Golden Fig Marygold. _Mesembrianthemum aureum._
Dedicated to _St. Cunegundes_.
~March 4.~
_St. Casimir._ _St. Lucius_, Pope, A. D. 253. _St. Adrian_, Bishop, A.
D. 874.
_St. Casimir_,
Was born a prince on the 5th of October, 1458, and died 4th March, 1482.
He was second son of Casimir III. king of Poland; and, according to
Ribadeneira, he wore under his princely attire a prickly hair shirt,
fasted rigorously, prayed at night till he fell weary and exhausted on
the bare floor; often in the most sharp and bitter weather went barefoot
to church at midnight, and lay on his face before the door; studied to
advance the catholic religion, and to extinguish or drive heresy out of
Poland; persuaded his father to enact a law that no new church should be
built for heretics, nor any old ones repaired; in a particular virtue
“surpassed the angels;” committed suicide; resigned his soul amidst
choirs of priests; had it carried to heaven surrounded with a clear
bright light by angels; and thirty-six years after his death he appeared
in glittering armour and gallantly mounted; led the Polish army through
an impassable river, and conquered the Muscovites; and the next year
marched before his beloved Poles in the air against the enemy, and as
“he beat them before, so he beat them again.”