Blessed Cecilia, Diana, and Amata

Blessed Cecilia, Diana, and Amata

June 8th

Bl. Cecilia, Bl. Diana, and Bl. Amata whose feast day is celebrated presently by the Order of Preachers on June 8^th were early companions of St. Dominic and Blessed Jordan of Saxony second Master General of the Order. In the year 1222 Blessed Jordan convinced the d'Andalo family to establish a convent staffed with Diana and four companions and four nuns brought from Rome, two of them Cecilia and Amata. Diana died on January 9, and when Cecilia and Amata died, they were buried with her. All three were beatified in 1891 by Pope Leo XIII.

The following is a letter written to Blessed Diana by Blessed Jordan.

“Dear Diana,

I cannot find the time to write you the long letter your love would wish for and I would so gladly send. Nonetheless I do write, I send you a very little word, the Word made little in the crib, the Word who was made flesh for us, the Word of salvation and grace, of sweetness and glory, the Word who is good and gentle, Jesus Christ and him crucified, Christ raised up on the cross, raised in praise to the Father's right hand: to whom and in whom do you raise up your soul and find there your rest unending for ever and ever.

Read over that Word in your heart, turn it over in your mind, let it be sweet as honey on your lips; ponder it, dwell on it, that it may dwell with you and in you for ever.

There is another word that I send you, small and brief; my love, which will speak for me to your love in your heart and will content it. May this word too be yours, and likewise dwell with you for ever.

Farewell, and pray for me, Jordan”