Women and Female Saints
How do you start a Women and Female Saints research paper? Our expert writers suggest like this:
There have been female Christian saints in every century since the religion's establishment. Female saints from the 1st century include the following:
- Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ
- Saint Anne, Jesus's grandmother
- Mary Magdalene
- Saint Claudia, the wife of Pontius Pilate
Most of what is known of these women comes from the Bible and similar texts written early in the religion's formation. Since the church was not formally established at this point in history, sainthood was bestowed on many of these women well after their deaths.
Modern Female Saints
Much more is known of female saints of the 20th century. Saint Edith Stein (also known as Saint Teresia Benedicta of the Cross) has a particularly interesting story. Saint Edith Stein was born into an observant Jewish family. By the time she reached her teenage years, though, she had decided to become an atheist. Eventually, she converted to Christianity. She became a nun 12 years after entering the church. Saint Edith Stein died in a Nazi concentration camp when she was 51 years old.
The Episcopal Church and Female Saints
Other interesting female saints from the 20th century include Emma Crawford, Saint Paulina (who is considered the patron saint of diabetics), and Julia Chest Emery. Harriet Tubman was canonized by the Episcopal Church for her work as an abolitionist and humanitarian. In addition to struggling for the freedom of all African-Americans, she is also noted as an advocate for the women's suffrage movement, which sought to give women legal equality with men that would allow them to vote and live independently.