"Mark the disciple and interpreter of Peterwrote a short gospel at the request of the brethren at Rome embodying what he had heard Peter tell. When Peter had heard this, he approved it and published it to the churches to be read by his authority as Clemens in the sixth book of his Hypotyposes and Papias, bishop of Hierapolis, record. Peter also mentions this Mark in his first epistle, figuratively indicating Rome under the name of Babylon She who is in Babylon elect together with you salutes you and so does Mark my son."
[Saint Jerome – IV-V Century AD; Stridon, Roman Empire/Bethlehem, Palaestina Prima; aged 75-78, Translation of the Bible into Latin – Vulgate; Doctor of the Church] “Chapter 7 Luke a physician of Antioch, as his writings indicate, was not unskilled in the Greek language. An adherent of the apostle Paul, and companion of all his journeying, he wrote a Gospel, concerning which the same Paul says, We send with him a brother whose praise in the gospel is among all the churches and to the Colossians Luke the beloved physician salutes you, and to Timothy Luke only is with me. He also wrote another excellent volume to which he prefixed the title Acts of the Apostles, a history which extends to the second year of Paul's sojourn at Rome, that is to the fourth year of Nero, from which we learn that the book was composed in that same city. Therefore the Acts of Paul and Thecla and all the fable about the lion baptized by him we reckon among the apocryphal writings, for how is it possible that …More
"4, 5. And you have left your first love: remember whence you have fallen. He who falls, falls from a height: therefore He said whence: because, even to the very last, works of love must be practised; and this is the principal commandment. Finally, unless this is done, He threatened to remove their candlestick out of its place, that is, to disperse the congregation."
[Saint Victorinus – III-IV Century AD; Roman Greece/Pettau, Roman Greece; Spiritual Writer; Martyr under Diocletian] “From the Second Chapter 2. I know your works, and your labour, and your patience. In the first epistle He speaks thus: I know that you suffer and work, I see that you are patient; think not that I am staying long from you. And that you can not bear them that are evil, and who say that they are Jews and are not, and you have found them liars, and you have patience for My name's sake. All these things tend to praise, and that no small praise; and it behooves such men, and such a class, and such elected persons, by all means to be admonished, that they may not be defrauded of such privileges granted to them of God. These few things He said that He had against them. 4, 5. And you have left your first love: remember whence you have fallen. He who falls, falls from a height: therefore He said whence: because, even to the very last, works of love must be practised; and this is …More
"The day, as I have above related, is divided into two parts by the number twelve— by the twelve hours of day and night; and by these hours too, months, and years, and seasons, and ages are computed. Therefore, doubtless, there are appointed also twelve angels of the day and twelve angels of the night, in accordance, to wit, with the number of hours.For these are the twenty-four witnesses of the days and nights which sit before the throne of God, having golden crowns on their heads, whom the Apocalypse of John the apostle and evangelist calls elders, for the reason that they are older both than the other angels and than men.”
[Saint Victorinus – III-IV Century AD; Roman Greece/Pettau, Roman Greece; Spiritual Writer; Martyr under Diocletian] “Behold the seven horns of the Lamb, Revelation 5:6 the seven eyes of God Zechariah 4:10 — the seven eyes are the seven spirits of the Lamb; Revelation 4:5 seven torches burning before the throne of God Revelation 4:5 seven golden candlesticks, Revelation 1:13 seven young sheep, Leviticus 23:18 the seven women in Isaiah, Isaiah 4:1 the seven churches in Paul, seven deacons, Acts 6:3 seven angels, seven trumpets, seven seals to the book, seven periods of seven days with which Pentecost is completed, the seven weeks in Daniel, also the forty-three weeks in Daniel; with Noah, seven of all clean things in the ark; seven revenges of Cain, Genesis 4:15 seven years for a debt to be acquitted, Deuteronomy 15:1 the lamp with seven orifices, Zechariah 4:2 seven pillars of wisdom in the house of Solomon. Proverbs 11:1 Now, therefore, you may see that it is being told you of the …More
"So has God done. He gave Paradise to man. He cast him out when he appeared unworthy, in order that by his dwelling outside, and through his dishonour, he might become better, and more self-restrained, and might appear worthy again of restoration. Since after those things he did become better, he brings him back again and says Today shall you be with me in Paradise. Do you see that not the gift of Paradise but even the ejection from Paradise was a token of the greatest tender care? For had he not suffered expulsion from Paradise, he would not again have appeared worthy of Paradise.”
