Today is the one and only weekend vote of Lent Madness 2018. Every other matchup will take place on the weekdays of Lent. And it's an intriguing pairing! We get Genesius, a saintly cut-up (he was a comedian and, more literally, had his head chopped off) facing off against Quiteria, a nonuplet Christian warrior and martyr. Which saint will be "re-martyred?" Well, that's up to you.
Yesterday, in a rout of Biblical (see what we did there?) proportions, Margaret of Scotland destroyed Charles I 89% to 11% and will face the winner of Mary of Egypt vs. Richard Hooker. Speaking of future rounds, if you're interested in seeing when your favorite saint will be doing battle, check out our Matchup Calendar. Better yet, print it out and tape it to your bathroom mirror.
Lent Madness will continue first thing Monday morning as we dip into the Mostly Modern quadrant of the bracket for the first time with Anna Alexander taking on Peter Claver.
Genesius
A comedian, Genesius led a theatrical troupe in Rome in the third century. Desperate to advance his career, he decided to write and star in a play for the Emperor Diocletian.
As he contemplated the subject matter, Genesius decided to mock the mysteries of the Christian faith and expose the ridiculousness of the sacraments. Of course, he needed some inside knowledge on the subject matter, so Genesius studied for the role by lying to members of a Christian community, telling them that he wanted to prepare for baptism.
The community welcomed Genesius into the catechumenate. While he learned the teaching, more details for the play came to him. He would act like a man on his deathbed, calling out for baptism.
He wrote the play and began the performance before the emperor. In the middle of a scene, Genesius depicted a dying man calling out for his faux sacrament. An actor arrived in clerical garb and baptized Genesius. Somehow, the ridicule ended there. Genesius was overcome with the grace of God, and what began as a farce became a real act of faith. Genesius was transformed, and while he was still on the stage, he urged the emperor to convert to Christianity.
Diocletian did not have the same change of heart. Instead, he became enraged and demanded that Genesius be tortured until he recanted. Genesius suffered greatly, but he never denied his faith. So Diocletian had him beheaded.
Genesius is the patron saint to the comic, the actor, and the tortured.
Collect for Genesius
God of laughter and suffering, we pray that through all of our art, we might reflect the goodness of your grace. May our lives be transformed through creative work, as we serve in the likeness and the image of our Creator; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Quiteria
Quite often, little is known about the saints beyond their existence and stories that have arisen among Christians to honor them over centuries. At first glance, many overlook Quiteria, in part perhaps because little is known beyond her naming in the Roman Martyrology as a saint and martyr.
But in southern France and northern Spain, churches remember Quiteria as a virgin and martyr. The most compelling legend of Quiteria, however, is Portuguese. Quiteria was a nonuplet—one of nine sisters born at the same time. Her mother, wife of the Roman governor, contemptuously likened her daughters to a litter and worried that she might be compared to a common animal for giving birth to so many children at once. In her vanity, she ordered her children drowned in a river by their nurse. Unwilling to kill the children, the nurse took the nonuplets to her own village and raised them away from their mother and father. It was in this village that Quiteria and her sisters were raised as devout Christians.
As they matured, the sisters’ faith compelled them to form a sort of gang–-one that went around freeing Christians from prisons in the area. Ultimately, Quiteria and her sisters were caught and commanded to worship a Roman god. Refusing, they were hauled before the Roman governor— their father—who immediately recognized the women as his daughters. He begged them to marry Roman pagans. The sisters refused and were thrown in prison.
As a rule, nonuplet warrior gangs don’t take imprisonment lightly. Resourcefully, they broke out of jail, freeing fellow prisoners with them. Upon gaining their freedom, rather than retreating into the woods, Quiteria and her sisters engaged in guerrilla warfare against the Roman Empire. Their campaign was ultimately unsuccessful, and Quiteria was captured, beheaded, and thrown into the ocean, while her sisters escaped. Legend holds that when guards were sent to capture her sisters, Quiteria emerged from the ocean, holding her own head and warding off the Roman guards from their pursuit. Two of her sisters, Marina and Liberata, were also martyred and ultimately canonized.
Collect for Quiteria
Almighty God, by whose grace and power your holy martyr Quiteria triumphed over suffering and was faithful even to death: Grant us, who now remember her in thanksgiving, to be so faithful in our witness to you in this world, that we may receive with her the crown of life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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280 comments on “Genesius vs. Quiteria”
Genesius is who I voted for. I have called upon him and he is with me always. Genesius is my ‘bro’!!! His story is inspirational. He watches over actors and dancers and comidians! I can’t express enough about what Genesius has done for me and what God has done for me. God is great. Life is great. Thank you!
