Serapia was a Roman saint, a slave and martyr, also called Seraphia of Syria. Saint Serapia was born at Antioch in the late 1st century, of Christian parents who, fleeing the persecution of Emperor Hadrian, went to Italy and settled there. When her parents died, Serapia was sought in marriage by many, but having resolved to consecrate herself to God alone, she sold all her possessions and distributed the proceeds to the poor.