THE BEHEADING OF JOHN THE BAPTIST BY MOG RUITH
From the Book of Hui Maine
Mug Ruith (or Mogh Roith, "slave of the wheel") is a figure in Irish mythology, a powerful blind druid of Munster who lived on Valentia Island, County Kerry. He could grow to enormous size, and his breath caused storms and turned men to stone. He wore a hornless bull-hide and a bird mask, and flew in a machine called the roth rámach, the "oared wheel". He had an ox-driven chariot in which night was as bright as day, a star-speckled black shield with a silver rim, and a stone which could turn into a poisonous eel when thrown in water. Stories about Mug Ruith are set in various periods of Irish history. Some say he lived during the reign of 3rd century High King Cormac mac Airt, while others put him in Jerusalem during the time of Christ. In Lebor Gabála Érenn he is said to have died in the reign of Conmael, nearly two thousand years before Cormac's time. Perhaps due to this array of times and settings, poets attributed the druid with extraordinary longevity (he lived through the reign of nineteen kings according to one story). His powers and long lifespan have led some to conclude he was a euhemerised sun or storm god. The various medieval legends about his adventures in the Holy Land at the dawn of Christendom paint him as an interesting and mysterious character. He is said to have been a student of Simon Magus, who taught him his magic skills and helped him build the flying machine roth rámach. In at least two other poems Mug Ruith is identified as the executioner who beheaded John the Baptist, bringing a curse to the Irish people. He cuts an equally impressive figure in The Siege of Knocklong, set in Cormac mac Airt's time. Here he defeats Cormac's druids in an elaborate magical battle in exchange for land from King Fiachu Muillethan of southern Munster, from whom Cormac had been trying to levy taxes. Mug Ruith's daughter was Tlachtga, a powerful druidess, who gave her name to a hill in County Meath and a festival celebrated there. The territory Mug Ruith received for his descendants was Fir Maige Féne, later known as Fermoy. The medieval tribe of Fir Maige Féne claimed descent from him, although they were ruled by the unrelated O'Keefes of Eóganacht Glendamnach.
1 All the children of Israel that spread over the yellow-crested world, it is no labor, it is an easy task to enumerate or to tell them.
2 Persians and Medes together, Greeks and Chaldeans: four races that were in the east, by whom the kingships of the world were taken.
3 There ruled in the eastern world a king known as fierce Herod; John, through the righteous man was a bishop, was slain by him, it is a bitter tale.
4 The reason of the slaying of noble John, by the household of shameless Herod, the deed was an awful one, was on account of the wife of Philip Labarchenn.
5 Philip Labarchenn without sorrow was true judge of true judgments. he used to give famous judgments to the host of the red-faced world.
6 Thereupon Philip died at the fort of famed Arguas; and yonder in her house his wife was without a mate to lie with her.
7 Herodias was the woman's name, the wife of Philip without guile; her daughter's names; it is not forbidden to mention them: Salius and Neiptis.
8 Neiptis used to make, a famous music!, sweet piping from her lips; and Salius indeed would make nimble movements and leapings.
9 To every one among the hosts of the ruddy world their skill seemed marvelous; whereby they won goodly treasure from the nobles of the world.
10 Thereupon Herodias goes out that night to the country of the young man, till she reaches Esculop.
11 Philip, brother of Herod the splendid, from the perfect Esculop, brought weighty love to her, to the wife of the other Philip.
12 Then Philip asked of Herodias that night whether she would lie with him in his house yonder; for a bride-price or a gift.
13 She of the fair white limbs said to proud perfect Philip that she would speedily lie with him if Herod would approve.
14 They went together to the house of Herod over every road, so that Herod sealed then her bride-price and her gift.
15 Then Philip sat down in the chair of the fair king: it was a gels for the beautiful king that anyone should sit down in his chair.
16 Then Herod asked of his brother Philip: “Why hast thou broken my law? It was unjust of you, Philip.”
17 Herod seized a convenient dog-whip in his great royal hand, and he struck Philip in the house for the crime of his lawless deed.
