Saint Irene of Rome (died 288 AD) was a Christian woman in the Roman Empire during the reign of Diocletian. She was the wife of Saint Castulus. According to Christian legend, she attended to Saint Sebastian after he was wounded by Mauretanian archers.
Irene of Rome | |
|---|---|
 Saint Sebastian Tended by Saint Irene. Hendrick Ter Brugghen | |
| Died | 288 AD Rome |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Feast | April 3 |
| Attributes | tending to Saint Sebastian |
Biography
editIrene was the wife of Saint Castulus who, according to tradition, was in the service of the Roman emperor. She was later widowed when Castulus was martyred for practicing Christianity and converting others to the religion.[1] After the death of her husband, Irene continued to be active in the Christian community in Rome. According to hagiography, when Saint Sebastian was shot with arrows for practicing Christianity, Irene tended his wounds.[2][3]
Saint Sebastian Tended by Saint Irene was the subject of many paintings by Benedetto Luti and others.
Gallery
edit-
Baroque relief of Saint Irene curing Saint Sebastian's injuries. -
Irene of Rome and Saint Sebastian -
Trophime Bigot -
Dirck van Baburen, 1615 -
Marcantonio Bassetti -c.1620 -
attributed to Georges de La Tour, early 1630s -
Georges de La Tour 1650 -
Felice Ficherelli -1650 -
Vicente López y Portaña 1795-1800
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References
edit- ^ "Sts. Castullus and Irene". faith.nd.edu.
- ^ "CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: St. Sebastian". www.newadvent.org.
- ^ "St. Irene". Catholic News Agency.
Further reading
edit- Conisbee, Philip. “An Introduction to the Life and Art of Georges de La Tour,” in Philip Conisbee (ed.), Georges de La Tour and His World, exhibition catalogue Washington, DC, National Gallery of Art; Fort Worth, Kimbell Art Museum 1996, pp.13-147.
- Judovitz, Dalia. Georges de La Tour and the Enigma of the Visible, New York, Fordham University Press, 2018. ISBN 0-82327-744-5; ISBN 9780823277445. Pp. 11, 94-103, plate 24, 25.