St. Zoe of Rome

Feastday: July 5
Death: 286

Zoe (d.c. 286) + Martyr. A noble woman of the imperial court of Rome, she was executed in the early stages of Emperor Diocletian's (r. 284-305) persecution of the Church. Feast day: July 5.

Ancient Roman noblewoman and pre-Congregation Christian martyr

Saint Zoe of Rome (died c. 286) was a noblewoman, married to Nicostratus, a high Roman court official. For six years she had been unable to speak. Saint Sebastian made the sign of the cross over the woman, and she immediately began to speak and she glorified Jesus. Nicostratus and his wife asked for baptism. She lived during the reign of Emperor Diocletian and his early persecution of Christians.

She was greatly devoted to Saint Peter, and was praying by his tomb when she was arrested for her faith. She died, stifled by smoke, hung over a fire. Her body then was thrown into the River Tiber.

She is considered a saint in the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches.