St. Sabina of Rome
Acrylic on birch with 23K gold
private collection of Miss Sabina Maschenko
Saint Sabina, matron and martyr from Rome. The widow of Valentinus (not to be confused with the Gnostic Valentinus) and daughter of Herod Metallarius, Sabina suffered martyrdom about 126, just after her female slave Saint Serapia, who had converted her, suffered the same fate. In 430, her relics were brought to Aventine Hill, to a specially built basilica on the site of her home, originally situated near a temple of Juno. This house may also have been the site of an early Christian house church. The basilica was originally dedicated to both Sabina and Serapia, though the dedication was later limited to St. Sabina only, as it remains to this day. Her feast day is August 29.
