Page:A Dictionary of Saintly Women Volume 2.djvu/116

104 104 ST. XERATIA she locked the door and ran to fetch her mistress. The lady and the servant both listened at the door and satisfied themselves that there were two persons talking in the room. They burst in and behold the apartment filled with celestial light, and Nera raised two yards from the floor. She remained there, immov- able, so long that her mother thought she was dead. When she awoke from this ecstatic trance, her parents decided that her vocation was from God, and ceased to torment her. They sent for Father Ambrose, and Nera, alter making a general confession, joined the Third Order of St. Dominic. She was thus enabled to remain under her father's roof and yet occupy herself entirely with religious concerns. A young nobleman used to watch her as she came and went to church. She was of course much distressed, and was advised by Father Ambrose to pray for the young scamp. One day, when Nera was in church with a companion, probably B. Geno- VESR, she saw this man watching her, instead of saying his prayers; so she addressed a few words of meek rebuke to him, which brought about repentance and a changed life. This Genovese was the chief confidant and friend of Nera, and the only person who knew, during her life, the extent of the asceticism she practised. Nera habitually visited the hospitals, to minister to the bodies and souls of the patients. One day she made a plaster for a woman who was ill ; and laid it down. While she was doing some service to another of her patients, the oat stole this plaster. It was made of OrasBo del Taaso, which was very difBcult to procure, so that the loss was serious. In her distress, Nera prayed to the Blessed Ambrose. Everybody present laughed at this superstitious attempt to get out of the difficulty, but Nera said, wait a little, St. Ambrose will make her give it up.*' Accordingly, in a fcw minutes, the cat brought back the nUster, nice and clean, and laid it on ttM toble. Baszi, Predicatori. She is called Saint by Gu6rin ; Blsnedy by Lima ; Venerable, by Razzi. St. Neratia, July 20, M. at Corinth. AA.SS. St. Nerusia, V. M. represented lying dead on her tomb, crowned with roses and holding a lily and palm. Her name is not in martyrologies. Gu6nebanlt. St. Nesia, July 1 7, M. AA.SS. St. Nessa (1) Hessa, or Hesia, July 18, M. in Africa. AA.SS. St. Nessa C^) or Munessa, sister of the famous Irish saint, Ita. Wife of Beoanus or Be van, who built part of Ita's church. Be van and Nessa had a son, St. Mochoenoc or Pulcherius, the father of many monks (March 13). Nessa gave sight to the blind St. Colman, bishop of Lismore. O'Hanlon I. 208, "St. Ita," chap. III. Forbes makes Mokeevor the name of her husband. It is probably the same as Mochoenoc. St. Nest or Nest A, derived from AoNEs, common in Wales in this form. Miss Arnold-Forster. St. Nestita, July 20, M. at Corinth. AA.SS. St. Netesse, Dec. 25. The great martyr An astasia (5) is honoured under this name at Autun. Cahier. Gu^rin. St. Neuvia, Oct. i^ M. at Rome. Guerin, St. Newlyn, a Celtic Cornish saint, same as the Breton Noyala. St. Nicarete, Nk^bkas, Nicerata, Dec. 27. 4th and 5th century. V. A member of one of the greatest families in Nicomedia, in the reign of Arcadins (385-408). A very devout and charit- able woman and an ardent disciple and admirer of St. Chrysostom, patriarch of Constantinople. She was skilled in medicine and often successfully treated patients who had appeared incurable. She is said to have cured St. Chrysostom, who suffered dreadfully from indigestion. She made a vow of virginity and became a servant of the Church, at Constanti- nople, but her humility was so great that she never would consent to he ordained a deaconess. She is sometimes styled abbess, but in fact she never would accept that office nor bear rule over the other consecrated virgins, al- though St, Chrysostom urged her to do
 * 'The cat has eaten my plaster, but