St. Euphrosyne-Smaragdus: A Saint Beyond the Binary
“The image of God was faithfully preserved in you. . . .By Your actions you taught us to look beyond the flesh.”
Elisa Belotti (she/her) is a freelance journalist based in Italy. Her work focuses on human rights and marginalized communities, especially LGBTQ+ people and women, with a particular focus on the impact of religion on society. She is the founder and co-host of Cristianə a chi?, Italy’s first podcast exploring the intersection of Christianity, feminism and queerness. She has written investigative features on violence against nuns and on conversion therapy, receiving recognition from several journalism awards such as the Vergani Prize (special mention, 2024), the Minotti Prize (2024) and the Piazza Grande Religion Journalism Award (honorable mention, 2025). She is also the author of Senza Mulini, a newsletter on Christianity around the world.
“The image of God was faithfully preserved in you. . . .By Your actions you taught us to look beyond the flesh.”
“Forgive us for hiding from you the merciful face of God.”
“Every person will be recognised as a living, original, irreplaceable and visible part of the Body of Christ, without having to pretend to be what they are not, or having to hide.”
“I spent Christmas and New Year’s Eve reading long documents to help a desperate young man who wrote: ‘In a few days, for me, it’s over.’ “
“The international community, and especially faith-based communities, must understand that silence can become complicity.”
For queer Catholics and queer Muslims this year’s convergence of Lent and Ramadan offers an opportunity to reflect on the differences and commonalities between not just their faiths, but their experiences as LGBTQ+ people in religions that are not universally welcoming to them.
An interview with Catholic sociologist Michele Dillon: “Catholicism cannot be reduced to a yes/no checklist of ‘orthodoxy’”. . . .
What resonates most deeply is the journey of the character Tim and how his Catholic background intertwines – sometimes painfully, sometimes creatively – with his sexual orientation and his relationships.
“I hope to find a place where I could live without risking my life.”
“Writing this book was an act of faith and courage. We believe deeply that the Church is a living reality, broader, more real, and more welcoming than it may appear. It is a place where everyone should be able to recognize themselves.”
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