Saint Prisca – poem

In ancient Rome, there lived a girl
A faithful Christian, her faith a pearl
Saint Prisca was her name, only a child
But her devotion to God was strong and wild

She refused to bend to Emperor Claudius' decree
To sacrifice to idols, she simply would not agree
Bravely, she stood in the face of persecution
Firm in her faith, with unwavering resolution

Thrown into prison, she suffered cold and hunger
The fear of God in her only made her stronger
Others around her began to falter and cower
But Prisca's faith remained a shining tower

Before her execution, she knelt in prayer
Asking God for strength, her burden to bear
Her courage and grace, not lost on her oppressors
A human star, a bright light amidst the darkness

Even the lion, meant to be her end
Bowed its head and became her friend
Licking her feet, it showed her no harm
A true testament to her faith's alarm

Though weary and weak, she never gave in
Her faith in God, her ultimate win
Outside the Ostian gate, she was beheaded
But her spirit lived on, her faith embedded

As she appeared in a robe of yellow sunshine
Her fearlessness, the emperor did enshrine
Others saw her strength and unshakable courage
Prisca, a true martyr, a symbol of God's love and nourish

Even in death, she had a powerful presence
As an eagle hovered over her in reverence
The Romans were scared by its haunting cries
But the Christians knew it was a sign from the skies

In a hidden tomb, Prisca was laid to rest
Her body, a symbol of faith at its best
A young girl, small and defenceless
But in her faith, Prisca was relentless.

Read also St. Prisca

Prisca Onyinye Nwokorie is a  Roman Catholic Nun. She belongs to the religious order of “Oblates of St. Benedict Joseph Labre” in Italy. She is a graduate of the University of Bari where she obtained her Bachelor's and Masters' degrees in “Information and Communication Technologies for the Production of Software” and “Computer Science” respectively. Currently, she is carrying out research work on “E-learning for Developing Countries”.