October 5 — Saint Placid and Sls Companions

on, to lay down in his rule this prescription: ' In all places whatsoever, let not age be taken into aooount as regardeth order, neither let it be to the prejudice of anyone ; for Samuel and Daniel, while yet children, were judges over the elders.' 1

The following lessons, taken from the monastio breviary, will complete the account of Plaoid's life, and relate the manner of his death. In 1588, the discovery of the martyrs' relics at Messina confirmed the truth of their Acts. On this occasion, Pope Sixtus V extended the celebration of their feast, under the rite of a simple, to the universal Church.

Placidus Romanus, Tertullo patre, ex nobilissima Aniciorum familia natus, puer Deo oblatus, et sancto Benedicto traditus, tanta morum integritate, et monastic® vitae institutis prof ecit, ut inter prsecipuos ejus discipulos numeraretur. In solitudine Sublacensi eidem sancto Benedicto fontem divinitus impetrandi adf uit. Adolescentulus ad hauriendam aquam egressus, et in lacum prolapsus, ejusdem sancti patris imperio per Maurum monachum super aquas sicco pede currentem salvus mirabiliter extractus f uit. In Cassinum montem cum ilio deinde veniens, annum agens alterum et vigesimum mittitur in Siciliam, ut bona, et possessiones, quas pater ipsius monasterio Cassinensi donaverat, ab

Placid, a Roman by birth and son of Tertullus, belonged to the noble family of the Anicii. Offered to God while still a child, he was entrusted to St. Benedict, and made such progress in sanctity and in the monastic life, as to become one of his principal disciples. He was present when the holy father obtained from God by prayer a fountain of water in the solitude of Subiaco. While still a boy, being sent one day to draw water, he fell into the lake, but was miraculously saved by the monk Maurus, who at the command of the holy father ran dry-shod over the water. Later on he accompanied St. Benedict to Monte Cassino. At the age of twenty-one, he was sent into Sicily, to defend, against certain covetous persons, the goods and lands

1 S. Benedict. Meg. cap. lxiii.

TtMB AFTER PBtfTECOST improba quorumdam cupiditate defenderet. Quo in itinera cum plurima, maximaque miracula fecisset, sanctitatis fama percelebris Measanam venit, constructoque non longe a portu in paterna possessione coenobio, monachis triginta congregatis, monasticam disciplinam primus ea in insula propagavit.

Nihil eo placidius, nihil humilius erat : prudentia, gravitate, misericordia, animique perpetua tranquillitate superabat omnes. In divinarum rerum contemplatione saepissime pernoctabat, paululum sedens cum eum necessarius somnus oppressisset. Silentii precipua cura: ubi autem loquendum esset, sermo omnis ad mundi despicientiam, Christique imitationem accommodatus. Jejunium vero ita coluit, ut came, omnique opere lactario, totis annis abstineret; per Quadragesimam autem tertia, quintaque feria, et Dominica pane dumtaxat, frigidaque aqua contentus, cseteros dies sine ullo cibo traduceret. Yinum bibit numquam, cilicium perpetuo gestavit. Tot autem, tantisque Placidus miraculis coruscabat, ut non solum ex vicinis locis, sed ex Etruria et Africa aegroti ad eum Banitatis causa confluerent; quamquam is ab insigni which his father had given to Monte Cassino. On the way he performed so many great miracles, that he arrived at Messina with a reputation for sanctity. He built a monastery on his paternal estate, not far from the harbour, and gathered together thirty monks ; being thus the first to introduce the monastic life into the island.

Nothing could be more placid or more humble than his behaviour ; while he surpassed everyone in prudence, gravity, kindness, and unruffled tranquillity of mind. He often spent whole nights in the contemplation of heavenly things, only sitting down for a short time when overpowered by the necessity of sleep. He was most zealous in observing silence ; and when it was necessary to speak, the subjects of his conversation were the contempt of the world and the imitation of Christ. His fasts were most severe, and he abstained all the year round from flesh and every kind of milk-meat. In Lent he took only bread and water on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays ; the rest of the week he passed without any food. He never drank wine, and always wore a hairshirt. So numerous and so remarkable were the miracles he worked, that the sick came to him in crowds to be cured, not only quadam animi humilitate, miraculis qu» f aceret omnibus, sancti Benedicti nomen, meritaque praetendere solitus erat.

