Description

Oil Dedicated to St Praxedes (Virgin)

St Praxedes a traditional Christian saint of the 2nd century. Her name sometimes rendered Praxedis or Praxed.

Little known about Praxedes, and not all accounts agree. According to Jacobus de Voragine’s The Golden Legend, Práxedes the sister of Saint Pudentiana. Their brothers were Saint Donatus and Saint Timothy. During one of the periods of persecution, they buried the bodies of Christians and distributed goods to the poor. De Voragine’s brief account states they died in 165, “in the reign of Emperors Marcus and Antoninus II.

Sabine Baring-Gould, in the entry for Saint Novatus, states that the “holy virgin”. Práxedes a daughter of Saint Pudens, sister of Saint Pudentiana. And that her brothers were Saint Novatus and Saint Timothy. Novatus said to have died in 151.

In the 4th century, a Titulus Praxedis church being built. Especially connected with the veneration of Saint Praxedis. The relics of Práxedes and her sister were translated to that church. Which  rebuilt by Pope Paschal I (817–824), and renamed Santa Prassede.

Praxedes according to her legend a Roman maiden. The sister of St. Pudentiana, who, when the Emperor Marcus Antoninus hunting down Christians. Sought them out to relieve them with money, care, comfort and every charitable aid.

Some she hid in her house, others she encouraged to keep firm in the faith, and of yet others she buried the bodies. She allowed those who were in prison or toiling in slavery to lack nothing. At last, being unable any longer to bear the cruelties inflicted on Christians. She prayed to God that, if it were expedient for her to die, she might be released from beholding such sufferings.

On July 21 she called to the reward of her goodness in Heaven. Her body  laid by the priest Pastor in the tomb of her father.