|
ST. URSULA
PATRONESS OF THE URSULINES
Saint Ursula is a Virgin Martyr known
as the "Patroness of Professors and Pupils". She was a
Martyr of the early Church. She consecrated herself to God and led
other maidens to Him. When Saint Angela Merici founded her Company
of Saint Ursula, she had in mind to restore devotion to Saint
Ursula. Rev. John Lambertz also gave to the Ursulines of Tildonk the
Constitutions of the Ursuline Order of Bordeaux (France).
Authenticity of the Legend
The legend of Saint Ursula, though is
the product of popular imagination, does contain a kernel of truth.
Some eminent archeologists and historians working on a stone bearing a
Latin inscription, probably cut during the second half of the fourth or
early in the fifth century of the Christian Era declared it to be
authentic. They are satisfied that some Virgins as far back as the
3rd century were martyred at Cologne (Germany) and offered their radiant
witness to Christ.
Cologne Legend of Saint Ursula
According to legend Ursula was the
daughter of a Christian King of Great Britain in the fourth century.
Her father was King Donaatus or Maurus. Her mother's name was Daria.
Ursula was as remarkable by her beauty as by her virtues. She was
asked in marriage by a pagan prince of Brittany (France). She,
desiring to remain a virgin had vowed her heart and all her affections to
Jesus Christ. She besought her parents not to force her to break the
vow she had made. In prayers and tears she awaited their
decision. The probability of her refusal jeopardizing the safety of
her people, the heavenly vision reassured her to accept the proposal, for
God would turn all to good. Ursula submitted with the provision of
three years' delay, which time she spent on ship-board, sailing about the
seas with her ten noble ladies-in-waiting, each of whom, and Ursula had a
thousand companions and they were accommodated in eleven vessels.
At
the end of the period of grace, contrary winds drove them into the mouth
of the Rhine. They sailed upto Cologne and then to Basle where they
disembarked and went over the Alps to visit the tombs of the apostles at
Rome. Her second vision was with the promise of martyrdom for
herself and all her companions and on their pilgrimage to Rome, there Pope
Cyriacus and a number of Bishops, noticing the zeal of the Virgins and
their desire for martyrdom, eagerly added themselves to the immense
procession. They returned by the same way to Cologne, where they
were way-laid and massacred for their Christianity and virginity by the
heathen Huns, Ursula having refused to marry their chief. The
companions saw their princess-leader reject with a scorn the proposal of
the Hunnish chief and by her serenity in the face of martyrdom, they were
encouraged to suffer it with equal fortitude. Their martyrdom took
place about 383. Then the barbarians were dispersed by the angels,
the citizens buried the martyrs, and a Church was built in their honour by
Clematius.
Gaulish version of the Legend
Another parallel story, of Gaulish
Origin, interesting to Englishmen but no less fanciful, is given in a
later version by Geoffrey of Monmouth. In this version, the Roman
Senator Maximian - Magnus Celemens Maximus, "Maxen Wledig" -
having conquered Armorica (Brittany), set up a province there, under a
prince called Conan Meriadec (Cynan Meiriadog). Conan appealed to
the king of Cornwall, curiously named Dionotus, to send out women as wives
for his settlers. Dionotus responded very handsomely by dispatching
his own daughter Ursula, with 11,000 maidens of noble bith and 60,000
young women of meaner sort. Ursula was very beautiful and was
intended to be married to Conan (Cynan) himself. But on its voyage
to Brittany (France), the fleet was scattered and blown north by a storm,
the maidens were cast away among strange islands and barbarous people and
suffered servitude and martyrdom at the hands of the Huns and the Picts.
Martyrdom, an inspiration for
the Ursulines Saint
Angela claimed for her daughters the patronage of Saint Ursula, who vowed
a life of perfect purity to God and preserved it to the cost of her
blood. The Ursulines remains faithful as "Living as Spouses of
the Lord" in the train of their Patroness Ursula, Virgin and
Martyr. They have been persecuted in almost every country where they
were established. The first
persecution against Ursulines seems to have taken place in the 18th
century, in France. The Ursulines of France carried on their intense
and silent apostolate in more than three hundred monasteries till the
Revolution broke out in 1789. Many Ursulines died for the sake of
Christ. Most of the communities were dispersed; their convents were
closed down; their possessions confiscated as State property. Not
all were called to shed their blood for the Faith, but very many suffered
imprisonment and miserable hardships. Others when turned out of
their convent homes did what they could to bring the "Word of
God" to the faithful when and where some priest would say Mass.
They were ingenious in procuring bread and wine for the Holy
Sacrifice. In this way, they helped faithful priests to minister to
those in need. Many, although in fetters and facing death, confessed
Jesus Christ. Some were guillotined for having secretly taught
religion. They were to take the oath to the civil constitution, but
their reply was the same: "Death rather than the violation of our
Sacred obligations". These were followed by others - In Germany
those of Bismarck and later of Hitler; in France those of Combes and in
Mexico. This continues to the present day. |
|
