Chapter 1 #

¹ As I have already digressed in my previous two books, it is now time, dear sister, to revisit the teachings of Liberius of blessed memory that we used to discuss together. The holier the person, the more delightful their conversation. On the Nativity of the Savior, in the Church of St. Peter, when you declared your vow of virginity by changing your attire (and what better day than the one when the Virgin gave birth to her child?), many other virgins gathered around, eager to share in your commitment. He said to you, “My daughter, you have chosen a noble union. See how large a crowd has gathered for the birthday of your Spouse, and no one has left without being fed. This is the One who, when invited to the wedding feast, turned water into wine. He will also bestow on you the pure sacrament of virginity, releasing you from the base elements of material existence. This is the One who fed four thousand people in the wilderness with five loaves and two fish. He could have fed even more, and if there had been more people, they would have been fed. Now He has called many to witness your union, but this time, it is not barley bread being offered—it is the heavenly Body."

² “Today, He was born as a man from a Virgin, but was begotten by the Father before all creation, resembling His mother in the flesh and His Father in power. He is the Only-begotten on earth and the Only-begotten in heaven. God from God, born of a Virgin, Righteousness from the Father, Power from the Almighty, Light from Light, not inferior to His Father, nor divided in power, and not confused by the extension of the Word or mixed with the Father, but distinct from the Father by His unique generation. He is your Brother, without whom neither the things in heaven, the sea, nor on earth hold together. He is the good Word of the Father, who, as it is said, ‘was in the beginning’—this shows His eternity. And it is also said, ‘the Word was with God"’—this shows His power, inseparable from the Father. And ‘the Word was God’—this shows His eternal Godhead, for your faith must come from the relationship between the Father and the Son.”

³ “Love Him, my daughter, for He is good. ‘None is good except God alone.’ Since there is no doubt that the Son is God, and God is good, there is certainly no doubt that God the Son is good. Love Him, I say. He is the One whom the Father begot before the morning star, being eternal. The Father brought Him forth from the womb as the Son; He spoke Him from His heart as the Word. He is the One in whom the Father is well pleased; He is the Arm of the Father, for He is the Creator of all, and the Wisdom of the Father, for He came forth from the mouth of God. He is the Power of the Father, because the fullness of the Godhead dwells in Him bodily. And the Father loved Him so much that He held Him close to His heart and placed Him at His right hand, so that you may learn His wisdom and understand His power.”

⁴ “If Christ is the Power of God, was God ever without power? Was the Father ever without the Son? If the Father has always existed, then the Son has always existed as well. Therefore, He is the perfect Son of a perfect Father. Whoever diminishes the power of the Son, diminishes the One whose power it is. The perfection of the Godhead does not allow for inequality. Love Him whom the Father loves, honor Him whom the Father honors, for ‘he who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father,’ and ‘whoever denies the Son does not have the Father’. This is the essence of the faith.”

Chapter 2 #

¹ But sometimes, even when faith can be trusted, youth is not. Therefore, use wine sparingly, so that the weakness of the body does not worsen—not for pleasure, as both wine and youth can ignite a flame. Let fasting place a restraint on the impulses of youth, and a modest diet rein in untamed appetites. Let reason guide, hope control, and fear curb them. For whoever cannot master their desires is like someone being carried away by wild horses—overthrown, bruised, torn, and harmed.

² This is said to have happened to a young man because of his love for Diana. However, the story is embellished with poetic tales, claiming that Neptune, filled with jealousy at being rejected in favor of another, sent madness upon the youth’s horses to demonstrate his power—not by strength, but through deceit. From this event, a yearly sacrifice to Diana is celebrated, with a horse offered at her altar. They say Diana was a virgin, yet (in a way that even harlots would find shameful) loved someone who did not love her back. As for me, let their fables hold whatever authority they may, for though both are wicked, it is still a lesser evil for a young man to be infatuated with an adulteress and perish for it, than for two gods, as the story goes, to compete in committing adultery. The tale continues with Jupiter avenging the grief of his daughter, who acted as a harlot, by taking vengeance on the physician who healed the one who violated Diana in the woods—a most excellent huntress, no doubt, not of wild beasts, but of lust. Yet, also of wild beasts, since she was worshipped while naked.

³ Let them then attribute to Neptune control over madness, so they can blame him for the crime of impure love. Let them attribute to Diana dominion over the woods where she lived, in order to justify the adultery she committed. Let them attribute to Æsculapius the power to raise the dead, as long as they admit that he himself could not escape when struck by lightning. Let them also attribute to Jupiter the thunderbolts he did not own, so they acknowledge the disgrace he carried.

