Saint Eurosia

Eurosia (or Orosia) is the patron saint of Jaca, a city in the province of Huesca of northeastern Spain, in the Pyrenees, the centre of her cult. The "Fiesta de Santa Orosia" is celebrated on 25 June. Tradition states that she was born in Bayonne (or perhaps Bohemia) and died in 880, martyred by the Moors at Jaca. Her legend states that she was of noble birth and promised to a Moor in an arranged marriage. Eurosia escaped and hid in a cave. Unfortunately, the smoke from her fire led to her capture. She was dragged from the cave by her hair and martyred. Devotion to St. Eurosia spread into northern Italy during the Middle Ages. According to an alternate tradition, she was born Dobroslava into the ducal family of Bohemia in 864. When orphaned, Dobroslava was adopted by the succeeding duke, Borivoj I. Borivoj's wife was Saint Ludmila, who converted her adoptive daughter to the Christian faith. Borivoj was deposed by pagans, but restored thanks to the efforts of Saint Methodius. In 880, Methodius was ordered by Pope John VIII to find a worthy spouse for the son of the king of Pamplona, Prince Fortún; this son was heir to the throne of Aragon and Navarre, and would be a critical player in the fight against the Moors in Spain. Eurosia, now sixteen years old, was considered a good candidate and was brought to Spain in 880. As she crossed the Pyrenees, she planned to meet her future spouse at Jaca. However, this area had become a war zone. A Moorish captain named Aben Lupo planned to wed Eurosia for himself and attacked the Bohemian party. However, thanks to the bravery of Eurosia's escort, the young bride-to-be managed to escape through the mountains. She was pursued and eventually caught. Eurosia invoked the heavens and a lightning bolt hit the ground near her captors. She was quickly executed, her limbs were amputated and she was beheaded. After she was beheaded, a storm came, terrorizing her tormentors.