18 Then said Herodias to Philip, in that very hour, that she would not cohabit with him, though it was a hard condition, after his having been struck with the dog-whip.
19 Then Philip went out tearfully and sorrowfully, after being reviled by the woman of the east, after being struck by his brother.
20 Philip went to the house of John, the noble and the righteous; he told John; the matter was great; that his brother had outraged him.
21 Near was their right relationship; Philip, Herod and John; the story tells that two sisters were their two mothers.
22 Sarra daughter of pure Gomer was the mother of delightful noble John; Cassamaindra, a wise daughter, mother of Herod and Philip.
23 It is no secret that she is the mother of John, every sage relates in story; these are their names, I shall not hide it, Sarra and Elizabeth.
24 Elizabeth and Zacharias were the mother and father of John the Baptist, it is they who quickly reared-John, Philip and Herod.
25 It is known that Philip said to John the Baptist, on account of their relationship: “Arise and utterly ruin the woman,together with the marvelous Herod.”
26 Thereupon John went to the house of marvelous Herod, sternly he said to him then not to sleep with Herodias.
27 Famous Herod said to his mother’s sister’s son: “If the woman would sleep with Philip, it is not I who would separate them.”
28 Thereupon Herodias said to Philip at once, that if she found no husband till Doom, she would not be with Philip a single hour.
29 Herodias then cast a spell of false love over her face, through which grievous harm was done by imposing her love upon Herod.
30 Then said Herod to the maidens in the house: “Display your arts in turn that my household may see it.”
31 Herod was then pledged, and he gave his word: he promised, though great the doom, that he would grant them their request without delay.
32 Then Neiptis made sweet music from her lips, Salia leaped over every [. . .], a couple [. . .].
33 Then it was demanded--a wicked unjust boon--that she might have the head of John on a dish at once, for he had been reviling them.
34 Herod said in his house that he would not grant them the request and that he would not Stain red the head of pure John for all the gold in the world.
35 His household said to him, to Herod, though there were danger: “Do not break thy word, oh king, lest thy law be ruined.”
36 Then indeed Herod wept true sorrowing tears of blood: and he afterwards granted them John, to be placed in a cruel prison.
37 A wage was given to Mog Ruith who chose it for beheading John; this then was the wage of Mog Ruith, his choice of the maidens.
38 Then Mog Ruith the splendid went to kill John, though it was shameful. So he took in the prison to Herod the head of John on a dish of white silver.
39 Through that story, a famous contention, the feast of John will come upon the Gael, so that there shall not be of the race of noble Gaels save one-third unslain.
40 The single third which will be left on that day of the host of the Gael and the foreigners, oh Son of Mary, it is a sad thing that they should all be visited by a black pestilence.
41 Flann Finn son of noble Ossa son of Orath from rugged Greece, it is he who shaped this Eastern tale for the seed of Adam and his children.
In MS. I. of the Scottish Collection (pp. 14- 15a) is a version of the same legend in prose, slightly differing in detail from the versions in L. Br. and Y. B. L. The following short poem is appended, which, except in making Mogh Ruith the executioner, is of entirely different text from that in the Book of Hui Maine:
1 Askelon, the royal seat,
In which the great deed was done;
There, not lasting was the fame,
John the noble was slain.
2 'What evil woman among you,
Will take in hand my beheading
Not one from east or west,
Of the blood of Foreigners or Gaels'.
3 'Thou handsome yellow-haired John,
Yonder is a Gael beyond all others;
His abode is far away in the west,
In the lands of the western men.'
4 'I ask a boon from Christ who loves me,'
Said John the noble,
'That no comely Gael may get
Food nor raiment in any case.'
5 Said Mogh Ruith without grace,
'Give to me even his raiment,
And I shall cut off his head
For the weal of the men of Ireland.'
6 Then was John beheaded,
The Gael will suffer therefrom;
Much silver and gold
Was put under the head east in Askelon.
