Today is the feast of St. Irene (3rd century), widow. She found St. Sebasian's nearly lifeless body after he'd been used as target practice by the Roman archers and she nursed him back to health. She is the subject of a beautiful classical painting by Hendrick Terbrugghen (1588 - 1629). She is shown as intent and intelligent as she removes each arrow with the care of a surgeon and the assistance of her maid. (She wasn't the platonic female friend who fished his actually lifeless body out of the sewer later after he was martyred for going back to the Romans and still refusing to worship their gods. That other Christian woman was named Lucina.) This Irene is also not the same one as Agape and Chionia's companion who was martyred with them for refusing to eat meat sacrificed to the gods and having in her possession copies of the Scriptures. (Imagine if having a Bible were punishable by death today. Oh, wait a minute. In some countries, it IS.) That Irene is celebrated on another day.
This widow woman is celebrated today, but I'm not absolutely sure she was canonized. At any rate, we can take comfort in the fact that she is honored for a single act, for, as the Master said, whatever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto Me. Amen. St. Irene, pray for us.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment