EMILIANA, Saint. — Aunt of St. Gregory the Great, who lived in Rome in the 6th century, consecrated her virginity to God together with her sisters Tarsilla and Gordiana.
While Gordiana, despite the examples and exhortations of her sisters, soon began to wane in fervor and to give herself over to worldly pleasures, Emiliana remained faithful to her resolutions even after the death of her sister Tarsilla. Indeed, the latter, one night, appeared to her and said: “Come; if I have passed Christmas without you, I shall not pass Epiphany.” And since E. was concerned about the salvation of her sister Gordiana, Tarsilla said: “Come anyway; Gordiana will return to the world.” As had been predicted to her, E. died shortly before Epiphany. The year is unknown. Her feast is celebrated on January 5.