Page:A Dictionary of Saintly Women Volume 2.djvu/268

256 256 ST. THEODORA to him and from that time her influence waned. The Emperor was assassinated at a snpper party given at her mral palace of Anthimos. She liyed one year into the reign of his mnrderer and suc- cessor, Basil. Like Irene she owes her canonization to the part she played in the iconoclastic controversy. AAJ3S. Mcnology of BaaiL G. Finlay, History of Greece, Leboau. St. Theodora (15), April 5, + c 880. She is called in an old Greek menology, Theodora Myroblitis, Aug. 3. She was bom and married at iEgina. When that island was overrun by bar- barians, she went with her husband to Macedonia. There she had a daughter, whom she consecrated to God by making her a nun at Thessalonica. On her hus- band's death Theodora took the veil in the same convent with her daughter, and was a pattern of all virtues and worked miracles. AA.SS. Mas Latrie. B. Theodora (16), Dec. 24, 1430- 1469. Theodora degli Annibali was bom at Eome ; she was daughter of the Lord of Molara and Francesca Alberina : both were of very ancient noble families. She resembled six great saints of the name of Theodora. She was much impressed by the preaching of a Franciscan monk, Eoberto da Lecce of Puglia, afterwards bishop of Aquino. She determined to become a nun, and being attracted by the saintly reputation of B. Margaret she took the veil under her, in the con- vent of Santa Lucia at Foligno. The Pope commanded her to return to Home. She went there, accompanied by a few nuns, and lived in the convent of St. Cosmas until her death. Jacobilli, Santi di Foligno. Gynecseum, St. Theodosia (1), April 2 (Theo- dora, in French Thuise or Ethuise), V. Perhaps the same as Tiieudosia. A beautiful Christian maiden of Ccesarea in Cajjpadocia, where Urban, the governor, persecuted the Christians. She grieved much to hear of their sufferings, but being encouraged by God in a vision, she went to the prison and requested to be admitted to see and comfort the Chris- tian prisoners. The jailer seeing that she was a Christian, shut her up with the others, to whom she said, ''Receive me amongst you that I may gain, with you, the crown of martyrdom." They all prayed for her that she might have per- severance, and immediately a great light appeared in the prison, to tfie oonsolation and encouragement of them all. Her father and mother soon came to look for her, and reminding her that she was the heiress of all their wealth, reproached her affectionately for causing them so much grief and anxiety. She replied that their riches were nothing to her, who hoped to inherit Paradise, and per- sisted in her ambition to become one of the martyrs. She was condemned to be scalded in boiling oil, but the execution- ers were unable to heat the oil. She was then hung up a day and a night by her hair, and during that time, great numbers of people came to see her and hear her words of exhortation and comfort At last some one ran and asked Urban why he delayed her death, for she would soon con- vert the whole city. He had her combed with iron hooks and rubbed with vinegar and salt, and then fettered and thrown into prison, where he said she should be left until she died. Some days after- wards they went, expecting to find hor dead, but they found her praying, and aU the chains broken. Urban then had her thrown into the sea with a stone round her neck; but an angel saved her from drowning and brought her safe to land. She was next shut up in a pen with a number of wild beasts, but they lay down at hor feet. She was then beheaded, and was buried by her parents, to whom she appeared the same night, in gold and crowned with light, and told them to give all their riches to the poor and strive to gain imperishable treasures in heaven. She is worshipped on various days in the Greek Church. B.M. AA.SS. Leggendario. St. Theodosia (2), Theodora (10). St. Theodosia (3), July 8, M. early 4th century, at Csesarea, with twelve other noble matrons. Mother of St. Procopius. She is honoured in the Greek Church, and her name is in the Ethiopian hagiology, June 30. She is mentioned on various days by the BoUandists among the Preeiermism. AA.SS.