St. Natalie of Cordoba was born in this city around the year 825, during Muslim occupation. It was during the time of Emir Abderraman II that started the persecution against the Christians.

It was the case of Natalie whose parents were Moslems. Her father died when she was very little, the mother got married again with a Christian, who managed to convert her. Natalie was educated in the Christianism and married Aurelius, a boy with deep Christian convictions (whose mother and father were Moslems but he was educated by a Christian aunt) but in the clandestinity, to avoid persecutions. Both were present in John’s martyrdom, and decided that they had to be braver and practice their religion in public to encourage and support the other Christians, avoiding in this way, that they converted to Islamism, the official religion in that place and moment.

But it was their turn of martyrdom. They were captured by the governor’s ministers and taken to prison. Judges and executioners tried by all means, to make them to renounce their faith. Neither promises nor tortures were enough. They were massacred on July 27, 852. Their bodies were buried and venerated by Christians; but since they were not safe in Cordoba, six years later, Charles the Bold moved St. Aurelius´ body and St. Natalie’s head to San Germain (Paris).

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