him to adopt the Christian religion. Karamsin, Hist. of Russia. Martinov, Annus Ecclesiasticus, Böttiger, Mittlere Geschicte, III.
St. Olive (1), Olivia, Uliva, March 5, V. M., 2nd century. The name of "St. Olivia" of Brescia is a corruption of "St. Illidius," but there is a tradition that this saint was a virgin pat to death for the faith, with various tortures, in the time of the Emperor Adrian. Her relics were kept in the church of St. Afra at Brescia in Italy. In the year 1597, a certain priest had a right to some property, but it was kept from him by a powerful adversary. Having spent nearly all his patrimony in trying to get possession of it, he made a vow to offer a precious gift to St. Olive in the event of his succeeding. He immediately gained his cause without more trouble, and fulfilled his vow by offering, with all reverence and devotion, a golden olive branch with fruit on it, to the relics of the holy Saint, in the church of the Capuchins, at Salo, on the western shore of the lake of Benaco. AA.SS. Mas Latrie.
St. Olive (2) or Oliva, May 2, V. M. claimed by Tamayo as a Spaniard. The Bollandists think it is the Saint of Anagni or Palermo.
St. Olive (3) (Olivia Uliva), was the daughter of "the celebrated Emperor Julian." He was bound by a promise to his deceased wife, never to take a second unless he could find a lady as beautiful as the first. There was but one in the world and that was her daughter. The Emperor procured a dispensation from the pope to permit him to many his own daughter, but the princess refused. They had an argument. She said there were many women quite as beautiful as she. He said, "Yes, there are plenty of pretty women, but not one of them has hands like yours." So she cut off her beautiful hands and presented them to him. He was so angry that he ordered two of his servants to take her to the kingdom of Britain (or Bretagne?) and there kill her. They took her to Britain and said they would spare her life if she would promise not to betray them to her father. To this she agreed and they left her. Presently the king of that country came out to hunt and found this maimed, yet beautiful damsel. He took her home to his wife, and they gave her the care of their infant son. One of the barons fell in love with her and took her by the arm to drag her away with him. As she had no hands to hold the baby with, it fell to the ground and was killed. The baron rushed to the king and told him Olive had dropped the baby and killed it. While the king and queen were weeping over the child, the Virgin Mary restored Olive's hands and guided her to a monastery, but here the devil entered into the priest, and Olive was accused of stealing the chalice from the altar. She was put in a box and thrown into the sea. Two merchants of Castile saw the box from their ship and took it on board. When they saw what a beautiful girl they had rescued from the deep, they brought her to their King Robert. The king at once fell in love with her, and, although his mother objected, he married Olive. The old queen retired to a monastery.
Very soon the King of Navarre invaded Castile and King Robert had to go and give him battle. In his absence Olive had a fine son. Sinibald, the regent, sent off a courier at once with a letter to the king. The messenger had to pass the monastery where the queen mother lived, and took the news to her. She commanded him to stay that night and to come back the same way and bring tidings of her son. While he slept she stole the letter and substituted another, saying that the queen had given birth to a horrible monster and that such a mother ought to be put to death. The good king attributed the misfortune to some sin of his own, and wrote that he was soon coming home victorious, and that meanwhile every care was to be taken of Olive. The courier again stopped at the monastery and the wicked queen gave him some money and a cup of drugged wine, and while he was in a deep sleep she stole the letter and replaced it by one, ordering the young queen and her son to be burned. The regent showed the letter to Olive, but
