Protomartyr, Equal-to-the-Apostles Thecla of Iconium, Protomartyr and Equal-to-the-Apostles

CRITICAL: this card has been entirely reworked — the former title "Priscilla, Thecla, and Junia" and dating "1st century" combined three different New Testament women with no genuine joint commemoration. Research found no source supporting a shared feast for these three: Junia is commemorated separately (Jan 4/May 17/Jul 30, with Apostle Andronicus), Priscilla separately (Feb 13/26, with Apostle Aquila), while the date September 24/October 7 belongs solely to Thecla of Iconium. The card has been fully refocused on Thecla — the only saint whose feast genuinely falls on this date; Priscilla and Junia have been removed from the title (each has her own separate entry). ALL 3 PREVIOUS IMAGES REMOVED — verification showed them to depict Saints Aquila and Priscilla (the married couple, feast Feb 13), unrelated to Thecla; they have been transferred to the "priscilla" card, which correctly depicts this couple.

Protomartyr Equal-to-the-Apostles Thecla was born in the city of Iconium to a noble pagan family. Hearing the Apostle Paul preach about Christ, eighteen-year-old Thecla — already betrothed to a young man named Thamyris — came to love the Lord with her whole heart and resolved to devote her life to virginity and gospel preaching, renouncing marriage. For this she was subjected to fierce persecution: she was to be burned at the stake, but the flames surrounded her without touching her body, and a sudden downpour extinguished the fire; later she was thrown to wild beasts in the amphitheater, but was again miraculously spared.

Leaving Iconium, Thecla followed the Apostle Paul, and later, with his blessing, settled in a cave near Seleucia in Isauria, where for many years she preached the Gospel, converted pagans, and healed the sick through prayer. She died in old age, having, by tradition, miraculously escaped her pursuers when a mountain parted to shelter her (modern Maaloula, Syria), where a monastery was later built over the cave of her repose. The Church commemorates her September 24/October 7 as the first female martyr and preacher of the apostolic age.