
sites
en français
fonti
in italiano
nettsteder
i norsk
spletne
strani v slovenšcini
MLA
Citation
‘Saint Dafrosa of
Acquapendente‘. CatholicSaints.Info. 9 April 2022. Web. 26 September 2026.
<https://catholicsaints.info/saint-dafrosa-of-acquapendente/>
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/saint-dafrosa-of-acquapendente/
Article
DAFROSA (AFFROSA) (Saint)
Martyr (January 4) (4th century) The wife of Fabian (Flavian) also a Martyr,
and the mother of Saints Bibiana and Demetria, Virgin Martyrs. After the death
of her husband some writers say that she herself was decapitated (A.D. 363).
Others with better reason that she was exiled and succeeded in converting to
Christianity and animating to martyrdom a certain Faustus who pretended to her
hand, and who may be the Saint of that name venerated with others on June 24.
But it is admitted that the Acts of Saint Bibiana are untrustworthy, and that
she and the other Saints referred to therein may have flourished a century
earlier than the date given. The name Dafrosa is often written, and more
correctly Daphrosa.
MLA
Citation
Monks of Ramsgate.
“Dafrosa”. Book of Saints, 1921. CatholicSaints.Info. 22
October 2012.
Web. 4 January 2021. <http://catholicsaints.info/book-of-saints-dafrosa/>
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/book-of-saints-dafrosa/
St. Dafrosa
Feastday: January 4
Death: unknown
Martyred mother of St.
Bibiana, sometimes called Aifrosa. The Acts of Bibiana
provide untrustworthy documentation of this martyrdom which supposedly took
place in the reign of Julian the Apostate.
SOURCE : https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=2808
Article
(also known as Affrosa)
Dates uncertain.
According to the untrustworthy Acts of Saint Bibiana, Saint Dafrosa was
her mother and
the wife of ex-prefect of Rome, Saint Flavian
(December
22). Dafrosa and her husband were exiled to the small village of
Acquapendente, where he died in prayer and she was beheaded under Julian the
Apostate. After their parents’ death,
things went from bad to worse for the orphaned Bibiana and her sister Saint
Demetria (Benedictines, Delaney).
MLA
Citation
Katherine I
Rabenstein. Saints of the Day, 1998. CatholicSaints.Info.
30 November 2020. Web. 4 January 2021.
<https://catholicsaints.info/saints-of-the-day-dafrosa/>
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/saints-of-the-day-dafrosa/
Saint Dafrosa of
Acquapendente - Martyr
Saint of the Day
: January 4
Other Names : Dafrosa of Rome • Aifrosa • Affrosa • Daphrosa
Saint Dafrosa,
Pray for us !
It is very difficult to
outline the historical figure of Saint Dafrosa, a Roman martyr of the 4th
century, who even the new Martyrologium Romanum may not have considered appropriate
to report. Today, only her daughter Bibiana appears on the martyrology of
the Catholic Church. In the past editions, the saint was commemorated on
January 4: "In Rome Blessed Dafrosa, wife of St. Flavian Martyr and mother
of the saints Bibiana and Demetria, Virgins and Martyrs, who, after the killing
of her husband, was first sent into exile, and then beheaded under Giuliano
".
According to tradition,
the wife of Saint Flaviano (December 22) and mother of the saints Bibiana
(December 2) and Demetria (June 21). Dafrosa lived in Rome in the fourth
century, at the time of Emperor Julian the Apostate and it was in this time
period Dafrosa and her family were condemned to death. In the "Passio
Sanctae Bibianae" dating back to the seventh century we read that the
governor Aproniano, after having sentenced to death the spouses Flaviano and
Dafrosa, being certain to seize their heritage, tried to force the two young
daughters to apostasy. Demetria was imprisoned and died before being martyred,
a fate that instead suffered her sister Bibiana.
