Aglae of Rome

Saint Aglae of Rome (Aglaida) was a wealthy woman of early Rome, known from the story of Holy Martyr Boniface, whom the Church commemorates as a penitent saint.

According to the surviving account, Aglaida was very rich and had a sinful relationship with her slave Boniface. Both felt the reproaches of conscience and wished to cleanse themselves of sin. Aglaida had learned that whoever keeps the relics of holy martyrs in the house and honours them receives great help toward salvation. She sent Boniface to the East, where there was a great persecution of Christians, asking him to bring back the relics of a martyr who would be their guide and protector.

As he left, Boniface asked with a smile whether, if he could not find relics and himself died for Christ, she would receive his body with reverence; Aglaida rebuked him, telling him to take this mission seriously. At Tarsus, seeing the sufferings of the martyrs, his heart changed and he cried out that he too was a Christian. He was seized, tortured and put to death, and his body was carried back to Rome by his servants.

On the eve of their arrival an angel appeared to Aglaida in a dream and told her to prepare to receive her former slave, now a brother and fellow servant of the angels. She called the clergy and received the holy relics with great honour. On the site of his tomb she built a church dedicated to the holy martyr. She distributed her wealth to the poor and withdrew to a monastery, where she spent fifteen years in repentance until her death. She was buried beside Saint Boniface.

She is commemorated on 19 December, the day of Saint Boniface, by the old calendar.