Jovilla of Langres

Holy Martyr Jovilla of Langres suffered in the second century, in the time of the persecution of Marcus Aurelius (161-180), together with the Holy Martyrs Speusippus, Eleusippus and Meleusippus, their grandmother Leonilla, Neon and Turbo. The Church commemorates her on 29 January (new style).

The seven suffered in Gaul, according to another account in Cappadocia. Leonilla received Baptism in extreme old age from one of the disciples of Saint Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, and then brought her three grandsons to Christ. The brothers, kindled with zeal for the Lord, smashed the idols and rebuked the pagans for their folly. The tormentors brought Leonilla to the place of execution and ordered her to urge her grandsons to renounce Christ, but she, coming near, praised them for their courage and their confession. The martyrs were thrown into fire, but the fire did them no harm. After the torments and death of her grandsons, Saint Leonilla was cut down by the sword.

Saint Jovilla suffered with her. She saw the unshaken faith of the martyrs, declared herself a Christian, and left her husband and her young son. The tormenters hung her by the hair, wounded her body and beheaded her. Saint Neon saw the struggle of the holy brothers and, writing down their sufferings, gave the manuscript to Turbo, while he himself openly confessed Christ, for which he was cruelly beaten and died of the blows. Saint Turbo, following the example of the sufferers, also ended his life as a martyr. These martyrs are especially venerated in Spain, where many churches are dedicated to them. Their relics were sent by the Greek emperor Zeno to France, to the city of Langres.