Page:A Dictionary of Saintly Women Volume 1.djvu/184

170 170 B. CECILIA 26. t 1300. Fourth and youDgest dangliter of St. Brigid of Sweden, and sister of St. Catherine of Sweden. Her life and that of her mother were in extreme danger at the time of her hirth, bnt, owing to the direct intervention of the Virgin Mary, both were preserved. The Virgin Mary appeared again shortly afterwards to St. Brigid, and exhorted her to show gratitude by bringing up her children piously and virtuously. Brigid therefore contemplated making Cecilia a nun in the convent of Schening, but Cecilia married twice, and, as a widow, spent her life, like Tabitha, in doing good to the poor. Vastovius, Vitia Aquilonia, B. Cecilia (15) of Ferrara, Jan.* 25, O.S.D. "^ 1507. Contemporary with another Dominican, B. Cecilia (16) of Ferrara. This Cecilia was very young, and is said by her biographer not to have known what sin was. She prayed to have her purgatory in this world, and obtained that grace through the inter- cession of B. Beatrice, one of her fellow- nuns. Accordingly she suffered much from ill health. She broke a blood- vessel on the chest, and was confined to bed for six months, and became extremely thin. During her illness, she endured great temptations of the devil, though he had never assailed her so fiercely when she was in health. She prayed to St. Catherine that she might be married to Christ, which prayer was answered, for after her death a ring was seen on her finger by B. Calimeto and another holy friar of Spain, although by no one else. She was very constant in the devotion of the rosary, and the B. V. Mary showed her acceptance of this service by causing her hands to smell of roses after her death. She is not canonized. Serafino Eazzi, Fredicatori, Pio, Vommi. B. Cecilia (16) of Ferrara, March 7, May 4, Dec. 10. 1511. O.S.D. At the beginning of the 16th century there were two Cecilias, in two convents of St. Catherine at Ferrara ; they were both of the Order of St. Dominic, and both considered saints in their own city and order. One convent was under the patronage of St. Catherine (1); the other of St. Catherine (3). To dis- tinguish one set of nuns from the other, those of the convent of St. Catherine (1 > the Martyr were called "Le Martiri, and those of the great mediaeval Siennese were called " Le Sanesi." The elder of these two Blessed Cecilias was bom about the middle of the 15th century, and had in her early years no thought of becoming a nun until a holy man foretold to her that such was her destiny. Believing his words, she opposed her parents' wish for her marriage until they insisted so much that she had to give way. She married a good young man, rich in virtues as well as in worldly goods. After eight years of married life, in 1486, they parted by mutual consent. He became a monk in the convent of St. Dominic, and she a nim in that of St. Catherine the Martyr. She lived there thirty years, and was three times prioress. She set an example of great virtue and piety during her life, and wrought miracles after her death. During part of the time that Cecilia was one of the Martiri, the community was ruled by B. Antonia op Brescia, in whose Life Cecilia is mentioned, Oct. 27. AA,SS.<, P.B, St. Ceciliana, Feb. 16,M. in Africa. AA,SS. St. Cecilus, Celedonia. St. Ceciria, Cecilia (7). St. Cecra, Oct. 16 (Cacra, Cere a, Etere). 3rd or 4th century. M, with 270 others in Africa, or at Tripoli in Asia. AA.SS. St. Cectamaria, Ethembria. St. Cefronia. Febronia is honoured by the Ethiopians under this name. St. Ceinwen. Granddaughter of Brychan. Possibly same as St. Kkyna. Some churches in Anglcsea are dedicated in the name of Ceinwen. (Sec Almheda.^ Bees. St. Celadoine, Chelidonia. St. Celedonia, or Cecilus, May 7, M. in Africa. AA.SS. St. Celerina (i), Feb. 3, M. at Carthage, early in the 3rd century, with her son, St. Laurentinus, and his brother- in-law and fellow-soldier, St. Ignatius. These martyrs are mentioned in several of the epistles of St. Cyprian, bishop of Carthage, to Celcrina's grandson, St.