# Matins Nocturn 2 reading for St. Elizabeth of Portugal, Queen and # Widow (July 8). Sourced directly from # web/www/horas/Latin/Sancti/07-08.txt, English/Sancti/07-08.txt. # Lectio4-6 combined into one reading, one continuous vita. No # Lectio7-9 in her own file (her `[Rule]` is `vide C7a`) -- defers to # the Common's own Nocturn 3, not transcribed here. id: st-elizabeth-of-portugal readings: - nocturn: 2 isGospel: false text: la: >- Elísabeth Aragoniæ régibus ortam, Christi anno millesimo ducentésimo septuagesimo primo, in præsagium futuræ sanctimoniæ, paréntes, præter morem relícto matris aviæque nómine, a magna ejus matértera, Thuringiæ domina, sancta Elísabeth, in baptismo nominátam voluére. Ubi nata est, statim pátuit quam felix regum regnorúmque esset futura pacatrix; natalícia enim ejus lætítia perniciosas ávi patrisque dissensiónes in concordiam convértit. Pater vero, crescentis póstea fíliæ admirátus índolem, affirmábat fore, ut una Elísabeth réliquas Aragoniórum regum sánguine creatas feminas virtúte longe superáret. Sic cælestem ipsíus vitam in contemnéndo corporis ornatu, in fugiéndis voluptátibus, in jejuniis frequentandis, in divinis precibus assidue recitandis, in caritátis opéribus exercendis, veneratus, rerum suárum regnique felicitátem uníus fíliæ meritis referebat acceptam. Tandem, ubíque nota et a multis princípibus exoptata, Dionysio Lusitaniæ regi christiánis cæremoniis rite est in matrimónium collocata. Juncta conjugio, non minórem excoléndis virtútibus quam liberis educandis operam dabat, viro placére studens, sed magis Deo. Mediam fere anni partem solo pane tolerábat et aqua; quæ in quodam ipsíus morbo divinitus versa est in vinum, cum id a médicis præscriptum bíbere recusasset. Páuperis feminæ ulcus horréndum exosculata, derepénte sanávit. Pecunias paupéribus distribuendas, ut regem latérent, hiberno témpore in rosas convértit. Vírginem cæcam a nativitáte illuminávit; multos alios solo crucis signo a gravíssimis morbis liberávit; plurima id genus miracula patrávit. Monasteria, collegia et templa non modo exstruxit, sed étiam magnifice dotávit. In regum discordiis componéndis admirábilis fuit; in privátis publicisque mortalium sublevandis calamitátibus indefessa. Defuncto rege Dionysio, sicut virgínibus in prima ætate, in matrimonio conjugibus, ita viduis in solitúdine fuit ómnium virtútem exemplar. Illico enim religiosis sanctæ Claræ vestibus induta, regio fúneri constanter intérfuit, ac paulo post, Compostellam proficiscens, multa ex holosérico, argénto, auro, gemmisque donaria pro regis ánima óbtulit. Inde reversa domum, quidquid sibi carum aut pretiósum supérerat, in sacros ac pios usus convértit; absolvendóque suo vere regio Conimbricénsi vírginum cœnobio, et aléndis paupéribus, et protegéndis viduis, defendéndis pupillis, miseris omnibus juvandis intenta, non sibi, sed Deo, et mortalium ómnium commodis vivebat. Reges duos, fílium et generum, pacificatúra Stremotium nóbile oppidum veniens, morbo ex itinere contracto, ibidem a Vírgine Deípara, visitata, sanctíssime obiit, anno millesimo trecentésimo trigesimo sexto die quarta Julii. Post mortem multis miraculis cláruit, præsertim suavíssimo corporis jam per annos fere trecentos incorrúpti odore; semper étiam reginæ sanctæ cognomento celebris. Tandem anno jubilæi, et nostræ salútis millesimo sexcentésimo vigesimo quinto, totius christiáni orbis concursu et applausu, ab Urbano octavo rite inter Sanctos adscripta est. en: >- Elizabeth, daughter of Peter III., King of Aragon, was born in the year of Christ 1271, and it was an omen of her saintly life; that her father and mother, contrary to the usual custom, caused her to be baptized, not by the name of her mother or grandmother, but by that of her mother's aunt, the holy Lady Elizabeth of Thuringia. As soon as ever she was born, her destiny of being a peacemaker between kings and kingdoms began to appear, for the joy of her birth put an end to the ruinous quarrels of her father and grandfather. As she grew up, her father, delighted with her disposition, was used to foretell that his Elizabeth would in herself excel all the daughters of the kingly house of Aragon, and that the happiness of his own home and kingdom was all owing to this one damsel, whose heavenly life he venerated for her indifference to bodily finery, her abstinence from pleasures, her many fasts, her instancy in prayer to God, and her activity in doing works of charity. This illustrious maiden was sought in marriage by many princes, and at twelve years of age was wedded with Christian rites to Denis, King of Portugal. As a wife, she gave herself up as much to the education of her children, as to her own improvement, striving in all ways, next to God, to please her husband. For nearly half the year, she was used to live on bread and water, and once, when she was ill, God changed the water into wine, which the physicians had ordered her to drink, but which she was unwilling to take. Once when she kissed a disgusting ulcer in a poor woman, it was immediately healed. One winter-time when she was giving some money to the poor, and was fain her husband should not see her alms, the coins changed into roses. She gave sight to a maiden who had been born blind, and healed many other persons of grievous sicknesses by the Sign of the Cross. She not only built, but richly endowed convents, schools, and churches. She had a wonderful skill in making peace between kings, and toiled unweariedly to lighten all suffering, whether public or private. King Denis died, and Elizabeth, who in her maidenhood had been a pattern to virgins, and in her married life to wives, now, in her loneliness, was an example to widows. Clad in the raiment of the nuns of St. Clare, she faithfully attended at the King's funeral, and soon after went to Compostella, where she offered many precious gifts, of silk, and gold, and silver, and precious stones, for the benefit of his soul. Thence she returned home, and spent in holy and godly uses everything that remained to her that was dear and costly, eager to relieve every kind of suffering. She lived, not for herself, but for God, and to be useful to mankind. She finished the convent for nuns, right worthy of a Queen, which she had founded at Coimbra. She fed the poor, defended widows, protected orphans. A war being lighted up between her son Alphonsus IV, King of Portugal, and her grandson Alphonsus V, King of Castile, she resolved to set out to reconcile them, and went to the famous city of Estremoz, upon the borders of the two kingdoms. On the journey, she caught a violent fever, of which, after a vision of the Virgin Mother of God, she died a saintly death on the 4th day of July, in the year 1336. She became illustrious for miracles after her death, especially for the sweetness of the savour of her body, which hath now remained uncorrupt for well-nigh three hundred years, and she hath always been spoken of as the Holy Queen Elizabeth. At length, in the year of our salvation 1625, which was that of the Jubilee, Urban VIII, all Christendom gathered together and approving, formally enrolled her name among those of the Saints. status: { la: verified, en: verified }