#saint casilda

[aquitainequeen]

Saint Casilda by Francisco de Zurbarán, on temporary display at The National Gallery, UK, 2026

[garlandedspirits]

Female saints by Francisco de Zurbarán:

Saint Casilda, ca. 1630-45 // Saint Ursula, ca. 1635-40 // Saint Elizabeth of Portugal, ca. 1630-35 // Saint Dorotea, ca. 1648

[thouartadeadthing]

[rmelster]

Saint Casilda of Toledo, by Francisco de Zurbarán (c. 1635).

[spanishbaroqueart]

Francisco de Zurbarán

Saint Casilda, c. 1630-35

Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid, Spain

"Daughter of an Arab king, Casilda was martyred in 1087. She had left the Islamic faith and converted to Christianity, taking food to her father’s Christian prisoners. Surprised by her father during one of these risky visits, a miracle occurred and the food hidden about her body was transformed into roses, the traditional attribute of this saint."

[theologie]

Sainted women who brought baskets of bread to the poor which were transformed into baskets of roses in order to save the women from persecution by male authorities: (in chronological order)

Casilda of Toledo (died around 1050 AD)

The daughter of a Muslim king, she would carry bread hidden in her clothes to feed Christian prisoners. When she was once caught doing so by Muslim soldier, the bread was miraculously changed into roses.

Elizabeth of Hungary (died around 1230 AD)

While she was taking bread to the poor in secret, as she often did, she met her husband Ludwig on a hunting party, who, in order to quell suspicions of the gentry that she was stealing treasure from the castle, asked her to reveal what was hidden under her cloak. Instead of bread, which likely had been taken from the royal bakery, her cloak fell open and a vision of white and red roses could be seen, which proved to Ludwig that God's protecting hand was at work over his wife. 

Elizabeth of Portugal (f/k/a Queen Isabella) (died around 1330 AD)

After the king had discovered she was leaving the palace to take food to the poor he forbade her to do so, threatening to imprison her in the palace. Elizabeth continued to deliver bread in secret. One winter day, the King stopped her on her way out of the palace, with bread secreted beneath her cloak. He asked her what she carried, to which she responded "Roses, my lord." He doubted her, it being winter and knowing her history of carrying bread. She lifted her cloak, and indeed red roses were inside. 

[thecatholicgirl]

Saint Casilda, Francisco de Zurbaran, c. 1630