Page:A Dictionary of Saintly Women Volume 2.djvu/232

220 220 ST. SENTIA of wine. Sitting at ^ tablo reading, with shelves fnll of books near her, she stopped a storm which was going to destroy the com that was ready to be reaped. AA.SS,, from her Life by Salazar, extracted from a MS. Leggen- dnrio of Coimbra. St. Sentia, companion of St. Uurula. St. Sentiana, M. with Juliana (h St. Sepaca, June 2, M. at Lyons, but not with Blandina. AA,SS, St. Septemna, Septiha. St. Septima, Sbptimia, Septemna, or Septimina, May 7, M. in Africa. AA.SS. St. Septimia (l) or Septimia Se- VERiNA, Dec. 1 11, M. Wife of St Ca- tervns, M. They, with the help of St. Bassns, conyerted the people of Tolen- tino to Christianity. She bnilt a tomb for her husband and herself. They are commemorated together. Ughelli calls her Septimia Severina, Y. Ferrarius. SS. Septimia (2-6), MM. Some- times same as Septiha or Septimus. St Septimina (l), May lO, M. at Tarsus in Cilicia. AA,SS. St Septimina (2), Septima. St Serafina, Sbraphina. St. Serant Perhaps a misprint for Seraut. (See Sicildis.) St Seraphina (l), July 29, is said to have been an inhabitant of Gkdicia in Spain, conyerted by St. James the apostle. It is, howeyer, belieyed that this is a mere legend and that the real Seraphina liyed in Asia Minor, in the 5th century. AA,SS, St. Seraphina (2) of Monte Feltre, Sept. 8, 9 (Serafina Sforza, Serafina Colonna), 1434-1478, O-SJ*. Abbess of Corpo di Cristo at Pesaro. Daughter of Guide Antonio, count or duke of Urbino and of Monte Feltre. She was christened Sueya. Her parents died when she was a child, and she was brought up by the Colonna, her mother's relations at Eome; hence the supposi- tion that she was bom there of the Colonna family. She married Alex- ander Sforza, lord of Pesaro, constable to the king of Sicily. He had, by his first wife, Constanza Varana, two sons, Galeazzo and Costanzo, whom Sueya loved as if they were her own. Alex- ander went to help his brother Philip in his wars. During his absence be committed the care of all his affairs and dominions to Sueya ; she managed eyery- thing very well. On his return he fell in love with a doctor's wife, named Paci- fica, and began to ill treat Sueya who, although yery amiable, was small aud not pretty. He tried to poison and to strangle her, and at last ho dragged hor by her hair through the hall where maDj of his servants were standing, and strik- ing her brutally, pushed her out of the door and bade her go and keep company with the Clarissans: which she meekly did, in the convent of Corpo di Cristo. (See B. Felicia (11) B. Frances (4) of Fano was a nun of the same con- vent). Her Eoman relations were very angry. Alexander, to excuse himself, said he had treated her in this way, because she was unfaithful to him, and promised that she should confess her guilt to them. They came to the con- vent, accompanied by Alexander and a scribe, hoping to hear her cleared of tho calumny ; but she declined to answer any of their questions, and they believed her guilty and went away ashamed. Her innocence was not hidden, for a young ass bit the scribe who had &bricated the whole story, and would not cease from biting the hand that had written the falsehood, until he openly confessed his guilt and proclaimed the innocence of Sueva. She took the veil and with it the name of Seraphina. Alexander de- manded Seraphina's wedding ring; she would not give it up for harlots to wear and to encourage men to put away their wives. After a time he ill used Pacifies as he had done Sueva, and when she left him she repented and did penance and died piously. Seraphina never ceased to pray for her husbuid's conversion and at last he repented and spent the re- maining nine years of his life in good works. He died in 1473. Seraphina was beloved by the nuns, and after fifteen years of conventual life, was unanimously elected abbess. At her death a great concourse of the citizens came to see the corpse of one whom they had long regarded as a saint. She was worshipped from that time and her worship was approved as