In the reign of Theodosius the First, Antigonus, governor of Lycia, and his wife, Euphrasia, were blessed by God with a little daughter, who was named after her mother. Antigonus and his wife feared God, and served Him with all their hearts, and with one consent resolved to bring up their little child as a bride of Christ. Shortly after Antigonus had formed this resolution he was called out of the world. When the child was five years old, the emperor, who had taken the little girl under his protection, proposed to the mother that she should be given in marriage to the son of a wealthy senator, in accordance with the custom of the times, to betroth maidens of high rank from infancy. The mother consented, and received the betrothal presents from the parents of the boy, and the marriage was arranged to take place as soon as the maiden was of a sufficient age. But in the meantime, some changes in the imperial household having thrown Euphrasia, the mother, out of favour, she retired into Egypt with her daughter, under pretext of visiting her relatives, and whilst there she travelled into Upper Egypt, and saw with admiration and respect the holy lives of the solitaries who inhabited the deserts of the Thebaid.

In the Thebaid was a convent of a hundred holy women, and the widow found great delight and exceeding profit in visiting it frequently,42 taking with her each time her little child, who was then aged seven. The mother superior was warmly attached to the beautiful girl, and one day drawing the child towards her, before her mother, asked Euphrasia if she loved her. "That do I," answered the child, looking up into her face. "Well, will you come and live with us, then?" enquired the superior, playfully. "I would," replied Euphrasia, "if I did not think it would trouble my mother." "And now, my pet," said the superior, "which do you love best, your little husband or us sisters." "I have never seen my little husband, nor has my little husband ever seen me, so we cannot love each other much," answered the child; "but I do love you sisters very much, because I know you. Which do you love best, my little husband or me?" "Oh," said the nun, "I love you much the best; but I love Jesus Christ above all." "So do I," said the child, "I love you very much, but I love Jesus Christ best."

The mother, Euphrasia, looked on smiling, and with tears in her eyes, as this simple conversation, which has been blown down to us through more than fifteen centuries, passed between the old nun and the child. Then she took her child's hand to lead her away. But the young Euphrasia implored her mother to let her remain, and she, supposing this was a mere infantine caprice, consented, thinking that she would soon weary of the cloister life. But it was not so. The child clung to the sisters, in spite of every hardship and trial inflicted on her to persuade her to go. She was told she must fast, and learn the Psalter by heart, if she remained, and sleep on the hard ground. She was ready for all, rather than depart. Then the superior said to the mother, "Leave the little girl with us, for the grace of God is working in her heart. Your piety and that of Antigonus have opened to her the most perfect way." Then Euphrasia, the mother, took her child in her arms, and going before an image of our Blessed Lord, she held up the little girl, and said, weeping, "My Lord Jesus Christ, receive this child into Thy protection, since she desires Thee only, and devotes herself to Thy service alone." And she blessed her daughter, saying, "May the Lord, who made the mountains so strong that they cannot be moved, confirm thee in His holy fear." But when the parting came, she burst into a flood of tears, and the whole community wept with her. A few days after, the superior brought the young Euphrasia into the chapel, and vested her in the religious habit, and kneeling down by the tiny novice, she prayed, "O King of ages, finish in this child the work of sanctification that Thou hast begun. Give her grace to follow in all things Thy holy will, and to place in Thee her hope and confidence."

When her mother saw her in her austere habit, she asked her if she were content. "Oh, mother!" cried the child, "It is my marriage garment, given me on my espousals to Jesus." "May He, sweet child, make thee worthy of His love," said the mother.

Years passed away, and the little flower grew up and bloomed in the cool shade of the cloister, and her mother had rejoined Antigonus in bliss, when the emperor wrote to Euphrasia to order her instantly to return to Constantinople and marry the young man to whom he had betrothed her. She was of imperial blood, and Theodosius considered that, on the death of her mother, the charge of Euphrasia, who was now an heiress and very wealthy, devolved on him. She replied, imploring him to allow her to follow her vocation, and requested him to dispose of all her property for the benefit of the poor. Euphrasia was then aged twelve. Theodosius, satisfied that she was in earnest, obeyed her request, and troubled her no more about the marriage. But now arrived a critical time of life, when youthful spirits and passions were in effervesence, and she was cruelly tormented with vain imaginations and temptations to go forth into that wondrous world of which she knew so little, but which, clothed in the rainbow tints of infantine remembrance, allured her fancy. To divert her attention, and at the same time to prove her obedience, the superior one day pointed to a great heap of stones, and bade her carry them to the top of a little sand hill, some distance off. Euphrasia obeyed cheerfully, toiling at removing the stones under the hot sun, one by one, to the place indicated. Then she came joyously to the superior, and signified to her that the task was accomplished. "Bring them all back again," said the mother superior. And the young nun hasted to obey. Next day she presented herself before the superior once more. "I have changed my mind," said the mother; "take the stones back again to the top of the mound." And thirty times did she make Euphrasia carry them back; and each time was she obeyed with cheerfulness.

