Nostra Signora degli Angeli / Our Lady of the Angels, Arcola, Italy (1556) and Memorials of the Saints – 21 May

Nostra Signora degli Angeli / Our Lady of the Angels, Arcola, Italy (1556) – 21 May:

Going up the streets of the Village of Arcola, in the direction of Baccano, you reach the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Angels, built in the place where the miraculous apparition of the Virgin took place, on 21 May 1556, in that year, it was the second day of Pentecost.

After Mass, whilst praying the Rosary on their farm, in Carbonara, the five Fiamberti sisters – Barbara, Camilla, Elisabetta, Catarinetta and Angela, in the company of their parents and brothers – saw a majestic Lady appear above a rosemary bush, shining brighter than the sun, dressed in white and flanked by two Angels.

The celestial image, raising her hand and with a sweet voice told them “go, beloved ones, tell the people to pray and do penance and tell the good villagers to build a temple in this place in my honour.”
In the year 1558, the now underground Chapel was built in the sacred place; a large Church was completed above it at the end of the century, while the current Church is the work of the second half of the eighteenth century.

The Sanctuary immediately became a pilgrimage destination and the subject of bequests and donations. On the walls at the sides of the main altar there are two large frescoes by the Arculian painter Luigi Agretti, representing the Apparition of the Madonna degli Angeli and the Solemn Coronation which took place on 16 May 1910.

Under the altar floor there is the Chapel, a place of the Apparition of the Virgin of the Angels. The interior is somewhat rich in polychrome marbles that decorate the floor and walls, while stuccos and paintings adorn the ceiling. Above the Altar of precious marble, in a niche, there is the simulacrum of the Virgin of the Angels, work created in 1624 by the sculptor Battista Orsolini of Carrara. The minor aisles have two chapels dedicated one to the Madonna del Rosario, the other to the Sacred Heart of Jesus or of the Holy Cross. In the Chapel of the Rosary, there is a painting by the La Spezia painter Andrea Podenzana, year 1688.

St Eugene de Mazenod OMI (1782-1861) Bishop, Founder of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, Evangeliser, Missionary Preacher
Biography:
https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2018/05/21/saint-of-the-day-21-may-st-eugene-de-mazenod-o-m-i-1782-1861/

Martyrs of the Mexican Revolution (Optional Memorial): The 1917 Mexican constitution was pointedly anti-clerical and anti-Church, and its adoption instituted years of violent religious persecution including expulsion of foreign priests, closing of parochial schools and the murders of several priests and lay leaders who work to minister to the faithful and support religious freedom. 25 of them who died at different times and places but all as a result of this persecution were celebrated together. They each have separate memorials but are also remembered as a group.

• Saint Agustin Caloca Cortes
• Saint Atilano Cruz Alvarado
• Saint Cristobal Magallanes Jara
• Saint David Galván-Bermúdez
• Saint David Roldán-Lara
• Saint David Uribe-Velasco
• Saint Jenaro Sánchez DelGadillo
• Saint Jesús Méndez-Montoya
• Saint Jose Isabel Flores Varela

• Saint “Joselito” José Luis Sánchez del Río (1913-1928) Aged 14 known as “Joselito,” Boy Martyr was a Mexican Cristero War Martyr.
Memorial 10 February
Dear Joselito!
https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2018/02/10/saint-of-the-day-10-february-st-jose-sanchez-del-rio-joselito-1913-1928-boy-martyr/comment-page-1/

• Saint José María Robles Hurtado
• Saint Julio álvarez Mendoza
• Saint Justino Orona Madrigal
• Saint Luis Batiz Sainz
• Saint Manuel Moralez
• Saint Margarito Flores-García
• Saint Mateo Correa-Magallanes
• Saint Miguel de la Mora
• Saint Pedro de Jesús Maldonado-Lucero

• Saint Pedro Esqueda Ramírez (1887-1927) Priest, Martyr of the Cristero War, Apostle of Eucharistic Adoration, of the Blessed Virgin Mary and of Charity, devoted to the youth and especially their Catechesis.
About St Pedro:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/11/22/saint-of-the-day-22-november-saint-pedro-esqueda-ramirez-1887-1927-priest-and-martyr-of-the-cristero-war/

