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St. Bibiana

Feast Day: December 02
Born:(around)330 :: Died:361

Bibiana's father Flavian was a prefect of the city of Rome in early Christian times. He and his wife Dafrosa were good Christians and everyone knew it. So when Emperor Julian left the Catholic Church, he began harassing the Catholics.

Flavian was arrested, branded on the face with a hot iron and sent away from the country. After he died, his wife Dafrosa was also made a prisoner in her own house. This was only because of her good Christian life. Then she, too, was put to death.

Left alone with her sister, Demetria, Bibiana tried with all her heart to trust in God and pray. Everything they had was being taken from these young women. Then they were taken to court.

Poor Demetria was so frightened that she dropped dead at the judge's feet. Bibiana was handed over to a sinful woman, who was supposed to make her as evil as she was.

This woman tried by sweet words and many clever tricks to make Bibiana do wrong. But the saint refused. She was imprisoned in a madhouse and then brought back to court and beaten. Yet she held to her faith and purity as strongly as ever.

St. Bibiana was beaten to death with leaden scourges and her body was left to the dogs but none came near her. Two days later, a priest buried her at night beside her mother and sister.

A church was built over her grave. In the church garden, there grew a herb (plant) that cured headaches and epilepsy.