Cyriacus, Largus, and Smaragdus, martyrs (?): Cyriacus was a deacon who
with Largus and Smargardus gave solace to the Christians who were being
forced to work on the construction of the Baths of Diocletian. Cyriacus
and the others were arrested. Before his martyrdom, Cyriacus cured the
emperor's daughter Artemia of demonic possession.
Horsmisdas (420): A Christian noble, he was the son of a Persian
governor. He refused to renounce his religion and was stripped of his rank
and spent the rest of his days tending camels.
The fourteen holy helpers: Mainly a German devotion. The saints were
Achatius; Barbara: invoked against lightening and sudden death; Blaise:
throat troubles; Catherine: invoked by philosophers and students;
Christopher: invoked by travellers in difficulty; Cyriacus; Denis: invoked
against headaches and rabies; Erasmus: invoked against colic; Eustace:
invoked by hunters; George: protector of soliders; Giles: invoked against
epilepsy, insanity and sterility; Margaret: invoked against possession and
by pregnant women; Pantaleon: invoked against phthisis; and Vitus: invoked
against epilepsy and his "dance". The cult became widely diffused during
the fifteenth century. In France the Helpers are fifteen, the extra one
being the Virgin Mary.
Joan of Aza, matron (1190): Joan was the mother of St Dominic. Before she
gave birth to Dominic she dreamed that she bore a dog in her womb and that
it broke away from her with a burning torch in its mouth wherewith it set
the world aflame. This dog became a symbol of the Dominican Order and in
later ages gave rise to the pun *Domini canes*, the watch-dogs of the
Lord. His godmother at his baptism, or, as some legends say, Joan, had a
dream in which baby Dominic appeared with a shining star upon his
forehead, enlightening the world.
Carolyn Muessig
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