St. Zoe of Rome

July 5 (The other Zoe)

This is the second saint today. One more for actually today is coming. But I couldn’t skip over the “other” Zoe.

Zoe was a noblewoman married to a high Roman court official. We don’t know why, but for six years, Zoe had been unable to speak. She ran into St. Sebastian and he made the Sign of the Cross over her and she immediately began to speak, glorifying Jesus. Zoe then was granted baptism. Because she became a Christian during the early reign of Diocletian, she was found out. Zoe had a great devotion to St. Peter (like me!) and was arrested while praying at his tomb. She was hung from a tree branch by her hair over a fire and was killed by inhaling smoke. Her body was thrown into the River Tiber.

I considered taking this Zoe as my Confirmation saint because of her story and because her feast was close to my birthday (I had already decided that my Confirmation name would be Zoe, I just needed to find a saint to go with it; but that’s another story). In the end, I didn’t choose her because I didn’t feel a personal connection. There’s nothing about this Zoe that is even remotely relative to me. Most of all, I never wore my hair very long, so I couldn’t imagine being hung by it.

These are all fairly stupid reasons not to choose a saint, but in this saint’s story, I heard her beckoning me to Zoe of Pamphilia, whom I chose and adore. The Zoes look out for each other, you know, just like we should look out for each other. This is a model of humility and of how to not be jealous. Zoe of Rome was fearless in faith and death and now in glory. She’s not worried about not being chosen because she knows Whose she is. That’s the kind of confidence and trust I need.

St. Zoe of Rome, pray for us!

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