SUSANNA
Memorial: 11 August

Profile: Roman noble, the beautiful daughter of Saint Gabinus, and niece of Pope Caius, living in the early part of Diocletian's reign when the last large-scale persecutions were building steam. Having made a private vow of virginity, and not wanting to be part of a family that murdered her family in faith, she refused to marry Maximian, Diocletian's son-in-law. Her piety was such that she converted Claudius and Maximus, relatives and the messengers sent to bring her to Maximian. In revenge, she was exposed as a Christian, beaten, and martyred.

No reliable Acta of her life have survived, but her story has, and she is commemorated in many ancient Martyrologies. A Roman parish and church has borne her name since the fifth century. In 1969 she was dropped from the universal calender of saints, but her memorial is still celebrated in Saint Susanna's basilica in Rome. Died: martyred by beheading in 295 in her father's house at Rome; buried by Diocletian's wife, a closet Christian; the house became the original church with her name


SUSANNA
Memorial: 19 September

Profile: Daughter of a pagan priest and a Jewish woman. Following their deaths, she converted to Christianity. Deaconess at Eleutheropolis. Martyred during the reign Julian the Apostate.

Died: martyred 362


SUSANNA
Memorial: 18 January

Profile: Young girl who with fellow Christians Thecla and Archelais travelled to Nola to escape persecutions. They were arrested for their faith, taken to Salerno, tortured and murdered.

Born: at Romagna, Italy
Died: martyred by beheading in 293 at Salerno


SUSANNA COBIOJE
Memorial: 12 July

Profile: Married to Blessed Peter Araki. Japanese authorities tried to shame her out of her faith by hanging her naked by her hair in a tree for eight hours. It did not work, and she was martyred six months later.

Died: martyred by beheading in 1628 at Nagasaki, Japan
Beatified: 1867
Canonised: pending


SUSANNA and Companions
Memorial: 24 May

Profile: 2nd century wives of soldiers in a unit commanded by Saint Meletius. Martyred with their children in Galatia. The other known names in the groups are Saint Marciana and Saint Palladia.

Patronage: martyrs