Mug Ruith (or Mogh Roith, "slave of the wheel") is a figure in Irish mythology, a powerful blind druid of Munster who lived on Valentia Island, County Kerry. He could grow to enormous size, and his breath caused storms and turned men to stone. He wore a hornless bull-hide and a bird mask, and flew in a machine called the roth rámach, the "oared wheel". He had an ox-driven chariot in which night was as bright as day, a star-speckled black shield with a silver rim, and a stone which could turn into a poisonous eel when thrown in water. Stories about Mug Ruith are set in various periods of Irish history. Some say he lived during the reign of 3rd century High King Cormac mac Airt, while others put him in Jerusalem during the time of Christ. In Lebor Gabála Érenn he is said to have died in the reign of Conmael, nearly two thousand years before Cormac's time. Perhaps due to this array of times and settings, poets attributed the druid with extraordinary longevity (he lived through the reign of nineteen kings according to one story). His powers and long lifespan have led some to conclude he was a euhemerised sun or storm god. The various medieval legends about his adventures in the Holy Land at the dawn of Christendom paint him as an interesting and mysterious character. He is said to have been a student of Simon Magus, who taught him his magic skills and helped him build the flying machine roth rámach. In at least two other poems Mug Ruith is identified as the executioner who beheaded John the Baptist, bringing a curse to the Irish people. He cuts an equally impressive figure in The Siege of Knocklong, set in Cormac mac Airt's time. Here he defeats Cormac's druids in an elaborate magical battle in exchange for land from King Fiachu Muillethan of southern Munster, from whom Cormac had been trying to levy taxes. Mug Ruith's daughter was Tlachtga, a powerful druidess, who gave her name to a hill in County Meath and a festival celebrated there. The territory Mug Ruith received for his descendants was Fir Maige Féne, later known as Fermoy. The medieval tribe of Fir Maige Féne claimed descent from him, although they were ruled by the unrelated O'Keefes of Eóganacht Glendamnach.
1 All the children of Israel that spread over the yellow-crested world, it is no labor, it is an easy task to enumerate or to tell them.
2 Persians and Medes together, Greeks and Chaldeans: four races that were in the east, by whom the kingships of the world were taken.
3 There ruled in the eastern world a king known as fierce Herod; John, through the righteous man was a bishop, was slain by him, it is a bitter tale.
4 The reason of the slaying of noble John, by the household of shameless Herod, the deed was an awful one, was on account of the wife of Philip Labarchenn.
5 Philip Labarchenn without sorrow was true judge of true judgments. he used to give famous judgments to the host of the red-faced world.
6 Thereupon Philip died at the fort of famed Arguas; and yonder in her house his wife was without a mate to lie with her.
7 Herodias was the woman's name, the wife of Philip without guile; her daughter's names; it is not forbidden to mention them: Salius and Neiptis.
8 Neiptis used to make, a famous music!, sweet piping from her lips; and Salius indeed would make nimble movements and leapings.
9 To every one among the hosts of the ruddy world their skill seemed marvelous; whereby they won goodly treasure from the nobles of the world.
10 Thereupon Herodias goes out that night to the country of the young man, till she reaches Esculop.
11 Philip, brother of Herod the splendid, from the perfect Esculop, brought weighty love to her, to the wife of the other Philip.
12 Then Philip asked of Herodias that night whether she would lie with him in his house yonder; for a bride-price or a gift.
13 She of the fair white limbs said to proud perfect Philip that she would speedily lie with him if Herod would approve.
14 They went together to the house of Herod over every road, so that Herod sealed then her bride-price and her gift.
15 Then Philip sat down in the chair of the fair king: it was a gels for the beautiful king that anyone should sit down in his chair.
16 Then Herod asked of his brother Philip: “Why hast thou broken my law? It was unjust of you, Philip.”
17 Herod seized a convenient dog-whip in his great royal hand, and he struck Philip in the house for the crime of his lawless deed.
18 Then said Herodias to Philip, in that very hour, that she would not cohabit with him, though it was a hard condition, after his having been struck with the dog-whip.
