The legend of Saint Eulalia is claimed and celebrated by two cities in Spain. There is Saint Eulalia de Meroda and Saint Eulalia de Barcelona. The mythe tells about a young Christian woman in the 4th century who lived in Sarrià and who refused to recant her faith during the Diocletianic Persecution. As a result, she was subject to thirteen horrifying forms of torture in very well-known locations around the city and her remains are buried in the crypt at la Catedral.
However, Barcelona is not the only place where Saint Eulalia is venerated: she also features in a Merida legend that is suspiciously similar. The saint dates back to the same age as Barcelona’s Eulalia, she died in the same persecutions, stood up to the same Roman emperor, was subject to identical forms of torture, was nailed to an X-shaped cross and, what’s more, it even started to snow when she died.
However, everything seems to suggest that Saint Eulalia de Merida actually existed, whereas Saint Eulalia de Barcelona did not. It would appear to be a local version of the same legend, with experts claiming that this is a case of a single legend claimed by two different places.
Of course my research was focused on finding the bondage related artworks, and if possible find out which story the artist had told through the art. I found a few from anonymous artists, and a few for which I was able to add some info.