⁴ And I believe one should eat sparingly of all foods that generate heat in the body, for even eagles are weighed down by flesh as they fly. But within you, let that bird we read about, “Your youth shall be renewed like the eagle’s,” maintain its high course, swift in its pure flight, without craving unnecessary food. The gathering of feasts and formal greetings should be avoided.

Chapter 3 #

¹ I also desire that visits among the younger people, except those with parents or others of similar age, be few. For modesty is worn away by frequent interaction, boldness begins to emerge, laughter slips in, and bashfulness is reduced while politeness becomes a performance. To ignore someone asking a question seems childish, yet answering often leads to nonsense. Therefore, I would prefer a virgin to lack conversation rather than have it in excess. If women are instructed to remain silent in churches, even about divine matters, and to ask their husbands at home, what caution should virgins take, whose modesty enhances their youth and whose silence upholds their modesty?

² Was it not a great sign of modesty that when Rebecca came to marry Isaac and saw her bridegroom, she covered herself with a veil so that she would not be seen before they were joined? Surely the beautiful virgin was more concerned for her modesty than her beauty. And what about Rachel? After receiving Jacob’s kiss, she wept and groaned, and would have continued weeping had she not realized he was a relative. Thus, she upheld modesty while not neglecting kindness. But if a man is told, “Do not gaze upon a maid, lest she lead you to fall,” what should be said to a consecrated virgin, who, if she loves, sins in thought, and if she is loved, sins in action as well?

³ The virtue of silence, especially in Church, is of great importance. Let no part of the divine teachings pass you by; if you are listening, hold back your voice. Speak no word that you may later wish to take back, and let your eagerness to speak be restrained. For truly, in much speaking there is an abundance of sin. To the murderer, it was said, “You have sinned, be silent,” so that he would not sin further. But to the virgin, it must be said, “Be silent, lest you sin.” For Mary, as we read, kept all the things said about her Son in her heart. And when any passage is read announcing Christ’s coming or proclaiming that He has come, do not interrupt by speaking, but listen attentively. Is anything more inappropriate than allowing the divine words to be drowned out by talking, so they are neither heard, believed, nor understood? Should the sacraments be obscured by the sound of voices, or prayer be hindered when offered for the salvation of all?

⁴ The Gentiles show respect to their idols through silence, and here’s an example: When Alexander, the king of the Macedonians, was offering a sacrifice, the sleeve of a young barbarian boy, who was lighting the lamp for him, caught fire and burned his body. However, the boy remained still, neither letting out a groan nor shedding silent tears to show his pain. Such was the discipline of reverence in this young barbarian that he was able to suppress his natural instincts. Yet, he did not fear the gods, who were not truly gods, but rather feared the king. After all, why should he fear beings who, if the same fire had touched them, would have burned just the same?

⁵ How much better it is when a young man at his father’s banquet is instructed not to reveal his immoral desires through crude gestures. And you, holy virgin, refrain from groans, cries, coughing, and laughter during the sacred rites. Can you not behave during the Mystery as he did at a banquet? Let virginity be signaled first by your speech, modesty keep your mouth closed, religious devotion overcome weakness, and habitual discipline guide your nature. Let her dignity be the first sign that she is a virgin—a modest approach, a measured walk, a bashful expression—and let the evidence of integrity lead the way for her virtue. A virgin is not truly worthy of praise if people must question her character when they see her.

⁶ There is a common story of how, when the loud croaking of frogs was disturbing the faithful, the priest of God commanded them to be silent and show reverence to the sacred words, and immediately the noise ceased. Shall the marshes fall silent, and not the frogs? And shall irrational animals show reverence for what they do not understand by nature? Meanwhile, the shamelessness of people is such that many do not care to give the same respect to their religious devotion as they do to the pleasure of their ears.

Chapter 4 #

¹ In this manner did the blessed Liberius address you, with words that often exceed the reality for most, but fall short of your own actions, as you have not only mastered all the disciplines through your virtue but have gone beyond them in your zeal. We are instructed to fast for single days, but you, extending both nights and days, go for countless periods without food. And if ever asked to take some food and rest from your reading, you immediately respond: “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.” Your meals consist only of whatever is available, so that fasting becomes preferable to eating something distasteful; your drink comes from the spring, your weeping and prayers are constant, and your sleep is upon your book.

