Extra Reading Diary: Women Saints of the Golden Legend

Women Saints of the Golden Legend:  

Saint Juliana:
The notes before this story were very helpful - especially when it explained words that I would encounter and probably wouldn't have known the definitions of.  Anyways, Juliana is quite a brave woman.  It must have been really hard for her to go against her father and new husband without having much support from a physical being alongside her (although she had support from God).  I'm also impressed that she was able to speak so calmly and rationally to the devil - I would have been shaking and probably passed out from fear.

Saint Mary of Egypt: 
I like the connection to Zosimus but had some trouble understanding the story with the older-type language.  I liked the pictures though :)

Saint Pelagien:
I admire this woman a lot, but I find it sort of ironic that to follow God she felt like she had to lie/deceive others by pretending to be a man.  I'm surprised that when she was accused of getting one of the virgins pregnant that she didn't try to prove her innocence by showing her true identity - that must have been a tempting thought.

Saint Margaret:
The notes are super informative and remind me of both Saint Juliana and the Screwtape Letters (a book by C.S. Lewis where the devil also explains how he tempts mankind).  I think it's crazy that this guy wants to marry Margaret because of her beauty but throws her in prison so quick - doesn't seem like the way to a woman's heart to me.  She had to undergo so much torture and suffering - it's insane.  I can't believe people stood for it.  I wonder if she ever mentally waivered or if she was confident in Christ the whole time.  Hopefully the latter.  No matter what religion (or lack thereof) someone may believe in, it's always amazing to see their perseverence in his/her beliefs to the point of death sometimes.

Saint Christine:
I wonder how Christine came to Christianity if she was locked away.  Maybe a chamberer secretly led her to faith?  Anyways, it's quite amazing.

Saint Helena

Source: Wikipedia

This was a great unit - I wish I did my first two reading diaries on this unit.  It was sad yet powerful.  I was humbled by the perseverence of these women in what they believed in and how far they went in the name of God.  I wish these stories were more well-known since they are indeed so powerful.