ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN OCTOBER
Saints celebrated on the 21st of October
SAINT URSULA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR
(Middle of the Fifth Age)
When the pagan Saxons laid waste our island from sea to sea, many of its old British inhabitants fled into Gaul, and settled in Armorica, since called, from them, Little Britain. Others took shelter in the Netherlands, and had a settlement near the mouth of the Rhine, at a castle called Brittenburgh, as appears from ancient monuments and Belgic historians.
These holy martyrs seem to have left Britain about that time, and to have met a glorious death in defence of their virginity from the army of the Huns, which in the fifth age plundered that country, and carried fire and the sword wherever they came. It is agreed that they came originally from Britain, and Ursula was the conductor and encourager of this holy troop.
Though their leaders were certainly virgins, it is not improbable that some of this company had been engaged in a married state. Sigebert’s Chronicle places their martyrdom in 453.
It happened near the Lower Rhine, and they were buried at Cologne, where, according to the custom of those early ages, a great church was built over their tombs, which was very famous in 643, when St Cunibert was chosen archbishop in it.
St Anno, who was bishop of Cologne in the eleventh age, out of devotion to these holy martyrs, was wont to watch whole nights in this church in prayer at their tombs, which have been illustrated by many miracles. These martyrs have been honoured by the faithful for many ages, with extraordinary devotion in this part of Christendom.
St Ursula, who was the mistress and guide to heaven to so many holy maidens, whom she animated to the heroic practice of virtue, conducted to the glorious crown of martyrdom, and presented spotless to Christ, is regarded as a model and patroness by those who undertake to train up youth in the sentiments and practice of piety and religion.
She is patroness of the famous college of Sorbonne, and titular saint of that church. Several religious establishments have been erected under her name and patronage for the virtuous education of young ladies. The Ursulines were instituted in Italy for this great and important end, by Blessed Angela of Brescia, in 1537, approved by Paul III in 1544, and obliged to enclosure and declared a religious Order under the rule of Saint Augustine, by Gregory XIII, in 1572, at the solicitation of Saint Charles Borromeo, who exceedingly promoted this holy institute.
(From Fr Butler's Lives of the Saints - 🎨 1. St Ursula; 2. Seaport With the Embarkation of Saint Ursula and Virgin Companions)
PRAYER:
Grant, we beseech you, O Lord our God, that we may with unceasing devotion venerate the triumphs of your holy Virgins and Martyrs, Ursula and her Companions, and although we cannot pay them the honour that is their due, may we at least present to them our humble homage. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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