114 ST. BENEDICTA Matroclns, tHe prefect, a Jew, after trying in vain to turn Benedicta from her religion, had her beaten until she was a mass of wonnds; she was then thrown into a dark dungeon : her wounds were healed by an angel. This miraculous cure caused the conversion of fifty-five persons. Matroclns, exasperated, cut off her head with his own hand. Local tradition fixes the site of her martyrdom at a place called Lea Arhres du Thil, an enclosure of about twenty-two acres, surrounded by trees and hedges, where many devotees resort every Sunday. Of the twelve companions of St. Bene- dicta, Father Giry only mentions SS. Leobbria, Tolaine or Yoland, Camiona, and BoMANA. St. Yolaine is honoured at Pleines Selves, about three miles from Origny; and St. Camiona, near Le- Mesnil-Saint-Laurent, about five miles from Origny, in the territory of Lugdu- nnm Clavatum, which is Laon, not Lyons; the double meaning of Lugdu- num has given rise to a fictitious St. Benedicta of Lyons (Chastelain, Voc. Hag,), A monastery was built over her tomb in the 6th or 7th century. After- wards a nunnery of the Order of St. Benedict, dedicated in the names of SS. Mary and Benedicta, was built at Origny (Did. des Ahbayea), Constantino Suysken, in AA,SS.j Oct. 8, gives her fabulous Acts and a discussion as to the place and date of her life and death. Baillet considers her story to be a copy of that of St. Eomana, and that a copy of the history of St. Saturnina. There are numerous instances in which the history of one saint has been adapted to another. The history of St. Bomana can only be traced to within eight hun- dred years of the date ascribed to that martyr. St. Benedicta (8) of Lyons. (See Benedicta op Origny.) St. Benedicta (9), June 27, M. A venerable Christian, who was martyred with SS. Crispus and Crispinian in 362. Benedicta is sometimes called Virgin, sometimes Matron. Boll., AA.SS., June 27. St. Benedicta (lO). Mentioned in a Litanyused in Englana in the 7th century. This is probably one of the early martyrs already mentioned. English Mart, Ma- billon, Vetera Analecta, pp. 669, et seq. St. Benedicta (ll), May 6. Friend and fellow-nun of St. Galla ( 1 0), at Borne, in the 6th century. Her head is said to be still preserved at Borne. B.M. Henschenius. AA,SS. St. Benedicta (12), Aug. 17. 7th century. A Spanish abbess, disciple of St. Fructuosus. He was a martyr in the 3rd century. Espaha Sagruda, xxv. 168. Bucelinus. Guenebault. St. Benedicta (13), Aug. 17. loth century. Abbess of Susteren. Daughter of St. Zuentibold, king of Lotharingia, who died in 900, and was the son of the Emperor Amulf (887-899). She became a nun at Susteren with her sisters, SS. Cecilia and Belinda, under the direction of a holy virgin named Amelberga, after whose death Benedicta became abbess, and was, in her turn, succeeded by Cecilia. The three sisters are commemorated to- gether, Nov. 16. AA,SS, Bucelinus» Men. Ben, Lechner, Ben, Ordens, B. Benedicta (14), June 28. A lay- sister in the nunnery of Petra, near Subiaco. Her real name has not come down to us, so she is called after the founder of her order. One day the abbess sent her some distance, with an ass, to fetch flour from a mill. She said her prayers while the com was being ground, and went on with more prayers, although the miller warned her that it was going to rain, and that sho would not get home at the time required by the rule. When her prayers were ended, it was quite dark and pouring wet, but she arrived safely at the monastery, with the new supply of flour, the donkey, and her own clothes perfectly dry. The abbess said to her, " You must be tired after your long walk. Gro to bed." Benedicta said, "Let me first say my usual prayers in the chapel." While she was there, the other nuns made supper ready for her, and as she did not come for some time, they went to fetch her. They found her kneeling with her hands clasped, and her head up — quite dead. They buried her in that attitude. Long afterwards, in 1463, her body was found in perfect preservation, and after the nunnery was destroyed, her story was