19 Then Philip went out tearfully and sorrowfully, after being reviled by the woman of the east, after being struck by his brother.
20 Philip went to the house of John, the noble and the righteous; he told John; the matter was great; that his brother had outraged him.
21 Near was their right relationship; Philip, Herod and John; the story tells that two sisters were their two mothers.
22 Sarra daughter of pure Gomer was the mother of delightful noble John; Cassamaindra, a wise daughter, mother of Herod and Philip.
23 It is no secret that she is the mother of John, every sage relates in story; these are their names, I shall not hide it, Sarra and Elizabeth.
24 Elizabeth and Zacharias were the mother and father of John the Baptist, it is they who quickly reared-John, Philip and Herod.
25 It is known that Philip said to John the Baptist, on account of their relationship: “Arise and utterly ruin the woman,together with the marvelous Herod.”
26 Thereupon John went to the house of marvelous Herod, sternly he said to him then not to sleep with Herodias.
27 Famous Herod said to his mother’s sister’s son: “If the woman would sleep with Philip, it is not I who would separate them.”
28 Thereupon Herodias said to Philip at once, that if she found no husband till Doom, she would not be with Philip a single hour.
29 Herodias then cast a spell of false love over her face, through which grievous harm was done by imposing her love upon Herod.
30 Then said Herod to the maidens in the house: “Display your arts in turn that my household may see it.”
31 Herod was then pledged, and he gave his word: he promised, though great the doom, that he would grant them their request without delay.
32 Then Neiptis made sweet music from her lips, Salia leaped over every [. . .], a couple [. . .].
33 Then it was demanded--a wicked unjust boon--that she might have the head of John on a dish at once, for he had been reviling them.
34 Herod said in his house that he would not grant them the request and that he would not Stain red the head of pure John for all the gold in the world.
35 His household said to him, to Herod, though there were danger: “Do not break thy word, oh king, lest thy law be ruined.”
36 Then indeed Herod wept true sorrowing tears of blood: and he afterwards granted them John, to be placed in a cruel prison.
37 A wage was given to Mog Ruith who chose it for beheading John; this then was the wage of Mog Ruith, his choice of the maidens.
38 Then Mog Ruith the splendid went to kill John, though it was shameful. So he took in the prison to Herod the head of John on a dish of white silver.
39 Through that story, a famous contention, the feast of John will come upon the Gael, so that there shall not be of the race of noble Gaels save one-third unslain.
40 The single third which will be left on that day of the host of the Gael and the foreigners, oh Son of Mary, it is a sad thing that they should all be visited by a black pestilence.
41 Flann Finn son of noble Ossa son of Orath from rugged Greece, it is he who shaped this Eastern tale for the seed of Adam and his children.
In MS. I. of the Scottish Collection (pp. 14- 15a) is a version of the same legend in prose, slightly differing in detail from the versions in L. Br. and Y. B. L. The following short poem is appended, which, except in making Mogh Ruith the executioner, is of entirely different text from that in the Book of Hui Maine:
1 Askelon, the royal seat,
In which the great deed was done;
There, not lasting was the fame,
John the noble was slain.
2 'What evil woman among you,
Will take in hand my beheading
Not one from east or west,
Of the blood of Foreigners or Gaels'.
3 'Thou handsome yellow-haired John,
Yonder is a Gael beyond all others;
His abode is far away in the west,
In the lands of the western men.'
4 'I ask a boon from Christ who loves me,'
Said John the noble,
'That no comely Gael may get
Food nor raiment in any case.'
5 Said Mogh Ruith without grace,
'Give to me even his raiment,
And I shall cut off his head
For the weal of the men of Ireland.'
6 Then was John beheaded,
The Gael will suffer therefrom;
Much silver and gold
Was put under the head east in Askelon.