She was then sent into the kitchen, and made to chop up the wood for the fire, bake the bread, and cook the food. The sister who undertook this arduous task was usually exempt from attending the midnight offices, but Euphrasia never missed being present in choir with the others, and when she was twenty, she was taller and plumper than any of the other sisters, her face had lost none of its beauty and freshness, but beamed with amiability. She had her trials, being for some time vexed with the contradiction of one of the sisters, who took a spite against her, being filled with jealousy of her virtues, and she once seriously injured her foot with the axe when chopping up wood. But God favoured her, and gave her the power of working miracles, and she cast evil spirits out of many that were possessed, and healed many that were sick. And when she was about to die, Julia, a favourite sister, who inhabited the same cell, implored Euphrasia to obtain for her the grace to be her companion in heaven, as she had been her associate on earth. Then, when Euphrasia was dead, sister Julia cast herself on her tomb, and wept and prayed, and the third day she was called away to be with her friend in the heavenly kingdom. Now, when the aged superior saw this, she longed greatly to enter also into her rest; it was she who had admitted Euphrasia, and it grieved her sore to be left in the desert when her spiritual daughter had entered the Promised Land. So she prayed also, and when the nuns looked into her cell in the morning, she had joined Euphrasia and Julia.

S. MOCHOEMOG, AB. OF LIATHMOR.

(MIDDLE OF 7TH CENT.)

[Irish Martyrologies, also the German Martyrology of Canisius. Authority:—A life purporting to be written by a disciple, but this is certainly false. It can not have been written before the 12th century. I give the story, and the reader may believe as much as he likes of the wonderful details.]

The abbot Mochoemog was born in Connaught. His father, on account of a feud, came into Munster and settled on the lands of O'Connell-Ghabhra. The father, Beoan by name, loved a certain beautiful damsel, called Nessa, of the race of the Nan-desi,43 the sister of S. Ytha, and having wedded her, he went with his wife to S. Ytha, and built her a beautiful convent, for Beoan was a skilful architect. Then S. Ytha said to him, "What recompense shall I give thee?" Then he said, "Thou knowest that I have no heir; beseech the Lord that He may grant me one." And Ytha answered, "A son shalt thou have, elect before God and men."

Now there was a certain king, named Crunmhoel, who made war on the O'Connells, and a great battle was fought, and Beoan was in the battle, and he fell. Then his wife went over the field seeking him, and she found his head, and knew it again, and she took it and carried it to S. Ytha, and said, "Where is thy promise, sister, that he should have an heir?" Then the holy abbess said, "Weep not, my sister, but put his head on to his body again." "How can I know his body in the midst of so many headless corpses?" asked Nessa. "Be not discouraged," answered the holy abbess, "Go into the field, and call Beoan thrice in the name of the Holy Trinity, and he will come after his head, then put it on again." So Nessa did so. And when she had called the third time, a dead man got up out of his place, and he had lost his head, but he seemed to be looking about for it with his stump. So he came to Nessa, and she put his head on, and then he opened his mouth, and said, "Oh, woman! why didst thou call me?" And he was sound again. Therefore he and his wife came to S. Ytha, who asked him, "Friend, desirest thou to tarry longer here below, or to go direct to heaven?" Beoan answered, "I esteem this world as nothing compared to eternal glory." "That is well," answered Ytha; "However, my promise must be kept. Thou must go home with thy wife." Then she washed his head and neck, and not even a scar remained. And after that Nessa became pregnant. Now there was in the east of Ireland, at Momyfechta, a blind abbot, named Fechean,44 and he prayed that he might recover his sight. Then an angel appeared to him, and bade him go and wash his eyes in the milk from the breast of the wife of Beoan. But S. Fechean knew not where Beoan lived, and had never heard his name before. Then he went to S. Ytha, to ask her to direct him, and she told him whither he was to go. And Fechean hasted, guided by his disciples, and they came to a mill, and there he found Beoan and his wife. Then Fechean related in order his vision, and the journey he had undertaken, and when he had made his petition, Nessa gave him some of her milk, and therewith he washed his eyes, and straightway he saw plain, and returned with great joy to his monastery.

