Saint Ursula

Who they were

The story of St Ursula and her companions, the virgin martyrs of Cologne, rests on very little: an inscription by one Clematius, now in the choir of the church of St Ursula at Cologne, recording that he rebuilt a basilica on the site where holy virgins had shed their blood, and a few details in old liturgical books. The famous legend of Ursula and eleven thousand virgins grew up much later and has long been rejected by historians.

The miracles

There was never a formal cause: Ursula and her companions have been honoured as virgin martyrs at Cologne since at least the fourth century. The later legend is not history.

Why that counted as sanctity

Ursula and her companions are honoured as virgins who gave their lives for Christ at Cologne, whose memory the Church kept even when their story was lost.