ST CHRISTINA OF TYRE'S STORY FROM THE GOLDEN LEGEND
Here followeth the life of Saint Christine [St Christina], and first the interpretation of her name.
Christine is as much to say as anointed with chrism. She had soothly the balm of good odour and savour in conversation. And oil of devotion in mind, and also the benediction of grace.
"ANOINTED WITH CHRISM"
Christine was born in Tyre in Italy, and was come of noble kindred of father and mother. And because of her beauty her father enclosed her in a certain tower, with twelve chamberers to serve and await on her. And ordained there, with her, gods of silver and gold.
And because of her great beauty she was desired of many noble men for to have wedded her; but her father in no wise would give her to no man, but would have her continue in her virginity to do worship and sacrifice to the gods.
But she being inspired of the Holy Ghost, abhorred the sacrifice of the idols, and the incense that was delivered to her to do sacrifice with, she hid it in a window, and when her father came, the maidens and chamberers said to him: Thy daughter despiseth to offer to our gods, and saith that she is Christian.
SHE REFUSED TO SACRIFICE TO THE GODS
Then her father provoked her with sweet and fair words for to do sacrifice to their gods. To whom she said: I will not offer to no dead gods. But to God of heaven I offer sacrifice of laud and praising. Then said her father to her: O my daughter, thou oughtest not to offer to one God, lest the others be wroth to thee. To whom she said: Thou hast said well, not knowing the truth. I offer truly sacrifice to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
Then said the father: If thou worshippest three, why wilt thou not adore the others? To whom she said: They three be but one God. After this Christine brake all the gods, and the gold and silver she gave to poor people. Her father then came again for to worship his gods; and he not finding them demanded of the maidens what Christine had done to them: and when he had knowledge what she had done, commanded her to be despoiled, and to be beaten with twelve men unto the time that they began to fail, and were so weary that they might no more.
CHAINS OF IRON
Then he did do bind her with chains of iron, and did do set her in prison. And when her mother heard that, she rent her clothes, and came to the prison. And when she might nothing make her to turn from her faith, she returned to her husband. Then the father commanded that she should be brought tofore him in judgment, and said to her: Do sacrifice to our god, or else thou shalt suffer many torments, and shalt no more be called my daughter. To whom she said: Thou hast gotten to me great grace, for now thou callest not me daughter of the devil.
Then he commanded that her flesh should be all torn, and drawn with hooks of iron, and her tender members to be all tobroken and departed from other. Then her father set her upon a wheel, and put under fire and oil, and the flame issued out so great that it slew and burnt five hundred men.
HE COMMANDED HER TO PRISON
The father ascribed all this work to necromancy, and said she had done that by witchcraft, and commanded her again to prison, and bade her servants when it was night, that they should bind a great stone to her neck and cast her into the sea. And anon, as they had so done, the angels took her up, and Christ descended, and baptised her in the sea, saying: I baptise thee in the name of God my father and in me Jesu Christ his Son, and in the Holy Ghost, and committed her to Michael the archangel, which led her to the land.
"I HAVE RECEIVED THE GRACE OF CHRIST"
And when her father heard that she was come again to land, he smote his forehead and said to her: By what witchcraft dost thou these things, that in the sea thou exercisest thy cursed works? To whom Christine said: I have received this grace of Christ. Then he commanded that she should be put in prison, and on the morn to be beheaded. And that same night Urban her father was found dead. Then after him followed and succeeded a wicked and evil judge, named Dion, which did do make a tub of iron, and did do put therein pitch, oil and rosin, and set them afire. And when it was ready, he made Christine to be cast therein, and made four men move the tub that she should be the sooner consumed.
HE SHAVED HER HEAD
Then Christine praised God, and thanked him that she was so renewed, and rocked as a child in a cradle.
Then the judge being wroth made her head to be shaven, and naked to be led through the city unto the temple of Apollo, whom she commanded to overthrow, and anon fell down into powder. And when the judge heard thereof, he died and gave up his spirit.
THEY DID NOT DO ANY HARM
After him Julianus succeeded, which did do set afire a great furnace, and Christine to be cast therein. Wherein she abode five days with angels, singing and walking unhurt, and after issued out thereof safely without harm. And when Julianus heard thereof, he said that she did all this by art magic and witchcraft, and did do be put to her two adders, two serpents and two asps. The serpents licked her feet, the two asps hung at her breasts, and did her no harm, and the two adders wound them about her neck and licked up her sweat. Julianus then said to his enchanter: Art thou not an enchanter? Move the beasts. And when he began to move them they made assault to him and slew him forthwith.
SHE YIELDED UP HER SOUL
Then Christine commanded that they should go to a desert place, and she raised the enchanter that was dead to life again. Then was Julianus wroth and made to shoot at her. And she was smitten with one arrow in the side, and with another unto the heart, and she so smitten yielded up her soul unto God, and thus suffered martyrdom about the year of our Lord two hundred four score and seven. Her body was buried in a castle Bolsena between the old town and Viterbo and Tirus, which was not far from that castle which is now destroyed.
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