Cleopatronia

ON SAINT CLEOPATRONIA, VIRGIN.

AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FOURTH CENTURY.

Cleopatronia, Virgin (Saint)

[1] We gave the Acts of the Apostolic Presbyter Viventius on January 13 — not such as either Saint Maxentius, Abbot of Poitiers, or another closer to his age is said to have committed to writing in a rough and unpolished style; but such as, with the ancient documents having been for the most part destroyed, especially by the fury of the Normans, could be written down in a rude age, not very aptly suited to chronology and chorography, from the narration of elders, shortly before the thousandth year from the birth of Christ. The birthday of Saint Cleopatronia. In these Acts mention is made of Saint Cleopatronia the Virgin, whose name is inscribed in the more recent calendars of the Saints for March 8. For Hermann Greven in his additions to Usuard, and Canisius have this on that day: "Saint Cleopatronia, daughter of Dacianus." Philippus Ferrarius in the new Catalogue of Saints: "At Thessalonica in Macedonia, Saint Cleopatronia the Virgin, daughter of Dacianus." Peter de Natalibus, book 2, chapter 71, calls her Eupatrona; Vincent of Beauvais, book 13, chapter 99, calls her Cleopatrina. What is recorded about her in the cited Acts of Saint Viventius is approximately as follows.

[2] Under the Emperor Diocletian, Viventius, born of a distinguished family among the Samaritans, was instructed in the mysteries of the Christian religion at Antioch by George, a noble Cappadocian, whose illustrious martyrdom we shall relate on April 23. And since he excelled in remarkable ardor of faith and honesty of morals, and was moreover well trained in liberal studies, the Bishops who directed Christian affairs there judged that he should be ordained to the priesthood. Saint Viventius converts his parents: From then on Viventius taught the saving doctrine everywhere with greater diligence and authority; and first, returning to his homeland, he addressed his parents who were entangled in ancestral superstitions, so that from those from whom he had received mortal life, he might confer upon them another life, blessed and immortal. Though they were obstinate and not easily moved by any arguments, he at last persuaded them not so much by the force of reasoning as by grace elicited from heaven through prayers and tears.

[3] He then turned his efforts in another direction, wherever the impulse of the divine Spirit drove him, hastening on his way, sowing the seed of sacred doctrine everywhere, with remarkable abstinence from all things that the world commonly finds pleasant. He is sent by an Angel to Cleopatronia: Then he was warned by an Angel in a dream to hasten to the residence of Dacianus, who then governed Asia as Governor; to overthrow and shatter by the sign of the Cross the profane images of the Gods that he worshipped; and to free his daughter from the infestation of a hellish visitor, which she had endured for eighteen years, and join her to Christ; for it had pleased the propitious Deity to deem her worthy of knowledge of himself and fellowship with the Saints. Roused from sleep by the heavenly vision, Viventius devoted what remained of the night to pouring forth prayers and giving thanks to God. At dawn he set out on the road; after completing a three-day journey, he arrived at Thessalonica — others write Besilonica, Galesinius writes Antioch. Here, when he reverently made the figure of the Cross, the temple and idols being overturned, the temple immediately collapsed, the Governor's images and inscriptions were overthrown. He restrained himself that day, however, and did not rashly expose himself to the disturbed populace.

[4] The next day, whether by some stratagem or with God showing the way, he entered the praetorium and was admitted with others to the chamber of the sick girl. There, kneeling and weeping copiously, he besought God not to allow the fountains of divine beneficence to be obstructed by any fault of his, and the salvation prepared for the virgin to be delayed. he drives the demon from her, Then he consecrated water with prayers and the sign of the Cross, and gave it to Cleopatronia to drink; at the same time rebuking the demon, he commanded it by the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to depart immediately and allow her to serve her Creator freely. The demon, compelled to withdraw by the Priest's authority, dashed her lifeless to the ground; but Viventius raised her up unharmed by making the sign of the Cross. Meanwhile the demon was making dreadful howls, and as if beseeching, begged that the holy Priest would not hurl him down into the abyss of hell, but would allow him to seize the body of the impious Dacianus. But Viventius said: "In the name of the only-begotten Son of God, sacrificed for our salvation, I adjure you, most wicked spirit, to harm no creature made by God, but to cast yourself headlong immediately into the fire prepared for you and your companions." The destructive adversary finally departed, having struck great terror into all who were present and having left an intolerable foulness of odor.