THE MOTHERS’ LAMENT AT THE SLAUGHTER OF THE INNOCENTS
The Massacre of the Innocents is commemorated in other Irish sources. Below is the text of poem, found in the Leabhar Breac, which reflects the raw pain of the bereaved mothers and the sheer horror of the deed:
1 Then, as she plucked her son from her breast for the executioner, one of the women said:
2 ‘Why do you tear from me my darling son, the fruit of my womb? It was I who bore him, he drank my breast. My womb carried him about, he sucked my vitals. He filled my heart: He was my life, ’tis death to have him taken from me. My strength has ebbed. My voice is stopped. My eyes are blinded.’
3 Then another woman said:
4 ‘It is my son you take from me. I did not do the evil but kill me — me: do not kill my son! My breasts are sapless, my eyes are wet. My hands shake. My poor body totters. My husband has no son and I no strength. My life is worth — death. Oh, my one son, my God! His foster-father has lost his hire. My birthless sicknesses with no requital until Doom. My breasts are silent. My heart is wrung.’
5 Then said another woman:
6 ‘Ye are seeking to kill one; ye are killing many. Infants ye slay, fathers ye wound; you kill the mothers. Hell with your deed is full, heaven shut. Ye have spilled the blood of guiltless innocents.’
7 And yet another woman said:
8 ‘O Christ, come to me! With my son take my soul quickly: O Great Mary, Mother of the Son of God what shall I do without my son? For Thy Son, my spirit and my sense are killed. I am become a crazy woman for my son. After the piteous slaughter my heart’s a clot of blood from this day till Doom comes.’
THE LEGEND OF VERONICA
Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich was an Augustinian nun at the Convent of Agnetenberg, Dulmen, Westphalia, Germany. She lived between 1774 to 1824. During her life, God gave her extensive visions of the past, the present and the future. Many theologians believe that she received from God more visions than any other saint. The Sorrowful (Dolorous) Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ are the visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich concerning the horrific sufferings our Dear Lord Jesus Christ suffered in his work to save mankind. This includes the Last Supper, the Agony in the Garden, the Arrest, the Scourging the Crowning of Thorns, the Trial by Pontius Pilate, the Carrying of the Cross, the Crucifixion and the Dying on the Cross and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ From the Dead. They are incredibly, highly detailed and descriptive, revealing to us more information about the Life of Jesus Christ besides what we read of Him in the Bible. The sections concerning Veronica are presented here:
Arrangements for eating the Paschal Lamb
WHEN the disciples had spoken to Heli of Hebron, the latter went back into the house by the court, but they turned to the right, and hastened down the north side of the hill, through Sion. They passed over a bridge, and walking along a road covered with brambles, reached the other side of the ravine, which was in front of the Temple, and of the row of houses which were to the south of that building. There stood the house of the aged Simeon, who died in the Temple after the presentation of our Lord; and his sons, some of whom were disciples of Jesus in secret, were actually living there. The Apostles spoke to one of them, a tall dark-complexioned man, who held some office in the Temple. They went with him to the eastern side of the Temple, through that part of Ophel by which Jesus made his entry into Jerusalem on Palm-Sunday, and thence to the cattle-market, which stood in the town, to the north of the Temple. In the southern part of this market I saw little enclosures in which some beautiful lambs were gamboling about. Here it was that lambs for the Pasch were bought. I saw the son of Simeon enter one of the seen closures; and the lambs gamboled round him as if they knew him. He chose out four, which were carried to the supper-room. In the afternoon I saw him in the supper-room, engaged in preparing the Paschal Lamb.
I saw Peter and John go to several different parts of the town, and order various things. I saw them also standing opposite the door of a house situated to the north of Mount Calvary, where the disciples of Jesus lodged the greatest part of the time, and which belonged to Seraphia, afterwards called Veronica. Peter and John sent some disciples from thence to the supper-room, giving them several commissions, which I have forgotten.
They also went into Seraphia's house, where they had several arrangements to make. Her husband, who was a member of the council, was usually absent and engaged in business; but even when he was at home she saw little of him. She was a woman of about the age of the Blessed Virgin, and had long been connected with the Holy Family; for when the Child Jesus remained the three days in Jerusalem after the feast, she it was who supplied him with food.
