Afra had been a prostitute, possibly one of the Roma (frequently known as gypsies), who lived in what is now southwestern Switzerland. She was seized during one of the persecutions of Dioclesian, and the colloquy between Afra and her judge is reported by Butler.

At each turn, the prosecutor/judge tries his best to shame Afra into renouncing Christianity–primarily by suggesting that a whore could never be accepted by God, so why in the world should she continue this pretense of being one of God’s children? Afra responded that the whole point of her Christian experience is that it’s not about whether her actions were good enough or were way too vile, but that Christ welcomes her without qualification. Afra stated that neither her sexual sins, nor any other sins by her or anyone else, disqualified her union with God.

When her persecutor/prosecutor couldn’t directly shame her, he suggested that she could still lead a happy (and prosperous) life by returning to her trade, instead of running headlong into death–a pointless death, because, after all, God would never accept her (a whore) anyhow. Afra’s response, rendered in Butler’s 18th-century English, was “It is true, I am unworthy to bear the name of a Christian; but Christ hath admitted me to be one.”

At long last, the tyrant became frustrated and embarrassed that a mere slut would not submit to his reasoning, his shaming, his power. He ordered her stripped, lashed, and burned to death. And his orders were carried out.

Sometimes, nothing can stop the more-powerful and self-righteous (an inglorious combination) from carrying out their programs of “removing” people–especially those they wish to shame. At the same time, the shame ultimately and rightly belongs with them.

The slaughterer’s name was Gaius. May his name live in infamy.

Blessed be Afra for her example to us all!