St Nathy St Numidicus of Carthage St Phelim St Rusticus of Sirmium St Rusticus of Verona St Secundian of Civitavecchia St Stephen of Burgos St Verian of Civitavecchia
Martyrs of Civitavecchia: Three Christians Martyred together in the persecutions of Decius. We know little more than the names – Marcellian, Secundian and Verian. 250 near Civitavecchia, Italy.
Martyrs of Constantinople: 10 Saints: A group of ten Christians who were arrested, tortured and executed for defending an icon of Christ in defiance of orders from Emperor Leo the Isaurian. We know the names of three, but nothing else about them – Julian, Marcian and Mary. They were beheaded in Constantinople.
Saint of the Day – 8 August – Blessed William of Castellammare di Stabia OFM (Died 1364) Martyr, Friar of the Order of Friar’s Minor, Missionary to Palestine. Born in Castellammare di Stabia, Naples, Italy and died a most horrific death in 1364 in Gaza, Palestine. His body and all his property, including his Breviary, were burned. We have no images of Blessed William – those below are of various Franciscan Martyrs.
Franciscan Martyrs in China
Franciscans, have, from the earliest times of St Francis, had, as one of their objectives, the evangelisation of the Islamic world. Already St Francis went to Palestine in 1219, after two unsuccessful attempts, presenting himself to the Sultan Al-Malik al Kamil, establishing an interesting contact, which revealed, after the centuries-old struggles between Saracens and Christians, the possibility, at least on the Christian side, of a dialogue of the love between the two great religions, for their common origins in Abraham.
In 1220, one of the first disciples of Francis, the learned and miracle-worker St Anthony of Padua, attempted to go to North Africa among the Saracens, but a storm forced him to be shipwrecked in Sicily. But, already at that time, the beginning of 1220, there were the first Franciscan Martyrs at the hands of the Saracens – St Francis had sent five Friars as Missionaries to Muslim-occupied Spain, Saints Berard, Peter,Otho, Accursius, and Adjutus, considered the Protomartyrs of the Franciscans. They began to preach in the Mosques and were, therefore sentenced to death by the Sultan but then they were pardoned and, like so many other Christians in the region, sent to Morocco to work as forced labourers.
Franciscan Martyrs of the Spanish Civil War
However, the courageous Friars continued to preach the Gospel and were imprisoned again, they were flogged and finally beheaded on 16 January 1220. After them, many Franciscans lost their lives in an attempt to spread the Gospel in the hostile and closed Muslim world. Already, in 1227, there were seven more Franciscan Martyrs in Morocco, the Saints Daniel and companions and other Orders also brought their bloody contribution to the conversion of the Saracens, who, it is good to remember, dominated the coasts of the Mediterranean with violent raids, plundering, killing, kidnapping women and men enslaved, all in the name of a ‘holy war’ in name of Allah. The Mercedarian Order distinguished itself in that sad period, for the ransom of Christians from slavery in Arab land and many of them died Martyrs amid unheard-of torments.
This was the situation of those centuries of terror and the Holy Land was occupied by Muslims, generating the phenomenon of the Crusades, which sharpened even more the ideological contrast and the bloody clashes between the Christian and Muslim worlds, with excesses from both sides.
In this historical-religious context, the story of the Franciscan Friar Minor, Blessed William of Castellammare di Stabia, a native of the beautiful, historic, rich in thermal waters, City of the Gulf of Naples.
Unfortunately we have not received much information of this Franciscan Missionary in Palestine but that he proclaimed the Gospel publicly, courageously accusing the Muslim religion of falsehood. Perhaps, at the time, there was no other way to carry out the Apostolate, other than to make these public sermons which evidently were striking, both for the content and the great courage shown in preaching in this way at all!
Naturally, William was arrested and during his detention they tried to make him apostatise with threats and promises, it does not appear that he was tortured, as happened to many others. Refusing all attempts to bend his staunch convictions, William was finally Martyred in 1364 in Gaza (apparently sawn in two).
