Charitina of Amisus was a Christian virgin martyr who lived in Asia Minor during the late third and early fourth centuries. Raised by a pious man named Claudius, she dedicated her life to prayer, fasting, and the study of divine law. Her devotion and commitment to chastity inspired many others to embrace the Christian faith. During the persecutions under Emperor Diocletian, she was apprehended in Amisus and faced various trials before her death in 304.
Life and martyrdom
After being orphaned, Charitina was raised by Claudius, who treated her as his own daughter. Despite not being formally baptized, she lived as a devoted Christian and vowed to remain a virgin. When the governor Dometius ordered her arrest, she openly confessed her faith. Following several failed attempts to harm her through fire, drowning, and a turning wheel, she died while praying to avoid being assaulted by several men.
Veneration
She is commemorated as a saint in the Orthodox tradition, with her feast day observed on 5 October. In religious art, she is often depicted alongside an angel who is shown extinguishing a funeral pyre. Her life is celebrated for her courage and the spiritual strength she demonstrated during her trials.