Arthelais

Saint Arthelais (Italian: Sant' Artellaide) (544–560) is venerated as a Christian saint. She is one of the patron saints of Benevento,[1] with Saints Barbatus of Benevento and Bartholomew being the others. Her feast day is on March 3.

Saint Arthelais
Born544 AD
Constantinople
Died560 AD
Venerated inRoman Catholic Church
FeastMarch 3
PatronageBenevento; kidnap victims, illness, people in exile, sick people, sickness

Narrative

A native of Constantinople, Arthelais was the daughter of an imperial proconsul named Lucius and his wife Anthusa. She is said to have been pursued by Justinian, who desired her; however, Arthelais had taken a vow of chastity. At her own request, she was sent with three servants to her uncle Narses in Italy, but was kidnapped by robbers along the way. Her servants had recourse to the Church of Saint Eulalia, where they prayed for their mistress' safe return, and gave alms to the poor from their expense money.[2]

The robbers intended to sell their captive for immoral purposes, but a angel slew the goaler and freed her. The devil seized the rest of the robbers. Arthelais soon met her servants, and they proceeded to Siponto. From there she went to the Sanctuary of Monte Sant'Angelo to make an offering in thanksgiving. Her uncle Narses went to meet her and brought her back to Benevento. She later died of a fever at the age of seventeen.[2]

References
  1. "Saint Arthelais of Benevento". CatholicSaints.Info. 2009-03-03. Retrieved 2018-03-20.
  2. Dunbar, Agnes Baillie Cunninghame. A Dictionary of Saintly Women, Vol. 1, Bell, 1904, p. 84 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
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