The Lives of the Saints, Volume II (of 16): February

S. MARGARET OF CORTONA, PENITENT(A.D. 1297.)

[Leo X. allowed the festival of this saint to be celebrated in the diocese of Cortona on Feb. 22nd. Urban VIII. extended this faculty to all congregations of the Order of S. Francis, in 1623. She was canonized by Benedict XIII., in 1728. She is mentioned by Ferrarius in his Catalogue of the Saints of Italy, on this day, but, probably on account of the coincidence of the day with the Chair of S. Peter, the festival of S. Margaret is usually observed in the Franciscan Order on the day following, Feb. 23rd. Authority: – A Life written by Friar Juncta, her Confessor; but he trips lightly over her life before her conversion, saying nothing concerning it but giving only vague allusions. For fuller details we must go to some of the writers on the Saints of the Franciscan Order, and to Ferrarius.]

Margaret was a girl of Alviano, in Tuscany. Her good looks attracted the attention of a young nobleman, and, led astray by passion and love of dress, she deserted her father's house, and followed her seducer for nine years. One day he went out, followed by his dog,64 and did not return. Some days passed, and, at last, the dog appeared at the door, and, plucking at Margaret's dress, drew her forwards, as though it wished her to follow. She obeyed the animal, and it led her into the wood, and began to scratch where dry leaves and sticks were thrown over a sort of pit. She hastily uncovered the spot, and found the body of her lover, who had been assassinated, frightfully decomposed. The shock was great. She went sorrowfully to her father's house, but he refused to admit his fallen daughter, urged thereto by her step-mother. Then she sought the protection and guidance of the Minorite friars at Cortona, and, after two years, she entered the third order of S. Francis. Her director had now to restrain her enthusiastic self-mortification. Knowing that it was her beauty which had turned her head and led her astray, she wanted to cut off her nose and lips, but was peremptorily forbidden by her confessor. Then she desired to make public confession in Cortona of all her iniquities, but was also forbidden this. She, however, went, one Sunday, to her native village, with a halter round her neck, and, casting herself down before all the congregation, expressed her deep sorrow for the scandal she had caused there. Her conversion took place in 1274, when she was aged twenty-five. The rest of her life was spent in penance for her sin. At length, worn out by her austerities, she died on the 22nd February, 1297, in the forty-eighth year of her age.

Her body is preserved at Cortona.

In art, she appears contemplating a corpse, or more often a skull at her feet, whilst a dog plucks at her robe.

February 23

S. Martha, V. M. at Astorga, in Spain, a. d. 251.

S. Priamian, B. M. at Ancona.

S. Polycarp, P. C. at Rome, circ. a. d. 300.

S. Romana, V. at Rome, circ. a. d. 324.

S. Serenus, M. at Sirmisch, in Hungary, circ. a. d. 327.

S. Priamianus, B. M. at Ancona.

SS. Zebinas, Polychronius, Moses, and Damian, HH. in Syria, 5th cent.

S. Dositheus, Monk in Palestine, circ. a. d. 530.

S. Felix, B. of Brescia, circ. a. d. 652.

S. Earcongotha, V. Abss. at Faremoutier, end of 7th cent.

S. Milburgh, V. Abss. of Wenlock in Shropshire, 7th cent.

S. Lazarus, Monk at Constantinople, circ. a. d. 870.

S. Celsus, B. of Trèves, circ. a. d. 980.

B. Peter Damiani, Card. B. of Ostia, a. d. 1072.

S. MARTHA, V. M(A.D. 251.)

[Roman Martyrology. Authority: – The ancient Acts, which are not, however, in their original form; but the substantial authenticity of the facts mentioned by them there is no reason to dispute.]

THIS blessed saint suffered in the reign of Decius, under the proconsul Paternus. He ordered her to be racked, and beaten with knotted sticks, and then taken back to prison. She seems to have been noble by birth, and wealthy, for the proconsul endeavoured to persuade her to relinquish her religion and marry his son. She, however, constantly refused, declaring that she had chosen Jesus Christ as her heavenly bridegroom. She was then ordered to be executed with the sword, and her body to be cast into a foul place. It was withdrawn from this place by a pious matron; and her relics are preserved at the monastery of Rivæ de Sil, and in the church of Tera, in the diocese of Astorga.

