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Interim Saints - March 27th PHILETUS, LYDIA, and companions, martyrs. . . . Amphilochius ordered them to be cast into a vessel of boiling oil, but as the bubbling fluid suddenly became cold, when the martyrs were about to be plunged into it, full of astonishment, he exclaimed, "God of the Christians, help me!" Then there came a voice from heaven, "Thy prayer is heard, come up hither." Now when this was noised in the ears of the emperor, he came down, full of wrath, and ordered a cauldron of oil to be boiled for seven days, and all to be cast thereinto. But they were unhurt. Then the emperor left them, and they, praying, and giving thanks to God, gave up the ghost. AUGUSTA, virgin and martyr (date uncertain) . . . Now the people of that part were Christians, but Matrucus was a heathen. He had a daughter named Augusta . . . One day, he was told that she was in the church praying, and he rushed in upon her, dragged her forth, and locked her up in a chamber of the castle. In ungovernable fury he afterwards beat out her teeth, and executed her with his sword . . . JOHN OF EGYPT, hermit (A.D. 393) No solitary after S. Antony acquired such renown as S. John of Egypt . . . S. Jerome, S. Augustine, S. Prosper, Cassian, Palladius, Ruffinus, S. Eucher, and S. Fulgentius, have extolled him. MATTHEW OF BEAUVAIS, martyr (end of 11th cent.) . . . Having been made prisoner by the Saracens, he was offered his life if he would renounce the cross of Christ. He asked to be allowed to delay his reply till the following Friday. On that day he was again urged to adopt their religion. He replied, "I asked you to grant me this delay, not because I had any doubt as to what my decision would be, but that I might have the honour and felicity of shedding my blood on the same day as my Saviour Jesus Christ bled for me. Come then, strike me! I give my life to Him who laid down His for mankind." So saying he knelt and stretched forth his neck for the blow, and with one stroke was decapitated. Oriens. ____________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.co.uk address at http://mail.yahoo.co.uk or your free @yahoo.ie address at http://mail.yahoo.ie %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%