S. Daniel was a German by birth; having entered a mercantile life, his business took him to Venice. But though the affairs of commerce engaged the greater part of his time, they did not take possession of his heart, and whenever he had a few minutes of leisure, he was wont to hasten to a church, and spend the precious moments in prayer. Also to prevent himself from becoming ensnared with the love of gain, he regularly distributed a portion of all his proceeds among the poor. The convent of S. Matthias belonging to the Order of Camaldoli presented to his mind great attractions, and he was fond of entering it for the purpose of making retreats, or for converse with the fathers, or for the sake of the peace and atmosphere of prayer which hung about its cloisters.
At length he resolved to live nearer to that house which was to him a port of safety, and he obtained permission from the prior to build himself a chamber opening on the cloisters, into which he might retire as guest of the Fathers, without giving up his business, and adopting the habit and rule of the Order. In 1411 he was assassinated in this little room, one night, by robbers who broke in, thinking that they would find therein considerable wealth amassed.
His relics are preserved in a shrine in the church of Camaldoli at Venice, where an altar is erected under his invocation.
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FOOTNOTES:
[1] In the reign of Trajan, says the Life, but this is very questionable. Monastic life was not developed then to the extent shown in this story.
[2] The wealth of some of the harlots of olden times was enormous. Phryne offered to rebuild the walls of Thebes at her own cost if allowed to inscribe on them, "What Alexander, the conqueror, pulled down, Phryne, the harlot, set up."
[3] Many of these details of S. Chad's life are taken from Mr. Warner's excellent life of S. Chad.
[4] The reader will here recall the account of Lancelot and the Sacring in the Tower by Joseph of Arimathæa, in the Morte d'Arthur.