² These kings were suited to the vigor of youth, while he was maturing with the gray hairs of age. But when a virgin has triumphed over her body and subdued its desires, she should ease her labors so that she may be preserved as a guide for the younger generation. A vine heavy with the fruitful branches of full growth soon breaks unless it is pruned from time to time. While the vine is young, let it grow freely, but as it ages, it should be pruned so it doesn’t become a tangled mess of twigs or die from its overproduction. A skilled farmer tends the soil to keep the vine in excellent condition, shields it from the cold, and protects it from being scorched by the midday sun. He works his land in turns, and if he doesn’t let it lie fallow, he alternates the crops so that the fields can rest through variety. In the same way, you, a veteran in virginity, should also sow the fields of your heart with different seeds—sometimes with moderate sustenance, sometimes with light fasting, with reading, work, and prayer—so that the change in labor serves as a rest for your spirit.

³ The entire land doesn’t yield the same harvest. In one area, vines grow on the hills; in another, you can see the purple olives, and elsewhere, the fragrant roses. After finishing with the plough, the strong farmer uses his hands to plant flower roots, and with the same rough hands that guide the oxen among the vines, he gently presses the udders of the sheep. The land is better when it produces a variety of fruits. Likewise, following the example of a good farmer, don’t exhaust your soul with constant fasting as if plowing it too deeply. Let the rose of modesty bloom in your garden, along with the lily of the mind, and let the violets drink from the well of sacred blood. There’s a common saying: ‘What you wish to do abundantly, sometimes don’t do at all’. There should be something extra to add to the days of Lent, but make sure it’s done for the sake of faith, not for show.

⁴ Frequent prayer also draws us closer to God. For if the prophet says, “Seven times a day have I praised You,” even though he was occupied with the matters of a kingdom, what should we do, knowing the command: “Watch and pray that you do not fall into temptation”? Certainly, our regular prayers should be offered with thanksgiving—when we rise from sleep, when we go out, when we prepare to eat, after eating, at the hour of incense, and finally, when we are about to rest.

⁵ And again, in your own bedroom, I encourage you to alternate between psalms and the Lord’s Prayer frequently—whether when you wake up or just before sleep covers your body—so that, at the very start of rest, sleep finds you free from worldly concerns, reflecting on the things of God. Indeed, even the one who first discovered the name “Philosophy” had a flute-player play soft melodies each day before he went to bed, to calm his mind troubled by worldly worries. But he, like someone trying to wash tiles, vainly sought to rid himself of worldly things by worldly means, for he was, in fact, only covering himself with fresh mud by seeking relief through pleasure. However, let us, having washed off the grime of earthly vices, cleanse our souls from every impurity of the flesh.

⁶ We should also make it a point to recite the Creed daily, as a seal upon our hearts, before the break of day, and recall it in our minds whenever we are afraid of anything. For when is a soldier in his tent or a warrior in battle without his military oath?

Chapter 5 #

¹ And who can now fail to understand that the holy prophet spoke for our instruction when he said: “Every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with weeping”? If we take it literally, he’s showing that such an outpouring of tears should be shed that it could soak the bed and couch of the one praying. Weeping pertains to the present, while rewards belong to the future, as it is said: “Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh”. Alternatively, if we understand the prophet’s words as referring to our bodies, we must wash away the sins of the body with tears of repentance. For “Solomon crafted a bed of wood from Lebanon, its pillars were silver, its base gold, and its back adorned with precious stones”. What is that bed but a symbol of our body’s structure? The gems represent the splendor of the air, the gold symbolizes fire, the silver represents water, and the wood represents earth—the four elements that make up the human body, in which our soul rests. This rest is not disturbed by the harshness of mountains or damp ground but is elevated above vice, supported by the wood. For this reason, David also says: “The Lord will sustain him on his sickbed”. How can that be a bed of pain if it cannot feel pain, and if it has no sensation? The body of pain is like the body of death, of which it is said: “Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?”.

² And since I have included a statement mentioning the Lord’s Body, in case anyone is disturbed by reading that the Lord took on a body of suffering, let them remember that the Lord grieved and wept over the death of Lazarus, was wounded in His crucifixion, and from His wound came blood and water, and that He gave up His Spirit. The water is for cleansing, the blood is for drink, and the Spirit is for His resurrection. For Christ alone is our hope, faith, and love—hope in His resurrection, faith in the cleansing, and love in the sacrament.

³ And just as He took on a body of suffering, He also transformed His bed in His weakness, for He turned it to the benefit of human flesh. Through His Passion, weakness was overcome, and through His resurrection, death was defeated. You should mourn for the world, but rejoice in the Lord; be sorrowful in repentance, but joyful in grace. Moreover, the teacher of the Gentiles has wisely instructed us to “weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice.”

