B. ALEXANDRINA DI LETTO 43 St. Ambrose. Seyend miracles are ro« oorded of St Alena during her lifetime. Once, when she went as nsnal to the forest chapel by night, she found the door shut, and sat down on the ground. The priest's serrant happened to come past, and thought her a ghost, not sup- posing any woman could be there at that timo of night. She told him not to be afraid, as she was only waiting for the morning prayers. *' You need not wait," said he, '*for the priest is very ill, and cannot come into the chapel."
- Go," said the holy maiden, " tell your
master to arise and go into the chapel and say the office ; for God, who has led me hither, is able to cure him." The servant returned to his master and gave Alena's message, and the priest rose up, restored to health, and chanted Matins as usual. Alena planted her staff in the ground and left it there while she went to prayers. When she came out of church, she found that it was growing, and had brought forth leaves. It grew there for many years, and the nuts it bore used to be made into rosaries in Uie 17th century ; which proves the truth of the whole story. Boll., AA.SS. St Alexandra (i), April 21, M. 302. Empress. Wife of Diocletian. Converted by seeing the tortures and bravery and the miracles of St. George. Condemned to be beheaded with him ; but died in prison on hearing her sen- tence. Menology of Basilj April 21. BoU., AA.SS.y April 20. This story is not confirmed by secular history. This is the same saint who is called in Boman tradition Sebeka. St. Alexandra (2), M. with St. Thecusa. St. Alexandra (3), March 20, M. Early in 4th century. When the Chris- tians were persecuted at Amisus, in Paphlagonia, in the reign of Maximian, Alexandra and six other holy women — Cjlacdu, Ectphbasia, Juliana, Matbona or Patbona, Euphemia, and Theodosia (7) — boldly declared their allegiance to the proscribed religion, and reproached the governor as cruel, unjust, and the Miemy of the Truth. They were stripped, beaten with iron rods, their breasts cot off, and they were then hung up by the feet over a slow fire until they died. Their martyrdom was followed by that of Debphuta and her sister. Several of the names of these seven women are the same as those of seven women martyred at Ancyra. See Thecusa. R.M. Boll., AA.S8. Biog, Ecclesiagtica, St. Alexandra (4), V. 4th century. A young woman of great beauty, who determined to lead a celibate ascetic life* Finding that she was much loved by a young man, she was afraid she was causing him to sin, so she shut hqrself up in a tomb, and there she spent all her time in prayer and meditation, ex* cepting only one hour a day, which she devoted to spinning. St. Melania (I) visited Alexandra, but could not see her fitoe; she stood near the orifice that served as a window to her cell, and had an edifying conversation with her. After twelve years* residence in this living grave, Alexandra was one morning found dead by the woman who used to bring her the necessaries of life. Sylva anachoretica ex Palladia Latmaca. St. Alexandria, or Alexander, Feb. 28, M. Mentioned in a long list of martyrs who suffered for the Christian faith at Alexandria, and who are com* memorated in the old martyrologies. Henschenius, in AA.SS, B. Alexandrina di Letto, April 3 (Alesbandra, Alessandrina). 1385— 1458. O.S.F. One of a family of saints. Daughter of Nicola Eaynaldo di Letto, a nobleman of Sulmona; he was royal vicar in Home in 1317, for Eobert, king of Naples, and lord of the towns of Letto and Torre, in the Abruzzi. So says Jacobilli, but a comparison of his dates makes it seem more likely that this Nicola was her grandfather. Alex- andrina was born at Sulmona. At the age of 15 she took the veil there, in the Franciscan monastery of St. Clara, where she lived twenty-three years. Her cousin, B. Margaret, who attained to great sanctity, followed her example, and became a nun in the same house. They had two other cousins, Clara and Lisa, and an aunt Gemma, who was the mother of Clara. These three were nuns in another monastery of the Order of St Augustine, in Sulmona. Discorda