[5] All burst forth in praises of the benign Deity, and Viventius addressed Cleopatronia with these words: "Virgin chosen by God, Jesus Christ has sent me to you, to open for you the way of salvation by which you may attain the life of the Angels, overflowing with immense delights which the human mind cannot grasp, much less any sense perceive." and having instructed her in the faith, Then he set forth to her the great mystery of the august Trinity, the sacrament of holy baptism, the trophy of the venerable Cross, and the other articles of our Religion. When she had carefully understood these things, having professed the faith, she was purified by baptism along with about two hundred others. Viventius remained in the same city for three months, continually discoursing on divine matters, he baptizes her with others: and imbued very many others with the faith, won over especially by the miracles that he performed; for there was scarcely any kind of disease that he did not heal by divine power — restoring sight to the blind, walking to the lame, cleansing leprosy, and driving demons from possessed bodies.

[6] Cleopatronia, for her part, devoted herself entirely to the service of God, diligently applying herself to the exercise of virtues and constantly striving to multiply the merits of her benefactors; she lives a holy life, and she preserved the first robe of her baptism free from every stain. Thrice and four times blessed was she, to whom both chaste prayers and generous liberality toward the needy contributed, that she might have a share in the first resurrection. On a certain night, when, exhausted, she had given herself briefly to sleep, an Angel stood by her and commanded that from the treasure she still retained, at the Angel's prompting she converts her jewels into sacred furnishings. two candlesticks and the remaining instruments for the most sacred mysteries be fabricated; which she afterward sent to the Bishop of Rome through Bishop Benedict, whose memory is celebrated on October 23, and to Viventius the Presbyter, wishing that she too might someday be permitted to venerate in person the tomb of the holy Apostle Peter.

[7] Meanwhile Dacianus — who was probably absent from the city when the images were overthrown along with the temple — raged with unusual fury at the slaughter of the Christians. Viventius and his companions depart: Benedict and Viventius, commanded by heavenly impulse to migrate elsewhere and not rashly expose themselves to the fury of the impious, first encouraged Cleopatronia with these admonitions: "Most chaste Virgin, devoted to Christ, be of great courage; many through your efforts will surrender to the spotless religion and will enter upon the inheritance of the heavenly kingdom. The harvest, already ripe, calls us elsewhere, and it is not of our choosing in what direction we bend our steps. We must cross the sea; God will direct the rest." She, struck with deep grief, threw herself at their feet and asked that they give her a final blessing.

[8] When they had departed from her, it seemed right to summon those whom God had previously assigned or whom good fortune had offered as helpers in the divine work. they carry her gifts to Rome, They therefore agreed upon a place where they would meet to board ship together. And Viventius is said to have led forty persons in all by night to the sea, and to have provided food and other necessities. Cleopatronia, having recalled Benedict to her, asked him to carry with him to Rome a pallium (precious, I think, in material or workmanship), as had been previously planned, to be consecrated for the performance of the divine mysteries.

[9] From there, tossed by many misfortunes, experiencing manifest proofs of Divine Providence, they landed in Italy; with lodgings prepared for her along the way, and in various cities they prepared lodgings in which Cleopatronia, if she should ever undertake that journey, perhaps as a fugitive from her father's house, might be received. This was arranged either by certain secret marks in the Letters of Formation which they had given her when departing, or by some other token or sign by which she might recognize the Christians in those places or be recognized by them. Moreover, as they traveled and made these arrangements, they enjoyed the perpetual

protection of an Angel — with an Angel as guide: whether showing himself to them in visible form, or instructing them by interior impulse, or furthering their wishes in some other way, the author did not specify. When they reached Rome, they reverently visited the tomb of the holy Apostle Peter, and there offered the candlesticks and other gifts of Cleopatronia.

[10] Hereafter nothing is said about what became of Cleopatronia — whether she was slain what did she do afterward? by her father's command or even by his own hand, as certain other virgins were at that time, or whether she experienced the cruelty of another tyrant, or escaped by flight from a cruel and sacrilegious home, or was preserved for more favorable times of the Church. Nor is it easy to divine who that Dacianus her parent was — whether the one who shed so much innocent blood in Spain, or another. Peter Galesinius calls him Decianus. Mention is made of a Dacianus, the same one, I think, in the Acts of Saint George on April 23.

[11] Of Cleopatronia, besides the two manuscripts from which we received the Life of Saint Viventius — one of which belonged to the Celestines of Paris, the other to the monastery of Saint Mary de Ripatorio — the following make mention, when treating of Saint Viventius: Peter de Natalibus, book 2, chapter 71; Galesinius on this day; Vincent of Beauvais, book 13, chapter 99; Boninus Mombritius.