WOMEN SAINTS AND MARTYRS JULY 4-JULY 10
July 4
St. Elizabeth of Portugal, Patron of the Third Order of St. Francis. Elizabeth was a Spanish princess who was given in marriage to King Denis of Portugal at the age of twelve. She was very beautiful and very lovable. She was also very devout, and went to Mass every day. Elizabeth was a holy wife, but although her husband was fond of her at first, he soon began to cause her great suffering. Though a good ruler, he did not imitate his wife's love of prayer and other virtues. In fact, his sins of impurity gave great scandal to the people. Later, to make matters worse, the King believed a lie told about Elizabeth and one of her pages by another page, who was jealous of his companion. In great anger the King ordered the one he believed guilty, to be sent to a lime-burner. The lime-burner was commanded to throw into his furnace the first page that came. The good page set out obediently, not knowing death was waiting for him. On his way he stopped for Mass, since he had the habit of going daily. The first Mass had begun, so he stayed for a second one. In the meantime, the King sent the wicked page to the lime-burner to find out if the other had been killed. And so it was this page that was thrown into the furnace! When the King learned what had happened, he realized that God had saved the good page, punished the liar, and proven Queen Elizabeth to be innocent.
St. Bertha, 725 A.D. Benedictine widow and abbess. Married to a nobleman at twenty, Bertha bore five daughters. When her husband died, she entered the convent she had founded at Blangy, in Artois, France. Two of her daughters joined her in the religious life. Bertha served as the abbess for a time and also lived as a recluse.
July 5
St. Zoe, 286 A.D. Martyr. A noble woman of the imperial court of Rome, she was executed in the early stages of Emperor Diocletian's (r. 284-305) persecution of the Church.
St. Triphina, 6th century. Mother of the infant saint Tremorus and wife to her son’s murderer, Count Conmore of Brittany. After her son’s death, she spent her remaining days in a convent in Brittany.
St. Edana She may be confused with St. Modwenna. Irish saint venerated in western Ireland, sometimes called Etaoin.
St. Erfyl, British foundress, also called Eurfyl. She founded the parish of Llanerfyl, in Powys, Wales.
St. Philomena, 500 A.D. Virgin of San Severino, Italy, of whom nothing is known. She was especially venerated in the area around Ancona.
Sts. Fragan and Gwen, 5th century. The parents of Sts. Jacut, Guithem, and Winwaloe. Fragan and Gwen went to Brittany, France, to escape the pagan barbarians of England. Churches in Brittany were dedicated to each of them.
July 6
St. Dominica, Martyr in Campania, Italy, during the reign of Co-Emperor Diocletian. She is venerated in the East as having been martyred in Nicomedia. After wild beasts refused to harm her, she was beheaded.
St. Noyala, Virgin martyr. A much revered martyr in Brittany, she was originally from Britain and was beheaded at Beignan, Brittany Noyala walked from the site of her martyrdom to Pontivy, holding her head in her hands.
St. Modwenna. Monenna, formally venerated at Burton-on-Trent and elsewhere, may have lived in the middle of the seventh century and been a recluse on an islet called Andresey in the Trent. But not only are other and conflicting things alleged of her, but her legend has been confused with that of the Irish saint Darerca, or Moninne, said to have been the first abbess of Killeavy, near Nerwy and to have died in 517; and she has perhaps been confused with others as well. Capgrave and others speak of St. Modwenna as having charge of St. Edith of Polesworth, which were it true would throw no useful light on either saint. The most valuable information we possess about St. Moninne seems to be the entry in the Felire of Oengus: "Moninne of the mountain of Cuilenn was a fair pillar; she gained a triumph, a hostage of purity, a kinswoman of great Mary", with the gloss.
July 7
St. Ercongotha, 660 A.D. Benedictine nun, and the daughter of a king of Kent and St. Sexburga. Also called Ercongota, she was a nun in Faremoutiers-en-Brie, France, at least for a short time, and possibly died there at a young age.
July 8
St. Priscilla, Aquila was a Jewish tentmaker. He and his wife Prisca or Priscilla were forced to leave Rome when Emperor Claudius forbade Jews to live there. They went to Corinth, where St. Paul lived with them during his stay there and may have converted them to Christianity. They accompanied Paul to Ephesus and remained there; Paul stayed with them on his third missionary journey. They then returned to Rome, where there house was also used as a church and then went back to Ephesus. They suffered martyrdom in Asia Minor, according to the Roman Martyrology but a tradition has them martyred in Rome.
