In the early 300s, there were very public and particularly cruel persecutions and executions of Christians that took place in Gaza (yes, the same Gaza of today). Valentina was in the crowd as her sister Thea was apprehended by Firmillian, then-Governor of Palestine, placed on a rack and whipped, and her sides were ripped open with iron hooks. According to Butler, Valentina then yelled out at Firmillian, “How long will you thus torment my sister?”

Firmillian was enraged that a woman called him out in front of this crowd! So Firmillian ordered that Valentina be seized, too. Valentina’s response? She fought those who laid hands upon her, she kicked them, she overturned the sacrificial altar with its fire, and created as much havoc as possible–until multiple males finally subdued her. Firmillian was so outraged that a woman would act in such a disrespectful way-that he ordered that Valentina, like her sister, be tortured–but more cruelly. Yet torture Valentina as much as he might, she continued to call him out and refused to give in to him under any circumstance, no matter how great the pain he ordered others (the coward) to inflict on her.

Finally, Firmillian–finding that his public torture program was backfiring on him thanks to this uppity woman, ordered Valentina and her sister to be set on fire and killed so that he could end this debacle.

Unlike so many of the other martyred saints who seemed to welcome their crowns of glory and went willingly to their deaths, Valentina publicly called out the injustice, resisted her apprehension, and did all that was in her power physically to resist torture and to destroy all that had been set up by the occupiers and oppressors. She did not go quietly to her death but continued to defy the power of Firmillian over her, even as he abused her body and that of her sister. Valentina said NO and she acted on that conviction.

It is to the shame of the cowed crowd that they didn’t join Valentina in her resistance, but even more to the shame of the sexist, sadistic powermongers who were so caught by surprise that anyone–most especially a woman–would resist their ugliness.

We need more Valentinas! Blessed by this saint and the example she sets for us all in our struggles!