ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN DECEMBER
Saints celebrated on the 15th of December
SAINT CHRISTINA THE SLAVE
Saint Christina, born around A D. 325, was probably captured and sold as slave to the pagan Iberians (who inhabited the area around the Caspian and Black Sea) by predatory hordes who often haunted, robbed and plundered the Greek lands.
Her lord was the prince of a tribe which was devoted to idolatry and was distinguished by savage cruelty.
ONLY IN PRAYER DID SHE FIND STRENGTH
Only in prayer did Christina find strength to endure even the roughest treatment with Christian patience, even with cheerfulness.
She willingly submitted to the hand of God that led her here and with conscientious fidelity she obeyed the commands of her rule.
She was a comforting angel to her fellow slaves; she rendered them various small services and tried to instill pious attitudes in them.
SHE KEPT AWAY FROM PAGAN CUSTOMS
She kept away from pagan customs and did not allow herself to be led into the slightest unfaithfulness to her Saviour Jesus.
She was full of angelic purity, which even the rude, exuberant Iberians had to respect, and little by little she won - through her beautiful virtues, which were quite unknown to her surroundings - the respect and confidence of her owner, who could not understand how a slave could have such noble sentiments.
When the Gentiles asked Christina in astonishment why she did not live like the others and where she got the strength from to endure her hard lot so patiently, then she answered:
"I AM A CHRISTIAN"
"I am a Christian and as such I am obliged to serve the true God in such a way!"
At that time it was the custom for mothers to carry their sick children from house to house and to ask whether no one knew a cure for them. All kinds of means, often devilish deceptions, were used to drive away the disease. So one day a mother brought her sick child to the house where Christina was serving and asked her for help too.
"I have no cure for your child, she replied, but my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, whom I serve, can make him well."
Then Christina took the child, put him on her penitential hair shirt plaited from camel hair, whereupon she slept, prayed to God, and achieved perfect health for the child.
PERFECT HEALTH FOR THE CHILD
The rumour of this miracle soon spread throughout the country and the king also heard of it.
The king was touched by the apparent power of her prayer and began to secretly desire to become a Christian. However, he feared his conversion would result in a revolt from his pagan subjects and did not allow himself to be moved until God touched his heart in another way.
HE GOT LOST
It happened that one day he went hunting in the mountains and, because of the fog that suddenly fell, got lost and found no way out. Fear and horror seized him because he was afraid of being torn apart by wild animals in the dark ravines. In vain he called to his servants, they did not hear him; in vain he called his idols, but they could not help him. Now suddenly a light dawned on him! "I want," he thought, "call to the god of the slave Christina and if he helps me, I will worship him alone."
No sooner had he made his promise than suddenly the gloomy fog disappeared and the sun shone brightly down again. He searched and soon found his way and came home happy.
HE SOON FOUND HIS WAY
Then he related the wonderful incident to his wife, had Christina called, explained to her his will to become a Christian and asked her to teach. The pious maid did as much as she could and expressed the wish that the king would like to build a church for the glory of the true God and that priests and bishops would come and settle here.
The king also made known to his subjects what had happened so far and found them willing to worship the Christian God.
THE CHURCH WAS BUILT
The church began to be built with great enthusiasm. The construction went well, soon it was completed and all the people asked to be baptised by the hand of the priest. The king and his wife, all his courtiers and all his people were baptised and received into Holy Church.
Nobody was more happy about it than Christina, she saw all her sufferings and efforts amply rewarded, lived for several years among the newly converted people in quiet seclusion and finally concluded her life as holy as she had lived.
From Fr Weninger's Lives of the Saints
Comments
Post a Comment