S. SERENUS, M(ABOUT A.D. 327.)

[Roman Martyrology; also the ancient one of S. Jerome. In the Anglican Martyrology of Richard Wilson (1608) on Feb. 24th. Authority: – The genuine Acts; of these there are two editions; one, the most ancient, given by Bollandus, terse and short; the other, by Ruinart, longer.]

Serenus was by birth a Greek. He quitted estate, friends, and country to serve God in an ascetic life. Coming with this design to Sirmium, the modern Sirmisch, or Mitrowitz, in Hungary, he there bought a garden, which he cultivated with his own hands, and lived on the fruits and herbs it produced. When persecution broke out, he hid himself for some months, but, on its abatement, he returned to his garden. One day there came thither a woman to walk. Serenus, knowing that she had come there to meet a lover, gravely rebuked her, saying, "A lady of your quality ought not to walk here at unseasonable hours, and this, you know, is an hour you ought to be at home. Let me advise you to withdraw, and be more regular in your hours and conduct for the future, as decency requires, in persons of your sex and condition." It was usual for the Romans to repose themselves at noon, as it is still the custom in Italy. The woman, stung at our saint's remonstrance, retired in confusion, but resolved on revenging the supposed affront. She accordingly wrote to her husband, who belonged to the guards of the Emperor Maximian, to complain of Serenus as having insulted her. Her husband, on receiving her letter, went to the emperor to demand justice, and said, "Whilst we are waiting on your Majesty's person, our wives in distant countries are insulted." Whereupon the emperor gave him a letter to the governor of the province, to enable him to obtain satisfaction. With this letter he set out for Sirmium, and presented it to the governor, conjuring him, in the name of the emperor his master, to revenge the affront offered to him, in the person of his wife, during his absence. "And who is that insolent man," said the magistrate, "who has dared to insult such a gentleman's wife?" "It is," said he, "a vulgar fellow, one Serenus, a gardener." The governor ordered him to be immediately brought before him, and asked him his name. "It is Serenus," said he. The judge said, "Of what profession are you?" He answered, "I am a gardener." The governor said, "How durst you affront the wife of this officer in your garden?" Serenus: "I never insulted any woman, to my knowledge, in my life; but, I remember that, some time ago, a lady came into my garden at an unseasonable hour, with the design, as she pretended, of taking a walk; and I own I took the liberty to tell her it was against decency for one of her sex and quality to be abroad at such an hour." This plea of Serenus having put the officer to the blush for his wife's conduct, he dropped his prosecution against the gardener and withdrew.

But the governor's suspicions were roused, and he determined to convince himself whether this gardener were a Christian or not. He, therefore, said, "What is your religion?" Serenus at once replied, "I am a Christian." Then, said the magistrate, "Where have you been lurking, that you have not sacrificed to the gods?" The gardener replied, "God reserved me till this day. Now he calls me, and I am ready to magnify his name, that I may inherit his kingdom." Then the governor ordered him to be executed with the sword.

Relics at Billome, in Auvergne. The feast of his translation is observed in the diocese of Clermont, on May 10th.

In art, S. Serenus is represented with a sword in his hand.

S. PRIAMIANUS, B. M(UNKNOWN DATE.)[Commemorated at Ancona, and nowhere else.]

The story of this saint, of local celebrity, is somewhat curious. In 1370, a marble tomb, on which was inscribed "Here reposes the body of the Blessed Bishop Priamian, a Greek," was discovered under the tabernacle, in the wall. It was opened, and found to contain a human body. This was now enshrined in silver. But, as yet, nothing was known of who S. Priamian was, beyond what was stated on the tomb. One night, however, he appeared in a dream to an old woman, in Ancona, and announced to her that he had been a martyr for the faith more than a thousand years before, with many details, which do not deserve record, as the revelation is very questionable.

SS. ZEBINAS, POLYCHRONIUS, MOSES, AND DAMIAN, HH(5TH CENT.)

[Commemorated by the Greek Church on this day. Authority: – The Philotheus of Theodoret, c. 24. Theodoret knew personally Polychronius, the disciple of Zebinas, and Moses and Damian were admitted to be disciples of Polychronius at the advice of Theodoret. Theodoret wrote whilst these three latter were still alive.]