[Saint John Chrysostom – IV-V Century AD; Antioch, Roman Empire/Comana, Eastern Roman Empire; aged 59-60, Archbishop; Church Father; Doctor of the Church; "golden-mouthed"] “3. But look, with me, too, at the wisdom of Paul, how many expressions he seeks for, so as to present to us the lovingkindness of God. For he did not speak merely the word grace, nor riches, but what did he say? The exceeding riches of his grace in kindness. But notwithstanding even so, he is below the mark; and even as the slippery bodies when grasped by countless hands, escape our hold, and slip through easily; so also are we unable to get hold of the lovingkindness of God in whatever expressions we may try to grasp it, but the exceeding magnitude of it baffles the feebleness of our utterances. And Paul therefore experiencing this, and seeing the force of words defeated by its magnitude, desists after saying one word: and what is this? Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift. For neither speech, nor any mind is …More
"1. The omnipotence of God The ‘shining fire’ which you see represents the omnipotent living God, whose light-filled brightness is never obscured by any evil. He remains ‘unfathomable’, because he cannot be divided by any divisions, and he is without beginning or end, not to be comprehended by any glimmer of creaturely knowledge. And he remains ‘inextinguishable’, for he is that plenitude which never reaches an end, and he is ‘fully alive’, since nothing can be completely hidden that he does not know about, and ‘existing full of life’, for everything that is alive draws its life from him, as Job declares and speaks by my inspiration:"
[Saint HILDEGARD OF BINGEN ~ XI-XII Century AD; Bermersheim, Holy Roman Empire/Bingen am Rhein, Holy Roman Empire, aged 81; Abbess, Polymath, Writer, Composer, Mystic, Visionary, Philosopher, Medical Writer and Practitioner, Composer of Sacred Monophony, Virgin, Founder, Doctor of the Church] “3. Redemption (Scivias II, 1) /Comments: ‘In a version of the creation, the fall of Adam, and the redemption of humanity, Hildegard presents the story of her vision in a series of mysterious pictures. The work of God, for instance, is seen as a shining fire with a flame the ‘colour of air, and the creation of the cosmos takes place when a dark sphere of air representing the basic matter of the world is brought into contact with the divine fire and illumined with light. Later, the fire merges with the brightness of the dawn on earth, the dawn being the light of the Incarnation, and the power of redemption centres on the appearance of a ‘light-filled man’. In the original illustration to the scene …More
"What hath become of all that thou didst receive from God? Then his TEARS ARE HIS MEAT DAY AND NIGHT, as the Prophet says. Now if that man is to recover from this misery, he must observe and feel that he does not belong to himself, but to God; and therefore he must freely abandon his own will to the will of God, and must leave God to work in him in time and in eternity."
[BLESSED JAN VAN RUYSBROEK – XIII-XIV Century AD; Ruisbroek, Holy Roman Empire/ Groenendael, Holy Roman Empire; aged 87-88, Mystic, Spiritual Writer, Doctor Divinus Ecstaticus] “Chapter V ~ OF THE UNION WITHOUT MEANS YOU may remember that I showed heretofore how all saints and all good men are united with God through means. Now I will further show to you how they are all united with God without means. But in this life there are but few who are meet for this, and sufficiently enlightened to feel and understand it. And therefore, whosoever wishes to find and to feel within himself those three unions of which I am going to speak, he must live entirely and wholly in God, so that he may satisfy and be amenable to the grace and the stirring of God, in all virtues and inward exercises. And he must be lifted up through love, and die in God to himself and all his works; so that he yields himself up with all his powers, and submits to the transformation through the incomprehensible Truth which …More
"Answer to the fourth and fifth questions. ”As to why self-praise should not be sought, I answer: No one is good in himself, except for me alone, God, and anyone who is good is good through me alone. Therefore, if you who are nothing seek praise for yourself and not for me from whom comes every perfect gift, then your praise is false and you do me, your Creator, an injustice. As all the good things that you have come from me, so all praise should be given to me. And just as I, your God, bestow on you all worldly goods - strength, health, knowledge, and discernment for considering what is to your advantage, and time and life - so too I alone should be glorified in everything, that is, if you make good and rational use of the things given you. However, if you make bad use of them, then the fault is yours and the ingratitude is yours.”
