N.

 1 2 |          of Jerusalem there were virgins. But what does the Apostle
 2 3 |    deacon was the father of four virgins, the word certainly refers
 3 3 |  Ignatius of Antioch salutes the virgins,6 who together with the
 4 16|           St. Cyprian demands of virgins that "once they have dedicated
 5 16|         God. . . Nor do we extol virgins because they are virgins,
 6 16|         virgins because they are virgins, but because they are virgins
 7 16|    virgins, but because they are virgins dedicated to God in loving
 8 18|        reason the Fathers exhort virgins to love their Divine Spouse
 9 18|      will.27 Augustine writes to virgins: "Love with all your hearts
10 18|       Church herself requires of virgins on the day they are solemnly
11 19|        defiled with women, being virgins,"31 the Apostle John asserts
12 19|     spouse, for that state makes virgins like unto Him."34 It would
13 19|          only spouse of all holy virgins, the fruit, the glory, the
14 26|          the innumerable army of virgins and apostles who, from the
15 26|           religious, consecrated virgins will see in him a suffering
16 28|    sanctity. Innumerable are the virgins and apostles vowed to perfect
17 28|         proposes a whole host of virgins to our admiration, from
18 29|     which St. Cyprian writing to virgins affirms: "What we are to
19 30| virginity consists in this, that virgins make tangible, as it were,
20 30|  ceremony of the consecration of virgins, the consecrating prelate
21 31|        31. The greatest glory of virgins is undoubtedly to be the
22 31|        it is a profound joy that virgins should be the marvelous
23 31|           the more the number of virgins increases, the greater is
24 39|       heart, as they term it, of virgins and celibates. For although
25 41|        of priest and consecrated virgins, who, because of their vow
26 43|         men. Are not consecrated virgins, who dedicate their lives
27 43|          religion, are not these virgins united intimately with their
28 47|     these words: "Now concerning virgins, I have no commandment of
29 49|      Bishop of Olympus, compares virgins to martyrs,76 and St. Gregory
30 62|         the constant fidelity of virgins to their Divine Spouse depends
31 64|         God who is the Virgin of virgins and the "teacher of virginity,"
32 65|      Virgin Mary as the model of virgins. "Imitate her, my daughters. . . !117
33 69|         whom I knew wanted to be virgins were forbidden to leave
34 70|         In regard to consecrated virgins, the Bishop of Milan writes, "
35 71|       example of the consecrated virgins of the early Church who
36 74|          priests and consecrated virgins, to those especially "who