Devota

CONCERNING S. DEVOTA, VIRGIN MARTYR, IN CORSICA.

Under Diocletian.

Devota, Virgin Martyr in Corsica (S.)

[1] The town and strongly fortified citadel of the port of Hercules Monoecus lies between Nice and Ventimiglia, on the coast of the Ligurian Sea. Here S. Devota, Virgin and Martyr, is venerated with annual rites on 27 January with the greatest solemnity, as the Tutelary Saint. The feast of S. Devota. The Bishop of Nice, in whose diocese the town is situated, comes there at that time and performs the sacred rites. The Acts of S. Devota were published by Vincenzo Barrali of Salerno in his Lerinian Chronology, Acts from an ancient manuscript of the convent of S. Pontius at Nice, in which she is written as "Deiuota"; but in her own city, name that is to say Monaco, she is always called Devota. Indeed, the city itself she protects with her patronage, and she has been seen more than once from the walls repelling enemies, defense of Monaco especially the French in the years 1507, 1547, and 1584.

[2] In the year 1612, Bernardo Landolio had an elegant image of S. Devota struck in bronze and dedicated it to Honorato Grimaldi, Prince of Monaco. Image. Around it were depicted the acts of her martyrdom, which agree entirely with those published by Barrali. A prayer was also added, either composed by Landolio himself or, as we rather believe, customarily recited in the Church of Monaco. It reads thus: "On the Commemoration of S. Devota, Virgin and Martyr: Antiphon: 'Arise, make haste, my beloved, my beautiful one, and come; my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the hollow of the wall.' V. 'Show me your face, and let your voice sound in my ears.' R. 'For your voice is sweet, and your face is comely.' Prayer: O God, who consecrated your handmaid Devota in heaven with the crown of virginity and martyrdom, prayer concerning her grant us, we beseech you, that just as we piously commemorate her memory, so also, relying on her patronage, we may be able to protect Honoratus our Prince with his offspring and the peoples and soldiers committed to him, from his enemies, in your holiness. Through our Lord, etc."

[3] Moreover, lest the Corsicans be deprived of every relic of their countrywoman S. Devota, the Fathers of the Society of Jesus who reside in Corsica obtained from the people of Monaco on 4 January 1637 some of her relics, Some relics transferred to Corsica to be devoutly venerated in their colleges. Our Antonius Beatillus testified to us that he received this, as well as what we reported about the enemies being driven from the town, from the people of Monaco themselves.

ACTS

From the Lerinian Chronology of Vincenzo Barrali.

Devota, Virgin Martyr in Corsica (S.)

BHL Number: 2156

From Vincenzo Barrali.

[1] In the time of the Emperors Diocletian and Maximian, a certain maiden named Deiuota was a Christian from infancy, on the island called Corsica. Devota, from fear of the persecution, dwells with Eutychius. Hearing, however, that the governor Barbarus was about to come there to persecute the Christians, she rose secretly and came to the house of a certain senator named Eutychius, because of the fear and sacrileges of the pagans, so that under his protection she might be allowed to live by the Christian law.

[2] Now the blessed handmaid of Christ, since she was trained in good morals and instructed in the spiritual Scriptures, given to piety and abstinence sang hymns and psalms to God day and night, and devoted herself to readings with her whole mind's attention, and mortified her body with fasts, intent on the Gospel precepts, knowing that the Lord says: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be satisfied." Matt. 5:6. Accordingly, since she continually afflicted herself with abstinences, no one could persuade her to relax from her fasts for even a single day's space, or (except on the day of the Resurrection alone) to take even a small amount of food. Her face was pale, therefore, with a worldly pallor, yet shone radiant with divine splendor. Hearing this, Eutychius--that the virgin of Christ, Deiuota, was thus tormenting her soul with fasts--summoned her to himself, saying: "Why, maiden, do you afflict yourself with such great fasts and torture your soul by abstaining?" To whom the venerable Deiuota answered: "I do not torture my soul, but I refrain from various delicacies, she is seen with a shining face because there is a God in heaven who daily satisfies me with the gifts of his bounty." At this, Eutychius, struck with fear, dared say nothing further to her, nor was he even able to gaze upon the brightness of her face.

