624 he succeeded St. Austregesilus,
commonly called St. Outrille, in the see of Bourges. He reformed
discipline, converted all the Jews in his diocese, and employed his
whole time in prayer and laborious functions, chiefly in the instruction
of the poor. He died in 644. Among the letters of St. Desiderius of
Cahors, we have one which he sent to our saint with this title, "To the
holy patriarch, Sulpicius;"[1] and several of our saint to him.[2] The
famous monastery which bears his name at Bourges, is said to have been
founded by him under the invocation of the Blessed Virgin; it now
belongs to the congregation of St. Maur, and is enriched with part of
his relics, and with a portion of the blood of St. Stephen, who is the
titular saint of the stately cathedral. A bone of one of the arms {174}
of our saint, is kept in the famous parochial church in Paris, which is
dedicated to God under his invocation. See his ancient life in Bolland.
and Mab. saec. 2, Ben. Gallia Christ. nova, t. 2, p. 18.
Footnotes:
1. Apud Canis. Lect. Ant. t. 5, & Bibl. Patr. t. 8, l. 1, ep. 12.
2. Ib. l. 2.
ST. MILGITHE, V.
THUS Dom Menard writes the name of this saint, who by Capgrave is called
Mildgyda, by Josselin, Milvida, and by Thomas of Ely, in a fragment of
the life of St. Andry, quoted by Mabillon, Milgrida. Wilson testifies
that her feast is mentioned on this day, in an ancient MS. English
Martyrology; though Menard places it on the 26th of February. Her
father, Merowald, was son of Penda, and brother of Peoda, Wulfher, and
Ethelred, kings of Mercia. Her mother, Domneva, was daughter of
Ermenred, who was brother to Erconbert, king of Kent, father of St.
Ercongata, who died a nun at Farmoutier, in France, under the discipline
of St. Aubierge, her aunt. Her brother Meresin died young, in the odor
of sanctity. Her elder sisters, SS. Mildred and Milburge, are very
famous in the English calendars. St. Milgithe imitated their illustrious
example, and contemning the fading pleasures and delights of the world,
retired into the monastery of Estrey, built by Egbert, king of Kent, not
far from Canterbury, and having served God in the heroic practice of all
Christian virtues, died happily about the close of the seventh century.
See Menard in Martyrol. Bened. Wilson's English Martyr. Capgrave and
Bolland. t. 2, p. 176.
ST. NENNIUS, OR NENNIDHIUS, ABBOT.
DESPISING the vanities of the world, though of the race of the monarchs
of Ireland, fro
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