St. Withburga, 743 A.D. Virgin and Benedictine nun. The youngest daughter of King Anna of East Anglia, England (d. 653). Following the death of her father in battle, she moved to Dereham where she established a nunnery and a church. She died with the church unfinished, on March 17. Her remains were later stolen by monks who enshrined her in Ely. A fresh spring, called Withburga's Well, sprang up at her grave in Dereham.
St. Landrada, 690 A.D. Benedictine foundress and abbess. She ruled the convent of Munsterbilsen, Belgium.
St. Morwenna, 5th century. Cornish virgin, the titular patron of several sites in the region. Her emblem was always a tall cross. She was also depicted teaching children how to read.
July 9
St. Anatolia, 250 A.D. Martyr with her sister, Victoria, in Thora, on Lake Velino in Italy. Anatolia lived with Victoria and was sought by a young man named Aurelius but refused him. She was supported in her decision by a visit from an angel. Her refusal brought about the arrest of the sisters during the persecutions conducted by Emperor Trajanus Decius. Banished to Thora, Anatolia was locked in a room with a venomous serpent, but the reptile did not attack her. Her guard, a man named Audax, was so moved by the event that he became a Christian and suffered Anatolia's martyrdom by the sword. The martyrdom has been recorded in two legends or traditions.
St. Everild, 7th century. Benedictine abbess and disciple of St. Wilfrid of York, England, sometimes called Averil. She was a noblewoman of Wessex who received the veil from St. Wilfrid. He also gave her a place called “the Bishop’s Farm”, where she became abbess of a large community. Her companions were Sts. Bega and Wulfreda.
St. Veronica Giuliani, 1727 A.D. Capuchin mystic who had many spiritual gifts. A native of Binasco, near Milan, Italy, born in 1660, she entered the Capuchins at Cittti di Castello, Umbria, in 1677. She remained there for the rest of her life and served as novice mistress for thirty-four years. A mystic, she was the recipient of a stigmata in 1697 and visions, the accounts of which are quite detailed. She impressed her fellow nuns by remaining remarkably practical despite her numerous ecstatic experiences. Veronica was named abbess of the convent in 1716, remaining in that role until her death. She is called one of the most extraordinary mystics of her era.
July 10
St. Amalberga, 690 A.D. Mother of saints, also called Amelia. A relative of Blessed Pepin of Landen, the Duke of Brabant, she was married to Witgar and was mother of Sts. Emembertus, Gudila, and Reinalda, and perhaps others as well. When Witgar agreed, Amalberga and he separated, becoming religious.
St. Elizabeth of Portugal, Patron of the Third Order of St. Francis. Elizabeth was a Spanish princess who was given in marriage to King Denis of Portugal at the age of twelve. She was very beautiful and very lovable. She was also very devout, and went to Mass every day. Elizabeth was a holy wife, but although her husband was fond of her at first, he soon began to cause her great suffering. Though a good ruler, he did not imitate his wife's love of prayer and other virtues. In fact, his sins of impurity gave great scandal to the people. Later, to make matters worse, the King believed a lie told about Elizabeth and one of her pages by another page, who was jealous of his companion. In great anger the King ordered the one he believed guilty, to be sent to a lime-burner. The lime-burner was commanded to throw into his furnace the first page that came. The good page set out obediently, not knowing death was waiting for him. On his way he stopped for Mass, since he had the habit of going daily. The first Mass had begun, so he stayed for a second one. In the meantime, the King sent the wicked page to the lime-burner to find out if the other had been killed. And so it was this page that was thrown into the furnace! When the King learned what had happened, he realized that God had saved the good page, punished the liar, and proven Queen Elizabeth to be innocent.
St. Bertha, 725 A.D. Benedictine widow and abbess. Married to a nobleman at twenty, Bertha bore five daughters. When her husband died, she entered the convent she had founded at Blangy, in Artois, France. Two of her daughters joined her in the religious life. Bertha served as the abbess for a time and also lived as a recluse.
July 5
St. Zoe, 286 A.D. Martyr. A noble woman of the imperial court of Rome, she was executed in the early stages of Emperor Diocletian's (r. 284-305) persecution of the Church.
St. Triphina, 6th century. Mother of the infant saint Tremorus and wife to her son’s murderer, Count Conmore of Brittany. After her son’s death, she spent her remaining days in a convent in Brittany.
St. Edana She may be confused with St. Modwenna. Irish saint venerated in western Ireland, sometimes called Etaoin.
St. Erfyl, British foundress, also called Eurfyl. She founded the parish of Llanerfyl, in Powys, Wales.
St. Philomena, 500 A.D. Virgin of San Severino, Italy, of whom nothing is known. She was especially venerated in the area around Ancona.
