List of virgins: Encyclopedia II - List of virgins - Religious and mythological figures

List of virgins - Religious and mythological figures

Many religions have long considered sexual abstinence a virtuous way of life, and so a large number of famous virgins throughout history, legend and mythology have been spiritual and religious figures.

List of virgins - Christian saints and monastics

• Saint Agnes-Almost escaped execution due to her virginity.
• Aloysius Gonzaga-Said to have taken a vow of chastity at 10 years old.
• Anthony the Great-By tradition(Little to nothing of his first 20 years is certain)
• Saint Apollonia-Counted as a virgin martyr
• Saint Bernadette-Religious visions started at 14, became a nun at 22.
• Dorothea-Name of two separate virgin martyrs
• Maria Goretti-Stabbed to death at 11 for refusing sexual advances.(Noteworthy as a symbol of purity, an 11 year dying as a virgin is itself not unusual)
• Hildegard of Bingen-A nun who lived in a convent from age eight.(Yet wrote one of the earliest descriptions of female orgasm)
• Jesus (Widely accepted as celibate, but some dispute exists; see also Sexuality of Jesus)
• Joan of Arc-Investigated during her trial and confirmed
• Margaret of Antioch-Called the virgin, killed for refusing a marriage that would have ended her celibacy.
• Mary, the mother of Jesus (disputed; see also Blessed Virgin Mary)
• Paul of Tarsus-Unmarried on conversion, advocated celibacy, and lived strictly according to rules against pre-marital sex before then.
• Rose of Lima-Devout as a youth, never married, and became a nun at 20.
• Mother Teresa-Felt a vocation at 12, became a nun at 18.
• Teresa of Avila-Ascetic from an early age and a nun.
• Thérèse de Lisieux-From the age of nine she asked to be a nun and stayed celibate.
• Saint Wenceslas-Died in his twenties, was a devout Catholic throughout life, and was never married.
• The Ten Virgins

List of virgins - Buddhist monks and lamas

• Buddhadasa - A bhikkhu since twenty and celibacy is expected in this role.
• Hsing Yun - Joined a Buddhist monastery at 12 and has stayed a monastic for the last 66 years.
• Kalu - Lived as a monastic or religious hermit from 15 until his death.
• Kumarajiva - Buddhist religious student at age 9, ordained at 20, and one for life.
• Linji - Monastic, generally of a strict kind

List of virgins - Hindu saints and spiritualists

• Adi Shankara, Hindu saint
• Dayananda Saraswati, Hindu social reformer
• Jayendra Saraswathi, renowned Shankaracharya
• Chinmayananda, Hindu saint (after becoming the saint)
• Paramahansa Yogananda, Hindu mystic and yogi
• Sri Aurobindo, Hindu saint
• Swami Vivekananda, Hindu saint

List of virgins - Ancient Greek and Roman figures

• Diogenes of Sinope (Noted for masturbation, though)
• Sophocles
• The Vestal Virgins

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Religious and mythological figures", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki