Santa Dorotea a Castro

Dario Melissano 3 February 2023

Saint Dorothy is the co-patron saint of Castro, together with Maria Santissima Annunziata. On February 5th, from the morning, there is a great celebration in the streets of the historic center. The statue and relics of the Saint are carried in procession and finally the apples are blessed, in memory of those flowers and fruits sent by Dorothy to Theophilus from her Husband's garden.

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The story takes place in Cappadocia in the 4th century AD. Dorothea was a charitable, pure and wise girl. When the administrator Sapricius asked her to make a sacrifice to the gods, she refused and was tortured for this. Sapricius consequently entrusted the young girl to her two sisters, Christa and Callista, so that they could convince her to leave the Christian religion, but they themselves were converted, and then burned alive, while Dorothea was condemned to beheading.

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On the road to martyrdom, she met a certain Theophilus, who ironically asked her: "Bride of Christ, send me apples and roses from your husband's garden". Dorothea accepted and, before her beheading, during a prayer, a child brought her three roses and three apples and she told him to take them to Theophilus, who, seeing the miracle, converted to Christianity and was also denounced to Sapricius, who had him tortured and beheaded. For this reason the Church honors him as a saint together with Dorothea.

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