Page:A Dictionary of Saintly Women Volume 2.djvu/91

79 ST. MAURA 70 eeks when the persecution ordered Emperors Diocletian and Maxi- I of being a Christian and was nded by Arian — the governor )bais, afterwards a convert and — to sacrifice to the gods ; he 8d that the Spirit of Jesus Christ ig in him, forbade him to do so. ordered him to deliver up the books of the Christian Church, Emperor*s edict commanded them be burnt. Timothy replied that lid sooner give up his children if 1 any. The judge, irritated by Idness of the answer, ordered his > bo burnt out with hot irons, in that he might have no hope of %ble ever again to read his books. persisted in his refusal, he was ip by the feet. Some one told the that Timothy was newly married, lent for Maura to persuade him to husband and as yet weak in her on to Christianity ; so at first she to persuade him to save his life, I to the bitterness of his trial by mentations and by her lukewarm- n religion, but he reproached her r love of the perishable world and ed her to seek for a place in the 3m of Christ, and for the crown fftyrdom. He succeeded so well she followed the Governor, who y that time gone home, and told he and her husband were willing for their faith; at the same time rought him back the money that een given to her as an inducement ke her husband's resolution. Arian st misunderstood her motives and ler not regret the loss of this bus- as ho would provide her with a one ; but she said that Christ was to her than all earthly considora- and that she was ready to suffer thing for Him. After some vain vonrs to pervert her from her reso- 9 Arian condemned them both to acified within sight of each other, io fastened on their crosses that ihould remain as long as possible line, encouraging each other and praying ; and on the tenth an angel came for their souls. There are two versions of their Acta, both given by Papebroch in the AA,SS, In the shorter account they are said to have been nailed to the wall, instead of on crosses. B.M. Baillet. Kingsley's poem Santa Maura is based on the story of these two martyrs. St. Maura (3), worshipped in Con- stantinople. Marrast, Vie Byzantine, regards her as a heathen goddess in the guise of a Christian saint. St. Maura f 4). (See Dohnina (6).) St. Maura (5), Jan. 15, with Bbioid (14), July 13. In the sixth century there was near the city of Tours a mound in the centre of a thicket of thorns and weeds. Lights were sometimes seen near the place at night, and popular tradition said that two holy virgins were buried at the spot. They appeared in a dream to a man of that district and told him they could no longer endure to have the rain beating into their grave and the wind howling round their bones, and they must have a proper tomb and a church, or at least a chapel. He awoke and went about his daily avocations and forgot his dream. The holy virgins came again, and said that unless he attended to their wants, ho should die within the year. He went immediately to the place with an axe and a spade, found the sacred bodies and with all haste built a chapel. As soon as it was ready, he went to Eutropius, the bishop, and begged him to come and bless the new building. Eutropius was old and feeble and the weather was ex- tremely wet and cold, so that he said he was unable to come out. Next night the two saints appeared to him and re- proached him for his neglect. He then sent for several of his clergy, and con- fessed his fault to them, and they went and held a service in honour of the holy maidens, who immediately brought fino weather, so that the aged prelate was able to go and bless the church. Martin, French Mart, St. Maura (16), Sept. 21, V. + c. 850. Daughter of Marianus and Sedulia. Born at Troyes in Champagne, about 827. She was brought up in luxury, but preferred solitude and austerity to
 * eaclied Perapis. Timothy was
 * o the law. She was much attached
 * they lived several days — some