The body of St. Bibiana
was then buried next to the tomb of her parents and sister, taken to their home
on the Esquiline, where later by the will of Pope Simplicius erected a chapel
and later the current basilica. The relics of St. Flaviano then took different
paths and are now venerated in the Lazio town of Montefiascone. The bodies of
Dafrosa and the two daughters were found in 1624 and relocated two years later
by Pope Urban VIII in three reliquaries. They are still preserved today in the
Constantinian sarcophagus, in oriental alabaster, under the high altar of the
church of Santa Bibiana. Part of the relics of St. Dafrosa are kept in the
patriarchal basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, where her Feast is celebrated on
January 4th.
Finally, it should be
remembered that the saints Flaviano and Dafrosa are only one of the many
couples that the Church has considered worthy of the aureole of sanctity over
the centuries, even if they are unfortunately usually not very famous and obscured
by great figures like holy bishops , priests, nuns, and founders of religious
orders. Without detracting from the latter, however, we must recognize how they
can be considered models closer to families all those spouses who have made
their marriage the road to achieve holiness. To this end, the new Rite of
Matrimony included the Litanies of the Holy Spouses, including a couple of
Roman martyrs, Mario and Marta, who just like Dafrosa and Flaviano did not
hesitate to shed their blood to testify their Christian faith.
SOURCE : https://saintscatholic.blogspot.com/2019/01/saint-dafrosa-of-acquapendente-martyr.html
Baring-Gould’s
Lives of the Saints – Saint Dafrosa, Widow, Confessor
Article
(a.d. 361)
[Mentioned in Roman
Martyrology, and in those of Bede, Ado, Notker, Maurolycus, etc. All known of
her is contained in the Martyrologies.]
This Saint was the wife
of Saint Flavian, a martyr. She was one of the few who suffered in the reign of
Julian, the Apostate; having been sentenced by Apronianus, præfect of the city,
in Rome, along with her daughters, Demetria and Bibiana. Saint Flavian, her
husband, was crowned on the 22nd December; and she followed him shortly. She
was sent to the house of a certain Faustus, who desired to have her in
marriage; but she refused to become his wife, and converted him to the faith.
He was baptized by Saint John the priest, who is commemorated on June 23rd.
Faustus was executed, and his body cast to the dogs; but Dafrosa saved it, and
buried it secretly at night. Then, in a dream, her husband Flavian appeared to
her, and called her to follow him. And at the expiration of five days, whilst
engaged in prayer, she migrated to her heavenly country.
MLA
Citation
Sabine Baring-Gould.
“Saint Dafrosa, Widow, Confessor”. Lives
of the Saints, 1872.
CatholicSaints.Info. 17 December 2023. Web. 26 September 2026.
<https://catholicsaints.info/baring-goulds-lives-of-the-saints-saint-dafrosa-widow-confessor/>
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/baring-goulds-lives-of-the-saints-saint-dafrosa-widow-confessor/
Santa Dafrosa di Roma Sposa
e martire
Roma, IV secolo
Santa Dafrosa, martire
romana al tempo di Giuliano l’Apostata, fu moglie di San Flaviano e madre delle
sante Bibiana e Demetria. Solo in passato fu annoverata nel martirologio romano
e le sue reliquie riposano con quelle delle figlie.
Etimologia: Dafrosa,
di origine siriana, 'cinta di rose'
Emblema: Palma
Assai difficile è
delineare quale personaggio storico Santa Dafrosa, martire romana del IV
secolo, che neppure il nuovo Martyrologium Romanum ha forse ritenuto opportuno
ancora riportare. Oggi dell’intera famiglia solamente la figlia Bibiana compare
ancora sul martirologio della Chiesa Cattolica. Nelle passate edizioni la santa
era invece ancora così commemorata al 4 gennaio: “A Roma la beata Dafrosa,
moglie di san Flaviano Martire e madre delle sante Bibiana e Demetria, Vergini
e Martiri, la quale, dopo l'uccisione di suo marito, fu dapprima mandata in
esilio, e poi decapitata sotto Giuliano”.
