Febronia

The lives of the saints · 6 · S. FEBRONIA, V.M.

S. FEBRONIA, V.M.

(ABOUT A.D. 304.)

[Modern Roman Martyrology and later Latin Martyrologists. Greek Menoea and Menology on 15th or 24th June. On the latter day also the Coptic and Abyssinian Hagiologies. Authority : — An account of the Life and Passion of Febronia by a nun of the same convent, and an eye-witness of her martyrdom, named Thomais. The account is so fresh and full of natural touches, so circumstantial, that its authenticity can hardly be doubted. The only reason for hesitation in accepting it, is that in the reign of Diocletian we should not have expected monastic life to have been as fully developed as it is here represented. However, there are othei indications of such having been the case from an early period, and as the Church had enjoyed peace for some time, it is by no means improbable that such institutions were flourishing in the East, when the persecution «' Diocletian broke out.]

Of all the histories of virgin martyrdom, there is scarcely one more touching and beautiful than that of Febronia, as

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344 Lives of the Saints. [>>« «•

there is none described more fully than hers by a friend and witness of the sufferings.

During the persecution of Diocletian, there was at Sibapte in Syria, a convent of fifty virgins. One of them, Febronia, aged eighteen, was a niece of the abbess, Bryene. She was wondrously fair of face and graceful of form, and the old sisters seem to have regarded her with a reverential awe on account of her marvellous loveliness of body and purity of soul. Nourished from infancy among the sisters, reading the Holy Scriptures, fasting, praying, chanting psalms with them, Febronia became full of heavenly thoughts, and her understanding in divine things was much wondered at Women of the world came to hear her interpret Scripture in the convent; but so as not to distract the thoughts of her charge and expose her to the vulgar gaze, Bryene drew a curtain between her and the ladies who visited her, so that they never saw her face. And one day there came a young heathen woman, in the first grief at the loss of her husband, to whom she had been married seven months. She had found no consolation in the religion of her parents, and falling at the feet of Bryene, besought her to suffer her to see and converse with Febronia, that perhaps she might from her lips hear words which would be balm to her wounded spirit The abbess hesitated, but moved at last by the tears of the young woman, she consented, and admitted her to the presence of the young nun. They passed the night in reading the Gospel and conferring upon Christian doctrine. Embracing each other, they wept together, and the widow left the convent converted to the faith of Christianity. " Who then," asked Febronia, " was that travelling nun, who wept as if she had never heard the holy Scriptures explained before?"

' ' It was Hieria," answered the nun Thomais. " Hieria the widow of a senator."

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The Lives Of The Saints: Volume 06, June · S. Febronia

S. Febronia

343

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his young and beautiful captive, but when she announced to him that she was a Christian, and a virgin dedicated to Christ, his sentiments were changed to awe-struck and re- verend devotion. He erected for her a tent in which she could live alone and unseen, served by maidens of his tribe. He consulted her as a prophetess, regarding her as the ancient Goths and Germans did their female priestesses. When he went to battle, he asked her prayers and her benediction. Thus passed twenty years, in which she was reverenced as the oracle of the tribe. At the end of that time Luceja desired to return to Rome. She asked per mission to depart, it was regretfully accorded, and the king accompanied her to Rome, forgetful of his wife and family, and resolved to be guided by Luceja, even to death. Im- mediately on their arrival in Rome, they were arrested by order of ^Emilius, the prefect of the city, and were decap- itated.

Biographical overview

Febronia is a female given name. It may refer to Saint Febronia of Nisibis Saint Febronia of Syria Saint Fevronia of Murom a character in the Xenosaga series

Martyrologium Romanum · Latin witness

Sibapoli, in Mesopotamia, sanctae Febroniae, Virginis et Martyris; quae, in persecutione Diocletiani, sub Sileno Judice, ob fidem et pudicitiam servandam, primo virgis caesa et equuleo torta, deinde pectinibus laniata atque igne succensa, demum, excussis dentibus ac mammis pedibusque abscissis, capitis damnata, tot passionum ornata monilibus migravit ad Sponsum.

The lives of the saints · 6 · S. FEBRONIA, V.M.

(ABOUT A.D. 304.)

[Modern Roman Martyrology and later Latin Martyrologists. Greek Menoea and Menology on 15th or 24th June. On the latter day also the Coptic and Abyssinian Hagiologies. Authority : — An account of the Life and Passion of Febronia by a nun of the same convent, and an eye-witness of her martyrdom, named Thomais. The account is so fresh and full of natural touches, so circumstantial, that its authenticity can hardly be doubted. The only reason for hesitation in accepting it, is that in the reign of Diocletian we should not have expected monastic life to have been as fully developed as it is here represented. However, there are othei indications of such having been the case from an early period, and as the Church had enjoyed peace for some time, it is by no means improbable that such institutions were flourishing in the East, when the persecution «' Diocletian broke out.]

Of all the histories of virgin martyrdom, there is scarcely one more touching and beautiful than that of Febronia, as

*-

*

*- *

344 Lives of the Saints. [>>« «•

there is none described more fully than hers by a friend and witness of the sufferings.

During the persecution of Diocletian, there was at Sibapte in Syria, a convent of fifty virgins. One of them, Febronia, aged eighteen, was a niece of the abbess, Bryene. She was wondrously fair of face and graceful of form, and the old sisters seem to have regarded her with a reverential awe on account of her marvellous loveliness of body and purity of soul. Nourished from infancy among the sisters, reading the Holy Scriptures, fasting, praying, chanting psalms with them, Febronia became full of heavenly thoughts, and her understanding in divine things was much wondered at Women of the world came to hear her interpret Scripture in the convent; but so as not to distract the thoughts of her charge and expose her to the vulgar gaze, Bryene drew a curtain between her and the ladies who visited her, so that they never saw her face. And one day there came a young heathen woman, in the first grief at the loss of her husband, to whom she had been married seven months. She had found no consolation in the religion of her parents, and falling at the feet of Bryene, besought her to suffer her to see and converse with Febronia, that perhaps she might from her lips hear words which would be balm to her wounded spirit The abbess hesitated, but moved at last by the tears of the young woman, she consented, and admitted her to the presence of the young nun. They passed the night in reading the Gospel and conferring upon Christian doctrine. Embracing each other, they wept together, and the widow left the convent converted to the faith of Christianity. " Who then," asked Febronia, " was that travelling nun, who wept as if she had never heard the holy Scriptures explained before?"

' ' It was Hieria," answered the nun Thomais. " Hieria the widow of a senator."

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The Lives Of The Saints: Volume 06, June · S. Febronia

343

*

his young and beautiful captive, but when she announced to him that she was a Christian, and a virgin dedicated to Christ, his sentiments were changed to awe-struck and re- verend devotion. He erected for her a tent in which she could live alone and unseen, served by maidens of his tribe. He consulted her as a prophetess, regarding her as the ancient Goths and Germans did their female priestesses. When he went to battle, he asked her prayers and her benediction. Thus passed twenty years, in which she was reverenced as the oracle of the tribe. At the end of that time Luceja desired to return to Rome. She asked per mission to depart, it was regretfully accorded, and the king accompanied her to Rome, forgetful of his wife and family, and resolved to be guided by Luceja, even to death. Im- mediately on their arrival in Rome, they were arrested by order of ^Emilius, the prefect of the city, and were decap- itated.