His body was burned together with his Breviary with which he recited the canonical prayers – the bodies of the Martyrs were burned so as not to create a cult of Relics among Christians, a cult which Muslims saw as smoke and mirrors.
Blessed William is commemorated on 8 August.
The Martyrs of Morocco, 1508, by Francisco Henriques
St Eleutherius of Constantinople St Ellidius St Famianus of Compostela St Gedeon of Besancon St Hormisdas of Persia St Largus St Leobald of Fleury St Leonidas of Constantinople St Marinus of Anzarba St Mummolus of Fleury St Myron the Wonder Worker St Rathard of Diessen St Severus of Vienne St Sigrada St Smaragdus St Ternatius of Besançon St Ultan of Crayke Blessed William of Castellammare di Stabia OFM (Died 1364) Martyr
Martyrs of Albano – 4 Saints: Four Christians who were Martyred together, and about we today know little more than their names – Carpóforo, Secondo, Severiano and Vittorino. They were martyred in Albano, Italy – their remains are interred in the San Senator cemetery, on the Appian Way, 15 miles from Rome, Italy.
Martyrs of Rome – 5 Saints: Five Christians Martyred together; we know nothing else about them but the names – Ciriaco, Crescenziano, Giuliana, Memmia and Smaragdus. They were martyred at the 7 mile marker, on the Via Ostia, Rome, Italy.
Quote/s of the Day – 7 August – St Cajetan (1480-1547) Confessor – “The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” –
“There is no road to Heaven but that of innocence or penance.”
Prayer for Peace to the Immaculate Virgin By Pope Paul IV CR (1476-1559)
Look down with maternal clemency, most Blessed Virgin, upon all your children. Consider the anxiety of Bishops who fear that their flocks will be tormented by a terrible storm of evils. Heed the anguish of so many people, fathers and mothers of families who are uncertain about their future and beset by hardships and cares. Soothe the minds of those at war and inspire them with ‘thoughts of peace.’ Through your intercession, may God, the avenger of injuries, turn to mercy. May He give back to nations the tranquility they seek and bring them to a lasting age of genuine prosperity. Amen
(Pope Paul IV was a friend of St Cajetan and also a member of his Order, the Theatines, named after Paul IV’s See as Bishop) .
Saint of the Day – 7 August – Saint Victricius (c339-407) Confessor, Bishop of Rouen from 393 until his death in 407, of natural causes by the will of God, Victricius narrowly escaped Martyrdom, Miracle-worker, friend of St Martin of Tours, St Ambrose and other great Father Saints. Also known as – Victricius of Rouen, Victrice, Vittricio. Patronage – against blindness, of the blind, of eye disorders.
The Roman Martyrology reads: “At Rouen, the holy Bishop St Victricius. Whilst he was yet a soldier under Julian the Apostate, he threw away his military belt for Christ and after being subjected, by the Tribunal to many torments, was condemned to capital punishment. But, the executioner who had been sent to put him to death, being struck blind and, the Confessor’s chains being loosened, he made his escape. Afterwards, being made Bishop, by preaching the word of God, he brought the barbarous people of Belgic Gaul, to the Faith of Christ and finally, died a Confessor in peace.”
Victricius was born in the first half of the 4th Century on the borders of the Roman Empire. His family was illustrious and Victricius studied humanities before enlisting in the army, like Saint Martin (of Tours), his future friend. He served there for several years, the Christian religion was then honoured in the Roman army. The old soldiers of the first Christian Emperor, Constantine the Great, told of the marvellous appearance of the Cross ofd Christ which had announced victory to them on the banks of the Tiber, when they were marching against the pagan army of Maxentius. From then on, the Cross had always been part of the Banners, ceremonial dress, stationery etc.
But, in 360, the son of Constantine, Constance, was succeeded, byJulian the Apostate. Julian, after having renounced the Christian Faith to return to the worship of idols, put great energy into fighting Christianity. We know that he wanted several times to force the soldiers of his army to offer sacrifices to idols. Because of this and also because his military time was coming to an end, Victricius wanted to leave the army and, henceforth, dedicate himself to the service of God.