La tradizione la vuole
dunque moglie di San Flaviano (22 dicembre) e madre delle sante Bibiana (2
dicembre) e Demetria (21 giugno). Dafrosa visse a Roma nel IV secolo, al tempo
dell’imperatore Giuliano l’Apostata e proprio da questi Dafrosa e la sua
famiglia sarebbero stati condannati a morte. Nella “Passio Sanctae Bibianae”
risalente al VII secolo si legge che il governatore Aproniano, dopo aver
condannato a morte i coniugi Flaviano e Dafrosa, essendo ormai certo di potersi
impossessare del loro patrimonio, tentò di costringere all’apostasia anche le
due giovani figlie. Demetria fu rinchiusa in carcere e morì prima ancora di
subire il martirio, sorte che invece subì la sorella Bibiana.
Il corpo di Santa Bibiana
fu allora sepolto accanto alla tomba dei genitori e della sorella, preso la
loro abitazione sull’Esquilino, dove in seguito per volere di Papa Simplicio fu
innalzata una cappella e più tardi l’attuale basilica. Le reliquie di San
Flaviano presero poi strade diverse e sono oggi venerate presso la cittadina
laziale di Montefiascone. I corpi di Dafrosa e delle due figlie invece furono
rinvenuti nel 1624 e ricollocati due anni dopo dal pontefice Urbano VIII in tre
reliquiari. Sono ancora oggi conservate nel sarcofago costantiniano, in
alabastro orientale, sotto l’altare maggiore della chiesa di Santa Bibiana.
Parte delle reliquie di Santa Dafrosa sono invece custodite nella patriarcale
basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, dove il 4 gennaio veniva abitualmente
celebrata la sua festa.
Occorre infine ricordare
che i santi Flaviano e Dafrosa non sono che una delle numerose coppie che la
Chiesa nel corso dei secoli ha considerato degne dell’aureola della santità,
anche se si tratta purtroppo di casi solitamente poco celebri ed offuscati da
grandi figure di santi vescovi, sacerdoti e suore, magari fondatori di ordini
religiosi. Senza nulla togliere a questi ultimi, occorre però riconoscere come
possano invece essere considerati modelli più vicini alle famiglie tutti quei
coniugi che hanno fatto del loro matrimonio la strada per raggiungere la
santità. A tale scopo il nuovo Rito del Matrimonio ha inserito le Litanie dei
Santi Sposi, includendovi anche una coppia di martiri romani, Mario e Marta,
che proprio come Dafrosa e Flaviano non esitarono a versare il loro sangue per
testimoniare la loro fede cristiana.
Autore: Fabio
Arduino
SOURCE : http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/91037
Den hellige Dafrosa av
Roma (d. 362?)
Minnedag: 4.
januar
Den hellige Dafrosa
(Affrosa) skal ha levd på 300-tallet i Roma. Hun skal ha vært gift med den
hellige Flavian,
en keiserlig embetsmann i Roma. Hennes døtre het Bibiana og Demetria,
og de led alle fire martyrdøden under keiser Julian den frafalne (Apostata)
(361-63). Men den lite troverdige legenden er fra 500-tallet, og den er ikke
historisk bevist. Passio Sanctae Bibianae er fra 600-tallet.
Etter mange år med fred
brøt det ut nye kristenforfølgelser under keiser Julian den frafalne, som ville
gjeninnføre de hedenske gudene i Romerriket. Mange kristne falt fra, men
Flavians store villa i Roma ble tilfluktssted for mange forfulgte, som her fikk
beskyttelse og pleie. Men en dag ble Flavian arrestert av stattholder Apronian
etter ordre fra keiseren, og han ble brennmerket i pannen som slave og forvist
til den lille landsbyen Aquapendente, som nå ligger helt nord i regionen Lazio
på grensen til Toscana. Der døde han ca år 362.
