Saint of the Day – 9 May – St Beatus (3rd Century) Confessor, Hermit, Missionary (probably a Priest), Miracle-worker. Born in Vendôme and died near Laon, France. Also known asBienheuré, Beat.. Beatus is identified with a Missionary who travelled and preached in, besides Vendôme, Garonne, Laon and Nantes. His place of death is considered to have been Chevresson, near Laon.
The Roman Martyrology reads today: “In the castle of Windisch, the decease of St Beatus, Confessor.”
A great deal of confusion reigns in regard to St Beatus of the region of Vendôme. There is another Saint also venerated today of the same name but who lived and evangelised in Switzerland .
Our St Beatus is renowned for his battle and triumph over a dragon (this dragon is symbolic of either the paganism rife in that time or heresy). He had fasted and prayed before fighting this dragon who had been the terror of the region. According to the tradition, the dragon was so large that when it went to drink from a river at some distance away, its tail still lay in its cave. It was also so large that it completely drained the Loire river when it drank.
There are three versions of this combat: the first states that the dragon fled at the sight of our Saint making the Sign of the Cross; the second version states that St Beatus defeated the dragon with one blow from his staff; the third states that the dragon strangled itself with its chain.
A Chapel dating from the 5th Century was built on the hillside where he is said to have lived.
Bust of Saint Beatus, église Saint-Béat Saint-Privat, Saint-Béat, Haute-Garonne, France
St Gregory Nazianzen (330-390) Archbishop of Constantinople, Father, Doctor, Confessor, Theologian, Philosopher, Orator, Poet, Writer, he is remembered as the “Trinitarian Theologian.” He is widely considered one of the most accomplished rhetorical stylist of the patristic age. Along with his great friends and colleagues, the brothers St Basil the Great and St Gregory of Nyssa, he is known as one of the Cappadocian Fathers. The Cappadocia region, in modern-day Turkey, was an early site of Christian activity, with several missions by St Paul in this region. The Roman Martyrology states of him today: “At Naziazus, the birthday of St Gregory, Bishop and Doctor of the Church, surnamed “The Theologian” because of his remarkable knowledge of divinity. At Constantinople, he restored the Catholic Faith, which was fast waning and repressed the rising heresies.” Wonderful St Gregory: https://anastpaul.com/2022/05/09/saint-of-the-day-9-may-st-gregory-nazianzen-330-390-great-father-and-doctor-of-the-church/ AND: (In 1969, St Gregory’s Feast was combined with that of St Basil the Great – “Two Bodies one Spirit” and was then celebrated on 2 January). Their lives here: https://anastpaul.com/2019/01/02/saint-s-of-the-day-2-january-st-basil-the-great-329-379-and-st-gregory-of-nazianzen-330-390-two-bodies-one-spirit/
St Banban the Wise St Beatus (3rd Century) Confessor St Beatus of Lungern St Brynoth of Scara St Dionysius of Vienne Bl Fortis Gabrielli St Gerontius of Cervia
St Gregory of Ostia St Hermas of Rome Isaiah the Prophet St John of Châlon
Blessed Thomas Pickering (c1621-1679) Martyr, Benedictine Lay Brother. He was one of the 107 Martyrs of England and Wakes. They were Beatified by Pope Pius XI on 15 December 1929 and is, therefore, remembered with them all on 4 May. In character, he was described, as the most charitable and sweet-tempered of men. His Life and Death: https://anastpaul.com/2021/05/09/saint-of-the-day-9-may-blessed-thomas-pickering-osb-c-1621-1679-martyr/
Martyrs of Persia: 310 Christians murdered together for their faith in Persia. No details about them have survived.
20 Mercedarian Martyrs of Riscala: 20 Mercedarian friars who were murdered by Huguenot heretics for refusing to denounce their faith. 16th century at the Santa Maria convent at Riscala, France.
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