Thecla, An Emblem of Feminine Power
Refusing to accept the roles and rules placed upon her, Thecla was guided by her heart and intuition, defying law, authority and death. An early Christian Saint, Thecla models what it is to truly own your power and sovereignty.
Since the overturning of Roe Vs Wade in my home country of The United States, Thecla has been coming to me with her message of faith and personal power. Women are outraged that their health rights have been stripped. We feel as if our bodies are not our own, but property of the government and political agendas.
Thecla too was treated as property, as women have been for thousands of years. She refused to be married to her betrothed and wished to follow Paul the Apostle and join him in his teachings of Christ. For her rebellion she was sentenced to burn to death. As the flames were lit around her, she made the symbol of the cross with her hands and a storm appeared, the rain put out the flames and spared her life.
She then found Paul and was denied by him to be baptized. One day, a president of the council of Syria saw Thecla in the city streets and claimed her as his wife. Thecla boldly refused, yanking off his crown and throwing it to the ground, shaming him for forcing himself on her without consent. For this, she was once again sentenced to death.
This time she was put in the arena with a hungry lioness. The lioness did not attack Thecla, but licked her hand and bowed at her feet. She was then sent to the pool of the arena full of wild sea lions. In the water Thecla proclaimed, “In the name of Jesus Christ, I baptize myself.” She was instantly protected by a ring of fire and a glowing white robe suddenly appeared on her body.
In the Acts of Paul and Thecla, it states that Paul then acknowledged her position and authority to teach the messages of Christ.
Thecla did not honor anyone’s authority over her and what she knew to be true. She knew that what her heart told her was the truth and that she owned the power to live as her soul guided her to.
Thecla has come with her message of feminine strength and personal power at this time. In my intuitive readings, she speaks of women coming together in community and with aligned intention. She asks us to feel and then release our rage so that we are open to draw in the light. She says “(we) may take to the streets if we feel so inclined, but do not do so in rage. Release your rage and be there in the energy of compassion for all the women you are fighting for.”
Anger and sacred rage have their place and purpose. These emotions are the precipice for big changes. Thecla guides us to fully feel our rage, then release it. She reminds us that our Guides, Angels and Mother Earth are willing and wanting to take it from us so it can be transmuted back to love. Once we intentionally release our rage, it's focusing on love and the equality we desire that will shift things out of the old paradigms.
There is power in numbers. It is important that us women set apart our differences and truly come together in sisterhood. By holding each other, supporting one another, organizing circles where we can focus our love and intention, this is how we will win the war on our innate human rights, for all of our Earthly brothers and sisters.
Art by Lisbeth Cheever-Gessaman