Giovina was a young Christian martyr who lived in Rome during the third century, specifically during the reign of Emperor Aurelian. Born to a Roman senator named Coas and a noblewoman named Aurelia, she was raised in the Christian faith by her parents. While her father was away, the mother and daughter were reported to the Roman prefect for their religious beliefs. Following their arrest, both women were sentenced to death and executed by decapitation.
Life and death
As the daughter of a senator, Giovina was part of the Roman nobility. Her parents, Coas and Aurelia, ensured she was educated in Christian practices. This devotion led to their eventual arrest and execution. At the time of her death, Giovina was only five years old. Her remains were originally interred in the catacombs of Saint Ermete located along the Via Salaria Vecchia.
Veneration and relics
The relics of the saint were later moved from the Basilica of Sant'Ermete to Lanciano. Pope Pius IX gifted these remains to an Augustinian priest, Antonio Maria Di Iorio, for veneration at the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. In July 1850, the urn arrived in Lanciano accompanied by a marble slab and a small vessel containing soil stained with blood. Following her arrival, the church was renamed Santa Giovina.