Heilige Pelagia van Antiochië als kluizenares 1590 - 1662

This is an engraving of Saint Pelagia of Antioch as a hermit. Saint Pelagia’s story is one of transformation. She was an actress and a dancer who lived a life of luxury, but, after hearing a sermon, she repented, converted to Christianity, and dedicated herself to a life of piety, performing a radical act of self-making. In this engraving, we see Pelagia kneeling in prayer, dressed in simple robes, holding a rosary, and in the background, a skull, a symbolic reminder of mortality, of the fleeting nature of life, and the necessity of spiritual vigilance. We can see how Pelagia's story reflects both a deep engagement with questions of personal identity and a renegotiation of societal expectations for women. Her story offers an alternative narrative, one where women are agents of their own spiritual and personal change. It invites us to reflect on the intersections of identity, spirituality, and the stories we tell about ourselves.