One day during the military review, when the Colonel passed in front of him, Victricius came forward and said, throwing down his arms: “I am a Christian and I ask for my release because I now wish to dedicate myself to peace and Christian justice.” .
The Colonel was a pagan and took this action as a protest against the Emperor’s edicts. Immediately he had the soldier Victricius, our Saint, flogged and when he was nothing more than a wound, he was thrown into a dungeon where he remained lying on the floor for a long time. This did not reduce his faith, his courage and his trust in God and by his contual refusal to deny his Faith in Christ, he was condemned to death.
On the way to the place of execution, the executioner mocked his victim while tightly restraining Victricius by his neck. He said to Victricius: “We are going to cut off this head. What madness to allow oneself to be killed in this way, for a God Whom the Jews Crucified!” The poor man had not finished his blasheming when he was struck blind!
Another miracle followed closely on this one . The jailer had so tightened the chains that they entered the flesh of the condemned man. Victricius begged the soldiers, who accompanied him, to loosen them a little but they refused. Then he began to invoke aloud the help of Jesus Christ and immediately the chains fell off by themselves. Seized with amazement, the soldiers dared not kill a man whom the heavens was so visibly protecting. They re-traced their steps to tell this to the Colonel who, having observed the facts for himself, became Victricius’ friend and had him released.
Victricius, his freedom regained, left to train in a Monastery, it is believed in Ligugé, near Poitiers, under the direction of Saint Hilairy and Saint Martin. He became a great evangeliser in modern day Belgium. Many were converted and baptised by his preaching.
A few years later, he was appointed as the Archbishop of Rouen. There he established a deep affection with his co-Bishops – Saint Martin, Saint Ambrose, Saint Paulinus of Nola. There is still extant correspondence which testifies to this fraternal friendship.
One day, in Chartres, while Saint Martin was there accompanied by Victricius, an inhabitant brought his daughter, who was blind from birth, to the holy Bishop, begging him to heal her. “Speak to the Bishop of Rouen,” replied Saint Martin, “he is more capable than us of obtaining these marvels for you.” Making the Sign of the Cross on the eyes of the child, the Bishop of Tours yielded and the child was immediately healed
Victricius had just returned to his Diocese when Saint Ambrose announced to him that he was sending him various Relics. Victriciud hastened to seek out this great treasure. So hehad a new Church built in Rouen to honourably place these precious Relics. When this was done, he made a great speech in which he exhorted the people to consider the Martyrs as their protectors:
“We must,” he said, “devoutly embrace these precious remains of the tortures and seek there, like the woman at the fringe of the mantle of the Saviour, the healing of our wounds…. for me, a soldier tested by years, aged in battles, fatigue and vigils, I only value present life in its relationship with eternity and, I never think myself richer, than when my hands are laden with the Relics of Saints. … The dwelling place of these blessed ones is in Heaven but, they are here as guests, to whom we can take our prayers.”
And he declared again that the small fragments of their remains. as well as larger parts. can be the instrument of many miracles… In 404, Pope Innocent I addressed an important Decree to Victricius on various points of discipline, about which the Bishop of Rouen had consulted him. At the same time, he instructed him to communicate this letter to his colleague Bishops in the surrounding Diocese.
Saint Victricius died in 407, his tomb was a source of miracles and remains in great veneration in Rouen.
In the middle of the 9th Century, to save his Relics from the devastation of Norman pirates, they were transported to the fortified castle of Braine, four leagues from Soissons. They were kept there until the revolution, that is to say, in 1793 when, fortunately, they were able to escape destruction. But it was not until 1865 – on 16 and 17 October that Cardinal de Bonnechose, Archbishop of Rouen, transferred the Relics of Saint Victricicious into a beautiful gilded copper casing, decorated with enamels and fine stones.
