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247 ST. THECUSA 247 npon his treasures which were spread on the ground, and answered, '* I will do whatever yon command." He imme- diately adored the sun and ate and drank of the hlood of the sacrifice; then he took up his money; but the chief magician seeing that he was about to be disappointed of his gains, said, "First persuade the virgins who are with you to do as you have done and to take husbands, and then you shall all have your possessions restored to you and go wherever you choose." Paul then advised the five holy women to follow his example, but they all with one accord spat in his fek^e, calling him a second Judas and reviling him for daring to apostatize and for advising them to do likewise, and they prophesied that he should lose both his soul and his money. The archpriest ordered the holy women to be scourged, and as they continued to praise God and refused to worship the sun, he commanded that Paul should behead them with his own hands, as the only condition on which his goods should be restored to him. When he looked again upon his money, he consented even to this. The saints gazed at him in terror. They said that instead of a shepherd ho was a wolf devouring his own flock ; they again foretold that he should not enjoy his wealth but should shortly be hanged like his companion Judas, while his sword should bring them eternal life. He then beheaded them. Narses said to him, "I have never met with such generosity and strength of mind in any human being, therefore I cannot take upon myself to send you away without the express orders of the king : very likely when he hears of your noble conduct, he will promote you to great honour ; therefore do mo the favour to remain in the adjoining room, and to-morrow, I will speak about you to the king." Paul obeyed, but in the night Narses ordered his servants to go and strangle him. In the morning he went into the room and found him hanging; and pretending to think that he had hung himself, he ordered him to be thrown to the dogs to be devoured. Thus he camo to a violent and speedy end as the holy women had foretold, and Narses seized upon all his goods. AA,SS. from Oreek Calendars. St. Thecla (l 7), Tyoria. St. Thecla (18), Tetta (2). St. Thecla (19) or Teola, Oct. 15, y. 8th century. Supposed to be a kins- woman and disciple of St. Lioba. She was brought up at Wimborne, and was one of the nuns sent thence, at the re- quest of St. Boniface, to help in evange* lizing Germany. He set her over a community at Ochsenfurt; and after- wards, on the death of St. Hadblooa, first abbess of Eitzingen, he appointed Thecla her successor. JSJtf. Brii. Sancia, Tritheim and Chastelain sup- pose her to be the same person as Hadeloga. B. Thecla (20), Sept. 10. M. 17th century, at Nangasaki. Her husband B. Peter or Paul, and her son B. Peter, aged seven, were also martyred. They lived at Bungo. (See Lucy de Fbeitas.) St. Thecla, Etha. St. Theclaia, Tbclacia. St. Thecmeda, Tbcmbda. SS.Thecusa, Alexandra, Claudia, Phania, Euphrasia, Matrona, and Julitta, May 18, VV. MM. 304. Seven Christian virgins, venerable for their great age, blameless life and de- voted piety, were living peaceably at Ancyra, the capital of GiJatia, at the time that Diocletian published his per- secuting edict against the Christians. They appear to have been of humble station, as St. Thecusa's nephew and adopted son kept a tavern and is com- memorated as St. Theodotus, the vintner. When the persecution broke out, Theo- tecnus, governor of Galatia, promised the Emperor Diocletian that he would soon exterminate Christianity through- out the province. The churches were shut up. All the bread and wine in the market was offered to idols, so that none could be procured for the Christian sac- rifice, except through the careful manage- ment of St. Theodotus. Many of ^e Christians fled and concealed themselves in the mountains and deserts, and the heathen populace broke into the houses of Christians, seizing their goods and insulting them without regard to age, rank, or sex. The seven old women,