"Like"
Loved both, but Genesius shows the mysterious ways of God!
Wonderful writing by both, and both subjects exhibited admirable courage, but went with the badass sister gang. Quiteria!
As if Peter vs. Paul wasn't hard enough, now you pit a comedian--a holy fool?--against an early Christian Wonder Woman and her liberation army.
So I voted for the comedian.
But maybe I should have voted for a woman who managed to get nine sisters to co-operate. Perhaps that's the real miracle.
Quiterius! Brave and true of heart.
I voted for Quiteria because her story is probably an echo of a true story about a woman who fought for her people and faith, freeing prisoners. Since women in Southern France had equal status in legal terms and were clergy in the original church there, I can believe the story of a woman who was a leader of the anti-Roman resistance. I loved the story of Genesius, though. Tough choice!
Although it is hard to resist Wonder Woman and Her Sisters, Genesius testifies to the grace of baptism and the gift of the performing arts. Note: my son is an aspiring actor at a college where he is studying drama. He is on the autism spectrum and the theater has given him a life in the wider world. God is as present in and through the performing arts as in more militant forms of resistance to oppression. Vote Genesius.
Clearly, both stories are legendary. Quiteria's may seem more far-fetched, but that's partly because her story is longer and more detailed. I take them both at face value, so to speak.
As part of acknowledging the *long* history and ongoing abuse of women, I feel that we must have room for some warriors. We must have room for women who refuse to be abused, and for women who fight back.
I see the warrior woman as a symbol. Abuse generates rage. If rage is not to be suppressed or, as it often is, passed down in the form of abuse of others or internalized as self-abuse, then it must be expressed -- hopefully, as strong action. I see the #MeToo movement as a huge group of women warriors wielding the sword of truth and justice. I think women need these symbols of resistance to inspire us to act.
So while I love comedy and theater, I'm all in for Quiteria!
Thanks, Belle for your thoughts. I was struggling with these crazy Christian tales but your comments helped me move past fantasy back into realty. My vote’s for Quitéria!
The change of heart stories really touch me, so it’s Genesius this time.
"As a rule, nonuplet warrior gangs don’t take imprisonment lightly. " Best sentence in the whole scorecard booklet! Whether or not one believes the "lore" surrounding many of the saintly candidates, there is an echo here of a real and courageous woman. My vote for Quiteria!
What a fun match-up. I never heard of either of these saints before and am glad to have made their acquaintance. So many different ways that faith, grace, and discipleship manefest in God's creation!
It's interesting that a number of folks, me included, thought of Robin Williams when voting for Genesius.
This was a hard matchup. I would be happy with whoever one but I had to go with Quiteria and her sisters.
Genesius is my choice today. I love theater in all its forms, and have profound memories of a production of "Godspell" in which I played a disciple at the Last Supper and then, immediately, a soldier arresting Jesus in the Garden. The impact of that juxtaposition is with me still.
Pat, you have said what I was thinking - I love Lent Madness for the education!
Having been a theater nerd and Thespian in high school I have to vote for the actor.
So often we hear that the humor of a comedian has its roots in a tortured life which they turn on its head . . . and more often than not there is much truth in their words! Had to go for Genesius!
Quiteria's is a compelling enough story, but I gotta go with the paradox of theatre on this one.
I had to flip a coin for these two. Happy Lughnassadh everyone.
As a participant in a Christian theater group I have great devotion to Genesius. I understand the power of the arts to move people's hearts closer to God.
Although I love the drama of Quiteria, it is Genesius for me. I am a “Drama Mama” for our high school’s thespians, and as a mentor for gifted students, the theatre is often the “safe place” for their creativity. Go, Genesius!
Rough choice. But I went with Quiteria because I was a female soldier.
Another difficult one. Both kept to their beliefs despite the danger that entailed. But since I’ve spent the last 24 hours in constant consideration of what I need to do to make the change I want to see in the world, Quiteria and her sisters give me an example to follow.
As the 5th of 9 children (all single births) my vote goes to Quiteria. My mom and dad were both saints who taught us you can think what ever you like (Drown them all!) and say what you must in a kind manner (please go up to your rooms now).
What wonderful parents you had!
Thrilled to vote for my girl Quiteria AND for the celebrity blogger, David Sibley, who is a former student of mine! Yea Father David.
Close to tied
Quiteria never “quit” (see what I did there?)!
Quiteria seems a bit too far for her, not sure if there is a grain of truth there. So like in most elections cast my vote against her, as opposed to really supporting Genesis.
Far fetched...I hate auto correct!
I support the arts and stage but Quiteria walked out of the ocean after beheading carrying her head. She's got to be "a head" in the race.