Self-Baptism in Late Antique Hagiography of Female Saints

Abstract

The 2^nd century Acts of Paul and Thecla introduces a scene of self-baptism, a practice that garnered criticism from Tertullian in his De Baptismo. The text, describing the conversion, martyrdom, and liberation of a young non-Christian woman, serves as a foundational narrative, influencing subsequent portrayals of female martyrs or saints in general. The scene of self-baptism is reimagined and incorporated into the martyrdom accounts of Euphemia of Chalcedon, Barbara, and Charitine, as well as into the Life of Apollinaria. While maintaining its symbolic significance, this practice raises intriguing questions about the ritualistic structure of baptism and the assertion of individual agency within religious performative acts. This study explores these narratives, offering insights into the evolving conceptualization of self-baptism and the representation of female sanctity in late antique hagiography.