⁴ But if anyone wishes to fully resolve the difficulty of this question, let them turn to the same Apostle. He says, “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” So, let us dedicate all our words and actions to Christ, Who brought life out of death and created light out of darkness. Just as a sick body is sometimes nurtured with warmth and other times soothed by cooling remedies, and the variety of treatments, when done according to the doctor’s instructions, brings healing—but when done against his orders, worsens the illness—so, whatever is done for Christ is a remedy, but whatever is done by our own will is harmful.

⁵ There should be a joy of the mind, rooted in a clear conscience, not stirred by uncontrolled feasts or wedding celebrations, because modesty is not safe in such settings, and temptation can arise where excessive dancing accompanies the festivities. I wish for God’s virgins to stay far from this. As a certain worldly teacher has said: “No one dances while sober unless they are mad.” Now, if according to worldly wisdom, either drunkenness or madness leads to dancing, what a warning we have in the examples given in Scripture. John the Baptist, Christ’s forerunner, was beheaded at the request of a dancer, showing that the allure of dancing caused more harm than the rage of sacrilegious anger.

Chapter 6 #

¹ Since we should not lightly pass over the mention of such a great man, let us reflect on who he was, by whom, for what reason, how, and at what time he was killed. A just man is put to death by adulterers, and the penalty for a grave crime is shifted from the guilty onto the judge. Again, the reward for the dancer is the death of a prophet. Lastly (a matter of shame even among all barbarians), the cruel sentence is handed down in the middle of a banquet and celebration. The news of this deadly crime travels from the banquet to the prison, and then from the prison back to the banquet. How many sins are committed in this single wicked act!

² A feast of death is lavishly prepared with royal splendor, and when a larger crowd than usual has gathered, the queen’s daughter, summoned from her private chambers, is brought out to dance before the men. What else could she have learned from an adulteress but the loss of modesty? Is there anything that stirs up lust more than exposing, through indecent movements, the parts of the body that nature has hidden or tradition has covered, flaunting her appearance, turning her neck, and letting her hair down? Naturally, the next step was an offense against God. For how can there be any modesty where there is dancing, noise, and applause?

³ Then it is said that the king, being pleased, told the girl she could ask whatever she wanted from him. He even swore that if she asked, he would give her up to half of his kingdom. See how worldly men value their power, willing to offer entire kingdoms for a dance. But the girl, having been instructed by her mother, asked for the head of John to be brought to her on a platter. When it says the king was sorry, this is not true repentance, but rather a confession of guilt, which aligns with the divine principle that those who do evil often condemn themselves through their own words. It was also for the sake of those who sat with him. What could be more disgraceful than committing murder to avoid displeasing dinner guests? And then, for the sake of his oath. What a twisted sense of duty! He would have been better off breaking his oath. This is why the Lord commands us in the Gospel not to swear at all, so there is no risk of perjury or causing harm. Thus, an innocent man was killed to preserve an oath. I know which is more horrifying: perjury is more tolerable than the oaths of tyrants.

⁴ Who wouldn’t think, upon seeing someone rushing from the banquet to the prison, that orders had been given to release the prophet? Who, upon hearing that it was Herod’s birthday, with a grand banquet and the girl being offered whatever she wished, wouldn’t assume that someone was sent to free John? What does cruelty have to do with luxury? What do death and pleasure have in common? The prophet is hastily brought to suffer at a time of celebration, by an order given at a feast, where he would have hoped for release. Instead, he is killed by the sword, and his head is brought on a platter. This platter was a fitting display for their cruelty, meant to satisfy their insatiable savagery.

⁵ Look, most savage king, at the spectacle fitting for your feast. Extend your right hand so that nothing may be lacking in your cruelty, allowing streams of holy blood to flow between your fingers. And since your hunger for such unimaginable cruelty couldn’t be satisfied by feasts, nor your thirst quenched by goblets, drink the blood pouring from the still-flowing veins of the severed head. Behold those eyes, even in death, which bear witness to your crime, turning away from the sight of the delicacies. The eyes close, not so much from death, but from the horror of such luxury. That bloodless, golden mouth, whose judgment you could not endure, is now silent—yet you still fear. Even in death, the tongue, faithful to its duty as it was in life, condemns the incestuous act with trembling motion. This head is carried to Herodias, and she rejoices, exults, as though she had escaped her guilt simply because she has killed her judge.

