Wednesday’s Woman: St. Augusta of Treviso

The Basics: Born about 410 in Italy; died before 450 in Italy; canonized on May 22, 1754, by Benedict XIV; feast day, March 27. Martyr.

The Story: It appears to have been a loving housekeeper who introduced the young Augusta to Christianity. The motherless child was

By Mauro Girotto [CC BY-SA 2.5 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5)], from Wikimedia Commons; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Reliquie_santa_augusta.jpg
baptized by a hermit the housekeeper knew, and began doing good works among the poor.

Augusta’s father, a heathen chieftain, grew suspicious of her absences and sent a servant to follow her. When the father learned of her conversion, he became enraged and after torturing her, beheaded her. Immediately afterward, he repented of this heinous act, but by all accounts never again found peace.

What We Can Learn from Augusta: In this particular case, let’s think about what we can learn from her father. When a loved one’s behavior angers us, let’s stop and consider why he or she may be doing what he or she is doing, and whether God, not some self-centered desire, may be behind it.

To Learn More About AugustaRead her biography at Italy’s Diocese of Vittorio Veneto site.

To Learn More About Other Women Saints and Blesseds: Come back next week, or consider buying my book, Sisterhood of Saints: Daily Guidance and Inspiration.

By Melanie

Melanie Rigney is the author of Radical Saints: 21 Women for the 21st Century and other Catholic books. She is a contributor to Living Faith and other Catholic blogs. She lives in Arlington, Virginia. Melanie also owns Editor for You, a publishing consultancy that since 2003 has helped hundreds of writers, publishers, and agents.

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