St. Narcissus lived during the third century. Although he was held in high esteem by devout Christians, Narcissus had three evil enemies who accused him of a crime he did not commit. The people did not believe the three enemies however, Narcissus used the accusations against him as an excuse to venture into the desert and live an ascetic life. Supposedly, God eventually showed that the story was completely untrue. As a result Narcissus rejoined civilization and became the bishop of Jerusalem. After several years as bishop Narcissus' health began to deteriorate. God sent Saint Alexander of Cappadonia to aid the aged bishop. Together Alexander and Narcissus ruled the diocese until Narcissus' death in 215. He was 115 years old. The following exert has been taken from a poem written by Thomas Stearns Eliot (1888-1965) entitled Canticle V(The Death of Saint Narcissus) from "Poems written in Early Youth."

He walked once between the sea and the high cliffs

When the wind made him aware of his limbs smoothly passing each other

And of his arms crossed over his breast.

When he walked over the meadows

He was stifled and soothed by his own rhythm.

By the river

His eyes were aware of the pointed corners of his eyes

And his hands aware of the pointed tips of his fingers.

Struck down by such knowledge

He could not live men's ways, but became a dancer before God.

If he walked in city streets

He seemed to tread on faces, convulsive thighs and knees.

So he came out under the rock.

First he was sure that he had been a tree,

Twisting its branches among each other

And tangling its roots among each other.

Then he knew that he had been a fish

With slippery white belly held tight in his own fingers,

Writhing in his own clutch, his ancient beauty

Caught fast in the pink tips of his new beauty.

Then he had been a young girl

Caught in the woods by a drunken old man

Knowing at the end the taste of his own whiteness,

The horror of his own smoothness, And he felt drunken and old.

So he became a dancer to God,

Because his flesh was in love with the burning arrows

He danced on the hot sand Until the arrows came.

As he embraced them his white skin surrendered itself to the redness of blood, and satisfied him.

Now he is green, dry and stained With the shadow in his mouth.

St. George died in 303 AD under the rule of anti-Christian emperor Diocletian of Rome. St. George was a martyr and patron saint of England. Although very little is known about his accomplishments and actions during his life on earth, his legacy has influenced various aspects of western and eastern Christian civilization throughout history. The most prominent legend credited to St George is the tale in which he slays a dragon. The legend reportedly originated during the 12th to 13th century. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia the dragon-slaying legend may have derived from an allegorization of the tyrant Diocletian or Dadianus, who is sometimes called a dragon in older texts (Catholic Encyclopedia 2). The following exert is the tale about St. George and the dragon, as stated in the Catholic Encyclopedia:

The best known form of the legend of St. George and the Dragon is that made popular by the "Legenda Aurea", and translated into English by Caxton. According to this, a terrible dragon had ravaged all the country round a city of Libya, called Selena, making its lair in a marshy swamp. Its breath caused pestilence whenever it approached the town, so the people gave the monster two sheep every day to satisfy its hunger, but, when the sheep failed, a human victim was necessary and lots were drawn to determine the victim. On one occasion the lot fell to the king's little daughter. The king offered all his wealth to purchase a substitute, but the people had pledged themselves that no substitutes should be allowed, and so the maiden, dressed as a bride, was led to the marsh. There St. George chanced to ride by, and asked the maiden what she did, but she bade him leave her lest he also might perish The good knight stayed, however, and, when the dragon appeared, St. George, making the sign of the cross, bravely atta cked it and transfixed it with his lance. Then asking the maiden for her girdle (an incident in the story which may possibly have something to do with St. George's selection as patron of the Order of the Garter), he bound it round the neck of the monster, and thereupon the princess was able to lead it like a lamb. They then returned to the city, where St. George bade the people have no fear but only be baptized, after which he cut off the dragon's head and the townsfolk were all converted. The king would have given George half his kingdom, but the saint replied that he must ride on, bidding the king meanwhile take good care of God's churches, honour the clergy, and have pity on the poor. The earliest reference to any such episode in art is probably to be found in an old Roman tombstone at Conisborough in Yorkshire, considered to belong to the first half of the twelfth century. Here the princess is depicted as already in the dragon's clutches, while an abbot stands by and blesses the rescuer.

(above) picture of St. George and St. Paraskeva. Anonymous Russian Icon (XV or XVI Century).

d. 304. Saint Lucy is the patron saint of the city of Syracuse (Sicily) and her feast day is December 13th, thought of by many as being the patron of sight. She was an Italian virgin and martyr who came from a wealthy Sicilian family, vowing to preserve her virginity in Saint Agatha'a honor. A disgruntled admirer reported her to the Roman authorities. She was sentenced to be sent to a brothel and become a prostitute. However, because of divine intervention she became immobile and could not be carried away. So, the Roman authorities condemned her to death by fire but she would not burn. They then stabbed a sword through her neck and she died.

The picture presented below entitled Mary, Queen of Heaven(figure A), is one of the paintings from the series known as the Master of the Saint Lucy Legend, painted by Bruges between 1480'-c. 1510. This picture depicts a mystical adoration of the Virgin with angels hovering over her. The painting incorporates three central themes centered on the legend of Mary; Immaculate Conception, Assumption of the Virgin theme, and the Coronation of the Virgin.

She is, according to biblical references, was the first person to see the resurrected Christ. Jesus cleansed her of seven demons and she was one of the women who helped Jesus in Galilee ( Luke 8:1-2). Also, all four canonical Gospels say she witnessed Jesus' crucifixion. The Gospel claims after seeing where Jesus was buried she, with two other women, went on Easter morning to the tomb to anoint the corpse. When she found the tomb empty she ran to the disciples. Christ then appeared to Mary and told her to tell the Apostles that he was rising to God. The statue pictured below entitled La Belle Allemande, "depicts the repentant Magdalene as an ascetic, clad only in her own hair, who was assumed into heaven by the angels. The Assumption of the redeemed sinner was a favorite theme in 15th century Italy and Germany" ( ). The etchings of Durer produced during this time probably inspired Gregor Erhart to sculpt this statue. He sculpted it out of polychrome lime wood at the beginning of the 16th century.

Saint Paul was born in c. 230 near Thebes, Egypt and died in c.341 in a Theban desert. According to Saint Jerome, author of "Life of St. Paul", Paul had fled to the desert during the persecution of the Christians while the Roman emperor Decius reigned. St. Jerome's account of Paul's life is the only documented information about this saint's life. St. Jerome said after Paul ventured into the desert he eventually came upon a cave with its opening closed off by a large stone. Since curiosity is part of human nature, St. Paul removed the stone and entered the cave. Here, Paul "passed the rest of his life in prayer and solitude" ( Stouck 89). St. Jerome's tale tells about the meeting between Paul and .St. Antony. He also writes about the holy visions Paul was blessed with and the demons (referring to the emotional, spiritual, and moral hardships of leading an ascetic life completely devoted to God) he fought while living in seclusion.