Luba | Caritas

● Remembrance Day orthodox: September 17
● Name means: Love (Latin.)
● Martyr
● Born in Milan, Italy
● Died around 130 in Rome
Legend has it that after the death of her wealthy husband, the Christian widow Sophia
distributed her property to the poor and then left Milan. With the intention of suffering
martyrdom, she went to Rome with her daughters Fides, Spes and Caritas. Accused under
Emperor Hadrian, the daughters were executed after many tortures. Sophia was also beheaded
after she buried the daughters on September 30 in the catacombs of Callistus. According to
other directories of martyr sites, the four rested under Greek name on the Via Aurelia in the
catacombs under today’s church of San Pancrazio; this is because, here is actually the grave of
an – otherwise unknown – Sophia. The legend thus explains what Paul explains in the High Song
of Love (1 Corinthians 13:12-13): in eternity I will fully know (Sophia, the wisdom). But now
there remains faith (Agenzia Fides), hope (Spes), love (Caritas), these three. The legend has no
historical value whatsoever but has been translated into many languages and widely handed
down. According to tradition, some of the relics were transferred to the convent of Eschau in
Alsace in 778. From there, the cult has spread to Germany.