Now when Nessa was near the term of her pregnancy, she went in a chariot to her sister. And Ytha heard the driving of the car, and she sent one of her maidens forth, saying, "I hear a chariot sounding as though a king rode therein. Who cometh to me?" Then the maiden answered, "It is thy sister Nessa." "It is well," said Ytha; "She bears in her womb a child who will sit enthroned in heaven, therefore did the chariot sound royally."

Now as soon as Nessa bore a son, it was told to Ytha, and she gave him a name, Mochoemog (Mo-choem-og), meaning "My-gentle-youth," and in Latin he is called Pulcherius. Then his parents gave him to S. Ytha, that she might rear him in the service of God, and he grew up in her house till he was twenty years old. And after that he went into Ulster, to S. Comgall, and was ordained priest by him, and he resided many years in Banchor under his guidance. But at length S. Comgall bade him depart and found a new monastery, and become father of a new generation of monks. So he went into Leinster, to Enacht, in Mount Blaine, and there he built a cell. But being driven forth, he went into Ossory, and the chief of that part offered him his castle, but Mochoemog would not accept it, but went into a desert place seeking a home; and the chief said to him, "I have a great and dense forest near the bog Lurgan which I will give thee." Then Mochoemog was pleased, and he went into the forest, and he carried in his hand a bell. Now Ytha had given him this bell when he was a child, and it sounded not. "But," said she, "when thou comest to the place of thy resurrection, then the bell will tinkle." So Mochoemog walked on till he reached a wide spreading oak, under which lay an old gray boar; and instantly the bell began to sound. So Mochoemog knew that he had reached the place of his resurrection, and he settled there, and because of the great grey boar, he called the place Liathmor (Liath, grey; mor, great.)45

Here he dwelt for many years, training saints. He was greatly troubled by princes, for on the death of his protector, the chief who had given him Liathmor, his son endeavoured to drive the aged abbot and his community away, but was miraculously prevented from doing so. Once the horses of the king of Munster were driven to pasture on the lands of the abbey, because the grass there was very rich. Mochoemog drove them all off, and hearing that the king was exceedingly incensed against him, and had ordered that he and his monks should be forcibly ejected from the country, the old man hasted to Cashel, where was the king. The prince seeing him, exclaimed, "What! little old bald head, thou here! I shall have thee driven from the place." "I may be bald," answered the abbot, "but thou shalt be blind of an eye." Then suddenly there came an inflammation in the eye of the king, and he lost the sight of it. The king, humbled, implored relief from the pain. "He shall be freed from his pain," answered Mochoemog, "but he shall remain blind of an eye." Then he blessed a vessel of water, and therewith the king's eye was washed, and the inflammation ceased.

The wonders wrought by Mochoemog are too many to be further related here. We have given a few specimens, and must refer the reader to the original life for the rest.

Mochoemog died at Liathmor, and was there buried.

S. NICEPHORUS, PATR. OF CONSTANTINOPLE.

(A.D. 828.)

[This is the festival of the Translation of S. Nicephorus in the Roman Martyrology and Greek MenÆa. June 2nd is the day of his death also observed in his honour by the Greeks. Authorities:—His life by Ignatius deacon of Constantinople, and afterwards bishop of NicÆa, a contemporary, and an account of his banishment by Theophanes, a fellow sufferer in the persecution.]

