Saint Valerie holding her head in her hands at The Louvre, Paris

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This sculpture portrays Saint Valerie, a Roman period martyr who refused to marry a pagan and was subsequently beheaded. Immediately following her execution, she carried her severed head to the bishop, who then converted her into a martyr. The most striking parallels between this legendary figure and others are those that display the distinctive trait of cephalophory, a characteristic that is not uncommon in France. One notable example of this phenomenon is the patron saint of the capital city, Denis, whose severed head continued to preach despite being separated from his body. The theme of decapitation expands the scope of comparison significantly. A primary source of parallels can be found in the deuterocanonical book of Judith, where a young woman dedicates herself to virginity after seducing and beheading a tyrannical enemy of her faith, then presents his head to her countrymen. While the mythemes are configured differently, there appears to be a similar underlying concern regarding the threat posed by persecution and exogamy. The most obvious parallels may be drawn with the biblical narrative of John the Baptist. This story features not only a beheading but also a problematic marriage, a defiant denunciation of tyranny, a central young woman, and the presentation of the head to a third party. In this instance, however, the threat to the faith community appears to originate from within. The thematic parallel was strong enough that the builders of St Valerie's shrine in St Michel des Lions created a stunning stained glass window depicting John the Baptist. A cephalophore is a saint who typically carries their own head; in art, this was often meant to signify martyrdom by beheading. This sculptural style was extremely popular in France. When portraying a halo in such circumstances, artists face a unique challenge. Some place the halo where the head once was, while others have the saint carry the halo along with their head.