[Saint Bridget of Sweden – XIV Century AD; Uppland, Sweden/Rome, Papal States; Patron Saint of Europe, Widow, Mystic, Spiritual Writer] “Interrogation 7 First question. Again the monk appeared on his ladder as before saying: ”O Judge, I ask you: Why are the words ugly and beautiful used in the world?” Second question. ”Why must I hate the beauty of the world, seeing that I am beautiful and of noble ancestry?” Third question. ”Why should I not exalt myself over others, seeing that I am rich?” Fourth question. ”Why should I not put myself ahead of others, seeing that I am more honorable than others?” Fifth question. ”Why should I not seek my own praise, seeing that I am good and praiseworthy?” Sixth question. ”If I do other people favors, why should I not demand remuneration?” Answer to the first question. The Judge answered: ”Friend, ugly and beautiful in the world are like bitter and sweet. Ugliness of the world, which is adversity and contempt of the world, is like a kind of …More
"And He Himself spoke through the mouth of the Prophet, saying: I AM A WORM, AND NO MAN: A REPROACH OF MEN AND DESPISED OF THE PEOPLE. And He made Himself so small in time that the Jews trod Him under their feet. But they felt Him not; for, had they recognized the Son of God, they had not dared to crucify Him. He is still little and despised in all men's hearts that do not love Him well."
[BLESSED JAN VAN RUYSBROEK – XIII-XIV Century AD; Ruisbroek, Holy Roman Empire/ Groenendael, Holy Roman Empire; Mystic, Spiritual Writer, Doctor Divinus Ecstaticus] “CHAPTER IV ~ OF THE SPARKLING STONE, AND OF THE NEW NAME WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE SECRETS OF GOD AND therefore the Spirit of our Lord speaks thus in the Book of the Secrets of God, which St John wrote down: TO HIM THAT OVERCOMETH, He says, that is, to him who overcometh and conquereth himself and all else, WILL I GIVE TO EAT OF THE HIDDEN MANNA, that is, an inward and hidden savour and celestial joy; AND WILL GIVE HIM A SPARKLING STONE, AND IN THE STONE A NEW NAME WRITTEN WHICH NO MAN KNOWETH SAVING HE THAT RECEIVETH IT. This stone is called a pebble, for it is so small that it does not hurt when one treads on it. This stone is shining white and red like a flame of fire; and it is small and round, and smooth all over, and very light. By this sparkling stone we mean our Lord Christ Jesus, for He is, according to His …More
"And that is why we consider three comings of our Bridegroom, Jesus Christ. In the first coming He became man, for man's sake, out of love. The second coming takes place daily, often and many times, in every loving heart, with new graces and with new gifts, as each is able to receive them. The third coming we will see as the coming in the Judgement, or at the hour of death. And in all these comings there are three things to be considered: the reason, the inward way, and the outward work."
[BLESSED JAN VAN RUYSBROEK – XIII-XIV Century AD; Ruisbroek, Holy Roman Empire/ Groenendael, Holy Roman Empire; Mystic, Spiritual Writer, Doctor Divinus Ecstaticus] “CHAPTER II; SHOWING HOW WE SHALL CONSIDER THE COMING OF CHRIST IN THREE WAYS Now, by saying: “The Bridegroom comes,” He shows us further what we will see. Christ, our Bridegroom, spoke this word in Latin: “Venit.” And this word implies two tenses, the past and the present; and yet here it denotes the future too. And that is why we consider three comings of our Bridegroom, Jesus Christ. In the first coming He became man, for man's sake, out of love. The second coming takes place daily, often and many times, in every loving heart, with new graces and with new gifts, as each is able to receive them. The third coming we will see as the coming in the Judgement, or at the hour of death. And in all these comings there are three things to be considered: the reason, the inward way, and the outward work. The reason God created the …More
"The first leaf is your nobleness, which is so great that my angels, who are noble before me, when seeing and considering your nobleness, saw that it was above them and more eminent than their holiness and nobleness. You are therefore higher than the angels."