Cum igitur sanctitatis exemplo et miraculorum magnitudine rem christianam augeret, quinto anno postquam in Siciliam venit, subita Sarracenorum irruptione cum Eutychio et Victorino fratribus, Flaviaque sorore virgine (qui forte per eos dies ad fratrem visendum Roma eo usque contenderant), nec non Donato, Fausto, Firmatoque diacono, monachisque triginta noctu psallens in ecclesia opprimitur. Ex quibus Donatus capite illico caesus est: reliqui ante Manucham archipiratam ducti, cum se idolis cultum ullum adhibere constanter negarent, caesi virgis, manibus pedibusque vincti sine ullo cibo contruduntur in carcerem, ac insuper quotidie flagellis conciduntur. Sed divinitus sustentati, post multos dies rursus ad tyrannum adducuntur, atque in eadem fide constantes, iterum ac saepius affecti verberibus, nudi, capite demisso suspenduntur, ingentique fumo oh eorum obruitur. Qui cum omnium opinione mortui relicti fuissent, postridie vivi, from the neighbourhood, but also from Etruria and Africa. But Placid, in his great humility, worked all his miracles in the name of St. Benedict, attributing them to his merits.

His holy example and the wonders he wrought caused the Christian faith to spread rapidly. In the fifth year after his arrival in Sicily, the Saracens made a sudden incursion, and seized upon Placid and his thirty monks while they were singing the night Office in the church. At the same time were taken Eutychius and Victorinus, Placid's brothers, and his sister the virgin Flavia, who had all come from Rome to visit him; and also Donatus, Faustus, and the deacon Firmatus. Donatus was beheaded on the spot. The rest were taken before Manucha, the chief of the pirates; and as they firmly refused to adore his idols, they were beaten with rods, and cast, bound hand and foot, into prison, without food. Every day they were beaten afresh, but God supported them. After many days, they were again led before the tyrant; and as they still stood firm in the faith, they were again repeatedly beaten, then stript of their clothes, and hung, head downwards, over thick smoke to suffocate. They were left for dead, but the next day were found alive,

TlllB APTBR PBNtiOOgT sanatis mirabiliter vulneribus reperti sunt.

Deinde Flaviam virginem separatim tyrannus aggresbub, cum nihil aut terrendo, aut pollicendo proficeret, jubet illam nudam pedibus alta ex trabe suspendi. Cui cum tyrannus insultans nuditatis turpi tudinem exprobaret: Unus est, inquit virgo, maris feminaeque auctor conditorque Deus; quare neque sexus, neque nuditas haso fraud i mihi apud ilium future est, quippe quam pro illius amore sustineo, qui mea causa non nudari solum, sed cruci etiam affigi voluit. Quo responso Manucha incitus, virginem fustibus c»sam, subj ec toque fumo excruciatam lenonibus constuprandam tradidit. Virgine autem Deum deprecante, divinitus factum est, ut quotqubt earn attingere vellent, subito membrorum omnium dolore, stuporeque corriperentur. Postea Placidum virginis fratrem tyrannus invadit, eique idolorum vanitatem arguenti os dentesque lapidibus contundi, linguamque radicitus abscindi jubet. Sed cum nihilominus ille avulsa lingua clare et expedite loqueretur, ipso miraculo magis furens barbarus, Placidum cum sorore, ac fratribus, immanibus anchorarum molarumque and miraculously healed of their wounds.

