ON ST. POMA, VIRGIN, SISTER OF ST. MEMMIUS BISHOP OF CHÂLONS.
CommentaryPoma, Virgin, his sister (S.)
J. B. S.
The very few things that can be said concerning this holy Virgin have already now been given in the Legend of her most holy brother and in our Commentary upon it, from which I do not see that her cult can be doubted, as neither did our Predecessors doubt it, when at the XXVII of June, on which day she is said chiefly to be venerated at Châlons, they spoke of her among the Passed Over in this manner: St. Poma, virgin at Châlons, sister of St. Memmius the bishop, is indicated by Molanus in the Supplement, and by Ferrarius who followed him, likewise by Saussay in the Gallican Martyrology. Of her annual cult we were made certain by Master De Gyvis, Canon regular at St. Memmius' and professor of sacred theology, in the year 1670, writing that he had her Life; but since, he having perhaps died, it has not yet been brought, and has often been asked for in vain, and since Saussay reports her again with St. Memmius, both will more conveniently be treated of together on the V of August. To the Martyrologists already praised may be added Castellanus, who also expressly notes her on the XXVII of June: At Châlons, of St. Poma, virgin.
Rapine, so often already cited, occupied himself in embellishing and amplifying rather than in historically narrating the deeds of St. Poma throughout the whole of chapter 15 of the Life of St. Memmius, namely from page 160 to 188. But somewhat more rightly did Saussay draw out the marrow, to whom we have nothing to add from a purer source, since nothing has thus far been sent from the monastery of St. Memmius, nor has it been possible to find anything elsewhere. Hear, then, the Gallican Martyrologist at the already noted day, the XXVII of June: At Châlons, of St. Poma, most noble virgin, sister of St. Memmius, apostolic man and first pontiff of that city, who, following him from Rome into the Gauls by a divine purpose, while he brought to Châlons the trophy of the Cross, raising there the standard of sacred virginity, happily advanced the beginnings of religion by her own example. Then, when, assiduously devoting herself to Christ's service, she had run through the course divinely appointed her, adorned with the precious necklaces of the virtues, she flew away to her heavenly spouse and to the supernal triumph of the heaven-dwellers. Whose most pure remains, placed in the same shrine with the sacred bones of St. Memmius her brother, are there preserved with great veneration. These same things he repeats a little more briefly when he speaks of St. Memmius on this day.