[Saint Bridget of Sweden/ Heliga Birgitta; XIV Century AD: aged 69-70; Uppland, Sweden/Rome, Papal States; Widow, Mystic; Spiritual Writer; Founder; Patroness of Europe] “Chapter 51 ~ The Mother blesses the Son in the hearing of the bride, and about how the glorious Son makes a wonderful comparison of his most sweet Mother to a flower that grew in a valley but rose up over mountains. The Mother of God spoke to her Son and said: “Blessed be your name, my Son Jesus Christ, and all honor to your Manhood above all that is created! Glory to your Divinity above all good things, which are one God with your Manhood!” The Son answered: “My Mother, you are like a flower that grew in a valley. Around the valley there were five high mountains, and the flower grew out of three roots with a straight stem without any knots. This flower had five leaves that were filled with all sweetness. The valley with its flower grew above these five mountains, and the leaves of the flower spread themselves above …More
" I have told thee of the dignity of the Righteous, so that thou mayest the better know the misery of the damned. For this is another of their pains, namely, the vision of the bliss of the righteous, which is to them an increase of pain, as, to the righteous, the damnation of the damned is an increase of exultation in My goodness. As light is seen better near darkness, and darkness near light, so the sight of the Blessed increases their pain. With pain they await the Last Day of Judgment, because they see, following it, an increase of pain to themselves. And so will it be, because when that terrible voice shall say to them, 'Arise, ye dead, and come to judgment the soul will return with the body, in the just to be glorified, and in the damned to be tortured eternally."
[Saint Catherine of Siena /Caterina di Benincasa/; XIV-XV Century AD; Siena, Republic of Siena/Rome, Papal States; aged 33; Spiritual Writer; Mystic; Virgin; Doctor of the Church] How, after the General Judgment, the pain of the damned will increase " I have told thee of the dignity of the Righteous, so that thou mayest the better know the misery of the damned. For this is another of their pains, namely, the vision of the bliss of the righteous, which is to them an increase of pain, as, to the righteous, the damnation of the damned is an increase of exultation in My goodness. As light is seen better near darkness, and darkness near light, so the sight of the Blessed increases their pain. With pain they await the Last Day of Judgment, because they see, following it, an increase of pain to themselves. And so will it be, because when that terrible voice shall say to them, 'Arise, ye dead, and come to judgment the soul will return with the body, in the just to be glorified, and in the damned …More
"Note that never did she contract the least stain either in thought, word, or deed, so that the Lord could truly say to her: "Thou art all fair, O my beloved, and there is no spot in thee." So, therefore, the most innocent and holy Mary was without woe in thought, word, and deed, and therefore is it said to her, Ave."
[Saint Bonaventure – XIII Century AD: Civita di Bagnoregio, Papal States/Lyon, Kingdom of Burgundy-Arles; (aged 52-53); Cardinal, Bishop, Doctor of the Church, Seraphic Doctor, Teacher of the Faith, Writer, Philosopher] “CHAPTER II -- FREEDOM OF MARY FROM THE THREEFOLD WOE OF ACTUAL SIN, FROM THE THREEFOLD WOE OF ORIGINAL MISERY, AND FROM THE THREEFOLD WOE OF ETERNAL PUNISHMENT Hail Mary, full of grace. Let us all utter this good and sweet word Ave, by which our redemption from eternal woe was begun. Let each one of us, I say, utter it; let all utter it most devoutly, saying: Ave Maria, Ave, Ave, and again a thousand times, Ave! Behold, Ave is said to the most holy Virgin Mary because of her absolute immunity from any fault; because of her perfect innocence and purity of life; rightly is Ave said to her in the very beginning of her salutation, Ave indeed and without woe ("a" or "absque vae"). We must consider that the "vae" or woe, from which she is entirely immune, is threefold. There …More
“17. How the soul reveals its capabilities according to the capabilities of the body The soul reveals her capabilities according to the capabilities of the body, so that in childhood she brings forth simplicity, in youth strength, and in the fullness of age, when all the veins of the human being are full, she brings forth her greatest strength in wisdom."
