Page:A Dictionary of Saintly Women Volume 2.djvu/101

89 B. MICHELIXA 89 4" c. 970. Appointed, about 907, by King Edgar tbe Pacific, abbess of a convent at Bomsey, founded by his grandfather Edward the Elder. Elfleda (3) was her pnpil; they are com- memorated together, Oct. 29. AA,SS, Wilson, Eng. Mart May 13. Bucelinus, April 27. St Messalina, Jan. 23, V. M. c. 254, a native of Foligno, and pupil of St Felician. When she was about eighteen, the Emperor Decius came to Foligno on his way to Home, for his triumph after the victory over the Modes and Persians. Charmed with the beauty of the place and the richness of the surrounding country, he tarried there awhile. During that time he heard that Felician led away many, not only at Foligno but in all parts of Italy, to renounce the worship of evil spirits and idols and become followers of the One God. Decius cast Felician into prison, and ordered that no one should visit him or bring him food, on pain of torture and death. No one dared to succour him except Messalina, who showed her gratitude to her master by ministering to his wants, counting it gain if she should lose her life in his service. She prayed in the church of St. John the Baptist (which Felician had built) for courage and strength, that her tender years and her sex and her small strength might not prevent her carrying out her pious intention. She went daily to the prison, and managed to obtain access to the holy man. She envied him the chains he wore for Christ's sake, and fortified with his bleasing, she dedicated herself to God, hoping to be found worthy to be numbered among the martyrs. Very soon she was caught by the gaolers in the act of carrying food to their prisoner. At first they offered to let her go in consideration of her youth, provided she would renounce her re- ligion ; but as she bravely refused to do so, they beat her to death. The Christians took her and buried her in the church of St John the Baptist, afterwards called the Cathedral of St. Felician. AA.SS. St. Messence, Maxentia, Nov. 20. St. Metrodora, Aug. 8, Sept. lo, V. M. at Nicomedia. B.M, AA.SS, Guerin. St. Metrona, April 20, M. at Peru- gia. AA,SS, St. Meuris, Dec. 19, M. 250. A holy woman of Gaza, tortured with St. The A, in the persecution under Decius. Meuris died in the hands of the tor- mentors, but Thea lived in prison some time afterwards. Their relics were deposited in the church of St. Timothy at Constantinople. It has been sup- posed that Meuris is Maura (2), and that Thea is St. Thea, companion of St. Valentine, the relics of all of whom may have been transported to Gaza, and after- wards to Constantinople. A St. Timothy was martyred at Gaza 304, and a church in his name was there in the 4th century. B,M. Butler, "St. Nemesion," from a Life of St, Porphyry of Gaza, written in the 4th century. St. Mica, June 16, M. in Africa. AA.SS. St. Micca, Jan. 17, M. in Africa. AA,SS, B. Michele of Fiesole had the reve- lation of the Corona del Signore, which the Church has so liberally indulgenced. Faber, Essay on Lives of the Saints, B. Michelle, Michelina. B. Michelina or MicHiBLiNA, in French Michelle. June 19, widow, O.S.F., + 135G. Patron of Pesaro in Urbino. Michelina was born in 131 G, of a wealthy family in Pesaro, where the women are famed for their beauty. She married in 1328 and had one son. She became a widow at the age of twenty, having been married eight years. At that time (about 1336) a good and religious woman, a member of the Third Order of St. Francis, came as a pilgrim to Pesaro. She called herself Syriana, and was probably a native of Syria, or one who had long been in that country, and who, having renounced earthly re- lationships, wished to conceal her name. She devoted herself to works of piety, begging her bread from door to door in the town. She would then pass the night in the house of some charitable person, arising at midnight for prayer and meditation, and while praying very