(DATE UNCERTAIN.)
[Ferrarius, in his Catalogue of Saints. Not in the Roman Martyrology.
Venerated at Serravalle, near Ceneda, on the Piavia. There is at
Serravalle a church on a hill-top, containing her relics, and to this
pilgrimages are made on August 1st, the day of the translation of her
relics, but the anniversary of her martyrdom is March 27th, and that
of the invention of her relics in Aug. 22nd. The story of this saint
is purely traditional.]
There was once upon a time, when the Roman empire was tottering to its
decline, a certain duke of Friuli, named Matrucus, of Gothic race, who
built for himself a great castle on the mountain dominating Serravalle,
the ruins of which remain to this day. Now the people of that part
were Christians, but Matrucus was a heathen. He had a daughter named
Augusta, young and fair, and her heart turned from the fierce gods
of Germany to the Christ whom the bruised and suffering people of
Serravalle adored, and to His spotless Mother, so pure and loving. And
she sought means of receiving instruction, and was baptized secretly.
Now there were many things in his daughter's conduct which roused
suspicion in the mind of Matrucus, and he set spies to watch her. One
day, he was told that she was in the church praying, and he rushed in
upon her, dragged her forth, and locked her up in a chamber of the
castle. In ungovernable fury he afterwards beat out her teeth, and
executed her with his sword, reproaching her with having despised the
gods of their ancestors and degraded the honour of his house.