Picture: Master of Messkirch · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Saint Afra
christian martyr
SaintResearchedAncient RomePre-congregation
Feast: 7 August (not on the universal Roman calendar; kept in the Roman Martyrology or local calendars)
Born
300
Died
304
verified
Beatified
—
not needed: before formal processes
Canonised
By tradition
recognised before formal processes began
Who they were
It is certain history that a Christian named Afra was beheaded at Augsburg in the persecution of Diocletian, about 304, for steadfastly professing her faith, and that her grave was greatly venerated from early times.
Her remains are in the church of Sts Ulrich and Afra at Augsburg. The story of her earlier life is legendary.
The miracles
There was never a formal cause: she has been honoured as a saint since before the Church's formal processes began.
Why that counted as sanctity
A martyr of Augsburg who would not deny Christ.
Connected on this site
- Hilaria of Augsburg Saint Mother, Parent
Sources
- Catholic Encyclopedia (1913), via New Advent - St. Afra
- Wikidata Q114845 — dates, feast day and identifiers (CC0)
- English Wikipedia — Saint Afra (CC BY-SA)
Checked against the sources listed on 21 September 2026. Corrections welcome.