⛪ Saint of the Day : 02 December
St. Bibiana was a
native of Rome. Flavian, her father, was apprehended, burned in the face with a
hot iron, and banished to Acquapendente, where he died of his wounds a few days
after ; and her mother, Dafrosa, was some time after beheaded. Bibiana and her
sister Demetria, after the death of their parents, were stripped of all they had
in the world and suffered much from poverty. Apronianus, Governor of Rome,
summoned them to appear before him. Demetria, having made confession of her faith,
fell down and expired at the foot of the tribunal, in the presence of the
judge. Apronianus gave orders that Bibiana should be put into the hands of a
wicked woman named Rufina, who was to bring lier to another way of thinking ;
but Bibiana, making prayer her shield, remained invincible. Apronianus, enraged
at the courage and perseverance of a tender virgin, ordered her to be tied to a pillar
and whipped with scourges loaded with leaden plummet still she expired. The
Saint underwent this punishment cheerfully, and died in the hands of the
executioners.
⛪ Reflection —Pray for a fidelity and patience like Bibiana's under
all trials, that neither convenience nor any worldly advantage may ever prevail
upon you to transgress your duty.
⛪ Patronage :
against epilepsy, against hangovers, against headaches, against insanity, against mental illness, epileptics, mentally ill people, single laywomen, torture victims
Source : Pictorial Lives of Saints