St Albert of Trapani O.Carm. (c 1240-1307) Carmelite Priest, Confessor, Preacher, Evangeliser, apostle of prayer and a devout servant of the Blessed Virgin and the Passion of Christ. St Teresa of Jesus (1515-1582) and St Mary Magdalene de Pazzi (1566-1607) were especially devoted to him, the Bl Baptist Spagnoli (1447–1516) composed a sapphic ode in his honour. His Life: https://anastpaul.com/2019/08/07/saint-of-the-day-7-august-saint-albert-of-trapani-o-carm-c-1240-1307/
Bl Cassian Vaz Lopez-Neto St Claudia of Rome St Donat St Donatian of Chalons-sur-Marne St Donatus of Besancon St Faustus of Milan St Hilarinus of Ostia St Hyperechios Bl Jordan Forzatei St Julian of Rome St Peter of Rome
Martyred Deacons of Rome – 6 Saints: A group of Deacons who were Martyred with Pope Saint Sixtus II. We know nothing about them but their names and their deaths – Agapitus, Felicissimus, Januarius, Magnus, Stephen and Vincent. They were beheaded on 6 August 258 in a cemetery on the Appian Way, Rome, Italy.
Martyrs of Como – 6 Saints: A group of Christian soldiers in the imperial Roman army. Martyred in the persecutions of Maximian. We know little else but the names – Carpophorus, Cassius, Exanthus, Licinius, Secundus and Severinus. c.295 on the north side of Lake Como, near Samolaco, Italy. Their relics in the church of San Carpoforo, Como, Italy.
Saint of the Day – 6 August – Saint Gezelin of Schlebusch O.Cist. (Died 1149) known as “The Apostle of Hainaut” – Lay Brother of the Cistercian Order, Hermit, Gezelin’s duties included shepherding the sheep of the Monastery, Miracle-worker. Died on 29 July 1149 in Gut Alkenrath, Schlebusch, Germany. Patronages – children, against epilepsy in children, against eye disorders, against headaches. Also known as – Gezelin of Altenberg, Gezelinus of… Gezzelin of… Gezzelino of… Ghislain of… Gisle of… Gozelin of… Jocelin of… Schezelinus of… Gezelin was Canonised by the Bishop of Cologne, Germany, which was a common practice at that time.
The window of St Gezelin near his Shrine in the Andreas Church in Schlebusch
Gezelin was a lay brother in the Cistercian Monastery of Morimond – in today’s Fresnoy-en-Bassigny. In around 1135 he came to the new Altenberg Abbey and worked as a shepherd on the Alkenrath estate belonging to the Monastery in Schlebusch. Even during his lifetime, he was highly praised and revered for his always kind and helpful support of the rural population and the news of miraculous deeds spread more and more. For example, during a drought – in which even the Rhine had dried up – a copious Spring spurted out by his fervent prayers.
In his modesty, Gezelin requested not to be buried in the Abbey in Altenberg but, in the Parish Church near his sheep in Alkenrath. His bones were collected there in 1814. After the demolition of this Church, In 1890, the Relics were taken to the Andreas Church in Schlebusch where they now rest in an oak Shrine made in 1903. More of Gezelin’s Relics were enshrined in Altenberg Cathedral.
The Andreas Church
A Chapel dedicated to him, renovated in 1659 and rebuilt from 1864 to 1868, still stands above the Holy Spring in Gut Alkenrath, which Gezelin caused to rise and whose water heals head and eye ailment and which is still a site of pilgrimage. Many local residents used to fetch their drinking water there and to this day the Baptismal water for the Andreas Church in Schlebusch, is fetched from it. A pilgrimage takes place on the Sunday after Corpus Christi and on his Feast day . The source flow was disturbed by canal work in the 1950s, since then the water is pumped at certain times to the outflow on the west side of the Chapel. The St Gezelin Chapel is normally locked except, of course, during Mass but the Miraculous Spring flows everyday – a sign is posted outside the Chapel of the times when it is pumped.