Sts. Fragan and Gwen, 5th century. The parents of Sts. Jacut, Guithem, and Winwaloe. Fragan and Gwen went to Brittany, France, to escape the pagan barbarians of England. Churches in Brittany were dedicated to each of them.
July 6
St. Dominica, Martyr in Campania, Italy, during the reign of Co-Emperor Diocletian. She is venerated in the East as having been martyred in Nicomedia. After wild beasts refused to harm her, she was beheaded.
St. Noyala, Virgin martyr. A much revered martyr in Brittany, she was originally from Britain and was beheaded at Beignan, Brittany Noyala walked from the site of her martyrdom to Pontivy, holding her head in her hands.
St. Modwenna. Monenna, formally venerated at Burton-on-Trent and elsewhere, may have lived in the middle of the seventh century and been a recluse on an islet called Andresey in the Trent. But not only are other and conflicting things alleged of her, but her legend has been confused with that of the Irish saint Darerca, or Moninne, said to have been the first abbess of Killeavy, near Nerwy and to have died in 517; and she has perhaps been confused with others as well. Capgrave and others speak of St. Modwenna as having charge of St. Edith of Polesworth, which were it true would throw no useful light on either saint. The most valuable information we possess about St. Moninne seems to be the entry in the Felire of Oengus: "Moninne of the mountain of Cuilenn was a fair pillar; she gained a triumph, a hostage of purity, a kinswoman of great Mary", with the gloss.
July 7
St. Ercongotha, 660 A.D. Benedictine nun, and the daughter of a king of Kent and St. Sexburga. Also called Ercongota, she was a nun in Faremoutiers-en-Brie, France, at least for a short time, and possibly died there at a young age.
July 8
St. Priscilla, Aquila was a Jewish tentmaker. He and his wife Prisca or Priscilla were forced to leave Rome when Emperor Claudius forbade Jews to live there. They went to Corinth, where St. Paul lived with them during his stay there and may have converted them to Christianity. They accompanied Paul to Ephesus and remained there; Paul stayed with them on his third missionary journey. They then returned to Rome, where there house was also used as a church and then went back to Ephesus. They suffered martyrdom in Asia Minor, according to the Roman Martyrology but a tradition has them martyred in Rome.
St. Withburga, 743 A.D. Virgin and Benedictine nun. The youngest daughter of King Anna of East Anglia, England (d. 653). Following the death of her father in battle, she moved to Dereham where she established a nunnery and a church. She died with the church unfinished, on March 17. Her remains were later stolen by monks who enshrined her in Ely. A fresh spring, called Withburga's Well, sprang up at her grave in Dereham.
St. Landrada, 690 A.D. Benedictine foundress and abbess. She ruled the convent of Munsterbilsen, Belgium.
St. Morwenna, 5th century. Cornish virgin, the titular patron of several sites in the region. Her emblem was always a tall cross. She was also depicted teaching children how to read.
July 9
St. Anatolia, 250 A.D. Martyr with her sister, Victoria, in Thora, on Lake Velino in Italy. Anatolia lived with Victoria and was sought by a young man named Aurelius but refused him. She was supported in her decision by a visit from an angel. Her refusal brought about the arrest of the sisters during the persecutions conducted by Emperor Trajanus Decius. Banished to Thora, Anatolia was locked in a room with a venomous serpent, but the reptile did not attack her. Her guard, a man named Audax, was so moved by the event that he became a Christian and suffered Anatolia's martyrdom by the sword. The martyrdom has been recorded in two legends or traditions.
St. Everild, 7th century. Benedictine abbess and disciple of St. Wilfrid of York, England, sometimes called Averil. She was a noblewoman of Wessex who received the veil from St. Wilfrid. He also gave her a place called “the Bishop’s Farm”, where she became abbess of a large community. Her companions were Sts. Bega and Wulfreda.
St. Veronica Giuliani, 1727 A.D. Capuchin mystic who had many spiritual gifts. A native of Binasco, near Milan, Italy, born in 1660, she entered the Capuchins at Cittti di Castello, Umbria, in 1677. She remained there for the rest of her life and served as novice mistress for thirty-four years. A mystic, she was the recipient of a stigmata in 1697 and visions, the accounts of which are quite detailed. She impressed her fellow nuns by remaining remarkably practical despite her numerous ecstatic experiences. Veronica was named abbess of the convent in 1716, remaining in that role until her death. She is called one of the most extraordinary mystics of her era.
July 10
St. Amalberga, 690 A.D. Mother of saints, also called Amelia. A relative of Blessed Pepin of Landen, the Duke of Brabant, she was married to Witgar and was mother of Sts. Emembertus, Gudila, and Reinalda, and perhaps others as well. When Witgar agreed, Amalberga and he separated, becoming religious.
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