Page:A Dictionary of Saintly Women Volume 1.djvu/299

285 ST. EUDOCIA 285 power, and whether there wonld be any end of Him. St. Patrick willingly gave them the information they asked for, and in a short time baptized them in tho fountain, and finding them willing to re- nounce all their worldly prospects to serve the God he had made known to them, he gaye them tho white veil of virginity. Then they earnestly longed to be free from the body and to hasten to the presence of the Lord ; and at their wish he gave them tho Holy Com- munion, and the two sisters lay down side by side, and their spirits departed to tho Lord. This happened near Croghan, or Eathcroghan. They were buried there, and a church was built over them, but their relics were after- wards transferred to the Metropolitan Church of Armagh, perhaps during the life of St. Patrick. The two magicians were very angry about their death, but Patrick converted them both. The worship of Ethnea and Fedelmia is not general ; even in Lreland there seems a doubt whether they are to be reckoned among the saints. The above story is in the life of St. Patrick. O'Hanlon, Irish Saints, i. 163. Skene, Celtic Scotland. Feidelmai, Y., Jan. 11, and Ethnea, Feb. 28, appear in the Mariyrology of Tallaght, but it is not certain tibat this is the same St. Ethnea. St. Ethuise, Theodosia (1). St. Ethwide (provincia Saxonne). One of six saints, 3rd O.S.F., named in Prima Fundatio, and in Brewer's Monumenta Franciscana, ii. 543. Already worshipped in 1224, when the Friars Minors were first established in London. St. Euanthia, EvAKTHiA,or Evaktia. St. Euasia, April 26, M. in Africa. AA.SS. St Eubala, March 30. 3rd century. Wife of Eustorgius, who was eminent for his wealth, and still more for his impiety. Mother of St. Pataleon, or, as he is called by the Greeks, Pantaleemon, physician and martyr (July 27) under Diocletian. AA.SS, St. Eucapia, April 13, M. at Chal- cedon with Euphemia (4). AA,SS, St. Eucharis, Walburga. St. Eucratis, Enobatia (1). St. Eudelme, Feb. 18, V. Eichard Whitford, Mart, after the Use of the Church of Salisbury. St Eudocia (1). The woman of Samaria is honoured sometimes under the name of St. Eudocia, March 1, some- times as Photina, March 20. Dr. Neale, Liturgiology. St. Eudocia (2) the Penitent, March 1, M. in the reign of Trajan, beginning of 2nd century, is called by her bio- grapher an active servant of the devil. She was of Samaritan lineage, and lived at Heliopolis, in Phcenicia, in a house near the gate of the city, where her wonderful beauty drew many souls to sin, and enabled her to acquire immense wealth. One night a monk, named Gormanus, on his return to his monastery from a journey, passed through Helio- polis, and lodged in a friend's house which adjoined that of Eudocia, and it happened that he occupied a room which was only separated by a thin wall from hers. In the middle of the night her attention was aroused by hearing him singing psalms. Then he read from a holy book a passage concerning the torments of the wicked in the future life. Eudocia listened in great alarm. As soon as it was light she sent for the monk, and asked what she should do to escape from so dreadful a fate. He told her she must renounce all her ill-gotten wealth. She fasted and prayed, and refused to see any of her former asso- ciates for some time, during which St. Germanus instructed her in the doctrines of Christianity and the ways of holiness. She was then favoured with an encourag- ing vision, and Germanus sent her to be baptized by Theodotus, bishop of Helio- polis, to whom she made over all her riches. She next became a nun, and was eventually appointed to preside over the others. Soon after her entrance into the religious retreat, one of her former friends made his way to her disguised as a monk, and tried to persuade her to return to the world and to her sinful life. Having reproved him in vain, she made the sign of the cross over him, and he fell down dead. She restored him to life by her prayers and converted him. When she had lived in a holy and