(Rathude, Petrude), V. 8th century. Daughter of Ratchis and Tesia, king and queen of the Lombards. When Ratchis had reigned about six years, he resigned his power and state and became a monk; his wife and two daughters followed his example. Before his abdication, Epiphania was falsely accused to him of depravity. Her innocence was made known to him by a heavenly vision, and he would have put her accuser to death, but Epiphania procured her pardon. During her cloistered life she was again accused of wickedness, and proved her innocence by holding fire in her lap for half an hour, without injury to herself or her clothes, to the great humiliation of her accusers. Special worship at Pavia. AA.SS.
St. Epiphania (3), Jan. 5. Guérin.
St. Epistemes, Oct. 5, Nov. 5, M. Wife of Galation, M. at Emesa, now called Haman, in Phœnicia. They were scourged, and had their hands, feet, and tongues, and finally their heads, cut off, in the persecution under Decius. R.M., Oct. 5. Guérin, Nov. 5.
St. Eppia, May 8, M. at Constantinople, with St. Acacius. (See Agatha (2)) AA.SS.
St. Epictula, Jan. 27, M. in Africa. AA.SS.
St Eprasia of Bohemia, Ephbasia.
St. Erasma. (See Euphemia (1).)
St. Ercley, Heraclea.
'St. Ercola, or Stercola, May 7, Feb. 28, M. in Africa. AA.SS.
St. Ercongota, Feb. 23 or 26 (Earcongoda, Earcongotha, Eartongatha, Eorcungoda, Erkongota; in French, Arthongathe, or Artongate). + 700. Abbess of Faremontier. Daughter of Ercombert, king of Kent (640-664), by his wife St. Sexburga, daughter of Anna, king of the East Angles.
As there were few monasteries in England, many of the new Christians learned the rules of monastic life in France, and sent their daughters there to be taught, particularly in the monasteries of Faremoutier and Chelles.
St. Ethelburga (3) was abbess of Faremoutier when her niece Ercongota was sent there as a nun.
Ercongota is described by Bede as a virgin of great virtue, and many wonders are told of her. Her life was passed at Faremoutier, whore she became abbess.
Shortly before her death she had a vision of a number of men all in white coming into the convent. She asked what they wanted. They said they had come to fetch the medal of gold which had been brought from Kent. The next day the abbess visited the cells of the infirm, especially the very old and very holy, and humbly commended herself to their prayers. That night she died. Monks in the adjoining houses heard voices, steps, and music, and some of the faithful saw the soul of the saintly abbess carried off by angels.
AA.SS. Bede, iii. ch. 8. Butler.
St. Eremberta, Bertana.
St. Erena, Irene.
St. Erenpere, Exuperia.
St. Erentrude, June 30 (Ehrentraud, Erendrudis, Erentruy, Erndrude, Arentruda, Ariotruda, Arndruda), v. Abbess. 7th century. Patron and first abbess of Salzburg. Niece of St. Rupert, or Robert, bishop of Worms, and afterwards of Salzburg. She lived at Worms, and was consecrated to God from her childhood.
The people of Worms ill-used Rupert, and drove him out because he continually reproved their vices. He then preached and baptized at Ratisbon, Lorch, and Salzburg, where he made many converts and built several churches. Christianity had been introduced two hundred years earlier by St. Severinus; but the inhabitants had relapsed into paganism, and as Rupert feared they might fall away again from the faith, he prayed that God would choose some good men and women to establish the Church he had planted anew. Rupert went to France for some holy men to serve in his churches, and to Worms for his niece Erentrude, for whom before he brought her, he built the convent of Nunberg, near Salzburg. When she saw him she was very glad that she was found worthy to see him again before she died. He took her into the oratory, and said, "Do you know what I have come for?" She said, "Yes, father, for the Lord has revealed it to me in spirit, saying, "Go in peace
