St. Filomena, Philomena.
St. Fina(1). 6th century. A pupil of St. Ita. O'Hanlon, in Life of Ita.
St. Fina (2), March 12, Oct. 13. + March 12, 1253. Patron of San Gemig- nano. Bepresented eaten alive by rats and mice. She belonged to the poor, though noble, family of Ciardi, at San Gemignano, in Tuscany, and was probably christened Seraphina. Although afflicted with a spinal complaint, she worked for her parents when she possibly could, and gave to those who were still poorer. After her mother's death, her old nurse Beldia, though very infirm, still attended to Fina, who edified all by her patience and cheerfulness. For five years she was obliged to lie on one side without turning; that side became a mass of corruption, and was eaten by worms and mice. She derived comfort from hearing of the sufferings of St. Gregory, and he appeared to her and warned her of her approaching death. She was already venerated as a saint by her neighbours. When she died, all the bells in the town rang without being touched by human hands. Flowers sprang from the hard bench where she had lain so long. Yellow wallflowers and white violets abound at San Gemignano to this day, and are called Fiori di Santa Fina. They grow not only on the ground and on the walls, but high up on the old roofs and towers far out of reach.
Before her burial, she raised her hand and blessed her aged nurse, thereby curing her of a painful disorder.
Her worship is the glorification of simple piety, patience, and charity.
There is a beautiful chapel in her honour in the church of La Collegiata at San Gemignano, where frescoes by Gbirlandajo illustrate the scenes of her life.
A few miles off the main road, between Florence and Siena, San Gemignano, with its fourteen picturesque towers, preserves the appearance of a mediedval Italian town. It resembles those painted by the early Italian masters in the backgrounds of their pictures. It is called San Gemignano delle belle torre.
Story, Roba di Roma, ii. 2G5, 5th edition. Hare, Cities of Italy, Mrs. Boss, Italian Sketches, Mrs. Jameson, Sacred and Legendary Art, The story of this saint, written about fifty years after her death, by a Dominican of her native place.
St. Fincana (1), or Fyncana, Oct. 13. 6th century. Patron of Echt. Forbes. (See Fincana (2), Fintana, and Fin- DOCHA.) St. Fincana (2), Aug. 21. 8th century. One of the daughters of St. Donald, king of Scotland. Bishop Forbes (Kalendars) thinks there was only one Fincana. (^See Fintana and FiNDOCHA.) St. Findia, Finnia. St. Findoca, Oct. 13 (Findocha, Frudochb, Fyndoc), V. Honoured with St. Fincana. Each had some dedica- tions in Scotland. (See Fintana.) St. Fine, Finnia. St. Finia, Jan. 9 (Fine, Finnia). Abbess of Kildare. + c. 800. Lanigan. O'Hanlon, from Colgan, i. 152. St. Finnia (l), Sept. 28 (Findia, Fine). One of " the two shining Finnias." Sister of St. Ita, or Mida. Grammack, from Colgan. St. Finnia (2), Sept. 28 (Findia, Fine). Abbess of Kildare. +805. Gammack, in Smith and Wace's Diet, of Christian Biog. St. Finnseach, Finbecha. St. Finnsegh, Finsecha. St. Finsecha, Feb. 17 (Finnseach, Finnsegh, Finsiche, etc.), V. 5th cen- tury. Mentioned in an old Irish martyr- ology at the end of a list of persons buried at Athrumia (Trim), in Ireland, with' St. Loman, first bishop of Trim, son of St. Tigkidia, sister of St. Patrick, and St. Fortchern, disciple and successor of Loman. Henschenius doubts if they are all martyrs, or only magnates who had the honour of being buried beside the bishop. Mr. Gammack, in Smith and Wace*8 Diet, of Christian Biog,, says there were two Finsechas, one commemo- rated in county Cavan on Oct. 13 and Feb. 17, the other in Tipperary Nov. 9. He says that the name means "white woman." St. Finsiche, Finsecha. St. Fintana, May 27. 6th or 8th
