Of a Pure Mind and Simple Intention (1)

MAN is raised up from the earth by two wings-simplicity and purity.
There must be simplicity in his intention and purity in his desires.
Simplicity leads to God, purity embraces and enjoys Him. If your heart
is free from ill-ordered affection, no good deed will be difficult for
you. If you aim at and seek after nothing but the pleasure of God and
the welfare of your neighbor, you will enjoy freedom within.
--Thomas à Kempis --Imitation of Christ Book 2, Chapter 4

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August 21st - St. Cyriaca
Also called Dominica

†. 249
This Roman widow of wealth was scourged to death - apparently for
harboring and distributing alms to the persecuted Christians. [Yonge]
(The story of Pudentiana is similar to that of the wealthy matron of a
century later.)

Domnica is a Latinized version of Cyriaca--both variously being
inferred to mean "dedicated" to the Lord or the Lord's Day. The
Chandlery book is the only source found which also references this as
the site where the wealthy matron Cyriaca had her palatial home.

St. Domnica is referenced to have died in prison in Cilicia in the
year 286. That date is suspect, although it's known that various
governor's did have general authority to harass Christians regarding
their refusal to follow pagan customs.

Laurence, Almoner of St. Cyriaca The Chandlery book has an abundance
of 'legend', including photographs of old paintings, which tie this
St. Cyriaca into the history of St. Laurence. The legend makes enough
sense to be believable but hasn't been substantiated by direct
reference in any of the ancient writings found, so far. One church
atop the Caelian (Coelian) Hill (one of the seven famous hills of
Rome) is called Santa Maria in Domnica.

Her martyrdom in 249 would make her a premature victim of the
persecution of Emperor Decius who assumed power in October, 249, and
didn't begin the 7th cycle of persecutions with an edict against
Christians until January 250. In it, he ordered Bishops put to death
and others tortured until they recanted their faith. (This is the
edict St. Cyprian, the Bishop of Carthage, managed to avoid by
retiring to a safe hiding place. On his return, he took offence at
those still alive--obviously for their not having kept the faith.)

The date of her death makes more sense as 259--toward the end of the
GREAT persecution (8th) of Valerian begun in 257. Page 199 of the
Clarke book summarizes the final edict:

"... in August, A.D. 258, ... Valerian had sent a new rescript ...
ordering that bishops, presbyters, and deacons by summarily put to
death; that senators, men of rank, and Roman knights be deprived of
both their rank and their property, and, if afterwards they persisted
in being Christians, be executed; that matrons lose their property and
be banished; that all imperial officials who have either confessed
before or confess now have their property confiscated, be reduced to
slavery, and sent to work on the imperial estates."

Page 185 of the Healy book emphasizes that, "Although the edict
expressly stated that the punishment to be inflicted on Christian
matrons was confiscation and banishment, there were several women of
noble birth who paid the extreme penalty." The supposedly extremely
wealthy widow and matron Cyriaca may have been among them. (The
motives of the Empire regarding confiscation should be obvious.
Nowhere does there appear to be evidence that such confiscations were
turned over to those running the "pagan temples"--the supposed,
preferred alternative.)

She must be the "widow" who buried St. Laurence on 'her' "Ager Veran"
estate in 'her' cemetery. It's no coincidence that's the area where
the poor people were buried.
She may be the one who began the process at that location next to her cemetery.

She can't be the almost 66 year old female apparently buried along
with the Popes and Cecilia in the oldest, most revered part of
Callistus after 300, unless that dating is late by at least 41 years.
She may have been the matriarch of the extended Cyriac family and
highly revered role model for many other wealthy females of Rome. She
may have been among the wealthy Roman women called 'Lucina' during the
persecutions who seem not to exist other than as references to various
clandestine activities associated with underground burials. Lucina,
the light, may have been the 'pseudonym' given to wealthy female
patrons who made the underground burials possible, primarily through
their ownership or control of the land surrounding Rome where the
catacombs were built.

In other words, given that all this activity was illegal, the real
names of the private individuals involved were never used. When asked
where the resources came from, the answer may have been, "from
Lucina." (Ask the average citizen who the Vice-President of the United
States is to get an idea of how easy it would be, even now, to pass
off a fictitious name for some individual known to insiders but not
yet to the general populace.)

"DASVMIA QVIRIACE BONE FEMINE PALVMBRA SENe FELlE . . . QVÆ VIXIT
ANNOS LXVI DEPOSITA IIII KAL MARTIAS IN PACE"
"Cyriaca, a member of the noble Dasumian family, who died at the age
of sixty-six years, is called a 'dove without bitterness'.":
a eulogy that is found on other female graves.
Source: The Catholic Encyclopedia, Roman Catacombs--Catacomb of
Callistus, 4th century.

Saint Quote:
Surely, if we remembered that God sees us when we sin, we should never
do what displeases Him.
-- St. Jerome

Bible Quote:
"So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God
who gives the increase." (1 Corinthians 3:7)

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Memorare to Jesus, Mary and St. Joseph

Remember, O Merciful Jesus, Immaculate Mary and glorious St.
Joseph that no one has ever had recourse to Your Protection, or
implore Your assistance without obtaining relief. Animated with a like
confidence, but weighted down by my sins, I prostrate myself before
You. O! Reject not my petitions, but graciously hear and grant them.
Amen.