St Pope Sixtus II/ Xystus (Died 258) Pope and Martyr, Philosopher. 25th Pope from St Peter. Papal Ascension 30 August 257. He was Martyred along with seven deacons, (St Lawrence of Rome a few days later) during the persecutions of Christianity by Emperor Valerian. This is the St Sixtus who is commemorated in the Roman Canon Eucharistic Prayer. His Life and Death: https://anastpaul.com/2021/08/06/saint-of-the-day-6-august-saint-sixtus-ii-died-258-pope-and-martyr/
St Gezelin of Schlebusch O.Cist. (Died 1149) Lay Brother of the Cistercian Order, Hermit. St Gislain of Luxemburg St Glisente of Brescia Bl Goderanno Bl Guillermo Sanz St Hardulf of Breedon
Bl Octavian of Savona St Stephen of Cardeña Bl William of Altavilla
Martyrs of Cardeña: Two hundred Benedictine Monks at the Saint Peter of Cardegna monastery, Burgos, Spain who were Martyred in the 8th century by invading Saracens. They were buried by local Christians in a nearby churchyard in Burgos, Spain and Beatified in 1603 by Pope Clement VIII (cultus confirmed).
Saint of the Day – 5 August – St Nonna of Nazianzen (c305-374) Widow of St Gregory Nazianzen the Elder, (c276-374) the saintly Bishop of Nazianzen and Mother of St Gregory Nazianzen (330-390) Doctor of the Church, his younger brother St Caesarius Nazianzen (c331-368) a Physician and St Gorgonia (Died c375) Married, Mother. Born in Nazianzen in Cappadocia (modern day Turkey) in around 305 and died in c374 in her home town, of natural causes. Patronages – death of children, Information services. Also known as – Nona.
The Roman Martyrology states: “In Nazianzus in Cappadocia, in today’s Turkey, Saint Nonna, who was the wife of the holy Bishop Gregory the Elder and mother of the Saints Gregory, Cesario and Gorgonia.”
Nonna was born and raised as a deeply religious Christian. After she married, she converted her husband Gregory to Christianity. He had been a member of the Hypsistarians, a Jewish-pagan sect which worshipped Hypsistos, the “Most High” God. Both Gregory and Nonna came from wealthy families and Gregory was able to personally finance the construction of a Church in the region. In 328, Gregory was selected as the Bishop of Nazianzen, a position he held until his death. At one point, Gregory subscribed to an Arian understanding of the Blessed Trinity. However, this was for a very brief time and he quickly renounced that position.
Nonna became the mother of three children, each of whom became Saints, the most notable of whom being the Doctor of the Church, St Gregory Nazianzen.
Nonna outlived her husband and two of her children, dying, almost certainly in 374.
Her son Gregory tells of an occasion in 351 when Nonna fell terribly sick with a severe illness and appeared to be at the point of death. On his way to visit a friend, Gregory hurried instead to his mother who, in the meantime, had begun to recover. She had a vision in which Gregory had given her magical cakes marked with the Sign of the Cross and blessed by him.
Gregory championed Nonna as a model of Christian motherhood. He wrote of her:
“My mother was a worthy companion for such a man [as my father] and her qualities were as great as his. She came from a pious family but was even more pious than they, although, in her body she was but a woman, in her spirit she was above all men…
Her mouth knew nothing but the truth but, in her modesty, she was silent about those deeds which brought her glory. She was guided by the fear of God. …”
St Eusignius St Gormeal of Ardoilen Bl James Gerius St Margaret the Barefooted (1335-1395) Married Laywoman St Mari St Memmius of Châlons-sur-Marne St Nonna of Nazianzen (c305-c374) Widow. Mother
St Sobel St Theodoric of Cambrai-Arras St Venantius of Viviers St Viator
Martyrs of the Salarian Way: Twenty-three Christians who were Martyred together in the persecutions of Diocletian. Died in 303 on the Salarian Way in Rome, Italy.
