In Manus Tuas Domine Commendo Spiritum Meum
This was inspired by the story of Livia.
Livia was the daughter of the village priest in 17th century Italy. From a young age, she was devoted to her daily prayers and adorned the altar of the village church. However, behind closed doors Livia harbored a playful mischievousness.
While her father led masses, Livia would entertain herself by playing pranks on the townsfolk. Dead mice found their way into milk pails, and one girl’s hair was sheared shorter by Livia’s impish scissors. She believed as long as she performed her prayers at dusk and dawn, any folly in between could be forgiven.
Little did Livia know, the stony statue of Saint Maria that watched over prayers had begun to stir. Although carved from cold marble, the saint's stony heart had grown weary of Livia's piety being undone by pranks.
One fateful evening, as Livia finished her prayers with the words "In manus tuas Domine commendo spiritum meum", Saint Maria's stony lips curled into a sinister smile. A curse was placed upon the mischievous maiden — she could not cease her prayers, condemned to recite endless verses until exhausted.
Days passed as Livia's constant praying rung through the church walls, to no avail in lifting the curse. Exhausted from her non-stop recitation, Livia finally collapsed in a heap upon the altar steps. Her last conscious words still echoing in the church were "In manus tuas Domine commendo spiritum meum", as she fell unconscious from relentlessly praying.
Some say that on quiet nights, you can still hear poor Livia's prayers whispers echoing through the church, forever reciting her penitence for past pranks.
