New Chapel of St. Afra by Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio Diocese

Who was St Afra?

She was born sometime towards the end of the third century AD. Her mother was a Greek from Cyprus, her father was a Nubian. He could also have been a Nuer, a Dinka, a Balanda, or a Zande. Why not? We do not know it for certain.

We only know that her father was black, and Afra took the genes from him. She was born dark, and so they named her Africa, or in short Afra. Her mother was a prostitute, and Afra followed the trade of her mother. As it is customary with prostitutes, they follow the soldiers. Afra went to the north of the Empire, where there was a large military camp, Castra Augusta Vindelicorum, present-day Augsburg. There, Afra was running a lodging/brothel, with a group of younger prostitutes.

It happened that in 303 there was fierce persecution throughout the Empire. In Spain by that time, Christianity was already established. In Gerona, northern Spain, there was a bishop called Narciso, and together with his two deacons he tried to hide, and so he escaped to the northern part of the Empire where there were no Christians and where he would not be known.

When arriving at Augsburg they looked for lodging. Afra welcomed them, offered them a room and supper, as well as the service of her girls. To her surprise, they were not interested in the girls but prayed before the meal.

Eventually, Afra was converted to Christianity, and together with her were all her girls converted. From then on, they would continue running the lodge, but no longer offer sexual services.

A small Christian Community established in Augsburg. After some time the persecution seemed over and Bishop Narciso

returned to Gerona. He left behind a small Christian Church and consecrated one young man by name Dionysius as overseer (Episcopus). On returning to Spain new persecution started and Narciso was put to death in 304.

In the meantime in Augsburg, the soldiers in the barracks were very angry, as the girls would no longer follow their sexual advances, no matter if they were handsome and with money. So, they accused Afra of having bewitched them. She was dragged on to an island in river Lech and burned on the stage. Her girls collected the remains and buried them.

St. Afra is one of the patron saints of my home Diocese, Augsburg. Whenever I go to Augsburg, I go to pray at the tomb of St Afra.

There is also a shrine of St Afra in Gerona (Spain), and now a chapel of St Afra between Ngboko and Source Yubu.

St. Afra is also the patron saint of the repentant sinners. I think we all need repentance. So, as a Saint, regardless of her father was from the Nubian Mountains or from Zande land (we only know he came from somewhere in the region), Afra is still a Saint that can appeal to all of us.

 End

By Rev. Fr. Avelino Bassols MCSPA