Séptimo Idus Mártii. Luna.

Séptimo Idus Mártii. Luna. The Ninth Day of March. The Night of the Moon.

Romæ sanctæ Francíscæ Víduæ, nobilitáte géneris, vitæ sanctitáte et miraculórum dono célebris. At Rome, St. Frances, widow, renowned for her noble family, holy life, and the gift of miracles. Apud Sebásten, in Arménia, natális sanctórum Quadragínta mílitum Cappadócum, qui, témpore Licínii Imperatóris, sub Præside Agricoláo, post víncula et cárceres tetérrimos, post cæsas lapídibus fácies, nudi sub dio, frigidíssimo híemis témpore, supra stagnum rigens pernoctáre jussi sunt, ubi gelu constrícta eórum córpora disrumpebántur, ac demum crurifrágio martyrium consummárunt. Erant autem inter eos nobilióres Cyrion et Cándidus; eorúmque ómnium præcláras glórias sanctus Basilíus aliíque Patres scriptis suis celebrárunt. Ipsórum porro Mártyrum festívitas sequénti die recólitur. At Sebaste in Armenia, under the governor Agricolaus, in the time of Emperor Licinius, the birthday of forty holy soldiers of Cappadocia. After being chained down in foul dungeons, after having their faces bruised with stones, and being condemned to spend the night naked, in the open during the coldest part of winter, on a frozen lake where their bodies were benumbed and covered with ice, they completed their martyrdom by having their limbs crushed. The most noteworthy among them were Cyrion and Candidus. Their glorious triumph has been celebrated by St. Basil and other Fathers in their writings. Their feast is kept on the following day. Nyssæ deposítio sancti Gregórii Epíscopi, qui sanctórum Basilíi et Emméliæ fílius, et sanctórum item Basilíi Magni ac Petri Sebasténsis Episcopórum et Macrínæ Vírginis frater éxstitit; atque, vita et eruditióne claríssimus, ob fídei cathólicæ defensiónem, sub Ariáno Imperatóre Valénte, civitáte sua pulsus est. At Nyssa, the death of St. Gregory, the son of Saints Basil and Emmelia, and the brother of Saints Basil the Great, bishop, and Peter, bishop of Sebaste, and Macrina, virgin. His life and his great learning brought him fame. He was driven from his own city for having defended the Catholic faith during the reign of the Arian emperor Valens. Barcinóne, in Hispánia, sancti Paciáni Epíscopi, tam vita quam sermóne conspícui; qui, témpore Theodósii Príncipis, in última senectúte finem vitæ sortítus est. At Barcelona in Spain, Bishop St. Pacian, distinguished by his life and preaching. He ended his career in extreme old age, in the time of Emperor Theodosius. Bonóniæ sanctæ Catharínæ Vírginis, e secúndo Ordine sancti Francísci, quæ vitæ sanctitáte fuit illústris. Ipsíus autem corpus magno cum honóre ibídem cólitur. At Bologna, St. Catherine, virgin, of the Second Order of St. Francis, illustrious for the holiness of her life. Her body is greatly honoured in that city.

Et álibi aliórum plurimórum sanctórum Mártyrum et Confessórum, atque sanctárum Vírginum. And elsewhere in divers places, many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins. R. Deo grátias. R. Thanks be to God.

Butler’s Lives of the Saints:

March IX.
		St. Frances, Widow, Foundress of the Collatines
		St. Gregory of Nyssa, Bishop and Confessor
		Appendix on the Writings of St. Gregory of Nyssa
		St. Pacian, Bishop of Barcelona, Confessor
		Appendix on the Writings of St. Pacian of Barcelona
		St. Catherine, of Bologna, Virgin and Abbess of the Poor Clares in That City