t employments. She was favored with the gifts of miracles
and prophecy: but said she had been sometimes deceived by the devil. She
died on the 9th of March, 1453, in the fiftieth year of her age. Her
body is still entire, and shown in the church of her convent through
bars and glass, sitting richly covered, but the hands, face, and feet
naked. It was seen and described by Henschenius, Lassels, and other
travellers. Her name was inserted in the Roman Martyrology by Clement
VIII., in 1592. The solemnity of her canonization was performed by
Clement XI., though the bull was only published by Benedict XIII., in
1724.[1] A book of her revelations was printed at Bologna, in 1511. She
also left notes in her prayer-book of certain singular favors which she
had received from God. These revelations were published and received
their dress from another hand, which circumstance is often as great a
disadvantage in such works as if an illiterate and bold transcriber were
to copy, from a single defective manuscript, Lycophron, or some other
obscure author, which he did not understand. St. Catherine wrote some
treatises in Italian, others in Latin, in which language she was well
skilled. The most famous of her works is the book entitled, On the Seven
Spiritual Arms. See her life in Bollandus, written by F. Paleotti, fifty
years after her death.

Footnotes:
1. Bullar. Roman. t. 13, p. 87.

MARCH X.

THE FORTY MARTYRS OF SEBASTE.

From St. Basil's Homily on their festival, Hom. 20, t. 1, p. 453, and
three discourses of St. Gregory of Nyssa, t. 2, p. 203, t. 3, pp. 499,
504, followed by St. Ephrem. ed. Vatic. Gr. and Let. t. 2, p. 341. St.
Gaudeatis, St. Chrysostom, quoted by Photius. See Tillemont, t. 5, p.
518. Ruinart, p. 523. Ceillier, t. 4, l. 62 Jos. Assemani in Cal. Univ.
ad 11 Martii, t. 6, p. 172.

A.D. 320.

THESE holy martyrs suffered at Sebaste, in the Lesser Armenia, under the
emperor Licinius, in 320. They were of different countries, but enrolled
in the same troop; all in the flower of their age, comely, brave, and
robust, and were become considerable for their services. St. Gregory of
Nyssa and Procopius say, they were of the thundering legion, so famous
{561} under Marcus Aurelius for the miraculous rain and victory obtained
by their prayers. This was the twelfth legion, and then quartered in
Armenia. Lysias was duke or general of the forces, and Agricola the
governor of the province. The latter having signified