What is Aurelius and Natalia?
'''Aurelius and Natalia''' (died 852) were [[Christian]] [[martyr]]s who were put to death during the reign of Abd ar-Rahman II, Emir of Córdoba. They are counted among the Martyrs of Córdoba. Aurelius and his wife Natalia were both the offspring of Muslim fathers. They were secretly [[Christianity|Christian]]s. Aurelius's cousin Felix and his wife Liliosa were also Christians. Under [[Sharia]] Law, all four of them were required to profess [[Islam]]. In time though all four began to openly profess the Christian faith. The two women would go about in public with their faces unveiled. They were all swiftly arrested as [[apostasy|apostates]] from [[Islam]]. They were given four days to [[recant]]. They refused, and were beheaded. They were [[martyr]]ed with a local [[monk]], George. He had openly spoken out against the Islamic prophet [[Mohammed]]. He had been offered a [[pardon]] as a foreigner. He chose instead to denounce Islam again and die with the others. They are considered [[saints]] in the [[Roman Catholic Church]]. Their [[feast day]] is July 27. == References == * Attwater, Donald and Catherine Rachel John. ''The Penguin Dictionary of Saints''. 3rd edition. New York: Penguin Books, 1993. {{ISBN|0-140-51312-4}}. {{bio-stub}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Aurelius and Natalia}} [[Category:Christian saints]] [[Category:852 deaths]] [[Category:Year of birth unknown]] [[Category:People executed by decapitation]]