242 ST. THACLEAIMANOTH Cardoso^ bat the BoUandists think her worship uncertain. St. Thacleaimanothy Clara (7). St. Thais, Oct. 8. 4th century. Eepresented with a scroll bearing the words, " Qui plasnuisti me, miserere mei " (Cahier). In a city of Egypt lived a beautiful courtesan^ who caused much jealousy and trouble amongst her ad- mirers. She was converted by Pavuncius, a holy anchorite of the Theban desert. He took her to a nunnery and placed her in a little cell. He fastened up the door with lead, leaving only a very small window, through which the nuns were to give her bread and water. She asked him how she should pray, and he answered, " Thou art not worthy to call upon God with thy defiled lips, nor to lift up thy unclean hands to heaven ; but turn towards the east, and say, 'Lord, Who hast made me, have pity upon me.' " When she had been there three years, Pavuncius remembered her and went to St. Anthony to ask if God would yet forgive Thais. St. Anthony assembled his disciples and bade them watch and pray all that night, to see if God would reveal to either of them the answer to the inquiry of Pavuncius. One of them, named Paul, suddenly saw in the heavens, a bed on which precious garments were being arranged by three virgins with shining faces : their names were Fear of God, Shame for sin, and Love of wisdom. Paul thought this vision came through the merits of St. Anthony only, but a divine voice said,
- It is not for thy master Anthony, but
for Thais the sinner." Pavuncius de- parted with great joy and went and opened the cell. Thai's wished to re- main there, but he said, " Come out, my daughter, for God hath forgiven thee." 8he told him she had put all her sins in a heap before her eyes from the day she entered there, and had watched them gradually melt away. He said, '* Qod hath pardoned thee, not for thy penance but because thou hast had thy sins always before thine eyes." She only lived fifteen days after her release. She is much honoured in the Greek Church. AA.S8. Golden Legend. Mrs. Jameson. St. Thameda, Theemsda. St. Thametis, Thbnnew. St. Thaney, Thknnbw. St. Thannat, Thennew. St. Tharatta, Attracta. St. Tharsilla, Tarsilla or Thba- siLLA, Dec. 24, V. 6th century. Si Gregory the Great (Pope 590-606) had three aunts, sisters of his father, the senator Gordian. They were St. Thar- silla, St. Emiuana (2), and Gordiana who was much younger. They all took a vow of celibacy and lived a secluded religious life in their father's house in Bome. Tharsilla was so constant at her prayers that her knees became hard like those of a camel. A short time before her death, her grandfather St. Felix (Pope 526-530) appeared to her in a vision and showed her a throne prepared for her in heaven. She was seized with fever and soon died. A few days after- wards she appeared to Emiliana and invited her to come and spend Epiphany with her. Emiliana said, ^ In whose care then shall I leave Gbrdiana?" Tharsilla answered, *' Come, for your sister has returned to the world." And indeed, Gbrdiana, who had long been dissatisfied with the self-denying life she led with her sisters, gave up their devout practices, and married her steward. l^.JIf. St. Gregory, DicUogtie iv. 16. Butler. St. Thea (l). (See Meuris.) St Thea (2), Feb. 23, slain with the sword for deriding heathen gods. Bol- landus, from the Menea. St. Thea (3), Feb. 23, July 18, 25, 29, M. perhaps 308, with her brother and sister, Paul and Yalentina. ilJuSS. St. Theba, Phebb, the deaconess. Grseco-Slavonian Calendar. St. Thechild, Theodechild. St. Theckla, Takla. St. Thecla (l), Sept. 24, 1st century. V. called by the Greeks, "the first martyr," and " equal of the Apostles," because of the numbers whom she con- verted. She was the daughter of Theo- cleia, a ladyK)f one of the most important families in Iconium, and was betrothed to a young man, named Thamyris. Theocleia's house adjoined that of Oned- phorus, where St. Paul lodged and where he spoke, and prayed, and taught his