⁶ What do you say, holy women? Do you see what you should teach, and also what you should unteach your daughters? She dances, but she is the daughter of an adulteress. However, the modest and chaste woman should teach her daughter faith, not dancing. And you, wise and honorable men, learn to avoid the banquets of wicked men. If this is the nature of their feasts, what will be the judgment of the ungodly?

Chapter 7 #

¹ As I near the end of my address, you make a good suggestion, dear sister, that I should speak about how we should view the actions of those who have thrown themselves from a height or drowned themselves in a river to avoid falling into the hands of persecutors, especially since Scripture forbids Christians from taking their own lives. Regarding virgins who find themselves in a situation where they must protect their purity, we have a clear example to follow, as there is a case of martyrdom that addresses this.

² Saint Pelagia lived in Antioch, around fifteen years old, a sister to other virgins and a virgin herself. When the first signs of persecution appeared, she shut herself away at home, finding herself surrounded by those who would steal her faith and purity. Her mother and sisters were absent, leaving her defenseless, yet she was filled with the presence of God. “What should I do?” she asked herself. “You, a captive to virginity, must act wisely. I both wish and fear to die, for I am not simply meeting death but seeking it. Let us die if we are allowed, or even if they will not allow it, still, let us die. God does not take offense at a remedy against evil, and faith permits the act. Indeed, when we consider the true meaning of words, how can something voluntary be considered violence? It is more of a violence to want to die and be unable to. And we do not fear any difficulty. For who, wishing to die, is unable to when there are so many simple paths to death? I could now rush toward the sacrilegious altars, overthrow them, and extinguish the flames with my blood. I do not fear that my right hand will fail to strike or that my heart will shy away from the pain. I will leave no sin to my flesh. I am not worried that I will lack a sword. I can die by my own means, without needing an executioner, in the arms of my mother.”

³ It is said that she adorned her head and wore a bridal dress, so that it seemed as if she was going to meet a bridegroom, not death. But when the cruel persecutors realized they had lost the chance to violate her chastity, they turned their attention to her mother and sisters. However, through a spiritual escape, they had already secured their purity. When, on one side, the persecutors suddenly threatened them, and on the other, their path to escape was blocked by a rushing river, they said, “What do we fear? Look at the water—what stops us from being baptized? This is the baptism that forgives sins and leads to the kingdom. After this baptism, no one sins. Let the water receive us, the water that regenerates, that makes virgins, that opens heaven, protects the weak, hides death, and creates martyrs. We pray to You, God, Creator of all things, do not let the water scatter our lifeless bodies. Do not let death separate our funerals, for our lives have always been united in love. Let our courage be one, our death one, and let us be buried together as one.”

⁴ After saying these words, and lightly gathering the front of their dresses to cover their modesty without hindering their steps, they joined hands as if about to begin a dance. Together, they walked into the middle of the riverbed, heading toward where the current was strongest and the water deepest. No one hesitated, no one stopped moving forward, and no one carefully chose where to step. They were only concerned when they could feel the ground beneath them, saddened when the water was shallow, and joyful when it grew deeper. You could see the devout mother tightening her hold, delighted by her commitments, yet fearing a stumble that might cause the stream to separate her from her daughters. “These are the offerings I present to You, O Christ,” she said, “leaders in chastity, guides for my journey, and companions in my suffering.”

⁵ But who could be surprised by their steadfastness in life, given that even in death they remained unmoved? The water did not expose their bodies, nor did the swift current carry them away. Even more remarkable, the holy mother, though without life, still maintained her loving grip, holding firm the sacred bond she had formed. She did not release her hold in death, ensuring that she, having fulfilled her religious duty, left her piety as her legacy. For those whom she had united with herself in martyrdom, she claimed even in the grave.

⁶ Why refer to examples of people from another race, my sister, when the spirit of inherited chastity has been passed down to you from a martyred ancestor? How did you learn this, having no one to teach you, living in the countryside without any other virgins for companionship, and without the guidance of a teacher? You have not acted as a student, for this requires instruction, but rather as an heir to virtue.

⁷ How could it be that holy Sotheris was not the inspiration behind your purpose, being an ancestor of your lineage? During a time of persecution, she endured the heights of suffering, even at the hands of slaves, offering her face—usually spared when the whole body is tortured—to the executioner. Her face witnessed the torment more than it suffered it. She was so brave and patient that, when she presented her tender cheeks for punishment, the executioner hesitated in striking, while the martyr endured the injuries. She neither moved her face, turned her gaze, nor uttered a groan or shed a tear. Finally, after overcoming various forms of punishment, she found the sword she had longed for.