6 FEBRUARY – SAINT DOROTHY (Virgin and Martyr)

The holy virgin Dorothy of Caesarea in Cappadocia was apprehended by Apficius, the governor of that province, on account of her professing the faith of Christ. She was put under the care of her two sisters, Chrysta and Callista, who had apostatised from the faith and would be able to shake the resolute constancy of Dorothy. But she brought them back to the faith, for which they were burnt to death in a cauldron. The governor ordered Dorothy to be hoisted on the rack, and she said to him, as she lay upon it: “Never in my whole life have I felt such joy, as I do today.” Then the governor ordered the executioners to burn her sides with lighted lamps, and beat her for a very long time on the face, and finally behead her with the sword. While she was being led to the place of execution she said: “I give thee thanks, O thou the lover of our souls, that thou call me to thy Paradise!” Theophilus, one of the governor’s officers, hearing her words, laughed and said to her: “Hear me, Bride of Christ! I'll ask you to send me some apples and roses from this Paradise of your Spouse.” Dorothy replied: “Well, and so I will.” Before she was beheaded she was allowed a moment for prayer when lo! a beautiful child came to her, bringing with him in a napkin three apples and three roses. She said to him: “Take them, I pray you, to Theophilus.” Then, the executioner struck her head off with his sword and her soul fled to Christ. While Theophilus was jocosely telling his fellows the promise made him by Dorothy, he saw a boy bringing him in a napkin three fine apples and three most lovely roses who, as he gave them, said: “Lo! The most holy virgin Dorothy sends you, as she promised, these gifts from the Paradise of her spouse.” Theophilus was beside himself with surprise, for it was February and the frost most sharp. But taking the gifts, he exclaimed: “Christ is truly God!” He openly professed the Christian faith, and courageously suffered for the same a most painful martyrdom.

Dom Prosper Gueranger:

Today again it is one of the most amiable of Christ’s spouses that comes to console us by her presence. It is Dorothy, the simple and intrepid virgin who strews the path of her martyrdom with prodigies of sweetest charity. The religion of Christ alone can produce in timid women, like the Saint of today, an energy which, at times, surpasses that of the most valiant Martyrs among men. Thus does our Lord glorify His infinite power by crushing Satan’s head with what is by nature so weak. The enmity put by God between the Woman and the Serpent (Genesis iii. 15) is forever showing itself in those sublime Acts of the Martyrs where the rebel Angel is defeated by an enemy whom he knew to be weak, and therefore scorned to fear. But that very weakness which made her victory the grander, made his humiliation the bitterer. Surely such history must have taught him how powerful an enemy he has in a Christian woman. And we, who can boast of having so many heroines among the ancestors of our Holy Faith, should cherish their memory and confide in their protection, for their intercession is powerful with Him they died for. One of the noblest of these comes to us today. Let us celebrate her victory and merit her patronage.

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Your promises, O Dorothy, are faithful as yourself. In the garden of your heavenly Spouse you forget not the exiles on Earth. How fortunate was Theophilus to have had one of your promises! He asked for fruits and flowers. He got them, and with them, the richer gifts of faith and perseverance which we also would now ask you to send us. You know our wants. We want courage to conquer the world and our passions. We want the grace of conversion. We want the spirit of penance without which we can never reach that Heaven of our vocation where we are to be your companions in bliss. Promise us your prayers, and we will not fail. And on the grand Day of the Easter we are preparing for, our souls, having been purified in the Blood of the Lamb, will be as fragrant as the fruits, and as fair as the flowers, which you sent to a pagan whose prayer was less confident than ours.

Also on this day according to the ROMAN MARTYROLOGY:

The holy martyrs Saturninus, Theophilus and Revocata.

At Emesa in Phrenicia, in the time of the emperor Maximian, St. Silvanus, bishop, who, after having governed that church forty years, was delivered to the beasts with two other Christians, and having his limbs all mangled, received the palm of martyrdom.

At Clermont in Auvergne, St. Antholian, martyr.

The same day, the holy bishops Vedastus and Amandus, who were illustrious by many miracles, both in life and death. The former governed the church of Arras, the latter that of Maestricht.

At Bologna, St. Guarinus, bishop of Palestrina and Cardinal, renowned for holiness of life.

And in other places, many other holy martyrs, confessors and virgins.

Thanks be to God.