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228 228 ST. DEMUTH eunucbs aud maids devotod to her ser- vice, affected a life of poverty, fasting, wearing coarse clothing, and sleeping on the ground. These ansterities were known only to her maids. About 413 a suitable marriage was arranged for her, bat she threw herself, weeping, at the feet of her grandmother Proba, and her mother Juliana, and besought them to let her remain unmarried and consecrate herself to her Lord. They joyfully con- sented, and she took the veil from the Bishop of Carthage, at the same time bestowing her dowry on the poor. This event made a great sensation at the time. Proba and Juliana wrote to announce it to St Augustine, whose preaching at Carthage had contributed much to confirm Demctria in her religious dis- positions. He wrote them a letter of congratulation. They also wrote to St. Jerome, beseeching him to send her some instructions for her religious life, which he did in a long letter, exhorting her, among other things, to work with her hands daily, and to study the Holy Scriptures, and not trouble herself about the difficult questions which were bo- ginning to be raised within the Church. Pelagius, afterwards a celebrated heretic, also wrote her a long letter of encourage- ment. SS. Augustine and Alypius after- wards wrote to Juliana to bid her caution Demetiia against Pelagius. Proba, Juli- ana, and Dometria returned to Rome, where the latter was living in the time of St. Leo, who was Pope 440-40 1. W. W. Storey, Bdba di Boina^ ii. 39, tells that at the third milestone on the Via Latina were unearthed the founda- tions of the early Christian basilica dedicated in the name of St. Stephen, and built by St. Demetria at the instance of Pope St. Leo the Great. It had been razed to the ground, but columns of rare and beautiful marble of different sorts, capitals, bases, and other architectural ornaments, broken and scattered, testified to the richness of the original building. Jerome's EpistleSy tom. i. ch. czxx. p. 9G1I, edition Yallais, contains curious facts concerning the siege and sack of Eome. Tillemont, Mem. Eccly xiii. 620-635. Lebeau, Bos, Em^pire^ v. 92. Butler, Life of St. Augustine^ Aug. 28. St. Demuth, Diemutha^ St. Denecutia, or Bknkcutia, May 14, M. in Africa. AA,SS. St. Denegothia, or Dskebgothia, Oct. 1. AA.SS. St. Denise, Denysa, or Denyse, DiONYSIA. St. Denjn/v, or Dwynwen, Welsh for Thknew. Forbes, Scottish Kalendars. St. Deodata, July 31, M. probably in the time of Diocletian. Wife of St. Fautius. While they were still heathens, they were given to charity and. good works. They were long childless, to their great regret. One night Fautius dreamed that he and Deodata were stand- ing before the judgment-seat of Grod, condemned to eternal damnation; but Jesus Christ, showing His wounds to His Father, entreated that they might be forgiven. He awoke in a fright, and told the dream to Deodata, who then devoted herself more than ever to good works. Not long afterwards they were rejoiced by the birth of a son, whom they named Fautinus. The day he was twelve years old, he was hunting a stag, which led him by chance (or by provi- dence) into a cave where lived a Chris- tian hermit. Fautinus and his servant, Leon tins, were instructed in the Christian faith and baptized by the hermit. Fau- tinus returned to his parents, and told them what had happened. They re- membered the dream, and were converted, and very soon called to the crown of martyrdom. Their son was arrested with them, but liberated on account of his youth. Fautius and Deodata were beheaded. Their Acts are in a history of the saints of Sicily, where they arc said to have been martyred at Syracuse, but it is not certain whether Syracuse or Tauria in Calabria was the scene of their death. Pinius, in AA.SS. Boll, July 31 ; and Ferrarius, Dec. 13. Ferrarius says Fantius and Fautinus, instead of Fautius and Fautinus. St. Deotila, July 14. 8th century. Second Abbess of Blangy. Daughter of Sigfrid, count of Pontivy, and of St. Bektha of Blangy. Sister of St. Ger- trude (7) of Blangy. Mas Latrie. AA.SS. St. Deppa, June 26, M. Belies with