ON S. OLIVA THE VIRGIN,
AT ANAGNI IN LATIUM AMONG THE HERNICI.
Sylloge on her cult and Acts.
Oliva the Virgin, at Anagni in Italy (S.)
G. H.
Anagni, an Episcopal city of the Roman province, immediately subject to the Holy See, formerly the head of the Hernici, the most ancient among the Latins, is believed already from the times of the Apostles to have received the light of the Gospel, on account of which they celebrate S. Secundina the Virgin as crowned with the palm of martyrdom on January 15; Memory in the Fasti on which day we gave some Acts of her from the Life of S. Magnus Bishop of Trani and Ferrari's Catalogue; afterwards having obtained other more prolix ones and also Lessons of the proper Office, which we shall bring forth in the Supplement of January. There are also numbered among the holy women of Anagni SS. Aurelia and Neomisia Virgins, whose memory is ascribed to the Tables of the Roman Martyrology on the day of September 25. Besides, what looks here, in the Cathedral Church, consecrated to the Virgin Mother of God of the Annunciation, as Ughelli writes in vol. 1, Saint Oliva the Virgin is preserved entombed: whose feast is celebrated on this third day of June, also inscribed in the Roman Martyrology: but some Relic is believed to be preserved at a Monastery of Westphalia, among the Fathers of our Society, in one of the reliquaries placed on the high altar.
[2] Her Acts double, hitherto unpublished, at Rome in the year 1661, we obtained; one older and briefer, from the Ms. of Gaetano; the others amplified with various circumstances and divided into nine Lessons we transcribed, as they are preserved in the collection of Antonio Gallonio, in the Vallicelliana Library of the Fathers of the Congregation of the Oratory, Double Life from Ms. in the Volume marked M. But the first are imperfect, and make no mention of death. The Lessons however thus begin. At that time, the superstition of idols being laid aside, and by God's nod the ecclesiastical religion growing, there was in the province of Campania a certain noble Virgin etc. which indeed seems to indicate some century close to the third or fourth, but by mere conjecture; whence we make not much of it. Philip Ferrari, in the Catalogue of the Saints of Italy, has a compendium of the Life; and having narrated the final vision, concludes with these words: And having seen celestial light she fell asleep in the Lord on the third Nones of June, as if nothing else were desired. Of the same Sylvanus Razzius mentions in vol. 3 of Illustrious Women: and Nicholas Brautius Bishop of Sarsina, in the Poetic Martyrology with this verse honors her:
Her breasts, when tempted, she pierced with sharp styles: / Which kind of arms strikes the arms of the demon.
LIFE
Excerpted from a Ms. of Gaetano.
Oliva the Virgin, at Anagni in Italy (S.)
BHL Number: 6327
FROM MS.
[1] Oliva the Virgin, noble in lineage, but more noble in the best morals and the praise of modesty, Marriage spurned burning with the love of Christ, marriages of a mortal bridegroom being contemned, which her parents with great zeal were preparing for her, fled to the holy church, that she might be numbered among the sacred brides of Jesus Christ. When she had obtained this, and tried assiduously to restrain and tame the flesh with fasts, haircloth, and iron; that she might more easily avoid human and vain praises, she studies to please Christ alone: she took care that no one of mortals knew clearly what she did: as one who desired to please her one Bridegroom Christ Jesus alone: whom also with assiduous prayers and tears she entreated for her own and for all Christians' offenses. But how much she profited in the perfection of religious life, even this shows, she bears contumelies, that when certain false crimes were objected to her by the envious, she bore contumelies not only with equal but also with cheerful mind: because so she seemed safer from the perils of vainglory and deceptive breath. But if she felt in any way the law of her members repugning the law of the mind, she fixes goads into her breasts. immediately she fixed goads into her breasts, nor would she pluck them out before pus broke out: and so by chastising her body she reduced it into the servitude of the spirit.
[2] But how much in turn Oliva was loved by Christ, on account of the modesty of her soul and body and the rest of her virtues, will easily be understood even from these few not obscure arguments of love toward her. She beholds heaven open. When at some time from the work of her hands she went to the temple, the signal having been given according to custom, on the very threshold of the temple she met a certain weeping woman, confessing her crimes: whom while the gentle Virgin tried to console with blandishing words, with eyes lifted up she saw heaven open and an incredible light: with which excessive light Oliva suddenly terrified, fell on her face. And when she had lain long, and did not dare to lift her face; at length that light raised itself to heaven, and invited to it and the Virgin withdrew into her cell. To whom on the following night a man of lofty stature appeared in sleep, with grave face, decorous aspect, who said to her: Arise, hasten, my friend, my Bride, my dove, and come.
[3] she is lifted from the earth: On the next sixth feria, when the Virgin betook herself to the oratory for the sake of prayer, she was seen by one of the Sisters not to touch the ground with her feet while she was walking: who also announced this to the rest. They wondering at the matter, asked Oliva what this was. But she, in nothing elated for this, but with mind and countenance equally cast down, first to supplicate God, then with true and profound groans and tears began to entreat the Sisters, that they should not attribute any praise to her, if from heart and holily they loved her: that she was unworthy of all virtues, and so much covered with crimes. So the holy Virgin, the divine Offices being completed, and many tears poured forth, returned to her cell, sat down on her bed weary: and before food was taken contrary to custom, as it seemed to the Sisters, she fell asleep. seized in ecstasy she sees heaven and hell. There deeply abstracted from the senses, as she then narrated to some Sisters, she saw heaven open and an immense splendor: from which a certain man plainly admirable having proceeded, when he had come up to her; Come, he said, and see, with what punishments the wicked are tormented in hell; then look upon the flowering seats of heaven, where the blessed celestials enjoy sempiternal gladness.