St. Eulalia of Merida, Virgin and
Martyr (Feast day - December 10) Eulalia of Merida was born in
Spain
in the last decade of the third century. It is almost universally
accepted that she suffered martyrdom for the Faith. What little else is
known of her to date is based mostly on legend. It is believed that
Eulalia, as a twelve year old girl, tried to remonstrate with Judge
Dacian of Merida for forcing Christians to worship false gods in accord
with the edict of Diocletian. Even though Dacian was at first amused and
tried to flatter her, Eulalia would not deny Christ. Finally, Dacian
ordered that her body be torn by iron hooks. Fire was applied to her
wounds to increase her sufferings, and in the process her hair caught
fire. She was asphyxiated by the smoke and flames, gaining the crown of
martyrdom around the year 304.
