I have added a new "erotic saint" to my online portfolio: Saint Irene, the Martyress of Aquileia.
You may want to check Saint Rosalia, tempted by the daemon, and Saint Bibiana, whose sad story is recalled at the bottom of this blog.
In the holy image above (click to enlarge) we contemplate Saint Irene, the virgin Martyress, already fatally wounded on the mountain top, but still mocking the impious Sisinius, while expiring nevertheless to her lord JC on the very Holy Easter. Go figure.
"Sisinius with a detachment of soldiers set off to the mountain and saw Saint Irene on its summit. For a long while they searched for the way to the top, but they could not find it. Then one of the soldiers wounded Saint Irene with an arrow from his bow. The martyress cried out to Sisinius: "I do mock thine impotent malice, and pure and undefiled I do expire to my Lord Jesus Christ". Having given up thanks to the Lord, she lay down upon the ground and gave up her spirit to God, on the very day of Holy Pascha (+ 304)"
It is worth noting that she escaped on the mountain summit because Sisinius...
...began to threaten to hand her over for defilement in an house of ill repute. But the holy martyress Irene answered: "Let my body be given over for forceful defilement, but my soul will never be defiled by renunciation of Christ".
See? Lo and behold! The Martyress Irene was ready to sacrifice her own body "for forceful defilement" in order to reserve her pure soul for her Heavenly Bridegroom: Christ, her Lord and Master, for the faith in Whom she was ready to suffer any persecution. How sweet.
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