[Saint HILDEGARD OF BINGEN ~ XI-XII Century AD; Bermersheim, Holy Roman Empire/Bingen am Rhein, Holy Roman Empire, aged 81; Abbess, Polymath, Writer, Composer, Mystic, Visionary, Philosopher, Medical Writer and Practitioner, Composer of Sacred Monophony, Virgin, Founder, Doctor of the Church] “2. The Action of the Will (from Scivias I, 4) /Comments: In a series of images based on her concept of ‘greenness’, this digression in the middle of Scivias 1, 4 presents some of Hildegard’s ideas on anthropology. Perhaps written before the letter to Bernard, it has been compared to writings by Hugh of St Victor and Honorius of Autun and reveals how widely read she must have been, especially as she did not base the passage on one particular identifiable source. Drawing on wide knowledge, Hildegard describes her understanding of such ideas as the relation of soul and body, human understanding and the action of the will./ “17. How the soul reveals its capabilities according to the capabilities of …More
"13. (7) The Holy Spirit espoused Mary and produced his greatest work, the incarnate Word, in her, by her and through her. He has never disowned her and so he continues to produce every day, in a mysterious but very real manner, the souls of the elect in her and through her."
[Saint Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort – XVII-XVIII Century AD; Montfort-sur-Meu, France/Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre, France; Total consecration to Jesus through Mary] “II. To find the grace of God, we must discover Mary 6. It all comes to this, then. We must discover a simple means to obtain from God the grace needed to become holy. It is precisely this I wish to teach you. My contention is that you must first discover Mary if you would obtain this grace from God. 7. Let me explain: (1) Mary alone found grace with God for herself and for every individual person. No patriarch or prophet or any other holy person of the Old Law could manage to find this grace. 8. (2) It was Mary who gave existence and life to the author of all grace, and because of this she is called the “Mother of Grace”. 9. (3) God the Father, from whom, as from its essential source, every perfect gift and every grace come down to us, gave her every grace when he gave her his Son. Thus, as St Bernard says, the will of …More
"Answer to the third question. ”As to why sickness comes upon the body, I answer that this happens both as a strong warning and because of the vice of incontinence and excess, in order that people may learn spiritual moderation and patience by restraining the flesh.” Answer to the fourth question. ”As to why wicked judges are tolerated, this is for the purification of others and also because of my patience, in order that, just as gold is purified by fire, so too, by the evil of scoundrels, souls may be purified and instructed and held back from doing what they should not do. Furthermore, I patiently tolerate the wicked so as to separate the devil's chaff from the wheat of the good, and in order to fulfill their wishes according to my hidden, divine justice.”
[Saint Bridget of Sweden – XIV Century AD; Uppland, Sweden/Rome, Papal States; Patron Saint of Europe, Widow, Mystic, Spiritual Writer] Interrogation 5 First question. Again the monk appeared on his ladder as before saying: ”O Judge, why did you create worms that are harmful and useless?” Second question. ”Why did you create wild beasts that are also harmful to humankind?” Third question. ”Why do you let sickness and pain into bodies?” Fourth question. ”Why do you endure the wickedness of wicked judges who scourge and harass their underlings like purchased slaves?” Fifth question. ”Why is the human body afflicted even at the point of death?” Answer to the first question. The Judge answered: ”Friend, as God and Judge I have created heaven and earth and all that are in them, and yet nothing without cause nor without some likeness to spiritual things. Just as the souls of holy people resemble the holy angels who live and are happy, so too the souls of the unrighteous become like the …More
"Paschasius replied, that she ought to obey the emperor, as he did; but the saint answered: “Day and night I meditate upon the divine law; and if thou art anxious to please the emperor, I am anxious to please my God; therefore it is that I have consecrated to him my virginity.” Paschasius in his rage told her that she was impurity itself. The saint replied: “ No, thou art impurity, since thou dost endeavor to corrupt Christian souls, alienating them from God, to serve the devil, wrongly preferring, as thou dost, the goods of this world to those of heaven.”