• Saint Rodrigo Aguilar Alemán

• Saint Roman Adame Rosales (1859-1927) Priest and Martyr of the Cristero War, St Roman had a great devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and the Blessed Virgin, Founder of the association of the “Daughters of Mary and Nocturnal Adoration,”
Biography:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/04/21/saint-of-the-day-21-april-saint-roman-adame-rosales-1859-1927-priest-and-martyr

• Saint Sabas Reyes Salazar (1883-1927) Priest and Martyr of the Cristero War, Teacher, Catechist, Protector of children and the youth of Mexico, he had a special devotion to the Holy Trinity and the Souls in Purgatory.
His Life and Martyrdom:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/04/13/saint-of-the-day-13-april-st-jose-sabas-reyes-salazar-1883-1927-priest-and-martyr/

• Saint Salvador Lara Puente
• Saint Toribio Romo González
• Saint Tranquilino Ubiarco Robles

Canonised: 21 May 2000 by Pope John Paul II
—
St Adalric of Bèze
Bl Adilio Daronch
St Ageranus of Bèze
St Ansuinus of Bèze
St Antiochus of Caesarea Philippi

St Arcangelo Tadini (1846–1912) Priest, Founder of the Worker Sisters of the Holy House of Nazareth, of which Order, he is the Patron, Social Reformer, Apostle of the Holy Eucharist
Biography:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/05/21/saint-of-the-day-21-may-saint-arcangelo-tadini-1846-1912/

St Bairfhion of Killbarron
St Berard of Bèze
St Collen of Denbighshire

St Constantine the Great
St Donatus of Caesarea
St Eutychius of Mauretania

Blessed Franz Jägerstätter OFS (1907-1943) Married Layman Martyr, Father of 3 daughters, Conscientious Objector, Farmer, Third Order Franciscan
His Life and Death:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/05/21/saint-of-the-day-21-may-blessed-franz-jagerstatter-ofs-1907-1943-layman-martyr-franz-jagerstatter-who-would-not-bow-his-head-to-hitler/

The first video is from the author of a Biography of Blessed Franz. His life of “Conscientious Objection” is very appropriate for the times we find ourselves in right now!
The second video contains an interview and details of the Film made about Blessed Franz “A Hidden Life.”

St Genesius of Bèze
St Godric of Finchale
Bl Hemming of Åbo
St Hospitius of Cap-Saint-Hospice
Bl Hyacinth-Marie Cormier
St Isberga of Aire
Bl Jean Mopinot
Bl Lucio del Rio
St Mancio of Évora
Bl Manuel Gómez González
St Nicostratus of Caesarea Philippi
Blessed Pietro Parenzo (Died 1199) Layman Martyr
St Polieuctus of Caesarea
St Polius of Mauretania
St Restituta of Corsica
St Rodron of Bèze
St Secundinus of Cordova
St Secundus of Alexandria
St Serapion the Sindonite
St Sifrard of Bèze
Bl Silao
St Synesius
St Theobald of Vienne
St Theopompus
St Timothy of Mauretania
St Valens of Auxerre
St Vales
St Victorius of Caesarea
—
Martyrs of Egypt: Large number of bishops, priests, deacons and lay people banished when the Arian heretics seized the diocese of Alexandria, Egypt in 357 and drove out Saint Athanasius and other orthodox Christians. Many were old, many infirm and many, many died of abuse and privations while on the road and in the wilderness. Very few survived to return to their homes in 361 when Julian the Apostate recalled all Christians and then many of those later died in the persecutions of Julian.

Martyrs of Pentecost in Alexandria: An unspecified number of Christian clerics and lay people who, on Pentecost in 338, were rounded up by order of the Arian bishop and emperor Constantius and were either killed, or exiled, for refusing to accept Arian teachings. 339 in Alexandria, Egypt.