Matrona
Martyrological notice
At Thessalonica, of St. Matrona, servant to a certain Jewish woman, who secretly worshipping Christ, and stealing every day privately to the church to pray, at length taken by her mistress, and many ways afflicted, was finally with great cudgels beaten to death, giving up her pure soul to God in the confession of Christ.
Baring-Gould: March · S. MATRONA, V. M
[Three saints of this name are commemorated on this day. At Barcelona one called Virgin and Martyr, another of Thessalonica, in the Roman Martyrology, called Martyr, but it is not said that she was a Virgin; another at Capua, in Campania, where she is said to be a Virgin and a native of Portugal. They were three distinct persons living at different dates, as their histories testify, but on account of the names of the Barcelonese and Capuan Saints being identical with that of S. Matrona in the Roman Martyrology, their festivals are kept on the same day. Matrona of Thessalonica is commemorated by the Greeks on March 27th.]
S. Matrona of Barcelona was early left an orphan and was adopted by her aunt, who went with her to Italy, and settled in the Campagna. The girl was given a crucifix, which she ever carried about with her. Having been denounced as a Christian, she was thrown into prison and starved to death.
S. Matrona of Thessalonica was the slave of a Jewess, who having discovered that her servant was a Christian, beat her to death with a stick.
Martyrologium Romanum · Latin witness
Thessalonicae sanctae Matronae, quae, cum esset ancilla cujusdam Judaeae, et occulte Christum coleret, ac furtivis orationibus quotidie Ecclesiam frequentaret, a domina sua est deprehensa et multipliciter afflicta, atque novissime, robustis fustibus usque ad mortem caesa, in confessione Christi, incorruptum Deo spiritum reddidit.
