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Legendary martyr who traveled
the continent in company of either 11 or 11,000 fellow maidens; it is
believed that the 11,000 number resulted from a misreading of the term
"11M" which indicated 11 Martyrs, but which a copyist took for a Roman
numeral.
Namesake for the Ursuline Order, founded for the education of young
Catholic girls and women. Ursula and her company were tortured to death to
get them to renounce their faith, and old paintings of them show many of
the women being killed in various painful ways.
Removed from the universal calendar in 1969.
Patronage: Catholic education (especially of girls), Cologne,
Germany, educators, holy death, schoolchildren, students, teachers
Representation: arrow; clock; maiden shot with arrows, often
accompanied by a varied number of companions who are being martyred in
assorted, often creative ways; ship
source:
http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintu01.htm
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