Santa Ysabel, also spelled Isabel (St. Isabella of France), who founded the convent at Longchamps, was sister to the saintly King Louis. She was educated with her brother by their mother, Blanche of Castile. St. Isabel dedicated her convent to the “humility of the Blessed Virgin,” and gave to it all her dowry. As long as the convent existed the festival of this saint was celebrated with great splendor. (Stories of the Saints.)
Santiago de Santa Ana (St. James of St. Anne). Land grant.
San Timotéo (St. Timothy). St. Timothy was the beloved disciple of St. Paul, whom he accompanied on many journeys. It is said that he was Bishop of Ephesus, until at the age of eighty years he suffered the cruel fate of being beaten to death by pagans.
San Tomaso (St. Thomas), was a Galilean fisherman and one of the apostles. “So great was his incredulity that he has always been remembered for that rather than for his other characteristics,” and it was in this way that the familiar expression “a doubting Thomas” arose. At the time of the ascension of the Virgin, Thomas refused to believe in the event, and the legend relates that in order to convince him the Virgin dropped her girdle to him from the heavens. Three other saints also bear this name, St. Thomas á Becket, the celebrated English historical character; St. Thomas Aquinas, a grandnephew of Frederick I and a man of great learning; and St. Thomas the Almoner, who was so charitable that “as a child he would take off his own clothes to give away to children in the street.” It is related of the last named that he wore the same hat for twenty-six years, and that his whole life was “but a grand series of beneficent deeds. When the hour of his death came he had given away everything except the pallet on which he lay, and this was to be given to a jailer who had assisted him in executing his benevolent designs.” There is a remarkably beautiful picture of him by Murillo, representing him as a child, dividing his clothing among four ragged little ones.
San Vicente (St. Vincent). Three saints bear this name. St. Vincent of Saragosa was martyred during the persecution of the Christians by Diocletian. Legend has it that his remains were guarded by crows or ravens, and when in the year 1147 Alonzo I removed them to Lisbon, two crows accompanied the vessel, one at the prow and one at the stern. In pictures St. Vincent is always represented as accompanied by a crow or raven. St. Vincent Ferraris was born at Valencia in 1357. He was a celebrated preacher and missionary, and “so moved the hearts of his hearers that he was often obliged to pause that the sobbing and weeping might subside.” The third of this name, St. Vincent de Paul, was the son of a Gascon farmer, and his charities were so various and so many as to cause his name to be revered by all, irrespective of religious differences. He established the Hospital La Madeleine for the Magdalens of Paris, a foundling hospital, and numerous other charities. In truth, the practical good done by this man during his life makes him well worthy of the title of “saint.”
San Ysidro. See San Isidro. See page [341].
Saticoy. See page [84].
Saucito (little alder).
Saucos (alder-trees).