Aurelius and Natalia

Aurelius and Natalia (died 852) were Christian martyrs who were put to death during the reign of Abd ar-Rahman II, Emir of Córdoba. They are counted among the Martyrs of Córdoba. Aurelius and his wife Natalia were both the offspring of Muslim fathers. They were secretly Christians. Aurelius's cousin Felix and his wife Liliosa were also Christians. Under Sharia Law, all four of them were required to profess Islam. In time though all four began to openly profess the Christian faith. The two women would go about in public with their faces unveiled. They were all swiftly arrested as apostates from Islam. They were given four days to recant. They refused, and were beheaded. They were martyred with a local monk, George. He had openly spoken out against the Islamic prophet Mohammed. He had been offered a pardon as a foreigner. He chose instead to denounce Islam again and die with the others. They are considered saints in the Roman Catholic Church. Their feast day is July 27.

References

• Attwater, Donald and Catherine Rachel John. The Penguin Dictionary of Saints. 3rd edition. New York: Penguin Books, 1993. ISBN 0-140-51312-4.