Our Morning Offering – 4 August – On the Feast of St Dominic, we pray a prayer by one of his most illustrious children, St Albert the Great
Guide Me Lord By St Albert the Great (1200-1280) Doctor of the Church
O Lord Jesus Christ, Who seeks those who stray and receives them when returning, make me approach Thee through the frequent hearing of Thy Word, lest I sin against my neighbour, by the blindness of human judgement, through the austerity of false justice, through comparing his inferior status, through too much trust in my merits or through ignorance of the Divine Judgement. Guide me to search diligently, each corner of my conscience, lest the flesh dominate the spirit! Amen
Saint of the Day – 4 August – Saint Agabius of Verona (Died c350) Bishop, Confessor – the Ninth Bishop of Verona, Italy. His birth date and place are unknown but he died in c350 in Verona, of natural causes. Also known as – Agabio, Agapio, Agapito. Agabius was the Bishop of the Diocese of Verona who lived in the 4th Century. The name Agabius is of Greek origin and derives from the verb “agapao” to love.
We know very little about our Saint today. Our only certain knowledge is that he was buried in the Church of St Proculus and when the Church was suppressed on 28 September 1806, his remains were moved to the crypt of the Basilica of St Zeno, the Cathedral Church of Verona.
The Martyrology of the Veronese Church states: “Saint Agabius of Verona, Bishop of the same City, who, excelling in piety to God and gentleness of manners, he of all virtues, of great faith … and of liberality to all the poor, left behind him examples to the … Bishops.” (The gaps are due to the Italian translation which makes little sense).
Another clarification on this holy Bishop is made by Msgr Dario Cervato in his recent work “Verona Agiografica” where he states: “some said he was a native of Caesarea in Palestine, where he was the Bishop, successor of Teotemius and then transferred to Verona but this is unsupported information.”
St Dominic de Guzman OP (1170-1221) Confessor, Founder of the Dominicans – The Order of Preachers – Priest, Founder, Teacher, Preacher, Mystic, Miracle-Worker, Apostle of the Holy Rosary. At Dominic’s Baptism, Blessed Joan, his Mother, saw a star shining from his chest, which became another of his symbols in art and led to his patronage of astronomy. https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/08/08/saint-of-the-day-8-august-st-dominic-de-guzman-founder-of-the-dominican-order-of-preachers/ A lovely personal description of St Dominic here: https://anastpaul.com/2022/08/04/saint-of-the-day-4-august-st-dominic-confessor/ The Roman Martyrology states today: “At Bologna, St Dominic, Confessor, Founder of the Order of Friars Preachers, most renowned for sanctity and learning. He preserved his chastity unsullied to the end of his life and by his great merits, raised three persons from the dead. After having repressed heresies by his preaching and instructed many in the religious and Godly life, he rested in peace on the 6th of this month. His Feast, however, is celebrated on this day by decree of Pope Paul IV.”
St Agabius of Verona (Died c350) Bishop St Aristarchus of Thessalonica (1st Century) St Crescentio of Rome St Eleutherius of Bithynia St Epiphanes of Besançon
St Hyacinth of Rome St Ia of Persia St Isidore of Besançon St Lua of Limerick St Onofrio of Panaia St Perpetua of Rome St Protasius of Cologne St Rainerio of Split St Sithney (Died c 529) St Tertullinus of Rome Blessed William Horne O.Cart. (Died 1540) Martyr, Carthusian Lay Brother
Saint of the Day – 3 August – St Benno of Einsiedeln (Died 940) Bishop of Metz, Hermit, Monk, Co-founder of the renowned Einsiedeln Abbey in Switzerland. Born in the late 9th Century in Swabia (part of modern Germany) and died on 3 August 940 in Einsiedeln, Switzerland of natural causes. Also known as – Benno of Metz.
Born in the late 9th Century in the Swabian region of Germany, Benno was a member of the Duke of Swabia’s noble family. But Benno chose rather the service of the Lord and he became a hermit in Einsiedeln and is, together with his kinsman, St Eberhard, the founder of the Monastery there.
