At the executioner’s blow, the eldest of the two girls fell to the ground, her dress becoming disarranged. Alodia ran to her sister to cover her again.
The moral value of a person lies above all in the attitude of restraining evil passions and ordering the affections of the soul in accord with God’s will. However, this disposition must also be reflected exteriorly: in conduct, words and clothing. And the virtue, more than any other, which invites us to do so, is that of modesty.
Far from being proper to weak and timid souls, it can only be well practised by those who are generous and steadfast in faith. It demands vigilance, mortification and, above all, a heart open to supernatural realities. Indeed, if we live in God’s presence and in the constant company of our Guardian Angel, we find it easier to maintain a proper composure in external actions, out of respect for the One who sees everything and for His sublime heavenly ambassadors.
Because it is a virtue evident to others, modesty constitutes an act of charity towards our neighbour, whom we edify by good example, and of true love for self, since it inclines us to behave according to our condition as creatures made in the image and likeness of God and living temples of the Holy Spirit.
The lives of the Saints, which contain countless examples of outstanding acts of love for God, also offer us episodes illustrating this excellent virtue. Among them we can contemplate that of two young sisters who lived in the Iberian Peninsula at the time when it was almost entirely dominated by the Saracens.
Two orphans persecuted for being Christian
The rise of Abd ar-Rahman II to the throne in the third decade of the 9th century initiated a difficult period for the Christians of the Emirate of Cordoba because, although the climate was not one of fierce persecution, anyone openly disobeying the laws of the Koran had to be reported to the authorities.
Tradition has it that a rich muwallad from the village of Adahuesca, located in the far north of the Peninsula, married a Christian during these years, and from this union two girls were born: Nunilo and Alodia. Both were brought up in the true Religion by their mother, but secretly, to avoid being accused of “apostasy”.
They were orphaned as adolescents, losing both their father and mother, and were left in the care of one of their father’s relatives, a staunch adherent to Islam. However, even in that hostile environment, the sisters persevered in the Faith received at Baptism.
Afraid of being denounced for keeping two young Christians in his house, and coveting the reward promised to anyone who denounced the followers of Jesus, their guardian handed them over to Jalaf ibn Rasid, governor of Alquézar. He tried to persuade them, with flattery and threats, to abandon the Church, but all his proposals were vehemently rejected by the sisters, who declared to him that they were ready to live or die for Christ.
Admiring their perseverance and moved by their youth, Jalaf ordered them to return home without doing them any harm.
“Death will deliver us into the arms of Christ!”
Disgusted with this unexpected outcome, the villainous relative appealed to the authority of Zimael, governor of Huesca.
Once again the girls were summoned for questioning. If they abjured the Faith, they would receive gold, silver, dresses and jewels, as well as rich and noble spouses; if they did not, they would be sentenced to death. But nothing moved the heroic sisters, who responded:
“Do not endeavour to separate two virgins from the worship of God! […] Life is with Christ, and without Him is death. To remain at His side and live with Him is true joy; to separate oneself from Him is eternal perdition! We consecrate to Him the integrity of our bodies and we have the firm resolution never to abandon Him. We despise all the earthly advantages you offer us. […] We will receive with joy the death with which you threaten us, for we know that it will open the gates of Heaven and deliver us into the arms of Christ!”1
When the governor realized that by being together, the two sisters were strengthening one another in their convictions, he had them separated. They were sent to the homes of different families, who treated them very well, while trying to persuade them with promises and threats, saying: “What are you doing? Your sister has already renounced her Faith and wishes to follow our law.”2
Forty days later, Nunilo and Alodia met again before the iniquitous governor. In this final interrogation, the attack was subtler: a proposal to merely feign a renunciation of their Faith. Faced with the resolute refusal of the girls, the sentence of death by decapitation was immediately passed.
Noble gesture flowing from a pure heart
Being the eldest, it fell to Nunilo to go first.
Uncovering her throat to facilitate the work of the executioner, Nunilo prepared to receive the crown of martyrdom. But as the blow was ill-delivered, she fell to the ground and, as she writhed in the throes of death, her dress become disarranged. Alodia ran to her sister to cover her again. And, as if watching her soul soar heavenward like a dove, she exclaimed full of joy: “Sister, wait a moment! Wait for me!”3
Alodia then prepared to receive the fatal blow, but to avoid what had happened to her sister, she first removed the ribbon that held her hair and used it to bind her tunic fast at her ankles.
Their bodies were left where they had fallen in order to become food for animals. But no creature dared to touch the mortal remains of the two sisters, for a divine force watched over them. Seeing this, the infidels dragged their corpses out of the city, where the Christians buried them.
Undoubtedly, the intrepid young woman who ran to cover the body of her sister could not imagine that the consideration of her simple gesture, remembered with admiration over the centuries, would be worth more than many words in this world so averse to virtue, especially that of modesty! ◊
Note
1 PEDROARENA, OSB, José Antonio X. Santas Nunilo y Alodia. In: ECHEVERRÍA, Lamberto; LLORCA, SJ, Bernardino; REPETTO BETES, José Luis (Org.). Año Cristiano. Madrid: BAC, 2006, v.X, p.578.
2 CARAYOL GOR, Rafael. Santas Mártires del Monte, Alodía y Nulilón. 3.ed. Granada: Porcel, 2002, p.13.
3 Idem, p.16.
