The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Memorials of the Saints – 15 August

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary +2021

The Feast celebrates the Assumption of the body of the Blessed Virgin Mary into heaven upon her death. According to Pope Benedict XIV, it is a probable opinion, which it is impious to deny, though not an article of faith but has since in 1950 has been raised to a DOGMA of the Faith.
The origin of the Feast day is not known but it was celebrated in Palestine before the year 500.
It is a holy day of obligation, it’s Vigil being a fast day, in many English-speaking countries.
In 1950, Pope Pius XII proclaimed Mary’s Assumption a Catholic Dogma:
“the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory” (Munificentissimus Deus).
He did not specify whether she died first – Catholic Doctrine leaves that open. St Epiphanius of Salamis (Cyprus, died 403) had written, “No-one knows how her life ended.” But the Assumption of Mary is a nexus of Catholic faith in God’s power to resurrect the body and unite it with the soul in everlasting life.
Among the many masters who have painted the subject of the Assumption are Fra Angelico, Ghirlandaio, Rubens, Del Sarto and Titian.
Patronages – Acadians, Cajuns, Cistercian Order, Cistercians, fish dealers, fish-mongers, French air crews, harness makers, France, Guatemala, India, Jamaica, Malta, Paraguay, Slovakia, east Africa (region of east Africa which includes diverse countries, proclaimed on 15 March 1952 by Pope Pius XII) South Africa (this is not a region but a country) and the Assumption is, therefore, the Patronal Feast of the Country of South Africa – proclaimed on 15 March 1952 by Pope Pius XII), 24 dioceses, 38 cities.

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/08/19/the-solemnity-of-the-assumption-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary-19-august/

St Alypius of Thagaste (Died 430) Bishop

Blessed Alfred of Hildesheim OSB (Died 874) Bishop, Benedictine Monk, Confessor, Founder of Essen Abbey, Hildesheim Cathedral, many Convents, Schools and Seminaries, Royal Spiritual Adviser to the East Frankish King Louis the German, Diplomatic Peacemaker, he was know for his great devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
His Lifestory:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/08/15/saint-of-the-day-15-august-blessed-alfred-of-hildesheim-osb-died-874-bishop/

Bl Agustín Hurtado Soler
St Arduinus of Rimini
Bl Claudio Granzotto
Bl George Halley

Blessed Isidore Bakanja (c 1887-1909) Congolese Martyr, Layman, Evangelist, Marian devotee especially of the Holy Rosary and Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
His Life and Death:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/08/15/saint-of-the-day-15-august-blessed-isidore-bakanja-c-1887-1909-martyr/
St Napoleon of Alexandria

St Simplician (c 320-c 401) Archbishop of Milan and Successor of St Ambrose (340-397) Doctor of the Church in the Archdiocese of Milan, Teacher, Catechist, Writer, Mystic.
St Ambrose used to call Simplician father, as a sign of spiritual relationship but they were also great friends. Simplician took also an active part in the conversions of both Alypius of Thagaste and Augustine of Hippo. The meeting between Augustine and Simplican occurred in Milan in 386 and it is recorded in Augustine’s Confessions. After his conversion, Augustine also called Simplician father and in 397 he dedicated to Simplician two books on the issue of predestination, known as De Diversis Quaestionibus ad Simplicianum. St Augustine, remembered and referred to him with deep gratitude, calling him the “spiritual father of my soul” and would submit his own writings to him to review and comment.
Details of the life of St Simplician here: https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/08/15/saint-of-the-day-15-august-st-simplician-of-milan/

St Stanislaus Kostka SJ (1550-1568) Polish Jesuit Novice.
On the evening of the Feast of Saint Lawrence (10 August), Stanislaus felt a mortal weakness, magnified by a high fever and clearly saw, that his last hour had come. He wrote a letter to the Blessed Virgin begging her to call him to the skies, there to celebrate with her, the glorious Anniversary of her Assumption (15 August). His confidence in the Blessed Virgin, which had already brought him many favours, was this time again rewarded – on 15 August 1568, towards 4:00 in the morning, while he prayed to God, to the Saints and to the Virgin Mary, he died.
Many in the City proclaimed him a saint and people hastened from all parts to venerate his remains and to obtain, if possible, arelic.
St Stanislaus was Beatified on 19 October 1605 by Pope Paul V and Canonised on 31 December 1726 by Pope Benedict XIII.
https://anastpaul.com/2017/11/13/saint-of-the-day-13-november-st-stanislaus-kostka-sj-1550-1568/

St Tarcisius (3rd century) Martyr of the Eucharist – Patronages – altar servers, first communicants.
About St Tarcisius:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/08/15/saint-of-the-day-15-august-st-tarcisius-3rd-century-martyr-of-the-eucharist/

Martyrs of Nicomedia – 3 saints: Three Christians martyred together. No details survive but the names – Eutychian, Philip and Straton. They were martyred in Nicomedia, Bithynia (in modern Turkey).

Martyred in the Mexican Revolution: 4 Saints –
St David Roldán Lara
St Luis Batiz Sainz
St Manuel Moralez
St Salvador Lara Puente

Martyred in the Spanish Civil War: Thousands of people were murdered in the anti-Catholic persecutions of the Spanish Civil War from 1934 to 1939.
• Blessed Agustì Ibarra Angüela
• Blessed Carmelo Sastre y Sastre
• Blessed Clemente Vea Balaguer
• Blessed Francisco Míguez Fernández
• Blessed Ildefonso Alberto Flos
• Blessed Jaume Bonet Nadal
• Blessed Joan Ceró Cedó
• Blessed Josep Santonja Pinsach
• Blessed Juan Francisco Barahona Martín
• Blessed Juan Mesonero Huerta
• Blessed Luis Ros Ezcurra
• Blessed Manuel Formigo Giráldez
• Blessed Miguel Alberto Flos
• Blessed Sebastià Balcells Tonijuan
• Blessed Severiano Montes Fernández