Not much is known about St. Tanca. She lived in Troyes, France, during the tumultuous Merovingian period. The Frankish people had been converted to Christianity during the time of King Clovis (c. 497), but by the mid-7th century the line of Clovis had weakened and France was torn by wars between petty princes and dukes. Bishops were often pawns of one or another dynastic prince and morality in the clergy was lax. It was into this atmosphere of violence and corruption that St. Tanca was born.
According to custom, Tanca was of humble origin, though her godfather was a man of modest means in the nearby town of Arcis. When Tanca was sixteen, her family was invited to a feast at the home of her godfather in Arcis. Tanca was initially left behind to keep charge of the house, but her godfather, disappointed at her absence, sent a servant to fetch her. The servant was never seen again, and the body of Tanca, with bruised face and throat cut, was found in a thicket soon after. Upon examination, her virginal integrity was intact. The conclusion was drawn that the young girl had died upon refusing the advances of her attacker, which, although based on conjecture, is probably enough.
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