Genevieve’s childhood featured a mother who battered her for whining about wanting to go to church (and this mother lost her eyesight until, two months later, the child brought her mother specially blessed well-water to wash her eyes with–Mom never stopped Genevieve after that), and a bishop, Germanus, who specially selected her when she was 7 years old to be a “virgin” and consecrated to God’s service. Also Germanus gave Genevieve a special brass medal to wear and told her not to wear any other (or anyone else’s) jewelry. Ancient sources suggest that Genevieve warmly and explicitly consented to Germanus’s putative divination…as a 7-year-old.

So what’s better: to leave a home where you’re beaten, or to be a kept virgin (if indeed she remained virgo intacta)? Thoughts?