The two Apostles took from thence, among other things, the chalice of which our Lord made use in the institution of the Holy Eucharist.
The Chalice used at the Last Supper
The chalice which the Apostles brought from Veronica's house was wonderful and mysterious in its appearance. It had been kept a long time in the Temple among other precious objects of great antiquity, the use and origin of which had been forgotten. The same has been in some degree the case in the Christian Church, where many consecrated jewels have been forgotten and fallen into disuse with time. Ancient vases and jewels, buried beneath the Temple, had often been dug up, sold, or reset. Thus it was that, by God's permission, this holy vessel, which none had ever been able to melt down on account of its being made of some unknown material, and which had been found by the priests in the treasury of the Temple among other objects no longer made use of, had been sold to some antiquaries. It was bought by Seraphia, was several times made use of by Jesus in the celebration of festivals, and, from the day of the Last Supper, became the exclusive property of the holy Christian community. This vessel was not always the same as when used by our Lord at his Last Supper, and perhaps it was upon that occasion that the various pieces which composed it were first put together. The great chalice stood upon a plate, out of which a species of tablet could also be drawn, and around it there were six little glasses. The great chalice contained another smaller vase; above it there was a small plate, and then came a round cover. A spoon was inserted in the foot of the chalice, and could be easily drawn out for use. All these different vessels were covered with fine linen, and, if I am not mistaken, were wrapped up in a case made of leather. The great chalice was composed of the cup and of the foot, which last must have been joined on to it at a later period, for it was of a different material. The cup was pear-shaped, massive, dark-colored, and highly polished, with gold ornaments, and two small handles by which it could be lifted. The foot was of virgin gold, elaborately worked, ornamented with a serpent and a small bunch of grapes, and enriched with precious stones.
The chalice was left in the Church of Jerusalem, in the hands of St James the Less; and I see that it is still preserved in that town---it will reappear someday, in the same manner as before. Other Churches took the little cups which surrounded it; one was taken to Antioch, and another to Ephesus. They belonged to the patriarchs, who drank some mysterious beverage out of them when they received or gave a Benediction, as I have seen many times.
The great chalice had formerly been in the possession of Abraham; Melchizedek brought it with him from the land of Semiramis to the land of Canaan, when he was beginning to found some settlements on the spot where Jerusalem was afterwards built; he made use of it then for offering sacrifice, when he offered bread and wine in the presence of Abraham, and he left it in the possession of that holy patriarch. This same chalice had also been preserved in Noah's Ark.
By command of our Lord, the major-domo had again laid out the table, which he had raised a little; then, having placed it once more in the middle of the room, he stood one urn filled with wine, and another with water underneath it. Peter and John went into the part of the room near the hearth, to get the chalice which they had brought from Seraphia's house, and which was still wrapped up in its covering. They carried it between them as if they had been carrying a tabernacle, and placed it on the table before Jesus. An oval plate stood there, with three fine white azymous loaves, placed on a piece of linen, by the side of the half loaf which Jesus had set aside during the Paschal meal, also a jar containing wine and water, and three boxes, one filled with thick oil, a second with liquid oil, and the third empty.
The Veil of Veronica
WHILE the procession was passing through a long street, an incident took place which made a strong impression upon Simon. Numbers of respectable persons were hurrying towards the Temple, of whom many got out of the way when they saw Jesus, from a Pharisaical fear of defilement, while others, on the contrary, stopped and expressed pity for his sufferings. But when the procession had advanced about two hundred steps from the spot where Simon began to assist our Lord in carrying his cross, the door of a beautiful house on the left opened, and a woman of majestic appearance, holding a young girl by the hand, came out, and walked up to the very head of the procession. Seraphia was the name of the brave woman who thus dared to confront the enraged multitude; she was the wife of Sirach, one of the councilors belonging to the Temple, and was afterwards known by the name of Veronica, which name was given from the words vera icon, or true portrait, to commemorate her brave conduct on this day.