Zebinas, a hermit in Syria, was said to have exceeded all others of his time in the ardour of his devotion. The bishop of Cyrus says that he was engaged in prayer night and day, without finding his fervour satisfied, but with ever increasing vehemence of desire. And when people came to him for counsel, it was with an effort that he detached his mind from heavenly meditation that he might attend to them, impatiently desiring release that he might soar again to divine communings. And when very old he had a staff on which he leaned to pray. After his death he was followed in the same ascetic way of life by his disciple Polychronius, on whom Zebinas had impressed his spirit, just, says Theodoret, as a signet stamps its device on wax. His mind was ever in heaven, and when he talked with those who came to see him, it was as though his voice spoke from celestial habitations. Theodoret, the bishop, seeing the old man worn with years and feeble, urged him to take two disciples into his cell to tend him. He consented, and admitted Moses and Damian. But they had not been long with him before they ran away; "For," said they, "his manner of life is too austere for our endurance. He stands all night in prayer, and he urges us to lie down and sleep, but how can we, who are young and robust, do so, when that aged and infirm man stands all night without repose?"

Moses, however, returned to him, and served him continually, but Damian went elsewhere, and found an old cottage, where he served God in an ascetic life, and gradually trained himself to bear fatigue and privations like Polychronius, so that he grew greatly to resemble him. "In both," says Theodoret, "there is the same simplicity, and gentleness, and moderation; the same kindliness in speech, and sweetness in conversation; the same watchfulness of spirit, intelligence of God, and condition of life, labours, vigils, and fastings."

S. DOSITHEUS, MONK(A.D. 530.)

[Not in Roman Martyrology nor in Greek Menæa, but inserted in the Martyrology of Peter Galesinius on this day, and by Ferrarius, and also in the Acta Sanctorum by the Bollandists, on this day. Authority: – His Life, by a fellow-disciple.]

Dositheus was page to an officer in the army, who was warmly attached to him, and regarded him almost as a son. He grew up among soldiers, without the least knowledge of the truths of religion. One day he heard a conversation turn on Jerusalem, which was called the Holy City, and he was filled with curiosity to see it, and know why it was regarded as sacred. As a friend of his master's was about to visit Jerusalem, he asked permission to accompany him, and his request was readily granted. On his arrival at Jerusalem, Dositheus went to Gethsemane, and saw there a painting which represented the lost in the flames of hell. This picture produced a most powerful impression upon him, and he stood long before it, wondering what it meant. A lady who was present, seeing the astonishment of the boy, explained to him about the judgment and hell, truths he had not heard before. When he asked her how the terrible place could be escaped, she replied, by fasting and prayer. The instruction of the lady made upon the youth so deep an impression that he at once began to abstain from meat, and pray as best he could. His companions, astonished at the change, said, laughing, that he was going to become a monk. But he had not heard of monks before, and when he ascertained what monks were, he resolved to seek the nearest monastery. He accordingly went to that governed by S. Serides, who was at first disposed to reject him, on account of his rich dress, youth, and delicate complexion; but, at last, overcome by the boy's earnestness, he committed him to S. Dorotheus, as a disciple. Dorotheus saw that the youth was not of sufficiently robust temperament to stand austerities, he, therefore, laboured to correct his self-will, and discipline his hitherto ungoverned tongue. "Well, Dositheus," said the master to him, soon after his admission, "How much hast thou eaten to-day?" "A loaf and a half," answered the boy; – this was equivalent to about five pounds. "That is pretty well," said Dorotheus, smiling. "Try, my son, to be a little more moderate tomorrow." And then, when the lad had taken somewhat less, "How farest thou to-day?" asked the master. "Well, my father." "Then learn to eat sufficient to satisfy thy need, but never devour food in excess of what is necessary." He made the youth serve the hospital. Dositheus was so cheerful, that the sick therein loved his presence. Sometimes he lost patience, and when a sick man provoked him he gave way to temper and bad words. Then, filled with compunction, he ran to his cell, and fell, crying, on the floor, and would not be comforted till his master came to assure him that God would on his repentance pardon the little outbreak. One day, Dorotheus heard the lad talking noisily in the infirmary, so he called him, and said, "Go, my son, and bring a bottle of wine." Thereupon the lad obeyed, and presented the flask to his master. "Oh, Dositheus," said his superior, "the bottle is for thee, not for me. It is the way of the rollicking Goths to drink and shout. I heard thy clamouring, and I thought the bottle of wine was all that was wanted to make a complete Goth of thee." Dorotheus was watchful to check every feeling of vanity and self-will in his young pupil, and for this purpose he sometimes assumed a harshness of manner, which ill-accorded with his natural gentleness. "There, father," said Dositheus one day, "See how neatly I have made the infirmary beds." "Humph!" answered Dorotheus; "thou art an excellent bed-maker, no doubt, but not much of a monk." The steward one day gave Dositheus a knife, which he showed with much elation to his master. "Let me see it," said Dorotheus. And when the youth had put it into his hand, the old monk turned it and studied it. "It will serve me admirably for cutting up my cakes," said Dositheus. "Art thou very much delighted with it, my son?" asked the master. "Indeed, I am, father," was the reply. "Then, my son," said Dorotheus, "give the knife to the other brethren; let them use it, and do thou never touch it again." Dositheus obeyed without a murmur. Dorotheus obliged him diligently to study the Holy Scriptures. Sometimes the youth came to a passage he could not understand, and he sought his master to have it explained. One day, to prove his humility, he said, roughly, "I cannot attend to thee, go to the abbot." Now, he had before advised the Abbot Serides what he should do. So the novice came to him with the book, and said, "My father, explain to me this passage." Then the abbot boxed his ears, and sent him away, saying, "I have other matters to attend to than to teach an ignorant fellow like thee." Then Dositheus went patiently back to his cell, and God illumined his understanding in the reading of the Scriptures. Now, after five years, the lay brother began to spit blood, and exhibit marks of consumption. He had heard it reported that raw eggs would cure this complaint, and the idea haunted him. However, he schooled himself till he was quite able to feel that if they were denied him he would cheerfully submit without a contrary wish. Then he said to Dorotheus, "Dear master, I have heard that raw eggs will stop the blood, but, I pray thee, forbid me to try this remedy." "Well, my son," answered Dorotheus, "thou shalt not prove the efficacy of eggs, but of every other remedy." Accordingly, everything was done for the young novice that could be devised, but he became rapidly worse. Now, when he was ill, Dorotheus said to him, "Dositheus, be instant in prayer, lose not hold of that." He replied, "Master, it is well, pray for me." And when he became greatly exhausted, Dorotheus asked him, "Well, Dositheus, how farest thou in prayer?" "Oh, pardon me, master, I cannot continue." "Then," said the monk, "give it up, my son, but keep God in thy mind as though He were present beside thee." And, after some days, he said to the old man, "Send me away, I care no more." Then Dorotheus answered, "Patience a while, my son. The mercy of God is not far off." And again, after some days, he said, "I can bear no more." Then the old man said to him, "Go in peace, and stand before the Holy Trinity, and pray for us."

