Flora was of Mahometan extraction by her father but had been secretly instructed in the faith by her mother. She lived during the reign of Abderramene II, king of the Saracens at Cordova in Spain. She was betrayed by her own brother before the judge of the city and was scourged and beaten on the head until some parts of her skull were bare. She was then put in her brother's custody that he might persuade her to apostatize but she made her escape by climbing over a high wall. Later, while praying in St. Acislus Church, she met Mary, the sister of a deacon who had just been martyred. They both decided to give themselves up as Christians and presented themselves to the court of the cadi. They were sent to a brothel and when their ordeal there failed to cause them to renounce their faith, they were both beheaded. Both are named in the Roman Martyrology.
The blood shed by these martyrs show us the great faith that they held, that they were not only willing to suffer for their faith, but to die for it and willingly submitted themselves to a certain death. As Christians, we know to die for our faith is the ultimate testimony of our love for God. May we all be willing to die for Him.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, You said that there would be division between family members caused by their faith. This was certainly true in the life of St. Flora. Scripture also gives us Your words "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take up his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it and he who loses his life for My sake, will find it." May these words and the actions of your martyrs, dear Lord, serve to strengthen us during the times when we are faced with such persecutions from our own relatives and friends. Amen.
