Sacred Calendar

Fourth Lesson - A Queen More Illustrious by Christian Virtue

Margaret, Queen of the Scots, most illustrious through the blood of the kings of England on her father's side and of the Caesars on her mother's, was still more illustrious by Christian virtue. She was born in Hungary, where her father was then living in exile. After spending her childhood in the greatest piety, she came to England with her father, who was being called by his uncle St. Edward, King of the English, to the throne of his fathers. Soon afterwards, when the fortune of her parents changed again, she sailed from England and was driven by a storm - or rather led by divine Providence - to the coast of Scotland. There, at her mother's command, she married Malcolm III, King of the Scots, who had been captivated by her excellent gifts. During the thirty years of her reign she wonderfully benefited the whole kingdom by works of holiness and piety.

Fifth Lesson - Prayer and Reform within the Royal Household

Amid royal comforts she mortified her body by afflictions and vigils and spent a great part of the night in holy prayer. Besides other fasts which she frequently observed, she was accustomed to fast for forty entire days before Christmas with such strictness that she would not omit it even in the gravest sufferings. Most devoted to divine worship, she built many churches and monasteries from their foundations, restored others, and enriched them with sacred furnishings and ample revenues. By her saving example she led her husband the king to a better life and to works like her own. She educated all her children so holily and happily that many of them, as also her mother Agatha and her sister Christina, embraced a most holy manner of life. Finally, providing for the welfare of the whole kingdom, she cleansed the people from the vices that had secretly crept in and restored customs worthy of Christian piety.

Sixth Lesson - A Queen Kneeling before the Poor

Nothing in her was more wonderful than her ardent charity toward her neighbors, especially the needy. She not only supplied abundant alms to their numerous companies, but every day with maternal kindness provided meals for three hundred. On her knees like a servant she waited upon them, washed their feet with royal hands, and even kissed and tended their sores. For these and other pious expenses she sold not only royal garments and precious jewels but more than once exhausted the treasury itself. At last, after bearing most bitter sufferings with exemplary patience and being purified by six months of bodily illness, she returned her soul to her Creator on the sixteenth day before the Kalends of December. At that very moment her face, disfigured by the wasting and pallor of long sickness, flowered again with an extraordinary beauty. Renowned also after death by wonderful signs, and appointed patroness of Scotland by the authority of Pope Clement X, she is most devoutly honored throughout the world.