S. Bibianæ Virginis et MartyrisSt. Bibiana, Virgin and Martyr

Lesson I

Lesson from the book of Isaias

Isa 3:1-4

For behold, the sovereign the Lord of hosts shall take away from Jerusalem, and from Juda the valiant and the strong, the whole strength of bread, and the whole strength of water. The strong man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet, and the cunning man, and the ancient. The captain over fifty, and the honourable in countenance, and the counsellor, and the architect, and the skilful in eloquent speech. And I will give children to be their princes, and the effeminate shall rule over them.

Lesson II

Isa 3:5-7

And the people shall rush one upon another, and every man against his neighbour: the child shall make it tumult against the ancient, and the base against the honourable. For a man shall take hold of his brother, one of the house of his father, saying: Thou hast a garment, be thou our ruler, and let this ruin be under thy hand. In that day he shall answer, saying: I am no healer, and in my house there is no bread, nor clothing: make me not ruler of the people.

Lesson III

Isa 3:8-11

For Jerusalem is ruined, and Juda is fallen: because their tongue, and their devices are against the Lord, to provoke the eyes of his majesty. The shew of their countenance hath answered them: and they have proclaimed abroad their sin as Sodom, and they have not hid it: woe to their souls, for evils are rendered to them. Say to the just man that it is well, for he shall eat the fruit of his doings. Woe to the wicked unto evil: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.

Lesson IV

Bibiana was a Roman maiden, distinguished on account of the nobility of her family, but now far more distinguished for her confession of Christ. In the reign of the foul tyrant, Julian the Apostate, her father Flavian, although he was an ex-Praefect, was branded as a slave and banished to Acquapendente, not far from Rome, where he soon died a martyr for his faith. His wife, Dafrosa, and his two daughters, Bibiana and Demetria, were first imprisoned in their own house, with the idea of starving them to death; but the mother was afterwards taken outside the city and beheaded. Bibiana and her sister Demetria, after the death of their holy parents, were stripped of all they had in the world. Apronianus, Praetor of the city, who hankered after their property, continued to persecute them, but although they were destitute of all human support, God, Who giveth bread to the hungry, fed them, and kept them in health, life, and strength, to the wonder of their enemies.

Lesson V

Apronianus then attacked them, to make them worship the gods of the Gentiles, and promised them the restoration of their property, the favour of the Emperor, and a great marriage for each of them, if they would give way, and, on the other hand, imprisonment, stripes, and death. But neither promises nor threats availed, for they remained firm in the faith, being resolved rather to die than to pollute themselves by doing according to the deeds of the heathen; and, as for the iniquity of the Praetor, they loathed it continually. At length the strength of Demetria gave way, and she fell down suddenly, and died in the Lord, before the eyes of her sister Bibiana. Then Bibiana was put into the hands of an artful woman named Rufina, to seduce her if possible; but she had known the law of Christ from her childhood, and kept the lily of her purity undefiled, triumphing over the efforts of that vile person, and disappointing the lust of the Praetor.

Lesson VI

Then, when Rufina saw that her false words availed not, she took to blows, and scourged Bibiana daily, but the saint was not staggered in her holy resolution. At last the Praetor, mad with baffled lust, when he found his labour was thrown away, ordered his lictors to strip her naked, hang her up by the hands to a pillar, and flog her to death with whips weighted with lead. When all was over, her sacred body was thrown out for the dogs to eat. It lay two days in the Forum Tauri, but the animals would not touch it; and, at last, a Priest, named John, took it, and buried it by night beside the graves of her mother and sister, near the Licinian Palace. This is the place where there is still a church, dedicated in the name of St. Bibiana. When this church was being restored by Urban VIII., the bodies of these three holy women, Bibiana, Demetria, and Dafrosa, were found, and were re-buried under the High Altar.

Lesson VII

From the Holy Gospel according to Matthew

Matt 13:44-52

At that time Jesus spake unto His disciples this parable The kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field. And so on.

Homily by Pope St Gregory the Great

11th on the Gospels

Dearly beloved brethren, the kingdom of heaven is likened unto the things of earth, to the end that by the mean of things which we know, our mind may rise to the contemplation of the things which we know not by the example of things which are seen, may fix her gaze on things which are not seen by the touch of things which she useth, may be warmed towards the things which she useth not; by things which she knoweth and loveth, to love also the things which she knoweth not. For, behold, “the kingdom of heaven is likened unto treasure hid in a field, the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and, for joy thereof, goeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth that field.”

Lesson VIII

And herein we must remark that the treasure, when once it hath been found, is hidden to keep it safe. He whose intimate yearnings after God are not hidden from the praise of men, is open thereby to the attacks of evil spirits. In this life we are, as it were, journeying homewards on a road beset by evil spirits who are like highwaymen. He therefore inviteth robbery who carrieth his treasure ostentatiously. Doubtless our neighbour should be able to see our good works, as it is written: “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” But this is not to be understood to mean that we are to seek the praise of men by what we do. Rather, let us in such wise work in the open that the inner intention of devotion is not advertised. So we shall give an example to our neighbour, and yet keep hidden, except from the sight of God, our purpose of pleasing him.

Lesson IX

The treasure is the desire for heaven, the field wherein it is hidden is the earnest observance wherewith this desire is surrounded. Whosoever turneth his back upon the enjoyments of the flesh, and by earnest striving heavenward, putteth all earthly lusts under the feet of discipline, so that he smileth back no more when the flesh smileth at him, and shuddereth no more at anything that can only kill the body whosoever doth thus, hath sold all that he had, and bought that field.

Te Deum