Driven from his see by the persecution of Diocletian (Diocletian was Roman emperor 284–305; the 'Great Persecution' of 303–311, when imperial edicts ordered churches and Scriptures destroyed and Christians forced to sacrifice to the Roman gods), Narcissus, bishop of Gerona, wandered with his deacon Felix to Augsburg. There they accepted lodging from Afra, a courtesan, not knowing who she was. Struck by their prayer and fasting, she and her household were baptized.

After nine months they returned to Spain, where opponents of his preaching ambushed and killed him. A later story says that when soldiers of King Philip of France looted his shrine, hornets poured out and stung them, so he is shown in art with hornets.

Thin entry · the 1897 book gives only 189 words. We have not filled the gap with invented detail.

Narcissus, bishop of Gerona, being driven from his see in the persecution of Diocletian, wandered homeless as far as Augsburg, where finding that the Christians were mightily oppressed, and well nigh exterminated, he and his deacon Felix, not knowing whither to take refuge, received the hospitality offered them by a courtesan named Afra. And they not knowing who and what manner of woman she was that invited them into her house, went in nothing doubting. Then Afra marvelled what manner of men these were, who ate little, and spent their time in prayer.