march 3. cunegund, deliverer of holy face slapsWhen Cunegund struck her niece on the face, the mark of the blow remained on her cheek until her dying day.
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march 6. colette, a visionary / vision of scaryColette begged God to deprive her of the rare beauty she possessed, as she believed it would endanger her and others. God granted her request, and Colette developed severe features which inspired great respect.
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march 9. frances of rome, whose guardian angel had headlightsFrances practiced extraordinary mortifications, especially after her husband permitted her to inflict on her body whatever hardships she pleased. She always concealed a hair-shirt and a horse-hair girdle under the silks and rich brocades that her husband lavished her with.
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march 12. fina, who spotted a murderous serpent in the raftersWhen Fina heard the sad news of her mother's death, she cast her eyes heavenward and spotted a serpent in the rafters. She realized that this was no ordinary viper; it was the devil himself and he'd killed her mother! A servant lifted Fina’s paralyzed hand to conduct a sign of the cross, and the snake disappeared.
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march 13. euphrasia, filthy and penitentIn Euphrasia's era, due to the popularity of public baths that Christians regarded as cesspools, personal dirtiness was next to godliness. As such, the 130 nuns in Euphrasia's convent never washed their feet and were repulsed at the mention of the word bath.
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march 21. maria candida, lover of the eucharistEven before she was old enough to receive Jesus in Communion, Maria rushed to greet her mother when she returned home from mass. I want God too! she'd cry. Maria would then stand on tiptoe and her mother would bend down and and softly breathe onto her lips. Maria would place her hands across her chest, full of joy and faith, and repeat I have received God too!
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march 26. margaret clitherow, concealer of fugitivesMargaret once said: "The sheriffs have said that I am going to die this coming Friday, and I feel the weakness of my flesh which is troubled at this news, but my spirit rejoices greatly."
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