The father of this saint, named Theodore, was secretary to the emperor Constantine Copronymus, but when that tyrant declared himself a persecutor of the Catholic church, the faithful minister preferring to serve God rather than man, maintained the honour due to holy images with so much zeal, that he was stripped of his honours, scourged, tortured, and banished. The young Nicephorus grew up with his father's example before his eyes to stimulate him to confession of the truth at any sacrifice; his education was not neglected, and he made rapid progress in all the accomplishments of the age. When Constantine and Irene were placed on the imperial throne, and restored the use of sacred pictures and images in churches, Nicephorus was introduced to their notice, and by his sterling merit obtained their favour. He was by them advanced to his father's dignity, and, by the lustre of his sanctity, he became at once the ornament of the court, and the support of the state. He distinguished himself greatly by his zeal against the Iconoclasts, and acted as secretary to the second council of NicÆa. After the death of S. Tarasius, (Feb. 25th), patriarch of Constantinople, in 806, no one was found more worthy to succeed him than Nicephorus. To give an authentic testimony of his faith, during the time of his consecration he held in his hand a treatise he had written in defence of holy images, and after the ceremony was concluded, he laid it up behind the altar, as a pledge that he would always maintain the tradition of the Church. As soon as he was seated in the patriarchal chair, he set about endeavouring to effect a reformation of manners of the clergy and people, and his precepts from the pulpit received double force from his example. He applied himself with unwearied diligence to all the duties of the ministry; and, by his zeal and invincible meekness and patience, was able to effect much which a less earnest or harsher character would have found it impossible to achieve.

Constantine was blinded, Irene banished, Nicephorus I., her successor, had fallen before the Bulgarians. Michael I. was driven from the throne, and Leo the Armenian became emperor in 813. He was an Iconoclast, and endeavoured both by artifices and open violence to establish that heresy. His first endeavour, however, was, by crafty suggestions, to gain over the holy patriarch to favour his design of destroying the sacred pictures and images which had resumed their places in the churches and streets, after the second council of NicÆa had sanctioned their use. But S. Nicephorus answered him, "We cannot change the ancient traditions: we respect holy images as we do the cross and the book of the gospels." For it must be observed that the ancient Iconoclasts venerated the book of the gospels, and the figure of the cross, though with singular inconsistency, they forbade the rendering of the like honour to holy images. The saint showed, that far from derogating from the supreme honour of God, we honour Him when we for His sake respect His angels, saints, prophets, and ministers; and also when we show reverence towards all such things as belong to His service, like sacred vessels, churches, and images. But the tyrant persisted in his error, and the first steps he took against images were marked by caution. He privately encouraged some soldiers to maltreat an image of Christ on a great cross at the brazen gate of the city; and then he ordered the image to be taken off the cross, pretending he did it to prevent a second profanation. S. Nicephorus saw the storm gathering, and spent most of his time in prayer, in company with several holy bishops and abbots. Shortly after, the emperor, having assembled certain Iconoclastic bishops in his palace, sent for the patriarch and his fellow-bishops.46 They obeyed the summons, but entreated the emperor to leave the government of the Church to her pastors. Æmilian, bishop of Cyzicus, one of their body, said, "If this is an ecclesiastical affair, let it be discussed in the Church, according to custom, not in the palace." Euthymius, bishop of Sardis, said, "For these eight hundred years past, since the coming of Christ, there have been pictures of Him, and He has been honoured in them. Who shall now have the boldness to abolish so ancient a tradition?" S. Theodore of the Studium spoke after the bishops, and addressed the emperor, "My lord, do not disturb the order of the Church. God hath placed in it apostles, prophets, pastors, and teachers.47 You he hath entrusted with the care of the State; the Church hath he entrusted to the care of her Bishops." The emperor, in a rage, drove them from his presence. Some time after, the Iconoclast bishops held an assembly in the imperial palace, and cited the patriarch to appear before them. To their summons he returned this answer, "Who gave you this authority? If it was he who pilots the vessel of old Rome, I am ready. If it was the Alexandrine successor of the Evangelist Mark, I am ready. If it was the patriarch of Antioch, or he of Jerusalem, I make no opposition. But who are ye? In my diocese you have no jurisdiction." He then read the canon which declares those excommunicate who presume to exercise any act of jurisdiction in the diocese of another bishop. They, however, proceeded to pronounce against him a sentence of deposition; and the holy pastor, after several attempts had been made secretly to take away his life, was sent by the emperor into banishment. Michael the Stammerer, who succeeded Leo the Armenian, in 120, also favoured the Iconoclastic faction, and continued to harass S. Nicephorus, who died in exile, on June 2nd, 828, in the monastery of S. Theodore, which he had erected, at the age of seventy. By order of the empress Theodora, his body was brought to Constantinople with great pomp, in 846, on the 13th of March.

S. ANSEWIN, B. OF CAMERINO.

(CIRC. A.D. 840.)

[Roman Martyrology. Authority:—A life written by Eginus the monk, about the year 960, not, apparently entire, and the Lections of the Breviary of Camerino.]