Like etter ble også
Dafrosa trukket for retten. Etter forhøret ble hun stengt inne i huset sammen
med de to døtrene for at de skulle sulte helt til de gikk med på å ofre til
gudene. Men deres liv ble reddet på underfullt vis. Stattholderen lot nok en
gang Dafrosa føre for seg, og da han så at hun var like ubøyelig, lot han henne
halshogge.
Bibiana og Demetria ble fratatt
alt familien eide, og de ble forsøkt presset til å oppgi kristentroen. Da det
ikke lyktes, ble de arrestert. De ble truet med tortur, og da falt Demetria død
om etter alle forutgående lidelser. Bibiana ble plaget videre og satt fem
måneder i fengslet. En hedensk kvinne ved navn Rufina tok henne inn i huset,
instruert av guvernøren til å få henne til å avsverge sin kristne tro. Men
ingenting kunne rokke Bibianas overbevisning.
Hun ble da sperret inne
blant epileptikere og gale, men til stattholder Apronians forbløffelse gjorde
de syke henne ikke noe. Som en særlig straff lot henne binde til en søyle og
pisket henne så lenge med en pisk med blykuler at hun til slutt var døende. En
av bødlene støtte da en dolk i brystet hennes og gjorde slutt på pinslene.
Liket ble kastet til hundene, men de rørte det ikke. En prest gravla følgende
natt hennes lik ved siden av moren og søsteren.
Dafrosa nevnes bare i
forbifarten i Martyrologium Romanum, og i dag er datteren Bibiana den eneste i
familien som fortsatt nevnes i Den katolske kirkes offisielle martyrologium.
Det kan imidlertid regnes som sikkert at Bibiana var en ekte kristen martyr
under keiser Julian den frafalne, og det gjelder sannsynligvis også Flavian,
som i legenden er gjort til hennes far, men historien om hennes mor Dafrosa og
søsteren Demetria er trolig ren fiksjon. Dafrosas minnedag er 4. januar. Hennes
relikvier oppbevares sammen med relikviene av hennes døtre. De ble funnet i
1624 og to år senere lagt i tre relikvarer av pave Urban VIII (1623-44). De er
fortsatt bevart i den konstantinske sarkofagen i orientalsk alabast under
høyalteret i kirken Santa Bibiana. En del av Dafrosas relikvier oppbevares i
den pavelige basilikaen Santa Maria Maggiore, hvor hennes fest den 4. januar
rutinemessig ble feiret.
Kilder:
Benedictines, Bunson, KIR, CSO, Patron Saints SQPN, Bautz, Heiligenlexikon,
santiebeati.it, zeno.org - Kompilasjon og oversettelse: p.
Per Einar Odden
Opprettet: 5.
september 1999
SOURCE : http://www.katolsk.no/biografier/historisk/dafrosa
Dafrosa
auch: Affrosa
Gedenktag
katholisch: 4. Januar
Name
bedeutet: die Rose aus Afrika (althochdt.)
Märtyrerin
† um
362 in Rom
Wandmalerei
Dafrosa war der
Überlieferung nach die Frau des römischen Präfekten Flavianus,
der unter Kaiser Julian das Martyrium erlitt, weil er sein Haus zur Zuflucht
für verfolgte Christen gemacht hatte, und die Mutter von Bibiana und Demetria.
Sie wurde zunächst verbannt und starb nach der Verfolgung ihrer Familie durch
Enthauptung.
Dafrosas Gebeine wurden
angeblich 1624 wieder aufgefunden, zusammen mit denen ihrer Töchter Bibiana und Demetria.
Daraufhin ließ Papst Urban VIII. die Kirche Santa
Bibiana in Rom innen erneuern, nun ist Dafrosa dort eine Kapelle
geweiht.
SOURCE : https://www.heiligenlexikon.de/BiographienD/Dafrosa_Affrosa.html
