Page:A Dictionary of Saintly Women Volume 1.djvu/335

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ST. FRANCA 321 and was buried and worshipped there. AA.SS. Saussaye, Martyrologiuniy OaU licanum, Appendix. St. Fiorina (l), May 1, V. M. in Auvergne. Supposed to have been of a Boman family living in Gaul when over- run by Alemanni, and other barbarians. Local tradition says she was persecuted on account of religion and chastity, and used to escape from her enemies and hide in a rocky valley, which now bears her name. One day they nearly caught her, and she took a leap across a chasm of fo^ty or fifty feet from a high rock, on which the print of her left foot remains, as does that of her right foot on the opposite rock, where she arrived in safety. AA.SS. St. Fiorina (2), Oct. 21 or 22, V. M. Companion of St. Ubsula. Honoured at Langres. Martin. St. Flos, Floba. Mas Latrie. St. Foca, Phoca. St. Foedosa, June 1, M. with St. AUCEGA. St. Foi, Faith. St. Foila, or FoiLENNA, Faila. St. Fonilla, Jonilla, or Junilia, M. with Leonilla. St. Foricia, or Foriga, Aug. 29. M. at Home on the road to Ostia. AA,SS. St. Foriga, Foricia. St. Fortelea, Sept. 28, M. in Africa. Mas Latrie. St. Fortuna (l ), May 6, M. at Milan. AA.SS. St. Fortuna (2), Feb. 22, M. with thirty-two other martyrs in Africa. Supposed to be the Fortuna mentioned in a letter from St. Cyprian, bishop of Carthage, to St. Celerinus. AA.SS. SS. Fortunata. Twenty martyrs at divers places in the persecutions under the emperors. St. Fosca, Feb. 1 3, in Latin, Fubca, y. M., about 202, under Caracalla. Daughter of Sirio of Bavenna ; martyred under Quintianus, prefect of that city. At fifteen, Fosca revealed to her nurse, St. Maura, her wish to be a Christian. She agreed with her, and they went secretly to be taught and baptized by St. Girolamo. Sirio, hearing of it, shut up Fo8ca without food for three days, and then sent many women to try and reconvert her; but in vain. He then was on the point of killing her, but being dissuaded by her mother, he sacri- ficed to his gods in the hope that they would persuade Fosca. Quintianus, hear- ing of it, sent for Fosca, Maura, Sirio, and his wife. When the messengers came to bring her, they saw her praying, and a shining angel standing by her, and they turned back terrified. Fosca and Maura, however, declared with a loud voice that they were Christians, and after being beaten, they were put in prison. They were afterwards led out of the city, and pierced from side to side with a sword; their bodies were taken by Christian sailors to Tripoli, and honourably buried there, and afterwards removed to Torcello, a Venetian island, where she is specially venerated. BM.^ Feb. 10 and 13. AA.SS, Leggendario delle Sante Vergini, St. Frada, or Franda. Sister of St. POSENNA. St. Framechilde, May 17 and 4 (Framehild, Frameuse, Franohild). 7th century. A German princess, wife of Woldefroi, or Badefroi, count of Hesdin, mayor of the palace, under Childerio IL Mother of St. Austbeberta. AA^SS.y May 4, Prseter. Martin, French Martyr- ology. St. Frameuse, Framechilde. St. Franca, April 27 or 25 (called also Francha, Franchea, Framohe, and by some modern writers Fbanoes), Y. 1173-1218. Abbess of St. Sirio, at Placentia, and afberwards of Plectole. Patron of Placentia. Represented in a cellar with a cask. Franca was the daughter of the Count of Yidalta. Before her birth, her mother dreamt that she brought forth a barking dog. The dream returned so frequently that she was greatly troubled, and con- fided her fears to her confessor. He comforted her by saying that her child would be a watch and guardian of the Church, and an enemy to the devil — a prophecy which turned out to be true. At the age of seven. Franca resolved to forsake the world, and was placed by her father in the convent of St. Sirio. At fourteen she made her profession. When the bishop had cut off her hair and