Now, some of the monks murmured that Dorotheus should have thus promised heaven, and asked the intercession of one who had never done anything in the way of fasting, and had wrought no miracles. Then Dorotheus said, "He fasted not, but he never gave way to his self-will."

And after some days, there was an old monk taken into the hospital, who prayed to God to show him all the holy fathers of that house who had served Him, and had entered into their rest. And he saw in vision a goodly choir of aged saints, and amongst them was a young lay brother, with hair on which the snows of age had not fallen, and a hectic colour in his cheek. Now the old man told his vision to the brethren, and when he described the novice, the monks knew that it was Dositheus, touching whose sanctity they had doubted.

S. EARCONGOTHA, V. ABSS(END OF 7TH CENT.)

[Benedictine Martyrology. Authority: – Bede, lib. iii., c. 8.]

Earcongotha, great granddaughter of the first Christian king of the Anglo-Saxons, and daughter of Ercombert, King of Kent, was a nun in the French community of Faremoutier, where so many of the English princesses were trained. She was, says Bede, a virgin of great virtue, worthy in everything of her illustrious origin, and was elevated to become Abbess. Being warned of her approaching end, she went from cell to cell in the infirmary of the monastery, asking for the prayers of her sick nuns. She died during the following night, at the first glimpse of dawn. At the same hour the monks, who occupied another part of the double monastery, heard a sound like the noise of a multitude, who, to the sound of heavenly music, invaded the monastery. When they went out to see what it was, they found themselves in a flood of miraculous light, in the midst of which the soul of the foreign princess ascended to heaven.

S. MILBURGH, V. ABSS(7TH CENT.)

[Milburgh or Milburga is inscribed in the Roman Martyrology, and in that bearing the name of Bede. Authority: – William of Malmesbury and Capgrave.]

