The Lives of the Saints Volume 1 - St. Patrick's Basilica

esign their p{}ends; except the abbess, who makes solemn religious
vows.
SS. DANIEL, PRIEST, AND VERDA, VIRGIN,
MARTYRS.
From their authentic acts, written by St. Maruthas, in Syriac, and
published by Stephen Assemani among the Oriental Martyrs, t. 1, p. 103.
A.D. 344.
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Two years after the martyrdom of St. Milles, Daniel, a priest, and a
virgin consecrated to God, named Verda, which in Chaldaic signifies a
rose, were apprehended in the province of the Razicheans, in Persia, by
an order of the governor, and put to all manner of torments for three
months, almost without intermission. Among other tortures, their feet
being bored through, were put into frozen water for five days together.
The governor, seeing it impossible to overcome their constancy,
condemned them to lose their heads. They were crowned on the 25th of the
moon of February, which was that year the 21st of that month, in the
year of Christ 344, and of king Sapor II., the thirty-fifth. Their names
were not known either to the Greek or Latin martyrologists: and their
illustrious triumph is recorded in few words by St. Maruthas: but was
most glorious in the sight of heaven.
B. PEPIN OF LANDEN, MAYOR OF THE PALACE
TO THE KINGS CLOTAIRE II., DAGOBERT, AND SIGEBERT.
HE was son of Carloman, the most powerful nobleman of Austrasia, who had
been mayor to Clotaire I., son of Clovis I. He was grandfather to Pepin
of Herstal, the most powerful mayor, whose son was Charles Martel, and
grandson Pepin the Short, king of France, in whom began the Carlovingian
race. Pepin of Landen, upon the river Geete, in Brabant, was a lover of
peace, the constant defender of truth and justice, a true friend to all
servants of God, the terror of the wicked, the support of the weak, the
father of his country, the zealous and humble defender of religion. He
was lord of great part of Brabant, and governor of Austrasia, when
Theodebert II., king of that country, was defeated by Theodoric II.,
king of Burgundy, and soon after assassinated in 612: and Theodoric
dying the year following, Clotaire II., king of Soissons, reunited
Burgundy, Neustria, and Austrasia to his former dominions, and became
sole monarch of France. For the pacific possession of Austrasia he was
much indebted to Pepin, whom he appointed mayor of the palace to his son
Dagobert I., when, in 622, he declared him king of Austrasia and