Procla | |
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Governess of Judea Widow and Martyr | |
Venerated in | Eastern Orthodox Church Oriental Orthodox Church Eastern Catholic Churches |
Feast | 27 October (Eastern Orthodox, Eastern Catholic) 25 June (Ethiopian Orthodox) |
The unnamed wife of Pontius Pilate appears only once in the Gospel of Matthew (27:19), where she intercedes with Pilate on Jesus' behalf. It is uncertain whether Pilate was actually married, although it is likely. In later tradition, she becomes known as Procula (Latin: Procula) or Procla (Ancient Greek: Πρόκλα) and plays a role in various New Testament Apocrypha. At a later date, she acquires the name Claudia Procula in Western tradition, as well as other names and variants of these names. She is venerated as a saint by the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Eastern Catholic Church, the Coptic Church, and the Ethiopian Church. She has also frequently been featured in literature and film.