Subj : July 10th - SS. Rufina and Secunda, Virgins, Martyrs To : All From : rich Date : Tue Jul 09 2019 08:36:50 From: rich July 10th - SS. Rufina and Secunda, Virgins, Martyrs 257 ? THEY were sisters, and the daughters of one Asterius, a man of a senatorian family in Rome. Their father promised them in marriage, the first to Armentarius, and the 2nd to Verinus, who were then both Christians, but afterwards apostatized from the faith when the storm raised by Valerian and Gallien in 257, fell upon the church. The two virgins resisted their solicitations to imitate their impiety, and fled out of Rome; but were overtaken, brought back, and after other torments condemned by Junius Donatus, prefect of Rome, to lose their heads. They were conducted twelve miles out of Rome, executed in a forest on the Aurelian Way, and buried in the same place. It was then called the Black Forest, Sylva Nigra, but from these martyrs this name was changed into that of Sylva Candida or the White Forest. A chapel was built over their tomb, which Pope Damasus demolished and the church of Sante Rufina e Secunda was built in their honor in Rome. A town rose in the same place, which was called Sylva Candida, and made an episcopal see. But the city being destroyed by barbarians in the 12th century, the bishopric was united by Calixtus II., to that of Porto, and the relics of the saints were translated at the same time, in the year 1120, to the Lateran basilica, where they are kept near the baptistery of Constantine. In art, Saints Rufina and Secunda are represented as two maidens floating in the Tiber River with weights attached to their necks (Roeder). =C2 See their Acts abridged by Tillemont, t. 4, p. 5. Also the remarks of Pinius the Bollandist, t. 3, Julij, p. 28, and Laderchius, Diss. de Basilicis SS. Marcellini et Petri, c. 2, p. 6. Saint Quote: If you do not hope, you will not find what is beyond your hopes. =E2=80=94St. Clement of Alexandria Bible Quotes: And the king answering shall say to them: Amen I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to me.=C2 (Matt 25:40) And he said to them: You are they who justify yourselves before men, but God knoweth your hearts; for that which is high to men, is an abomination before God.=C2 =C2 (Luke 16:15) <><><><> The wedding garment =C2 =C2 What precisely does the parable of the wedding garment mean? C= an it be one of the sacraments? Hardly, for these, as we know, are common to good and bad alike. Take baptism for example. It is true that no one comes to God except through baptism, but not every baptized person comes to him. We cannot take this sacrament as the wedding garment, then, for it is a robe worn not only by good people but also by wicked people. Perhaps, then, it is our altar that is meant, or at least what we receive from it. But we know that many who approach the altar eat and drink to their own damnation. Well, then, maybe it is fasting? The wicked can fast too. What about going to church? Some bad people also go to church. =C2 =C2 Whatever can this wedding garment be, then? For an answer we m= ust go to the apostle, who says: The purpose of our command is to arouse the love that springs from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a genuine faith. There is your wedding garment. It is not love of just any kind. Many people of bad conscience appear to love one another, but you will not find in them the love that springs from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a genuine faith. Only that kind of love is the wedding garment. --Augustine of Hippo --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2 * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4) .