Sister of the martyrs Simplicius and Faustinus, Beatrice was strangled in prison around 303 by order of the greedy Lucretius who coveted her property. After burying her brothers, she suffered martyrdom before her persecutor was struck by divine justice. Her relics rest at Saint Mary Major in Rome.
Guided reading
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SAINT SIMPLICIUS, SAINT FAUSTINUS AND SAINT BEATRICE, THEIR SISTER, MARTYRS IN ROME.
JULY 29.
Martyrdom and first burial
Saint Beatrice was imprisoned for her faith and then strangled by order of Lucretius. She was buried by Saint Lucina near her brothers on the road to Porto.
gods of wood and stone. Upon this confession, she was led to prison; and the following night, tha t infamous miser cet infâme avare A greedy man responsible for the death of Beatrix in order to seize her property. had her strangled. Saint Lucina Sainte Lucine A Roman noblewoman who supported martyrs and provided for their burial. , her dear mistress, buried her body near those of her two brothers, on the side of the great road to Porto, in the cemetery called ad Ursum Pileatum. This happened around the year 303. Since th en, Pope Leo pape Léon II Pope who ordained Sergius as a priest. II had a church built in Rome in honor of these Mar tyrs Rome Birthplace of Maximian. , where he had their bodies brought; they are today in that of Saint Mary Major.
The punishment of Lucretius
After seizing the saint's property, the miser Lucretius is confounded by the prophecy of an infant and dies possessed by the demon.
Divine justice soon made it appear that it is a rod that has eyes, and which watches for the vengeance of the just and for the punishment of the wicked, as it is said in Jeremiah. Lucre tius, a Lucrèce A greedy man responsible for the death of Beatrix in order to seize her property. fter the death of Beatrix, took possession of her inheritance which he had confiscated, and, on the very day of this criminal invasion, he gave a great feast for his friends, where he showed extraordinary joy and even often mocked the Saint whom he had caused to die and whose pursuit he did not fear. But, while he was mocking and blaspheming against the Christian religion, an infant in swaddling clothes, who was in his mother's arms, cried out, in the company, in a clear and intelligent voice: "You have killed, Lucretius, and stolen her goods, but you are going to be punished." Indeed, this wretch having remained completely stunned by this threat, the demon seized his body at that very hour, and, after making him suffer horrible torments for three hours, he strangled him to carry his soul into hell. This terrible punishment should serve as an example to show us that there is a reward for virtue and a punishment for crime; that God finally uncovers the deceits of the wicked, and that, if he sometimes seems to leave the impious without punishment, it is only a temporal delay which serves only for their greater condemnation, if they do not take advantage of it to do penance.
Translation of relics
Pope Leo II transferred the bodies of the martyrs to a church in Rome; relics are also reported in France, notably in Amiens.
There are relics of Saint Beatrice with the Religious of Louvencourt in Amie ns, an Amiens Episcopal see of Geoffrey. d at the convent of Davenescourt.
Artistic representations
The saint is traditionally depicted watching over the burial of her brothers or carrying a rope, a symbol of her own martyrdom.
Saint Beatrice is depicted f sainte Béatrix Roman martyr of the 4th century, strangled for her faith. inding the two corpses of her brothers and caring for their burial; sometimes with a rope, to indicate that she was strangled in prison.
Cf. Acta Sanctorum Acta Sanctorum Monumental hagiographic collection by the Bollandists. .
Annexes & related entities
Structured data for exploration: events, miracles, quotes, places, attributes, patronages, and important entities cited in the text.
Key Events
- Confession of faith before the idols
- Imprisonment in Rome
- Died by strangulation on the orders of Lucretia
- Burial by Saint Lucina
- Translation of relics by Pope Leo II
Miracles
- Miraculous speech of an infant in swaddling clothes denouncing the crime of Lucretia
- Immediate divine punishment of Lucrezia by the demon
Quotes
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You have killed, Lucretia, and stolen her goods, but you will be punished
A child in the swaddling clothes