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| St. Euthalia of Sicily (Feast Day - March 2) |
Verses
The mother of the maiden daughter loved her son,
The beauteous maiden daughter submitted to beheading.
The Holy Martyr Euthalia was from Sicily, and she had a mother who also was named Euthalia who suffered from a flow of blood. One night the mother beheld the three Holy Martyrs Alphius, Philadelphos and Cyprinus (May 10) in a dream, who said to her: "If you believe in Christ and are baptized, surely you will be healed and saved. If, however, you will not believe, depart far from us." Euthalia woke up, and was persuaded by the words of the Holy Martyrs. Therefore she believed in Christ, and was baptized. Straightway, Euthalia was restored from her affliction of hemorrhaging. Her daughter Euthalia, upon witnessing the miracle, also believed in Christ and was baptized.
Now Euthalia had a son whose name was Sermilianus, and upon learning of her conversion to Christianity, he grabbed her and attempted to strangle her. With the help of her servants, however, she was delivered from his hands and he fled. For this her daughter Euthalia strongly rebuked her brother, because he attempted to kill his mother. But he responded to her: "Perhaps you are also a Christian?" The Saint replied: "Yes, I am a Christian, and I am eagerly prepared to die for Christ."
At this response, her abominable and accursed brother removed her clothing and harshly beat her, then he delivered her to one of his servants to dishonor her. But the Saint prayed, and the servant became blind. When her brother saw this, he rose up like a second Cain, and he struck off the holy head of his sister, and so the blessed one received the crown of martyrdom.
