10 BOOK I. CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OF HER LIFE IN THE THE LIFE OF S. VERONICA GIULIANI. CHAPTER I. THE BIRTH OF VERONICA. -TOKENS OF HER SUBSEQUENT SANCTITY AND HIGH PRIVILEGES APPARENT EVEN IN HER INFANCY, THE district of Mercatello, which is one of considerable importance in the Pontifical States, being in the diocese of Urbania, part of the Duchy of Urbino, was the favoured birth-place of S. Veronica, whose wonderful life we are about to relate. Her father was Francesco Giuliani, and her mother Benedetta Mancini of S. Angelo in Vado, a diocese united to Urbania; both were of honourable and wealthy families. Their union in holy matrimony was blessed with no male issue, but they had no less than seven daughters, the youngest of whom was our Saint. Even before the birth of this her last child, the mother had reason to foresee that her infant would prove an extra. ordinary one; for whereas on all previous occasions she had been afflicted with severe sufferings and ex treme internal weakness, so that she had been compelled to abstain in consequence from holy Communion, now on the contrary she enjoyed such good health and exemption from the trials usually experienced in her condition, that she was able to perform all her devotions and domestic duties with ease and alacrity, and she declared with astonishment that she had never before spent such calm and joyful days. At length the day arrived which was to be marked by the nativity of her favoured offspring. It was the 27th of December, which is dedicated to the memory of S. John, the beloved disciple of Jesus Christ; and perhaps it was the special providence of God which appointed this feast for the birthday of S. Veronica, who even in her earliest infancy clearly proved herself to be one of those happy souls on whom God has bestowed the choicest prerogatives of His love. On the following day, being the Feast of the Holy Innocents, 1660, she was regenerated at the baptismal font, in the collegiate church of S. Peter and S. Paul, D. Giovan Antonio Borghese officiating as parish priest. She received the name of Ursula, a presage that she would not only be a virgin Saint, but likewise the guide and mistress of other holy virgins. The anticipations formed respecting her were quickly realised. Two of her sisters have deposed upon oath that she never uttered a cry nor shed a tear, but was always quiet, serene, and cheerful, without manifesting the least antipathy towards any one, permitting herself to be handled without complaint, and to be nursed at whatever time her mother pleased On three days in the week, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, she displayed an aversion from her food, so much so that she would only take a few drops morning and evening; and nothing could induce her to take more on these days. Thus, like S. Nicholas of Bari and other saints, this child early commenced her fasts by way of prelude to those strict ones which she observed afterwards. Many things concur to show that this abstinence was produced by a higher than natural influence; in the first place, she gave no sign of suffering or discomfort, but was bright and calm as usual: secondly, by her mother being compelled on these days to take to her breast some children of the poor, whom she accordingly nursed in the presence of her little daughter, who never showed any symptom of envy or jealousy, as young children so situated are apt to do; on the contrary, it was observed that she seemed to be particularly gratified by the sight of the poor little ones partaking of her own nourishment. Lastly, it is evident, from the above-mentioned days being dedicated in the Christian world to the honour of the Passion of Jesus Christ and to the memory of His most holy Mother, that she was attracted towards both even from her cradle by a peculiar and wonderful devotion, This we shall see confirmed hereafter by those touching communications which were exchanged between Jesus and Mary on the one hand, and our virgin Saint on the other, throughout the entire course of her life. But something still more astonishing remains to be related. The little Ursula was hardly five months old, when on the Feast of the Most Holy Trinity, which in the year 1661 fell on the 12th of June, she was in the arms of her mother, who had released her from her swaddling clothes, and perceiving a picture whereon that august mystery was repre |