Page:A Dictionary of Saintly Women Volume 2.djvu/90

78 ST. MATRONICA days in the churches. Her husband did not like her giving the whole of her time to devotion, and forbade her to go out of the house. After a time, however, she persuaded him, on one pretext or other, to let her go out. She flew to the church of the Holy Apostles, and having shaved her head and assumed male attire, she presented herself to St. Bassianus and was received into his monastery under the name of Babylas. She remained there some time, until the abbot discovered her sex. As ho could not keep her in the house any longer, he sent her to Jerusalem. Thence she wont to a nunnery at Emesa, where she became abbess, and afterwards returned to Jerusalem. Her husband meantime traced her from place to place and fol- lowed her everywhere. She lay hidden for many days in a ruined heathen temple at Borytus. After her husband's death, she returned to Constantinople, accom- panied by two deaconesses. Having now attained to great holiness and asceticism, she cured diseases of mind and body. The Empress Yerena showed her great esteem and kindness. She died at the age of a hundred. Menology of Basil. St. Matronica or Matronida, Matron A (1). St. Matthia(l),MATHiA,orMATniAHE, was the servant or slave of a baker, and used to give bread to the poor. One day her master suspecting what she was carrying, angrily seized her bundle and pulled it open. Behold, the loaves were changed into flowers ! She is thus repre- sented. Cahier says she is the same as Mastidia, patron of Troyes in Cham- })agne. B. Matthia (2) de' Nazarei, June 80, March 1, Dec. 28, + 1300, was bom at Matellica. She wished to become a nun in the Franciscan convent of St. Mary Magdalene, but the abbess, being a member of the same family, was afraid to give her the habit lest Matthia's parents should be oflcnded. Matthia shaved her own head and put on rags. Her father was extremely angry, but at last consented to her becoming a nun. She was chosen abbess. Centuries after her death, a bloody sweat exuded from her body. A,B,M., Bomano Simjjhic Martyrology. The lessons for her day in the Officia Propria of the O.S.F. Her story is to be given by the Bollandists, Dec. 28. St. Matthia (3) of Meaco, O.S.F. Feb. 5, M. in Japan. A,B,M, St* Mattidia, the legendary mother of St. Clement. His real parentage is unknown. She is called a relation of the Emperor Trajan, and wife of Fanstus, a near relation and foster-brother of the Emperor. Mattidia and Faustns had twin sons, Faustinus and Faustinianus ; and another son, many years younger, who was St. Clement. Mattidia was pursued by the unholy attentions of her husband's brother ; to escape, she feigned to be acting in obedience to a dream, and taking the twins, set out for Athens. They were wrecked on the coast of Palestine. It was supposed that the children were drowned; but, in fact, they were captured and sold to Justa, the Syrophoenician woman, who brought them up as her own, calling them Aquila and Nicetes. They became disciples of St. Peter. After some years Faustus went to the East to look for them, and Clement being left alone, set ofl* on his travels and met St. Peter. The whole family met at Laodicea. Faustus was the last to become a Christian. The legend is very old, but has no claim to adthenticity. Bishop Lightfoot, Clement St. Matura, June 3, Boman martyr. AA,SS. St. Matutina, March 27, M. in Africa. AA,SS, St. Mauberta, Mapelbert. St. Maud, Matilda. St. Maugina, a nun at Clogher in Ireland, + 503. Perhaps Mancina ; per- haps Mugiana. Forbes. Lanigan. St. Maura (l), Feb. 13, patron of Torcollo and of good children. N'urse of St. F(»8tA and martyred with her, about 202, at Eavenna. St. Maura (2), May a, Dec. 19, M. 3rd or 4th century. Wife of Timothy, a reader of the little town of Perapis in Thebais and son of Poecile, who seems to have been the chief Christian priest of the place. Maura was the daughter of a smith or carpenter. She was fifteen years old and had been married less than