We pray for all children, victims of abortion and of abuse. This feast is on this day in the breviary used at San Damiano. December 28, 1808 – At the Poor Clare monastery, the three imprisoned priests are finally let free after the Emperor Napoleon left the area, to the sound of military music. It is not recorded why the three priests had offended the Emperor so much. The Poor Clare Abbess Maria Manuela was instrumental in their release. (See December 27th ) The emperor was so impressed by the Abbess that he had his chief of staff affix to the door of the monastery “an edict imposing the punishment of death on any person of any class, condition or category who would molest the Religious”. Napoleon is also said to have hand-written a poster which was in the Poor Clare monastery: THE EMPEROR HAS BEEN HERE. Obviously, Mother Maria Manuela captivated the Emperor. On December 28, 1877, the first novices in the United States were clothed in the Poor Clare habit in the monastery of Cleveland, Ohio. One was Sister Mary Francis (Anna) Moran and the other Sister Mary Clare (Elizabeth) Baily.