[3] Not long afterward, the governor Barbarus, arriving at the same island with a naval fleet, came to sacrifice to the Gods. And when all the chief men of that place had gathered there, and the senator Eutychius with them, they began to sacrifice to their Gods and offer incense. Hearing this, S. Deiuota, on account of their error, drew deep sighs from the depths of her breast. And when they were gathered together, and were given over to their feasting there, and the governor Barbarus was deliberating about the persecution of the Christians, this was reported to him by his agents: she is accused before the governor that in the house of the senator Eutychius there was a maiden who mocked their Gods and refused to sacrifice. Then the governor addressed Eutychius, saying: "I hear that there is in your house a maiden who abandons our Gods and worships a certain Christ, I know not whom, who was crucified by the Jews." To this Eutychius replied: "The maiden of whom you speak--I was in no way able to make her even bow her head to our Gods." The governor said to him: "Give her to me; I will make her fulfill her vows to our Gods." And Eutychius replied: "If you were to give me your entire fortune, it could not compare with her goodness."

[4] But since Eutychius was an honorable senator, and the governor therefore did not dare to do him an open injury, he ordered Eutychius to be killed by secret poison. Eutychius having been secretly killed. And sending men to his house, he ordered them to drag the maiden out headlong and bring her before the governor. And as she was being led away, she sang psalms, saying: she is seized "O God, come to my aid; O Lord, make haste to help me." And when they had presented her before the governor, the governor said to her: "Sacrifice to the Gods." The virgin of Christ, Deiuota, answered: "I serve the true God daily with a pure mind; but I reject gods of wax, gods of bronze, and gods of stone, because they are images of men without sight or hearing." Then the governor Barbarus, moved with anger, she is beaten ordered her mouth to be struck with a stone, saying: "Do not blaspheme the Gods and Goddesses." Again, the most savage governor ordered that, with her hands and feet bound, she be dragged over the sharpest rocks, she is dragged over rough ground so that all her limbs might be torn apart. But she said: "Lord God, I give thanks to your name, because you deign to receive me with the crown of martyrdom." And raising her voice loudly, she cried out, saying: "God of hosts, who searches hearts and minds, who spoke and all things were made, who commanded and they were created, hear the prayer of your handmaid. Number your servant Eutychius among your elect, because on my account he was killed by the sorceries of the most wicked governor Barbarus, the worshipper of all demons."

[5] Hearing this, Barbarus, indignantly bearing her insults, ordered her to be suspended on the rack with her hands thus bound. She is tortured on the rack. And as she was being suspended, she cried out, saying: "Lord Jesus Christ, receive my spirit, because I suffer these things for the sake of your name." And a voice was heard from heaven, saying: Confirmed by a heavenly voice, she dies. "My handmaid, your prayer has been heard, for whatever you have asked or shall ask, you will obtain." And immediately a dove went forth from her mouth, and with swift flight sought the heights and flew to the stars; and there she completed her martyrdom in peace.

[6] When the most savage governor heard that she had already departed to heaven, Her body is carried away from Corsica by divine direction having taken counsel with his agents, he ordered that on the next day her body be burned with fire. At that time, because of the persecution of the pagans, the priest Benenatus of Savoy and the deacon Apollinarius were hiding in caves and caverns, and they were admonished by a vision that they should remove the body of the blessed Virgin from that place. Then, having taken counsel together with Gratianus the ship-captain and a company of Virgins, they took away her body by night and placed it in a ship, and there they embalmed it with spices. And when they had begun to sail, they began heading toward Africa. But when a south wind blew, they took to the open sea toward the north. Now the little ship, since it had been neglected and lay dry on the shore, was making much water in its bilge; and laboring the whole night, they made no progress. At dawn, however, sleep fell upon Gratianus the ship-captain, and he said to the most holy priest Benenatus: "Rise, my lord, and steer a little while I rest briefly." And while he rested, At her command she is brought to Monaco it seemed to Gratianus the ship-captain that the blessed Virgin Deiuota struck his sides and said to him: "Rise, Gratianus the ship-captain, for the storm has been removed; now you will have a calm sea, and water will no longer fill your little ship, nor will it be shaken by waves. But you and the most holy priest, look carefully, and when you see a dove going forth from my mouth, follow it until you come to the place which in Greek is called Monacho, and in Latin Singulare, with a dove as guide and there bury my body." And they, looking carefully, saw a dove going forth from her mouth, which went before them, and they followed it to the aforesaid place. And the dove, coming to the place of Monacho, to the valley which is commonly called Gaumates, alighted before the church which is situated in the aforesaid valley in honor of S. George; and there they deposited the body of the Blessed Deiuota, Virgin and Martyr of Christ, on the sixth day before the Kalends of February, in the reign of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom is honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.