Saint Maura of Troyes | |
---|---|
Virgin | |
Born | 827 Troyes, Francia |
Died | 21 September 850 (aged 23) West Francia |
Honored in |
Anglican Communion Catholic Church Eastern Orthodox Church |
Major shrine | Troyes, France |
Feast | 21 September |
Maura of Troyes was a French virgin and Christian saint. Born into nobility in Troyes, she devoted herself to prayer, remaining chaste, and is credited with at least two miracles.
Maura was born to a noble family in Troyes, Francia, in 827, and from a young age devoted herself to prayer. [1] [2] As a young girl, she converted her father Mauranus who had previously lived a worldly life, to Christianity. [1] [2] [3] [4] After his death, Maura continued to live at home, praying, serving the poor, and caring for her mother, who was named either Seluca or Sedulia. [1] [2] [4] Her example was also credited with her brother Eutropius' strong faith, and he later went on to become bishop of Troyes. [1] [4]
When not praying or serving the poor, Maura greatly enjoyed meeting the material needs of local priests and the Troyes Cathedral: she would make sacred vestments, trim the candles, fill oil lamps and prepare wax and other things for the altar. [3] [5] In fact, Bishop Prudentius of Troyes, a personal friend, wore an alb spun and woven by her. [3]
Maura spent every morning in church, praying. [2] She fasted Wednesday and Friday, sustaining herself only on small amounts of bread and water. [1] [2] [5] Sometimes, she would walk several miles to visit her spiritual director at his monastery. [1] [2] [5] She was known to produce copious amounts of tears while praying, considered a gift from God. [2] [5] She was also said to have performed miracles, but asked the people she helped not to make her gifts known. [1] [2] [4] [5]
She died on 21 September 850, at the age of 23. [1] [2] [4] [5] She was buried in the cemetery of Château-Nore-de-Troyes. [1]
At least three posthumous miracles are attributed to Maura of Troyes. After her death, her body was washed with water, but the water was claimed to have changed into milk. [3] A young man was believed to have been cured of "a burning fever" after drinking the milk. [3] A young woman, whose husband disliked a large birthmark on her cheek, also drank the milk and the birthmark disappeared. [3] She was declared a saint by the community, as was the normal process before the establishment of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. [4]
St. Maura of Troyes is honored in the Anglican Communion, Catholic Church, and Eastern Orthodox Church. [2] [4] [6] [7] Her feast day is celebrated on 21 September. [4] [6]