140 ST. PELAGIA The Mariyrohgy of Salisbury gives the story with a little difference —
- St. Denis, bishop, disciple of St.
Thomas the apostle, was converted with St. Pelagia, his spouse, that was the kynges doughter, whome the apostle consecrated a virgin, and made her an abbesse, whiche after the deth of her sayd spouse was desyred vnto maryage of a noble man, vnto whome bycanse she wolde not consent, she was heded and buryed in the same sepulchre with her spouse." St. Pelaeia (2), Oct. 19, V. M. at Antioch in Syria, with Beronicus and forty-nine others. 1 st, 2nd or 3rd cen- tury. Sometimes confounded with others of the same name. B.M. AA.SS, St. Pelagia (3), July 29, M. AA.SS, SS. Pelagia (4) and Benedicta, Oct. 8, VV. MM. 282, under Cams at Lyons. Commemorated in Adam King's Calendar. They are probably St. Bene- dicta of Origny and one of her com- panions, or else this St. Pelagia is the actress and penitent, commemorated this day in the Eoman Martyrology. The place of Benedicta's martyrdom is not Lyons, but Lavn : the mistake is often made. Lugdunum has three equivalents. St. Pelagia (5), July ll. May 15, M. Tortured for four days with St. Januarius, at Nicopolis in Armenia. They died under the tortures, and are commemorated together. E.M. AA.SS. St. Pelagia (6), Jime 9, V. M. at Antioch, about 311 or 312, or possibly 283. A girl of fifteen. The magistrate, encouraged by the wicked example of Maximinus Daia, sent soldiers to fetch her. They came when there was no one in the house who could oppose them. She went a little way with them and then said, " Let me go back and dress." She wont to the top of the house and threw herself down and was killed. The Menology of the Emperor Basil says that on the housetop she prayed that she might not fall into the hands of these wicked men, and that so praying, she died. The magistrate resolved to be revenged on her mother and sisters, who had already fled from the town. He sent in pursuit. Finding themselves nearly overtaken and their flight barred by a river, they joined hands and plunged into the water and were drowned. SL Ambrose mentions this, but Baillet thinks he confounds their story with that of St. Domnina (3) and her daughters Berenice and Prosdoce. There are several examples among the early Chris- tian women of suicide to avoid outrage, but the Church only honours as martyrs those who are believed to have rushed to their death by a special inspiration of God, among them Pelagia. Butler thinks that Pelagia perhaps hoped to escape by throwing herself from the roof. She is highly praised by St. Chrysostom and St. Ambrose. .BJtf. AA,SS. Menology of Basil, Butler. Baillet. St. Pelagia (7), May 4, Oct 7, M. A native of Tarsus, in the time of Dio- cletian, and destined to marry his son. She heard of Christianity and wondered what it was and dreamed about it. At this time Clinus, the bishop, was bap- tizing many of the Greeks. She received his instructions secretly and one day begged her mother to let her go out with her nurse, and went to the bishop and was baptized. She gave him, for the poor, the robes in which she was dressed, and returned to her mother in the poorest and shabbiest costume. The mother, in great indignation and distress, went and complained to her intended son-in-law that Pelagia had gone over to the Christians. He was so shocked that he killed himself. His enraged father had Pekgia baked alive in a brazen bull. B,M,j May 4. Menology of Basil, Oct. 7. AA.SS. St. Pelagia (8), Mar. 23 and April 13, M. 361 or 302, with Theodosia (5), Aquila and Eparchius. Worshipped in the Greek Church. Claimed without authority by the Spanish and Portuguese hagiologists. Supposed companions of the martyrdom of St. Domitius, a native of Phrygia, who was put to death under the Emperor Julian. B,M. AA.SS. St. Pelagia (9), the actress, Oct. 8, 5th century, sumamed in her own time, Margaret, and called in the calendars, Pelagia Mtma and Pelagia Meretrix, to distinguish her from other saints of
