SAINT DEVOTA

St. Devota

Devota of Corsica V

 Born Mariana, Corsica

Died 303

 Mariana, Corsica

Feastday: January 27

Died: 303

Virgin martyr of Corsica, France, who was slain on the rack. Patroness of Corsica and Monaco, her relics are in Monaco on the Riviera di Ponen

 Died c. 303; feast day formerly January 17. Saint Devota was a young Corsican martyred at Macinaggio by being racked to death during Diocletian's persecutions. Her remains

are interred at the Riviera di Ponenta in Monaco. Some identify her with the martyr Julia, described as "Deo devota," whose description was mistakenly made into a proper name

(Delaney, Farmer). In art, Saint Devota is a dead maiden in a boat on the sea with a dove flying ahead of it (Roeder). She is the patron of Monaco and Corsica

Saint Devota (French: Sainte Dévote; died ca. 303 AD) is the patron saint of Corsica and Monaco. She was killed during the persecutions of Diocletian and Maximian. She is sometimes identified with another Corsican saint named Julia, who was described in Latin as Deo devota ("devoted to God").

Tradition holds that she was a Corsican woman born around 283 AD at Mariana. A young virgin, she had decided to devote herself fully to the service of God. By order of the prefect Barbarus, she was imprisoned and tortured for her faith. Her mouth was crushed, and her body was dragged through rocks and brambles. She was martyred at Mariana by being racked or stoned to death.

After her death, the governor of the province ordered for her body to be burnt to prevent its veneration. However, it was saved from the flames by Christians. Her body was placed on a boat bound for Africa. Gratianus (Graziano), the boat's pilot; Benedict (Benenato), a priest; and Apollinaris, his deacon; believed it would receive proper Christian burial there. However, a storm overtook the boat and a dove flew out from the mouth of the saint. The dove guided the boat to present-day Les Gaumates, today part of the Principality of Monaco, where a chapel dedicated to Saint George already stood.

Her mutilated body was discovered by fishermen. In her honor a chapel was built, which stands in Monaco still. Traditionally, flowers are said to bloom before their season on January 27, the saint's feast day.