Irene of Tomar

Holy Martyr Irene of Tomar, called Santa Iria in Portugal, lived in the 7th century and was murdered around 653. She is one of the most venerated saints of Portugal. Her life is known mainly from a legend, so the facts below should be taken as tradition.

According to tradition, she was born at Nabância, today Tomar, into a wealthy family and was sent to a convent school and a private tutor. She left the house only for services or to pray at the sanctuary of Saint Peter. A young nobleman, Britald, fell in love with her, but Irene told him she would never marry, having given herself to God as a nun. Her tutor, the monk Remigius, tried to seduce her and, rebuffed, spread rumours about her; he even gave her a drink that swelled her belly. Britald believed the slander and hired a killer, who struck her with a sword as she returned home from visiting a disabled old man.

Her body was thrown into the river Nabão, which flows into the Tagus. Her uncle, the abbot Celius, is said to have received from Christ a revelation of the truth and of where her body lay. Benedictines found it uncorrupted near the town of Scalabis and buried it with honour. Her veneration grew so great that the town was renamed Santarém, that is, Saint Irene. Irene is the patron of Tomar.

She is commemorated on 20 October, the liturgical date in the Orthodox calendar (the same day number on the old and new calendars).