[St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori – XVII-XVIII Century AD; Marianella, Kingdom of Naples/Pagani. Kingdom of Naples; spiritual writer, composer, musician, artist, poet, lawyer, theologian; Bishop; Doctor of the Church] Chapter XXVIII ~ Saint Lucy, Virgin, December 13 “ST. LUCY was descended of a noble family of Syracuse, which was then regarded as the principal city of Sicily. She lost her father in her infancy; but Eutychia, her mother, took care to educate her properly, and to instruct her well in the doctrines of our holy faith. When our saint arrived at a proper age, her mother began to think of giving her in marriage, but Lucy, who had consecrated her virginity to Jesus Christ, awaited only a favorable opportunity to reveal her resolution to her mother. This opportunity soon presented itself. Eutychia was afflicted for many years with a flux of blood, without being able to find any effectual remedy. St. Lucy, therefore, persuaded her to repair to the tomb of St. Agatha, martyred a …More
"During this journey there happened to St. Joseph something which excited his wonder. Inspired by a special grace, he bore to his spouse a most tender and holy love, and the saint, being of a noble nature, amiable, agreeable and obliging, was inclined to an ever watchful care for her. Now, as the Queen of heaven carried in her virginal bosom the Incarnate Word, the saint was sensible that, through the words and conversation of his spouse, new impressions were made upon his soul, but of the cause he was ignorant. He found himself more and more inflamed by divine love, and in a higher knowledge of those mysteries which formed the subjects of their conversation; and the further they advanced on their way and in their discussions, the more these favors were augmented. He felt also that the words of his spouse served as the organ, by means of which these favors were communicated to him. It was not possible that the discreet St. Joseph should not reflect upon this new and wonderful influence."
[Venerable Mary of Agreda – XVII Century AD; Agreda, Spain; Mystic; Writer; ‘Blue Nun’] “The blessed Virgin thanked her prudent spouse for the affection which he manifested for her, and they decided to set out immediately for the house of Elizabeth. St. Joseph prepared provisions for the journey,—some fruit, bread, and a few small fishes, which he purchased. He had also a little beast of burden, which was lent him to carry his provisions, and his spouse, the Queen of all that is created. With this equipage they set out for Judea. They had scarcely left their house, when our Queen, kneeling before St. Joseph, asked his blessing, in order to begin the day in the name of the Lord. The saint hesitated, for, by long experience, he knew the excellence of his spouse, but the holy and sweet importunities of the august Mary conquered, and he blessed her in the name of the Most High.» “At that time,” saith the sacred text, “ Mary, rising up, went into the hill country with haste, into a city …More
"Whereupon this maidservant attacked her so violently, declaring that her barrenness and Joachim’s desertion of her was God’s punishment for her severity, that Anna could not bear to have her in her house any more. She sent her back to her parents with presents and accompanied by two menservants, with the request that they would take back their daughter who had been entrusted to her, as she could not keep her in her house any longer."
[Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich – XVIII-XIX Century AD; Flamschen, Holy Roman Empire/Dulmen, German Confederation; Mystic; Stigmatist, Writer] 2.1 JOACHIM IS SPURNED AT THE TEMPLE AND GOES TO STAY WITH HIS FLOCKS. After having besought God’s blessing on their marriage for so many years in vain, I saw that Joachim was minded to offer another sacrifice at the Temple. He and Anna prepared themselves for this by penitential devotions. I saw them lying on the hard earth in prayer during the night, girt in penitential garments; after which Joachim went at sunrise across the country to where his herds were pasturing, while Anna remained at home by herself. Soon after this I saw Anna sending him doves, other birds and many different things in cages and baskets. They were all taken to him by menservants to be offered up in the Temple. He took two donkeys from the pasture, and loaded them with these baskets and with others into which he put, I think, three very lively little white creatures with …More
"To her Christ replied : “ Mother, the whole world lies in wickedness and so vexes me with its sins that I ought not to hold my wrath or spare mankind. Not only laymen but clergy and monks are utterly corrupt in their ways and offend me from day to day.” Then she said : “ Beloved Son, if not for those wicked men’s sake yet at least for my loved ones.”
“Chapter VI A knight, having put off his knight’s belt, entered the Cistercian Order in Clairvaux. Once on a time at harvest, having gone out to labour with the brothers, he was told to sit there and rest, because he was full of years and had not been accustomed to work with his hands. Sitting thus, he struck his breast, taking it ill that he did no work while the rest laboured, and thus talked with himself : “ Wretched weakling ! what wise and noble men according to the flesh are working here who, if they wished to enter on worldly paths, would have a great name, and you sit here all day so very precious, you who have grown old in evil days, whilst they before you bear the burden and heat of the day, youths of gentle birth and breeding though they be.” Thus talking with himself, he saw in a vision descending from a hill above a white-clad company led by a very beautiful woman, and before her two others carrying towels in their hands. This lady coming with her company saluted the …More