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Interim Saints - May 15th TORQUATUS, CTESIPHON and others, bishops (1st cent.) According to the legend, which, however, is of little historical value, these seven bishops were sent by SS. Peter and Paul to preach the word of God in Spain. PETER, ANDREW, PAUL, martyrs, and DIONYSIA, virgin and martyr (about A.D. 250) At Lamsacus, the modern Chardah in turkey in Asia, a young christian named Peter, comely in body and fair in soul, was brought before the pro-consul Optimus, who said to him, "You see the commands of the unconquered emperors. Sacrifice to the great goddess Venus." "What!" exclaimed Peter, "to one whose life was a scandal, and who if she now lived in this town you would summon before your tribunal and order to the lock-up for her dissolute conduct! I have no mind to worship a harlot." [The pro-consul had Peter put to death; the others suffered in the same persecution]. DYMPHNA, virgin and martyr, and GEREBERN, priest and martyr (7th cent.) In the 7th century, the legend relates, a heathen irish prince - according to another version a British king . . . resolved to marry his own daughter. Dymphna, in alarm, took counsel of her mother's aged chaplain, a priest named Gerebern, and he advised her to fly the country with him . . . [The king pursues and catches them] . . . On this the king, no longer able to contain himself, fell upon her himself, seizing her by her long waving hair, and mortally wounding Gerebern, who tried to throw himself between them. With a cry of horror dymphna sank at his feet, bathed in the blood of her old and trusted friend, and as she lay there swooning and helpless, the barbarous father severed her beautiful head from her body . . . CęSAREA, virgin (date uncertain) The romantic story of S. Cęsarea is an Italian version of the Flemish legend of S. Dymphna, but with elements of beauty absent from the history of the northern saint . . . The maiden . . . told her father she was going to have a bath, and she tied two pigeons together by the legs, and threw them into a tub full of water. then he, hearing the splashing in her room, made by the birds fluttering their wings in the water, had not his suspicions aroused. Next morning he found that she had escaped, and he set off in pursuit. During the night she had wandered near the sea, and her father saw her in the distance on the shore. With a shout he pursued her, but just as he approached, a sea-mist rose and enveloped him, so that he lost his way, and falling over some rocks, was drowned, but to her the rock gaped, and she saw a cavern full of light, and she went in, and the rock closed behind her. BRITWIN, abbot of Beverley (A.D. 733) S. John of Beverley, having resigned the bishopric of York, retired in his old age to the monastery of Deirwood, afterwards called Beverley, where his faithful friend Britwin was abbot. 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 %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%