De sancta Thecla
The Call of Thecla
Thecla hears the preaching of Paul and chooses a life of virginity, drawing the ire of her mother.
Thecla, who was betrothed to Thamyris, was sitting at her window when she heard Paul, who had come to Iconium, preaching about virginity; she held fast to his teaching. Titus had arrived there before him, and he described Paul as short in stature, with a robust head, joined eyebrows, an aquiline nose, and full of grace. Then Thecla's mother accused her daughter to the apostle.
The Trials of the Virgin
Thecla miraculously survives multiple attempts on her life through fire, wild beasts, and water.
Then both were dragged before the proconsul, with her mother crying out against her daughter because she despised her own betrothed and clung to him. Paul was then expelled, and Thecla, having been thrown into the fire, came out unharmed and found Paul praying for her. She immediately followed him to Antioch, where she was desired by a certain man; but seeing that she despised him, he handed her over to the judge as a sacrilegious woman. The following day, Thecla was thrown among lions, lionesses, and bears, but they all killed one another, and the virgin remained unharmed. Then she was thrown into the water among wild beasts and said, 'In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, let this water be for me a font of baptism,' and all the beasts died immediately. Again, she was ordered to be thrown into the amphitheater among even crueler beasts, but pious matrons gathered and prepared certain fragrant substances so that the beasts would sleep and be calmed. To these, they immediately brought very strong, sleepy bulls, to whose genitals they tied burning irons so that they would rage more fiercely. The virgin was tied and thrown among them, but she was released unharmed, with her bonds burned away.
A Life of Faithfulness
After traveling with the apostle, Thecla returns home to live a life of prayer and spiritual motherhood.
Then she went again with the apostle to Suirona. Finally, having received a direct blessing from Paul, she returned to Iconium and found her betrothed dead. Her mother remained in her wickedness, but she herself became a mother to many, and praying to the Lord, she departed.
Read the original Latin
Thecla sponsa Thainiri sedens in fenestra sua andivit Paulum, qui Yconimm venerat, de virginitate praedicantem ; illi adhaesit, Titus inibi praecesserat et Paulum se descripsit, Statura brevis, capite robusto, supercilis junctis naso aquilino, gratia plenus. Tunc mater Theclae filiam cum apostolo accusa t. Tunc ambo ad proconsulem trabuntur, matre contra filiam clamaute, quia sponsum snum contemnit et huic adhaeret, Tunc Paulus expellitur et Thecla igni injecta illaesa exivit et invenit Paulum pro se orantem et statim sequitur Antiochiam, ibique a quodam concupiscilur, sed videns se contemni, pro sacrilega judici traditur, Sequenti die Thecla inter leones et leaenas et ursos projicitur, sed omnes se invicem interficiunt et virgo illaesa perinansit, Tunc in aquam inter feras projicitur et dixit: in nomine patris et filii et spiritus sancti sit mihi haec aqua fons baptismi, et omnes ferae statim moriebantur, Iterum in amphitheatro inter feras crudeliores projici jubetur, sed piae matronae conflunnt et odorifera quaedam aptant, ut ferae dormiant et mitigentur, Quibus statim soporalis tauri fortissimi adducuntur, quibus ignita ferramenta ad genitalia ligantur, ut magis saeviant, Et virgo ligata inter illos projicitur, sed illaesa et combustis vinculis absolvitur. Deinde iterum cum apostolo Suironam pergit. Tandem a Paulo recta benedictione sumta Yconium rediit et sponsum mortuum reperit, Mater ejus in sua nequitia permansit, ipsa vero multanun inum mater exstitit et orans ad dominum migravit, vel
The Golden Legend (Legenda Aurea) companion
Continue through all 240 chapters, one saint a day
Chosen Portion serves the Golden Legend as a daily portion on iOS, free, alongside the full Sub Rosa archive
The Legenda Aurea was organized for day-by-day use across the liturgical year, and Chosen Portion restores that original one-feast-per-day reading rhythm
- A complete saint's life or feast reading most days in 5-10 minutes
- 240 chapters - enough daily readings to cover a full liturgical year and beyond
- Daily reminders so the plan survives busy weeks