St. Ascelina, Aug. 23, Dec. 27, V. Cistercian, -f- 1195. Related to St Bernard. When she was twelve years old, a young clerk, being much struck with her beauty, and desiring some opportunity of conversing with her alone, offered to teach her Latin, music, and ringing. As he could not talk to her long at a time, he wrote letters and verses to her in French. At the third lesson, he confessed his love. The unsuspecting child answered that if he would become a monk she would give him her love. The sinner changed his dress, but not his heart, and dwelt three months among the brethren — a wolf in sheep’s clothing. About this time, a leper appeared to Ascelina, and bade her beware of her false teacher, as he was an instrument of Satan to rob her of her innocence. The girl, distressed and perplexed, ran and told her mother, who came at once to question the leper ; but he was gone, and no trace of him could be found. Her mother took her to a holy priest, who cut off her hair, and from that time she led an ascetic life, which soon destroyed her beauty. The false monk soon left his cloister and retnmed to the world. By the advice of St. Bernard, Ascelina became a Cistercian nun under his niece Adeline, at Pouligny, near the monastery of Boulancourt, in Haute.
