October
21Saints of the Day...and Events
October
21
Saints of the Day...and Events
Saint Ursula was born in Great Britain of Christian parents; her father, Maurus, was king of Cornubia in Scotland. Ursula was sought in marriage by a young pagan prince, but had already vowed her life and her heart to Jesus Christ.
In the year 383 she was boarded onto a boat with a large number of young girls and Christian women whom a Roman conqueror wished to give as wives to his soldiers, after having endowed them with rich terrains. But during the crossing of the Channel a storm arose, and the ships, instead of reaching western Gaul, were driven towards the mouth of the Rhine. The Huns who at that time were ravaging Europe saw the ships, and were making ready to pillage them and inflict on these virgins and women a dishonor more dreaded by them than death. Commanded by Ursula, they resisted heroically and so well that suddenly the sentiments of the barbarians changed. They took up their arms to be rid of this peaceful army. Soon the victims fell under the blows of the executioners, and their souls winged their way to heaven.
The prince of the Huns, struck by Ursula’s beauty, spared her at first; he tried to console her for the death of her companions and promised to marry her. When she did not assent he shot her with an arrow, and this consecrated virgin fell with the others. Many churches have relics of this army of martyrs, but no region is more richly endowed than that of Cologne, since it is to that city that the Christians of the region devotedly carried the mortal remains of the martyrs.
In the seventh century a magnificent church rose over their tomb, whose walls itself served as reliquaries. This holy cemetery has been rendered illustrious by many miracles. Pilgrims and especially young girls have come from all over Europe, to beg protection for their virginity from Saint Ursula and her companions. The very arrow which pierced Saint Ursula is still conserved there.
Additional Information
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http://www.magnificat.ca/cal/engl/10-21.htm
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http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/day1021.htm
Raised in a pagan family.
Convert
while studying at
Alexandria,
Egypt
as a teenager.
Studied with Saint
Anthony the Great in the
Egyptian
desert in 306. He then introduced the
eremitical
life in the Gaza region of
Palestine.
Founded several
monasteries
in
Palestine.
Miracle worker whose fame attracted unwanted crowds; to
escape the people, including his most dedicated student Saint
Hesychius the notoriety, and the persecutions of Julian the Apsotate, he
lived on Mount Sinai,
Egypt,
Sicily,
Dalmatia,
Paphos, and
Cyprus.
Events of October 21 - Saints of October 21:
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