Crispina was a wealthy noblewoman and virgin martyr who lived in Roman Africa during the early 4th century. Born in Thagora, she was eventually brought before the proconsul Annius Anullinus during the Diocletian persecution. Despite being a mother with children, she refused to sacrifice to the Roman gods, choosing instead to remain faithful to a single deity. She was executed by beheading in Theveste in 304, demonstrating great courage in the face of public mockery and the threat of death.
Martyrdom and life
As a member of a distinguished family, Crispina possessed significant wealth. During her trial, she expressed that her primary concern was the state of her soul rather than her physical life. Even when her head was shaved and her children wept, she remained steadfast. She ultimately accepted her death sentence with joy, viewing it as an offering to God.
Veneration and legacy
The historical accounts of her death serve as important records of the era's persecutions. Saint Augustine of Hippo frequently mentioned her in his sermons, comparing her fame and devotion to that of Agnes of Rome. By approximately 400 AD, a large church and a dedicated chapel had been constructed around her grave near Theveste to accommodate pilgrims.