146 B. PERPETUA Perpetaa was bom in his absence, and the terrified mother ordered the nurse to kill the baby. When the father dis- covered the crime he was transported with rage and remorse, and demanded to see the dead child. The nurse went to fetch it, and brought back a nice little girl sucking its finger. Martin. Bucelinus. B. Perpetua (10) Sardi, O.S.D. + c. 1507. Nun under B. Antonia Guai- KERi in the Dominican convent of St. Catharine the martyr, at Ferrara, and afterwards prioress there. Bazzi. St. Perrenelle or Pebrine, Pbtron- ILLA. St. Perseveranda (i) June 22 and June 6, + c. 346, at Guadalaxara. Quintanaduenas. St. Perseveranda (2), Pkcinna. St. Perusseau or Perusskttk, Praxedis. Cahier. St. Petronia, Sept. 29, probably Peteonilla. St. Petronilla (l). May 31. 1st century. Petronilla is the feminine diminutive of Peter. Called also Peen- elle, Peronelle, Perrenelle, Perrine, PiERiNA, Pierrette, Pierrine, Pireonne. Patron of travellers among mountains, against stone and fever, ague and tooth- ache ; one of the patrons of Bome. Sometimes represented with a broom in her hand : sometimes with St. Felicula (l),her servant,receiving the Communion from the hands of St. Peter. A very ancient tradition says that the Apostle Peter had a daughter, who went with him to Bome. There she fell sick and lost the use of her limbs. One of his disciples said to him, *' Master, how is it that thou, who healest the infirmi- ties of others, dost not heal thy daughter Petronilla?" St. Peter answered, "It is good for her to remain sick." But that they might see the power of God, he commanded her to get up and serve them at table ; which she did, and having done so, she lay down again helpless aa before. Many years after- wards, being perfected by her long- Bu£fering, she was healed. Petronilla was wonderfully beautiful, and Valerius Flaccus, a young and noble Boman, a heathen, sought her for his wife ; and as he was very powerful, she feared to refuse him. She therefore desired him to return in three days, with a great company of damsels and matrons as be- came his rank (not hers), and promised that he should then carry her home : but she prayed earnestly to be delivered from this peril, and when Flaccus re- turned in three days, he found her dead. The company of nobles who attended him carried her to the grave and laid her in it, crowned with roses, and Flaccus lamented. Baillet pronounces her AcU by Mar- cellus a forgery. She is also mentioned in those of SS. Nereus and Achilles; which are not more reliable. In the time of Pepin le href (8th century) a discovery was made, which is thus re- corded in the Golden Legend (of Wynken de Worde) :— " * The body of St. Petronilla
- was trasported fro thens where it was
' and was foiide wryten in a marble by ' the hand of saynt peter. This is y*' ' tomb of y*" golden petronille my • doughter.' " B,M, Butler. Baillet. Villegas. Mrs. Jameson. St. Petronilla (2), July 18. I2th century. Founder and first abbess of Aubeperre in Clermont. Wife of St Gilbert, who went to the Crusades in 11 46 with Louis VII. king of France. On his return, he and Petronilla resolved to devote the rest of their days and their great possessions to the special service of God and His poor. Their daughter, St. Pontia, approved their holy purpose, so they built two monasteries of the Premonstratensian Order, which had been founded by St. Norbert The first monastery was for nuns and was the priory of Aubeperre or Aubeterre, about two leagues from the other, which was for men, and was called Neuffons. Gilbert became a monk there. Petronilla presided over Aube- perre, and there she attained to a great age in extreme holiness, and wrought many miracles, both during her lifd and after her death. She was succeeded in the government of the house by her daughter Pontia, who walked in her holy steps. AA.SS., June 6, " Life of St. Gilbert," by Le Paige. Ven. Petronilla (a) de Chemill*,