The tyrant then addressed himself to the virgin Flavia apart. But finding he could gain nothing by threats or promises, he ordered her to be stript, and hung by the feet from a high beam, insulting her meanwhile upon her nakedness. But the virgin answered: Man and woman have the same author and Creator, God; hence neither my sex, nor this nakedness which I endure for love of him will be any disadvantage to me in his eyes, who for my sake chose not only to be stript, but also to be nailed to a cross. Manucha enraged at this reply ordered her to be beaten, and tortured with the Bmoke, and then handed her over to be dishonoured. At the virgin's prayer, God struck all who attempted to approach her, with sudden stiffness and pain in all their limbs. The tyrant next attacked Placid, the virgin's brother, who tried to convince him of the vanity of his idols; Manucha thereupon commanded his mouth and teeth to be broken with stones, and his tongue to be cut out by the root; but the martyr spoke as clearly and easily as before. The barbarian grew more furious at this miracle, and commanded that Placid, with his sister and ponderibu* obrui resupinos imperat. Cumque ex iis etiam tormentis integri evasissent, ad extremum ex una Placidi familia sex et triginta in portus Mamertini littore, capitibus abscissis martyrii pal mam cum duce suo, et aliis etiam pluribas retulere, tertio nonas Octobris, anno salutis humanaB quingentesimo trigesimo nono. Horum omnium corpora post aliquot deinde dies, G-ordianus monachus ex eodem monaster io fuga elapsus, intacta cum reperisset, cum lacrymis sepelivit. Tyranni autem non molto post ultricibus maris undis absorpti crudelitatis sua? poenas dederunt. brethren should be crushed under an enormous weight of anchors and millstones; but even this torture was powerless to hurt them. Finally, thirty-six of Placid's family, with their leader, and several others, were beheaded on the shore near Messina, and gained the palm of martyrdom on the third of the Nones of October, in the year of salvation five hundred and thirty-nine. G-ordian, a monk of that monasr tery, who had escaped by flight, found all their bodies entire after several days, and buried them with tears. Not long afterwards the barbarians, in punishment of their crime, were swallowed up by the avenging waves of the sea.

• Plaoid, my beloved son, why should I weep for thee? Thou art taken from me, only that thou mayst belong to all men. I will give thanks for this saorifioe of the fruit of my heart, offered to almighty God.' 1 Thus, on hearing of this day's triumph, spoke Benedict, thy spiritual father, mingling tears with his joy. He did not survive thee long; yet long enough to complete, of his own accord, the saorifioe of separations, by sending into far-off Franoe the oompanion of thy childhood, Maurus, who was des* tinea not to rejoin thee m heaven for so many long years. Charity seeketh not her own interests ; she finds them by forgetting self, and losing self in God. Placid had disappeared ; Maurus had been sent away : Benediot was about to die: human prudence would

1 J.Ua 8. Placidi et too, cap. vii,

TIME AFTER PENTECOST have believed the holy patriaroh's work in danger of perishing ; whereas, at this oritioal moment, it strengthened its roots and extended its branohes over the whole world. Unless the grain of wheat falling into the ground die, itself remaineth alone ; but if it die, it bringeth forth muoh fruit. 1 As heretofore the blood of martyrs was the seed of Christians, it now produeed a rich harvest of monks.

Blessed be thou, 0 Placid, far beyond thy native Italy, and Sicily the scene of thy oombat. Blessed be thou for the numberless ears of corn, for the abundant harvest sprung from the choice grain that fell to the earth on this day: faith bids us see in thy immolation the seoret of the success granted to the monastic mission of Maurus. Thus, despite the great diversity and the unequal length of your paths in life, you are ever united in the heart of your master and father. At the appointed hour he did not hesitate before the holocaust our Lord required of him; wherefore, he now in heaven beholds the fulfilment of the hopes he had oentred in his two beloved sons.

Deign, 0 Placid, to continue thy interest in the of the perfeot life in the Church, in the diffusion throughout the world of the monastic family, whereof thou art the glory. Noviciates especially are confided to thee: remembering the blessed eduoation thou wast privileged to receive, watch over the aspirants to the * better part'. To them above all is applied the Gospel saying: Unless you beoome as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven, 2 that kingdom of heaven, which oonsists in the anticipated possession of God here on earth, in the life of union attained by the way of the counsels. May

1 St. John xii. 24, 25. * St. Matt, xyiii. 3. extension of Christ'i earth, in the progress they reproduce before the angels thy humble and sweet simplicity ; and show their gratitude for the maternal solioitude of their holy Order by the same filial docility wherewith thou didst respond to the holy legislator's speoial tenderness. May they, in spite of the world's opposition, inorease in numbers and in merit, for the honour of God !

The trials of the present must prepare the monastio Order, and indeed the whole religious state, for the trials of the future. It is around the monks that the martyrs of the last days will gather, as around thee assembled the Christians of Messina, and thy two brothers, and the heroic Flavia, so truly worthy to be doubly thy sister. May the ohosen flock inorease, and be ever united ; so as to be able to say with one voice to the persecutors both present and future: 'Do what you mean to do; for we are all of one mind, one faith, one manner of life.' 1

1 Acta 8. Placidi et toe. cap.