Einsiedeln Abbey
After Ordination to the Priesthood, he served as a Canon at Strasbourg in France. In 906, he retired to the former hermitage of St Meinrad, on Mount Etzel near Lake Zurich in Switzerland. There Benno rebuilt Meinrad’s Chapel, restored the miraculous Statue of Our Lady of Einsiedeln to a place of honour and soon attracted a group of disciples.
May be St Benno before Our Lady of Einsiedeln – also known as the Black Madonna of Einsiedeln
In 927, Benno was named Bishop of Metz in France, by King Henry I of Germany, in opposition to the locally elected candidate. Bishop Benno was attacked and blinded by the disgruntled opposition of his Diocese and in 929 he resigned his office and returned to his hermitage at Einsiedeln. He was joined by his kinsman St Eberhard in 934 and the Benedictine Monastery was soon established.
Hillside pastures near the Monastery
Fathers of Einsiedeln – Detail from the Icon in the Russian-Orthodox Church of Christ’s Resurrection in Zurich.
Benno lived his remaining years as a Monk in peace at the Monastery until his death on 3 August in the year 940, his Feast day. Benno’s Relics are kept at Einsiedeln Abbey.
Metz Cathedral – equally famous for its Art and Architecture
Blessed Augustine Gazotich OP (1262-1323) Bishop of Lucera, Croatia, of the Order of Preachers. He was also noted for being the guide for Dante Alighieri as the poet travelled through Croatia. His reputation for personal holiness remained noted long after his death; this resulted in Pope Innocent XII confirming the late Bishop’s Beatification in 1700. Biography: https://anastpaul.com/2018/08/03/saint-of-the-day-3-august-blessed-augustine-gazotich-o-p-1262-1323/
St Benno of Einsiedeln (Died 940) Bishop
St Dalmatius St Euphronius of Autun St Gamaliel St Gaudentia Bl Godfrey of Le Mans Bl Gregory of Nonantula St Hermellus St Nicodemus St Senach of Clonard (Died 6th Century) One of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland St Trea of Ardtree
St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Bishop, Confessor, Most Zealous Doctor of the Church, Founder of the Redemptorists, Spiritual Writer, Composer, Musician, Artist, Poet, Lawyer, Scholastic Philosopher and Theologian.
St Auspicius of Apt St Betharius of Chartres St Centolla of Burgos St Etheldritha of of Croyland Bl Frederic Campisani Bl Gundekar of Eichstätt Bl Joanna of Aza Bl John of Rieti St Maximus of Padua St Pedro de Osma St Plegmund St Rutilius
Saint of the Day – 21 July – St Praxedes (Died c165) Virgin Laywoman Born and died in Rome, (whose name means ‘one who does well’), Patronage – single laywoman. Also known as – Prassede, Praxedes, Praxidis.
The Roman Martyrology reads: “At Rome, the holy virgin, Praxedes, who was brought up in all chastity and in the knowledge of the Divine law. Assiduously attending to watching, prayer and fasting, she rest in Christ and was buried near her sister St Pudentiana and family, on the Salarian Road.”
St Praxedes by Simone Pignoni (1611–1698)
Praxedes was the daughter of St Pudens, a Roman Senator who was a disciple of St Paul and sister to Saint Pudentiana. In the days of Pope Pius I and the Emperor Antoninus, Praxedes edified the Church of Rome by the bright lustre of her virtues.
All her great wealth and riches she employed in relieving the poor and the necessities of the Church. By the comfort and succours which she afforded the Martyrs, she endeavoured to make herself partaker of their crowns and she lived in the assiduous exercise of prayer, watching and fasting.
Paolo Rossetti and Federico Zuccari Saints Praxedes and Pudentiana Burying the Martyrs Late 16th or early 17th Century Oil Caetani Chapel – Basilica of St Pudentiana, Rome
Praxedes died in peace and was buried near her sister on the Salarian Road. St Bede and other Hagiographers on the lives of the Saints, style her as a Virgin. An old title of St Praxedes of a Parish Church, now a Basilica, in Rome bearing her name is mentioned in the life of Pope Symmachus. It was repaired by Pope Adrian I and Paschal I and lastly by Saint Charles Borromeo, who took from it his title of Cardinal.
