Saint Trofimena

Trofimena is a female saint canonised in the Roman Catholic church. Originally from the town of Patti in Sicily (and closely connected to the figure of Saint Febronia), Trofimena is venerated in the basilica in the town of Minori, Italy on the coast of Amalfi, southern Italy.

Hagiography

Trofimena's hagiographical history is unfortunately contorted. The key legend says she was martyred while still a young girl around the age of 12 or 13 by her own father because she wanted to get baptised and embrace Christianity. A story is told of a vision of an angel who announced her consecration to Christ and imminent martyrdom, and advised against wedding plans already advanced by her family. After death, Trofimena's body was hidden protectively in an urn and thrown into the sea, the current taking it to the coast of Salerno and directly to the town of Minori. The urn was discovered by the people of Minori who had it carried by a pair of white calves and where they stopped a church was built and dedicated. The calves refused to move from the spot and the people interpreted it as a divine signal on the choice of place.

The subsequent history of the town is tied to the cult and veneration of Trofimena and for more than a 1,000 years the town has jealously conserved her relics. The relics have a history stretching back to at least 838-839 AD according to an anonymous chronicler that narrated the discovery and transferral of the relics under Sicard, the Longobard Prince of Benevento.

Despoilation

With great pomp the relic was deposited in the church ; many miracles followed, and large donations were given to the place, where by visions and other indications the saint expressed her determination to remain.But her repose was short, for in the year 838 Sicard, Prince of Benevento, having erected a church in his capital, went in search of relics for it, and engaged some Amalfitan sailors to procure for him the body of St. Bartholomew, preserved in the Lipari Isles. The Amalfitans, fearing that he, might seize Santa Trofimena from Minori, a town not capable of repelling his attack, carried the saint's remains by boat to Amalfi, and deposited them in the Cathedral. Sicard, returning from a successful expedition against the Saracens, directed his fleet towards Amalfi, invaded the city, and carried away the bones of Santa Trofimena 1 to Salerno, and thence to Benevento. But the following year, 839, Sicard was assassinated, and two Minoresi priests immediately begged for' the surrender of the saint, threatening the successor to the Duchy with the hostility of the Amalfitans in case of refusal ; so the relics were transported to Minori, with much rejoicing, and have remained there ever since.

Feast days

Three feast days honour Trofimena in the religious calendar of Catholic saints. The 5 November celebrates the original discovery of her relics on the beach of Minori. The 27 November marks the rediscovery of the urn which had been hidden to avoid inevitable sacking by the Longobards. The 13 July has become the most important festival as it falls during the summer and commemorates an important miracle. Minori was being attacked from the sea by predatory Arab pirates. The villagers invoked the help of the saint who on a lovely summer day summoned up a terrible tempest that shipwrecked the attacking horde.

This miracle reflects the reality of the regular sackings of the various cities of the Amalfitan Republic by pirates. In fact similar miracles are said to have occurred through the intercessions of Saint Andrew (venerated in Amalfi) and Saint Matthew (venerated in Salerno). Before the arrival of the relics of Andrew from Constantinople, Trofimena enjoyed considerable veneration along the whole of the Amalfi territory, because she was the only saint of whom they possessed actual relics. An ancient church of Trofimena still exists in Salerno where some of her relics are preserved. In modern day New York emigrants from Minori have erected a chapel to Trofimena and have a copy of the statue that is carried in procession as part of the celebrations as Patroness of Minori.