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121 ST. BESSIA 121 Slimmer. Sho died at the age of eightj- seyeD, and was buried, by her own desire, in the spot where she had led this penitential life. D. Papebroch, in the Acta Sanctorum, Appended to his account is a copy of the rule of the Anchorites. St. Bertheline, or Bertiline, patron of Senois, in Guionne. Petits BoU landistes. St Berthg^th, Bebathgit. St. Berthilla, Bertilla. St. Bertilana, Bertilla (3). St. Bertilda, Bertilla (1). St. Bertilia, Bertilla. St. Bertiline, Bertheline. St Bertilla (l),May n (Berthilia, Bertilia). f c. 060. Of Curtissolra, or Conrtsohre, in Hainault. Wife of Sf. Walbert, duke of Louvaine, under Clothaire II. Mother of the holy ab- besses SS. Waltrttde and Aldegund. She had also a son, St. Ablebert. Pape- broch, in AA,SS. Martin. St. Bertilla (2), Jan. 3 (Berthilia, or Bertilia). f 087. Patron of Mar- oenil. Of noble and wealthy parents. Married Guthland. They spent tiieir lives and fortune in works of mercy and piety. After Guthland's death, Bertilla gave her property to the Church, only reserving one small estate, on which she built a church in honour of Amandus, and a monastery at Maroeuil, in Artois, where she was buried. Gerard, second bishop of Artois, had her bones taken up, to honour her as a saint. They are still venerated there. Pilgrimages for diseases of the eyes are made to the fountain of St. Bertilla at Maroeuil. AA.SS, Saussaye, Mart, Oall, St Bertilla (3), or Bertilaka, Nov. 5, and June 27, V. f ^^2 or 702. Abbess of Chelles. Patron of Chelles, Jouarre, and perhaps of Marolles. It seems more Hkely that it is by con- founding her with her contemporary Bertilla (2) that she has been called patron of Marolles. Invoked against goitre, swellings, sore throats, diseases of horses, storms, hernia in children. She was a member of a noble family at Soissons, in the reign of Dagobert I. Her parents at first opposed her voca- tion, but afterwards placed her in the monastery of Jouarre, near Meauz, newly founded by St. Ado, brother of her friend and adviser St. Owen, and where St. Teutehild was abbess. Bertilla ac- quitted herself so well that she was chosen prioress, and when Queen Ba- thilde refounded the monastery of Chelles on the Mame, she begged St. Teutehild to send Bertilla and a few nuns to establish the new community. Bertilla was the first Abbess of Chelles, and ruled for forty-six years, during which St. Bathilde, queen of France, took the veil there. The English queen, St. Hereswitha, was probably a nun there when Bertilla arrived. Under Bertilla, Chelles became one of the fjEunous schools of piety to which English ladies resorted when they wanted to be trained in monastic Mfe ; some remained there, and some, after a time, returned to teach their countrywomen, and to plant in England new gardens of living trees bearing the fruit of good works. Bertilla was ambitious of martyrdom, but as no persecutors were forthcoming, she martyred herself with austerities. It is related that a nun spoke unkindly to her in a moment of ill temper. Ber- tilla did not answer, but prayed that God would judge between them. A few days afterwards the nun died. Bertilla, fearing that her imprecation might have brought this judgment, entreated the dead woman's forgiveness. Thereupon the nun came to life, and said that she forgave Bertilla, and that God had for- given them both. She then closed her eyes again in death. Butler, Lives, Baillet, Vies. Bucelinus, Men, Ben,^ June 27. Menard, Mart, Ben., Nov. 4. Giry, Diet, Hag, St. Bertoara, or Bertrade, Dec. 4. 7th century. According to Martin's French Martyrology, St. Bertoara is patron of the church of Sales, in Savoy, where she was a nun, and is honoured at Bourges. St Bertrade, Bertoara. St Bertrana, July 20, V. Abbess. Saussaye, Appendix to Mart, Oall, St. Besia, M. St Bessa, Dec 18, M. P.B. St Bessia (l), July 28, M. at Lao- dicea in Phrygia. AAJSS,