Page:A Dictionary of Saintly Women Volume 2.djvu/97

85 ST. MELAXIA 8.1 life 18 in every collection. She is per- haps the St. Melania commemorated June 8 in a MS. calendar mentioned by Chiffletins and quoted by Papebroch and Assemani. She appears with her grand- daughter in the Martyrdogy of Salisbury, Oct. 22, and in the Oreeco Slavonian Calendar, Dec. 30. Same authorities as Melania (2). St. Melania (2) the Younger, Dec. 31, Oct. 22, c. 383-439. Granddaughter of Melania the Elder, being the only daughter of her sonPublicola,who married Albina (6), sister of Volusianus, prefect of Borne. The young Melania was brought up to regard her grandmother as a very holy and venerable person; she was married at thirteen to Pinian or Apini- anuB, who was about seventeen. Their wealth was prodigious; they had im- mense estates in Italy, Spain, Gaul, Britain, Sicily and Africa. They had a son and a daughter, both of whom died in infancy. Soon after the loss of her two children, Melania, who was hardly more than a child herself, fell danger- ously ill. Pinian made earnest prayers and vows for her recovery, which being granted, the young couple do voted them- selves entirely to the service of God, the Church and the poor. It was at this point in their lives that the elder Melania, hearing of the holy disposi- tions of her granddaughter, determined to return to Bome to strengthen her in her pious resolve, lest other influences should hold her back amid the interests of the great gay world which for the moment she was disposed to leave. She wished the pair to separate. This they refused to do. They made vows of celibacy, but continued to live together, helping and encouraging each other in asceticism. As long as Publicola lived he would not allow them to leave Bome entirely or betake themselves to the life of hermits ; but they denied themselves every luxury and enjoyment, fasting to excess, making their house a refuge for pilgrims and paupers, visiting the prisons and releasing those who were detained there for debt. They built monasteries ; they spent lavishly on churches and church ornaments and on all kinds of charity, sending help to sufferers in Asia and Africa as well as to those nearer home. Among the pilgrims who shared their hospitality were several priests and learned men from distant places ; one of these was Palladius, bishop of Heleno- polis and author of the Laustaca ; his taste for asceticism and admiration for its votaries drew them together, and doubtless had its influence on the young pair, and he remained their guest for nearly a year. Pinian's brother and heir was seriously alarmed when he saw the prodigality with which the family possessions were being squandered. He seized upon some of the estates. The Empress Mary, wife of Honorius, having a great regard for Melania, offered to have him compelled to restore the pro- perty ; but Melania, perhaps seeing some justice in his complaint, begged that he might be allowed to keep what he had taken. After the death of Publicola they sold a great deal of their property in Italy ; they tried to sell their palace, but no one was rich enough to buy it. About 407, Melania, Albina and Pinian being free to follow their inclination, and much impressed by a prophecy that Bome would be sacked about this time, went first to Nola to visit their kinsman St. Paulinus, whom they regarded as their spiritual father, then to Sicily to sell their estates there. Sicily was much im- poverished by the mal-administration of its prefects, and they found great need for their usual charity. Thence they sailed for Carthage. A frightful storm came on. Melania thought it was the will of God that they should go some- where else, and so she ordered the sailors to let the ship go wherever the winds might drive it. They came to an island, probably Malta, where they found a number of slaves who had been taken by pirates ; these they set free, and after bestowing their charity on all in the island who stood in need of it, they resumed their voyage to Carthage with a favourable wind. Afterwards they visited Tagaste, where St. Alipius, friend of St. Augustine, was bishop ; they stayed there some time and built two monasteries, one for men and the other for women. St. Augustine, hearing that they wished to make his acquaintance,