Margaret of Antioch

About Margaret of Antioch

Saint Margaret of Antioch was a young Christian virgin and martyr whose legend became widely popular in the Middle Ages. According to tradition, she was the daughter of a pagan priest but converted to Christianity and vowed to remain chaste. After rejecting the advances of the Roman governor Olybrius, she was arrested, tortured, and subjected to miraculous ordeals—including being swallowed by a dragon and emerging unharmed—before ultimately being beheaded for her faith.

Though her story is likely apocryphal, Margaret was venerated as a model of purity and courage. She became one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, especially invoked by women in childbirth.