Saint Candida the Elder ( it, Candida la Vecchia) (died 78 AD) was a supposed early Christian

saint In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of Q-D-Š, holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and Christian denomination, denominat ...

and resident of

Naples, Italy Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...

. According to her legend, Candida was an elderly woman who hospitably welcomed Saint Peter the Apostle, when he was passing through Naples on his way to Rome. The woman was cured of an illness by

Saint Peter Saint Peter; he, שמעון בר יונה, Šimʿōn bar Yōnāh; ar, سِمعَان بُطرُس, translit=Simʿa̅n Buṭrus; grc-gre, Πέτρος, Petros; cop, Ⲡⲉⲧⲣⲟⲥ, Petros; lat, Petrus; ar, شمعون الصفـا, Sham'un ...

and converted to

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...

. She was baptized by Peter and later converted

Aspren Aspren or Asprenas ( it, Sant'Asprenato, Sant'Aspreno, Sant'Aspremo) was a 1st-century Christian saint and venerated as the first Bishop of Naples. Life Aspren lived at the end of the 1st century and in the early 2nd century, as confirmed by arc ...

, the first

bishop of Naples The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Naples ( la, Archidioecesis Neapolitana) is a Roman Catholic archdioceses in southern Italy, the see being in Naples. A Christians, Christian community was founded there in the 1st century AD and the diocese of N ...

, to

. She is one of the

patron saints of Naples The city of Naples has more than 50 official patron saints, although its principal patron is Saint Januarius. Second in terms of importance is Saint Aspren (''Sant'Aspreno''), first bishop of Naples. Co-patrons of Naples and years of designation ...

. Basil Watkins OSB says she probably never existed. Her name has been deleted from the revised Roman Martyrology.Watkins OSB, Basil. "Candida the Elder", ''The Book of Saints: A Comprehensive Biographical Dictionary''
Bloomsbury Publishing, 2015,

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Candida The Elder 78 deaths 1st-century Christian saints Year of birth unknown 1st-century Christian female saints People from Naples 1st-century Roman women Christianity in Naples Romans from unknown gentes