Seraphia had prepared some excellent aromatic wine, which she piously intended to present to our Lord to refresh him on his dolorous way to Calvary. She had been standing in the street for some time, and at last went back into the house to wait. She was, when I first saw her, enveloped in a long veil, and holding a little girl of nine years of age whom she had adopted, by the hand; a large veil was likewise hanging on her arm, and the little girl endeavored to hide the jar of wine when the procession approached. Those who were marching at the head of the procession tried to push her back; but she made her way through the mob, the soldiers, and the archers, reached Jesus, fell on her knees before him, and presented the veil, saying at the same time, ‘Permit me to wipe the face of my Lord.’ Jesus took the veil in his left hand, wiped his bleeding face, and returned it with thanks. Seraphia kissed it, and put it under her cloak. The girl then timidly offered the wine, but the brutal soldiers would not allow Jesus to drink it. The suddenness of this courageous act of Seraphia had surprised the guards, and caused a momentary although unintentional halt, of which she had taken advantage to present the veil to her Divine Master. Both the Pharisees and the guards were greatly exasperated, not only by the sudden halt, but much more by the public testimony of veneration which was thus paid to Jesus, and they revenged themselves by striking and abusing him, while Seraphia returned in haste to her house.
No sooner did she reach her room than she placed the woolen veil on a table, and fell almost senseless on her knees. A friend who entered the room a short time after, found her thus kneeling, with the child weeping by her side, and saw, to his astonishment, the bloody countenance of our Lord imprinted upon the veil, a perfect likeness, although heartrending and painful to look upon. He roused Seraphia, and pointed to the veil. She again knelt down before it, and exclaimed through her tears, ‘Now I shall indeed leave all with a happy heart, for my Lord has given me a remembrance of himself.’ The texture of this veil was a species of very fine wool; it was three times the length of its width, and was generally worn on the shoulders. It was customary to present these veils to persons who were in affliction, or over-fatigued, or ill, that they might wipe their faces with them, and it was done in order to express sympathy or compassion. Veronica kept this veil until her death, and hung it at the head of her bed; it was then given to the Blessed Virgin, who left it to the Apostles, and they afterwards passed it on to the Church.
Seraphia and John the Baptist were cousins, her father and Zacharias being brothers. When Joachim and Anna brought the Blessed Virgin, who was then only four years old, up to Jerusalem, to place her among the virgins in the Temple, they lodged in the house of Zacharias, which was situated near the fish-market. Seraphia was at least five years older than the Blessed Virgin, was present at her marriage with St. Joseph, and was likewise related to the aged Simeon, who prophesied when the Child Jesus was put into his arms. She was brought up with his sons, both of whom, as well as Seraphia, he imbued with his ardent desire of seeing our Lord. When Jesus was twelve years old, and remained teaching in the Temple, Seraphia, who was not then married, sent food for him every day to a little inn, a quarter of a mile from Jerusalem, where he dwelt when he was not in the Temple. Mary went there for two days, when on her way from Bethlehem to Jerusalem to offer her Child in the Temple. The two old men who kept this inn were Essenians, and well acquainted with the Holy Family; it contained a kind of foundation for the poor, and Jesus and his disciples often went there for a night’s lodging.
Seraphia married rather late in life; her husband, Sirach, was descended from the chaste Susannah, and was a member of the Sanhedrim. He was at first greatly opposed to our Lord, and his wife suffered much on account of her attachment to Jesus, and to the holy women, but Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus brought him to a better state of feeling, and he allowed Seraphia to follow our Lord. When Jesus was unjustly accused in the court of Caiphas, the husband of Seraphia joined with Joseph and Nicodemus in attempts to obtain the liberation of our Lord, and all three resigned their seats in the Council.
Seraphia was about fifty at the time of the triumphant procession of our Lord when he entered into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, and I then saw her take off her veil and spread it on the ground for him to walk upon. It was this same veil, which she presented to Jesus, at this his second procession, a procession which outwardly appeared to be far less glorious, but was in fact much more so. This veil obtained for her the name of Veronica, and it is still shown for the veneration of the faithful.