Symphorosa was a Christian matron living in Tivoli during the second century. According to historical tradition, she was the widow of a man named Getulius, who had retired to an estate near Tivoli after his conversion. During the reign of Emperor Hadrian, Symphorosa and her seven sons were arrested for refusing to sacrifice to Roman gods. Following various tortures, she was executed by being thrown into the Anio River with a stone around her neck, while her sons were martyred by the sword.
Martyrdom and burial
The deaths of Symphorosa and her children occurred at a site near the Temple of Hercules. After the execution of her sons, the Christian community recovered their bodies and buried them on the Via Tiburtina. In the seventeenth century, a basilica was identified at this location, built over what was believed to be their tomb. Much later, the remains were moved to Rome by Pope Stephen II.
Veneration
Symphorosa and her sons are commemorated on 18 July. While they are honored as patron saints in the Diocese of Tivoli and listed in the Roman Martyrology, they are not part of the General Roman Calendar. Some scholars have questioned the historical reliability of the accounts describing her life, suggesting the narrative may be modeled after other similar martyrdom stories.