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THE CORONATION 203
seventy-two disciples fled from Jerusalem, scattering
through Judea and Samaria, but at the same time they be
gan to preach through all the land with unfaltering cour
age. The Apostles, with Mary and many of the faithful,
remained in Jerusalem although they kept under cover
and in fear, hiding themselves from the diligent search,
which Saul instituted for their arrest.
206. The most blessed Mary, amid all this trouble, re
mained watchful, and first of all, after the death of saint
Stephen, ordered his body to be secured and buried. She
asked those that attended to this duty, to bring Her a
cross, which saint Stephen had habitually carried with
him. He had made it in imitation of the one which the
Lady herself had borne about with Her since the coming
of the Holy Ghost. In this She was imitated also by the
other faithful. She received the cross of saint Stephen
with especial veneration, not only on its own account, but
on account of its
having been in possession of the martyr.
She called him a saint, and requested, that as far as could
be, all his blood should be gathered and preserved rever
ently as of a martyr already glorified. She extolled his
holiness and constancy in the presence of the Apostles
and many of the faithful, in order to console and en
courage them in their tribulation.
207. In order to understand, at least in part, the mag
nanimity of heart manifested by the Queen in this and
the other persecutions during her earthly life, it is neces
sary to have in mind a summary of her gifts, which were
such that the heart of her Man could rely entirely upon
Her (Prov. 31, 11) and entrust Her with all the works
ad extra of his Omnipotence. For in her manner of op
erating the most blessed Mary transcended all the powers
of mere creatures and approached to that of God, whose
especial image She was. No act or thought of men was
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