Perhaps no higher commendation can be passed upon Domneva, the saintly wife of Merewald, than this, that she was the mother of three eminent saints, Milburgh, Mildred, and Mildgytha. S. Milburgh was the eldest, if the names are mentioned according to the order of birth, and this being most probably the case, the date of her birth would be about the year of grace, 662. We are told that from her earliest years she dedicated herself to God with all the ardour of her soul. Whatever she did, she did it for the love of Christ alone, endeavouring always to please Him, and to grow up in His holy service. The world, which would have many attractions to a highborn maiden, she thoroughly despised, and even life itself she counted as nothing, unless it were spent in entire devotion to God. That she might live such a life with greater freedom, and in holy companionship with others, moved by the same heavenly desire, she founded a monastery for religious virgins at Wenlock, in Shropshire. Wenlock Magna it was afterwards called, and Much Wenlock at the present day. Her father, and her uncle Wulfhere, king of Mercia, assisted her in this pious undertaking, and the monastery was endowed with ample possessions, many precious relicts of saints, and great privileges. Milburgh was consecrated abbess by Archbishop Theodore, and under her gentle rule the monastery became like a paradise in which Our Lord had planted the fairest flowers, and the sweetest fruits; and among them all S. Milburgh was pre-eminent in every virtue, and more especialty did the grace of humility shine forth in her. But the more she humbled herself, so much the more did God manifest His power in her by many gifts, enabling her to restore sight to the blind, and life to the dead. Her exhortations, full of heavenly unction, and the teaching of her saintly life, had a marvellous effect in bringing many souls from the darkness of error to the light of truth; and from the death of sin to a life of righteousness. Among the many wonderful things related of her, we read, that one day she went on some good errand to a village called Stoke, (Stoke S. Milburgh), when she was seen by the son of some neighbouring king, who wished to carry her off by force, that he might marry her. He got together a few soldiers, and formed a plan for intercepting her; but she, divinely admonished of the wicked scheme, fled at once with a companion she had with her. On her way she crossed a shallow stream called the Corve. As soon as the rash man heard of her flight, he followed in great haste, but when he came to the stream, the water suddenly rose, and rendered further pursuit impossible; so Christ's lamb escaped, while he stood still, confounded and amazed.

One night she had continued longer than usual in prayer and contemplation, and, overcome with fatigue, fell asleep; nor did she awake till the rays of the morning sun fell upon her. Then she started up so suddenly that the sacred veil fell from her head, but a slanting sunbeam caught it ere it touched the ground, and held it suspended in mid-air until she had time to rouse herself. Then she perceived the divine manifestation, and gave thanks to God, praising and magnifying Him.

Upon another occasion, when she was alone in her oratory, a widow came in carrying her dead child, and fell down at the feet of the holy virgin, and with many tears implored her to intercede for her, that her child might be restored to life. Milburgh rebuked her for making such a strange request, and recommended submission to the divine will. "Go," she said, "and bury thy dead, then prepare to follow thy son, for man is born to die." But the widow refused to go. "No, I will not leave thee, unless thou restore my child to life." When the holy virgin saw the woman's faith, she prostrated herself in prayer by the body of the child. Immediately she was surrounded by fire, which came down from heaven, and so entirely enveloped her, that it seemed impossible that she could escape being consumed by it. One of the sisters coming in, cried out to her to fly, but she had no sooner spoken, than all trace of fire was gone, and S. Milburgh, rising from her knees, presented the now living child to his mother.

S. Milburgh is represented as having authority over the birds of the air, and protecting crops from their ravages. In the parable, the fowls that came and devoured the good seed, were, we know, evil spirits.

After many years spent in good works and holy exercises, she was further purified and fitted, by long and painful illnesses, for those eternal mansions for which her soul longed. When the time of her departure drew near, she called together the whole community, and exhorted them all to have ever before them those two heavenly sentences: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God." She then recommended them to choose the most pious of the sisters for their future abbess. Taking leave of them, she said, "Most dear sisters, I have loved you as my own bowels, and have been over you, as a mother over her children, with pious care. A higher call now in mercy invites me, I go the way of all flesh, and commend you to God and the Blessed Virgin." Having armed herself for her passage with the holy sacraments, she gave up her pure soul into the hands of her Maker, on Feb. 23rd, 722, and was buried with honour near the altar, in the church of the monastery.