ST. SERENA 221 immemorial by Pope Benedict XIV. A.B.M. Bomano Seraphicumj Sept. 9. AA.SS.y Sept 8. Franciscan Breviary, PariB, 1760. SS. Serapia, Y. and Sabina (l) or Savina, Ang. 29, Sept. 3, MM., Serapia in 125, Sabina, 126. Sabina is patron of Bome. Serapia is represented with torches and sconrges in her hand or near her. She was a native of Antioch in Syria, and was brought very yonng to Italy, apparently as a slave. In the time of the persecution nnder the Em- peror Adrian, she was living in a little town in Umbria, with a Boman widow of high rank, named Sabina, whom she had converted to Christianity, and who had, besides Serapia, several Christian maidens in her house. Beryllns, governor of the province, hearing that they were all Christians, requested Sabina to send him all the girls she had in her house. She excused herself and forbade any of them to go out. Serapia, however, offered to go to him, hoping thus to appease him and not bring down his wrath on them all. Sabina understanding better than Serapia the dangers to which she would be exposed, tried to dissuade her, but finding her bent on going, she ordered her litter and went with her. Beryllus heard that Sabina was at the door, and having more respect for her rank than for the virtue of her maids, he went out to meet her and remonstrated with her for taking so much trouble about a miserable sorceress, for so he called Serapia. After some argument, Sabina was allowed to take Serapia home again ; but three days afterwaids, Beryl- lus sent lictors to bring Serapia to the Court to be publicly tried. Sabina fol- lowed her on foot, and said all she could to Beryllus to persuade him not to do any harm to her protegSe. As she could obtain nothing, she went home in tears. Beryllus having examined Se- rapia as to her worship and belief, and finding that the Christians attached great importance to purity of life, gave her into the power of two wicked Egyptians, but they could not even look at her, for when she prayed to be pro- tected from them, they were struck blind and when they attempted to approach her, they fell down helpless. Next day Beryllus condemned her to sundry tortures and ordered her to be beaten ; a splinter of one of the sticks flew into his eye and blinded him. She was then beheaded. Sabina buried her in a handsome tomb, which she had prepared for herself. In consideration of her position, she was left without further molestation until the following year, when Elpidins was deputed by Beryllus to get rid of her. He brought her to triid and on her steadfast refusal to sacrifice to the gods, had her beheaded. The bodies of the two martyrs were afterwards removed to Bome, which has given occasion to some collectors of Lives of the martyrs to say that they lived and died at Bome. Some of the most interesting of all the ancient churches in Bome are on the Aventine; one of them is St. Sabina's. It existed in 423 and is said to be on the site of her house; it was given to St Dominic in the twelfth century, with a part of the adjoining Savelli palace for a cloister. Although much spoilt by restoration, it is still beauttful; the altar-piece by Zucchero represents Sa- bina being dragged up the marble steps of a temple, by an executioner, with a drawn sword in his hand. B.M. AAJ38. Butler. Baillet Ca- hier. Mrs. Jameson. Hemans. St. Seraute, Sioildis. St Sereine, Sbrbma. St Seremione, Hermionb. St Serena (l). May 8, M. at Byzan- tium, with St. Acacius. AA.SS. {See Agatha (2).) St Serena (2), Feb. 21, M. AA.SS. St Serena (3), Aug. 16, + 208. Wife of the Emperor Diocletian. She secretly favoured the Christians and encouraged her friend Susanna (8) in refusing the marriage proposed for her by the emperor. After her martyrdom, Serena buried her in the catacombs near St. Alexander. Serena and her daughter Artemia (1), were converted by St. Cyriacus. Serena grieved and fretted about her husband's persecution of the Christians, to such an extent, that she fell ill of fever and died. Her story is not true. Diodetian
