The Lives of the Saints, Volume 02 (of 16): FebruaryBaring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Religion
The Lives of the Saints, Volume 02 (of 16): February
Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Christian saints
The kings of Marava and Madura were still at war; and all the
sufferings which he had formerly experienced under the same
circumstances awaited him now upon his second arrival. Soldiers were
ravaging the country, and he and his flock were compelled to skulk
about in the woods. It is difficult to realize the sufferings which
the holy father endured for several months with so much joy and
resignation. It was his zeal for the salvation of sinners, and the
numerous conversions with which God accredited his mission, that
supported him under all. We should scarcely be able to credit the
fact, if it had not been asserted on oath by one of the catechists in
the process of Beatification; that, in the short space of ten days the
blessed father administered Baptism with his own hand to twelve
thousand idolaters; and more than once his right hand fell powerless
through fatigue.
He established his head quarters in the principality of Mouni, on the
borders of Marava. In order to obtain for the Maravians a proper place
for celebrating the holy mysteries, he chose a thick forest not far
from Mouni, and there constructed three chapels, to which catechists
were attached for the instruction of converts in Christian doctrine;
and at night the holy father came to administer the Sacraments. In a
short time he gained to the faith a vast number of heathen. And
Almighty God deigned to confirm the faith of these converts by the
most extraordinary miracles. By the mere touch of the father, devils
were cast out and the sick cured. The same power was possessed even by
the catechists and neophytes. They read the Gospel over the sick, and
made the sign of the Cross, and God restored them to health.
The report of these wonderful cures reached the ears of Prince
Teriadeven, the real heir to the throne of Marava, now in the
possession of Prince Ranganadeven the usurper, a young man who had
before shown some signs of favour towards Christianity. Being taken
ill, he sent to the blessed father to come and heal him. The father
did not go at once himself, but sent one of his catechists, to
instruct the prince in the elements of Christian doctrine, and exhort
him to put his whole trust in Jesus Christ, as at once the Saviour of
soul and body. The catechist went and read the Gospel to him, made him
repeat the Apostles' Creed, and that instant the sickness left him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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