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| Saint Praxides, Pray for us ! |
⛪ Saint of the Day : July 21
⛪ Other Names : Praxedes, Praxidis
⛪ Died :
• 164 in Rome, Italy of natural causes
• Relics in the Saint Praxides Church, Rome
⛪ Patronage : Single laywomen
⛪ Representation :
Woman holding a basin in one hand, branches in the other
She was daughter of Pudens, a Roman senator, and sister to Saint Pudentiana, and in the days of Pope Pius I and the emperor Antoninus Pius, edified the church of Rome by the bright lustre of her virtues. All her great riches she employed in relieving the poor and the necessities of the church. By the comfort and succours which she afforded the martyrs she endeavoured to make herself partaker of their crowns, and she lived in the assiduous exercise of prayer, watching, and fasting. She died in peace and was buried near her sister on the Salarian road. Bede and other martyrologists style her a virgin. An old title or parish church in Rome bearing her name is mentioned in the life of Pope Symmachus. It was repaired by Adrian I and Paschal I and lastly by Saint Charles Borromeo, who took from it his title of cardinal.
The primitive Christians lived only for heaven, and in every step looked up to God, regardless of all lower pursuits or meaner advantages that could interfere with their great design of knowing and loving him. This constant attention to God awed them in their retirements; this gave life and wings to their devotions, and animated them to fervour in all their actions; this carried them through the greatest difficulties and temptations, and supported them under all troubles and afflictions.
Source : Lives of the Saints, by Father Alban Butler