Blessed Emiliana of Florence

She held a principle entirely in conformity with the spirit of Christianity: that fasting should not consist only of depriving oneself on certain days of a portion of one's ordinary food, but also of all useless words; and that this kind of fasting, the fasting of the tongue, was as pleasing to God as that of the stomach. During the forty days of Lent and throughout the time of Advent, as well as three days a week during ordinary times, she observed absolute silence. Every Saturday, she went to receive Holy Communion. She had given orders to the woman who accompanied her to the church not to speak to her on the way that day: "For," she had told her, "God is everywhere; and where He finds a heart that opens to Him, He is ready to communicate Himself. I pray you, therefore, not to disturb by your words the presence of God in my soul. It has happened to me sometimes to find God in the tumultuous streets of Florence, just as well as in the silence of rues tumultueuses de Florence City where Julie served as a maid. my room. Moreover, the profound respect that we owe to the Lord already imposes upon us the obligation to await Him in silence."

God was sometimes pleased to grant her extraordinary revelations. Emiliana had a vivid desire to see the Child Jesus, as He m l'Enfant Jésus Central figure of Émilienne's mystical vision. ust have been at the age of three or four. She had often asked the Lord Jesus for this grace, but with a certain restraint, not believing herself worthy of such a favor. While fear held her back, "love, stronger than death," as the Scripture says, urged her to ask incessantly for this signal favor. One day, while visiting a sick young boy, Emiliana said to him: "My son, do you not think of the pains that the Lord endured for you?" — "Alas!" the child replied, "I think of my sufferings much more than those of the Savior." — "Will you give me your illness?" Emiliana asked him. — "So be it! Take it entirely, and see that I am delivered from it." — "However, if this illness is to contribute to your salvation, I pray God to leave it with you; otherwise, I pray Him to give it to me." — "Oh! I do not want you to have it entirely; take only a part of it, for example, the stitch in my side, which makes me suffer so much..." — "So be it!" said Emiliana. And, after giving this answer, she returned to her house. Suddenly, the child was delivered from the stitch in his side, and Emiliana felt a pain so violent that she could not remain at rest for a single instant. The next day, the ailment having ceased a little, she returned to the child and said to him: "Will you give me your other sufferings as well?" The child having hastened to consent, Emiliana said again: "So be it!" Scarcely had she left him when the child was completely healed, and Emiliana had the entire illness, which was then called the flying fire.

Now, one day when Emilienne was in her bed, alone in her room, gravely ill, she saw a child of about four years old, admirabl un enfant d'environ quatre ans Central figure of Émilienne's mystical vision. y beautiful, who was playing in front of her bed. Emilienne, thinking it was an angel, said to him: 'My dear child, do you not have anything else to do than to play?' The child replied with a smile: 'What would you have me do?' Emilienne replied timidly: 'If you would be so kind as to speak to me of the good God...' The child answered: 'In speaking of God, one can only say good things; now, it is not fitting to speak well of oneself.' After having spoken thus, the child disappeared and Emilienne rose perfectly healed.

She died at the age of twenty-seven, on May 19, 1246, on a Saturday morning, at the hour when she was accustomed to receive Holy Communion. After her death, she appeared to one of her friends, named Gisèle Friend of Émilienne to whom she appears after her death. Gisela, and revealed to her that she had only passed through purgatory, without any suffering, like an innocent child. It can be said likewise that she had only passed through the earth, like the angels, without attaching herself to anything; so interior and holy had her life been.

She is honored on the 23rd of the same m Innocent XI Pope who authorized the office of Saint Hedwig on October 17. onth since Innocent XI permitted her cult.

XX DAY OF MAY

At Aquila, in Further Abruzzo, Saint BE RNARDINE OF SIENA, of the saint BERNARDIN DE SIENNE Franciscan saint whose canonization drew Didacus to Rome. Order of Friars Minor, who enlightened Italy by his word and his holiness. 1444. — At Rome, on t Rome Birthplace of Maximian. he Salarian Way, the birth into heaven of Saint BASILLA, virgin, who was of royal race, and who, having refused to marry a man of very high rank to whom she was betrothed, was accused by him of being a Christian; whereupon, the Emperor Gallienus ordered that she should marry him or perish by the sword; warned of this decision, she replied that she had for a spouse the King of kings, and immediately they ran a sword through her body. 253-268. — At Nîmes, in the Gauls, Saint BAUDILE, martyr, who, having been arrested, refused to sacrifice, persevered constantly in the faith of Christ, despite whips and torments, and by a precious death, acquired the palm of martyrdom. — At Edessa, in Syria, the holy martyrs Thalalaeus, Asterius, Alexander, and their companions, who suffered under the Emperor Numerian. 284. — In the Thebaid, Saint Aquilas, martyr, who was torn with iron combs for Jesus Christ. — At Bourges, in France, Saint AUSTRÉGISILE, com monly OUTRILLE, bi saint AUSTRÉGISILE Bishop of Bourges in the 7th century, former courtier of King Guntram. shop and confessor. 624. — At Brescia, Saint Anastasius, bishop. Circa 610. — At Pavia, Saint Theodore, bishop. 778. — At Rome, Saint Plautilla, a consular woman, mother of the blessed Flavia Domitilla; having been baptized by the Apostle Saint Peter, she shone with the brilliance of all virtues, and died in peace. 1st c.