Saint Lea

Lea of Rome ( in Rome *, † March 22 384 in Rome) was a wealthy Roman widow. She was widely known as the mother of virgins, patron saint of widows and benefactress of the church father Jerome.

Lea had earlier lost her husband and was then as wealthy matron to the circle of pious women to the St. Jerome in Rome. According to tradition, she lived a life of strict penance, wore a hair shirt, and spent most of the night in prayer. Later, she served as head of a convent consecrated virgins. After the death of Leah by 384 dedicated to her Jerome an obituary, of which there is a copy in the Vatican Library. In it he writes:

"Who can praise the blessed Lea as it deserves? Do not painted her face and not adorned her head with shining pearls. She exchanged her rich clothes against burlap and denied himself to command others to obey all the other self. Joyful ... they looked forward to their arrival in heaven, where they will be richly rewarded for the virtues which she practiced on earth. "

Jerome compares the result with a Gentile named Prätertatus, who died in the same year, after he had previously been elected consul.

" Prätertatus is now deprived of all his goods, his honors and is buried in the horrible darkness. Lea on the other hand, the ostracized by the world, and whose way of life was considered folly, now reigns with Jesus Christ and is drunk with joy that power which God promises His elect. "

The use of the word "blessed " is regarded as sufficient evidence of the veneration of saints in the early church. In Christian iconography, the sacred Lea is shown in widow's weeds and praying before a crucifix. Your Memorial Day in the Catholic Church is March 22.