Saints Faith, Hope & Charity

Saints Faith, Hope, and Charity with their mother Wisdom.

Saints Faith, Hope, and Charity with their mother Wisdom.

The names of two groups of Roman martyrs around whom a considerable amount of legendary lore has gathered; though the extent of sound historical data possessed concerning them is so slight…the extent and antiquity of their cult and the universality with which their names are found…render the fact of their existence and martyrdom unquestionable…in the reign of Hadrian, a Roman matron Sophia (Wisdom), with her three youthful daughters, Pistis, Elpis, and Agape (Faith, Hope and Charity), underwent martyrdom for the Faith…

Later surely than the reign of Hadrian, but at what time is uncertain, another band of martyrs, Sapientia (Wisdom) and her three companions, Spes, Fides and Caritas (Hope, Faith and Charity), suffered death and were buried near the tomb of St. Cecilia in the cemetery of St. Callistus on the Appian Way….early Christians so often took in baptism mystical names indicative of Christian virtues…

Information from New Advent, online Catholic encyclopedia.

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