St Thecla was a well known saint as early as the second century AD.
Described as a companion of St Paul, she chose a life devoted to virginity and refused to marry. This led her to be twice condemned to execution for her beliefs (she failed to obligingly die twice) yet despite her lack of death, she is often cited as the first female martyr.
In her story, upon being condemned to death (for the second time) in the arena by the Romans, she baptises herself (according Bartlett) by "throwing herself into a tank full of savage seals".
Bartlett does however suggest that these seals may actually have been sharks, but I personally prefer the idea of savage seals.
As well as his unusual baptism, she cross-dresses, preaches as an apostle, and according to a fifth century version of her life, she finally "dies" by sinking into the ground alive.
On the topic of seals, the Aberdeen bestiary has this to say:
"Other fish produce living offspring from their bodies, like the great
whales, dolphins, seals and others of this sort; when they have produced
their young and have, perhaps, a premonition that these are ever threatened
by some kind of trap or in danger, in order to protect them or to calm
with a mother's love the fear of those of tender years, they are said
to open their mouths and hold their young, without harming them, in their
teeth, and also to take them back into their body, concealed in their
womb.
What human affection can equal the sense of duty that we find in fish? For us, kisses suffice. For them, it is not enough to open the innermost parts of their body, to swallow their young then bring them back whole, to give their offspring life once again with their own warmth, to breathe into their young their own breath, and to live as two in one body until either they have carried them off to safety or by interposing their own bodies, have protected their young from the threatened danger.
Which fisherman seeing this, even if he were still able to catch the fish, would not give in to such a display of duty? Who would not marvel and stand amazed that nature has preserved in fish a quality that is not found in men?
Many men, acting out of mistrust, driven by malevolence and hatred, have killed their children; we have read of others, women, who have eaten their own children in times of famine. The mother thus becomes a tomb for her infants. To the spawn of the fish, however, the mother's womb is like a wall; she preserves her harmless brood by turning her innermost parts into a sort of fortress."
Notes
Bartlett, R., Why can the Dead do Such Great Things? Saints and Worshippers from the Martyrs to the Reformation (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2013) p. 25
Catholic Encyclopedia
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14564a.htm
"Roundel with Thecla Surrounded by Beasts and Angels"
https://inpress.lib.uiowa.edu/feminae/DetailsPage.aspx?Feminae_ID=30983
"Sea pig"
MS Kongelige Bibliotek, Gl. kgl. S. 1633 4ยบ, Folio 61r
"Seals", Aberdeen bestiary
http://www.abdn.ac.uk/bestiary/translat/74r.hti
In her story, upon being condemned to death (for the second time) in the arena by the Romans, she baptises herself (according Bartlett) by "throwing herself into a tank full of savage seals".
Bartlett does however suggest that these seals may actually have been sharks, but I personally prefer the idea of savage seals.
As well as his unusual baptism, she cross-dresses, preaches as an apostle, and according to a fifth century version of her life, she finally "dies" by sinking into the ground alive.
On the topic of seals, the Aberdeen bestiary has this to say:
"Other fish produce living offspring from their bodies, like the great
whales, dolphins, seals and others of this sort; when they have produced
their young and have, perhaps, a premonition that these are ever threatened
by some kind of trap or in danger, in order to protect them or to calm
with a mother's love the fear of those of tender years, they are said
to open their mouths and hold their young, without harming them, in their
teeth, and also to take them back into their body, concealed in their
womb. What human affection can equal the sense of duty that we find in fish? For us, kisses suffice. For them, it is not enough to open the innermost parts of their body, to swallow their young then bring them back whole, to give their offspring life once again with their own warmth, to breathe into their young their own breath, and to live as two in one body until either they have carried them off to safety or by interposing their own bodies, have protected their young from the threatened danger.
Which fisherman seeing this, even if he were still able to catch the fish, would not give in to such a display of duty? Who would not marvel and stand amazed that nature has preserved in fish a quality that is not found in men?
Many men, acting out of mistrust, driven by malevolence and hatred, have killed their children; we have read of others, women, who have eaten their own children in times of famine. The mother thus becomes a tomb for her infants. To the spawn of the fish, however, the mother's womb is like a wall; she preserves her harmless brood by turning her innermost parts into a sort of fortress."
Notes
Bartlett, R., Why can the Dead do Such Great Things? Saints and Worshippers from the Martyrs to the Reformation (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2013) p. 25
Catholic Encyclopedia
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14564a.htm
"Roundel with Thecla Surrounded by Beasts and Angels"
https://inpress.lib.uiowa.edu/feminae/DetailsPage.aspx?Feminae_ID=30983
"Sea pig"
MS Kongelige Bibliotek, Gl. kgl. S. 1633 4ยบ, Folio 61r
"Seals", Aberdeen bestiary
http://www.abdn.ac.uk/bestiary/translat/74r.hti
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