S. Ansewin, or Hanse-win, was a native of Camerino, in Tuscany. He retired in early life into the solitude of Castel-Raymond, near Torcello, after his ordination as priest. He was appointed chaplain and confessor to the emperor Louis, and in 822, he was nominated to the bishopric of his native city. A strange legend of his expedition to Rome to receive consecration has been recorded by his biographer. On arriving at Narni, with a cavalcade of nobles and friends who accompanied him from Camerino, they put up at a tavern for refreshment, and asked for wine. The publican, an ill-conditioned fellow, served them with what they desired, but Ansewin, looking at it, detected that it was watered, and sharply rebuked the taverner. The man surlily replied that they must drink what was set before them, and that it was no odds to him whether they liked his wine or not.

"Now, friend," said the bishop-elect, "we have no drinking vessels with us, so bring us forth horns or goblets."

"Not I," answered the publican, "I provide wine, but customers usually bring their own cups."

"But, friend, we have none with us." "That is your affair, not mine," answered the fellow rudely. "Then we must do what we can," said Ansewin, drawing off his cape, and holding out the hood. "Come, host! pour the wine in here." The man stared, and then burst into a roar of laughter. But Ansewin persisted. "Then, fool, I will do so, and waste the liquor, but mind, you pay for it," said he. "Pour boldly," said the bishop-elect, holding the hood distended; and the inn-keeper obeyed. Then two marvels occurred, the hood retained the liquor, and served as a drinking horn to all the company, and the water which had diluted the wine separated from it, and flowed away over the edge.

He ruled his diocese with great prudence, and in time of famine, by his wise regulations and abundant alms, greatly relieved the sufferings of the poor. He was absent from his dear city where he had been born, and which he had ministered to with so much love, when he was stricken with mortal sickness. He was greatly distressed at the prospect of dying out of his diocese, and ordered a horse to be brought that he might ride home. His companions, seeing death in his face, remonstrated; but he persisted in his command, and when his horse was brought to the door, he descended, supported by his friends to it. Then the horse knelt down, and suffered the dying man to mount him without effort. As soon as he was in Camerino, he ordered all his flock to assemble to receive his final blessing, and then gently expired.

Relics at Camerino, in the cathedral, and a portion of the shoulder in the Vatican.

In art he is represented with his hood full of wine.

SS. RUDERICK, P. M., AND SALOMON, M.

(A.D. 857.)

[Roman Martyrology. Authority:—S. Eulogius, (March 11th), himself a martyr in the same persecution, 859, wrote the Acts of all those who suffered at that time, either from his own knowledge, or from the testimony of eye witnesses.]

During the persecution of the Christians under the Moorish occupation of Spain, there was a priest in the village of Cabra, about five-and-twenty miles from Cordova, named Ruderick, who had two brothers, whereof one had renounced Christianity and become a Moslem. One night this apostate brother and the other were quarrelling, and came to blows, when Ruderick rushed between them to separate them, but was so mauled by both, that he fell senseless on the ground. The Mussulman brother then placed him on a litter, and had him carried about the country, walking by his side, and showing him off as a renegade priest. Ruderick was too much bruised and strained to resist for a while, but he bore this with greater anguish than his bodily injuries, and as soon as ever he was sufficiently recovered, he effected his escape. The renegade meeting him some time after in the streets of Cordova, dragged him before the cadi, and denounced him as having professed the Mussulman religion, and then returned to Christianity. Ruderick indignantly denied that he had ever apostatized, but the cadi, believing the accusation, ordered him to be cast into the foulest den of the city prison, reserved for parricides. There he found a Christian, named Salomon, awaiting sentence on a similar charge of having conformed to the established religion for a while, and then returned to the worship of Christ. They were retained in prison for some time, the cadi hoping thus to weary them into apostasy. But the two confessors encouraged each other to stand fast. Being made acquainted with this, the cadi ordered them to be separated, but when this also failed, he sentenced them both to decapitation.

S. KENNOCHA, V.

(ABOUT A.D. 1007.)

[Aberdeen Breviary. Authority:—The same.]

On March 13th, the Ancient Scottish Church commemorated S. Kennocha, a virgin, who, desirous of consecrating herself wholly to Jesus Christ, met with long and vehement opposition from her parents and friends, and underwent from them great hardships and persecution, without shaking her constancy. She led a life as a solitary of great severity, and attained a good old age. She was buried in the church of Kyle.

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