Page:Lifeofsaintcatha.djvu/244

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of crystal and still preserve it: this liquor is similar to balm in color, but it is without doubt more precious. God designed thereby to show that her pure flesh that distilled the balm of Grace had no need of earthly embalmment. At the moment of her decease which took place during the night, little infants reposing in their cradles cried out to their parents: " Sister Agnes is leaving her body and becoming a Saint in heaven." In the morning, a great number of young girls assembled under an inspiration from God, unwilling to admit any married woman among them; they went processionally and bearing lighted tapers, to the monastery, to offer that pure soul a homage worthy of her merits. God manifested the sanctity of his servant by a multitude of other prodigies; hence all the inhabitants of the country honor her memory every successive year, and offer her through devotion a considerable quantity of wax candles. Catherine to whom I had narrated these circumstances, had the greatest desire to behold and venerate the body of Blessed Agnes; but always obedient, she asked permission of me and of her other Confessor; we granted it and intended following her, to see whether God would not perform some miracle at the approximation of his two chosen Spouses. We arrived after Catherine; she had entered the cloister and approached the body of St. Agnes, with almost all the nuns of the Convent and the Sisters of Penance of St. Dominic who had accompanied her: she knelt at her feet and prostrated to embrace them piously; but the holy body that she intended honoring, unwilling that she should stoop to kiss it, raised its foot, in presence of the whole assembly. At this sight. Catherine much troubled, prostrated profoundly and gradually restored the foot of Agnes to its usual position.