“The Basilica includes splendid Mosaics behind the simple and very Roman facade. However, the very simple exterior is augmented by an interior which is extraordinary – in particular for its mosaics, commissioned by Pope Paschal (817-824) as well as a beautiful ciborium magnum. (Pope Paschal himself maybe found in the mosaics, bearing a square halo — a sign given to someone who was yet living.) ”
The ancient Christians [and so it should be for ourselves too], lived only for Heaven and in every step looked up to God, regardless of all lower pursuits or meaner advantages which could interfere with their great design of knowing and loving Him alone. This constant attention to God awed them in their leisure; this gave life and wings to their devotions and animated them to fervour in all their actions; this carried them through the greatest difficulties and temptations and supported them under all troubles and afflictions. (Essentially from Lives of the Saints, by Father Alban Butler (1710–1773) English Priest and Hagiographer.)
St Barhadbescialas St Benignus of Moyenmoutier Bl Claudius of Avignon St Claudius of Troyes St Corona of Marceille Bl Cristóbal López de Valladolid Orea Bl Daniel Molini St Eleutherius of Marseille St Eternus of Evreaux Bl Gabriel Pergaud St Iosephus Wang Yumei St John of Edessa St John of Moyenmoutier Bl Juan de Las Varillas Bl Juan de Zambrana St Jucundinus of Troyes St Julia of Troyes St Justus of Troyes Bl Parthenius of Thessaly St Praxedes (Died c165) Virgin Laywoman
Martyrs of Africa – 6 Saints: Six Christians who were Martyred together. We know no other details about them but the names – Emilian, Hugal, Motanus, Saphus, Stercorius and Victor. They were martyred in an unknown location in Africa, date unknown.
Saint of the Day – 20 July – St Bernward of Hildesheim (c960-1022) Bishop. Bernward was the thirteenth Bishop of Hildesheim from 993 until his death in 1022. He was an exceptionally gifted and talented Creative Artist and Craftsman, in particular, in the creation of Sacred Vessels and adornments of Holy items, in precious metals. Born – c960 at Saxony and died on 20 November 1022 of natural causes. Patronages – Architects, Builders, Goldsmiths, Sculptors, Craftsmen, Painters, Artists. . Also known as – Berward, Bernward. Canonised in 1193 by Pope Celestine III.
Bernward came from a noble German family. His grandfather was Athelbero, Count Palatine of Saxony (in the coastal region of today’s north Germany). Having lost his parents at an early age, he came under the care of his uncle,Volkmar, Bishop of Utrecht, who entrusted his education to Thangmar, learned director of the Cathedral school at Heidelberg.
Under this master, Bernward made rapid progress in the sciences and in the liberal and even mechanical arts. He became very proficient in mathematics, painting, architecture and particularly. in the manufacture of Sacred Ecclesiastical Vessels and ornaments of silver and gold. He completed his studies at Mainz, where he was Ordained to the Priesthood by Archbishop Willigis, Chancellor of the Empire (975-1011).
Bernward declined a valuable preferment in the Diocese of his uncle, Bishop Volkmar and chose to remain with his grandfather, Athelbero, to comfort him in his old age. Upon the death of the latter, in 987, he became Chaplain at the Imperial Court and, in 987 shortly afterwards, appointed by the Empress-Regent Theophan, as the Tutor to her son, the future Emperor Otto III, then six years of age.
In 993, Bernward was appointed as the Bishop of Hildesheim. His time in office fell during the era of the Saxon Emperors, who had their roots in the area around Hildesheim and were personally related to Bernward. During this time, Hildesheim was a centre of power in the Holy Roman Empire and Bernward was determined to give his City an image fitting for one of its stature.
Bernward ecouraged the arts, commissioned religious paintings and sculpture, refurbished existing Ecclesiastical buildings, built new ones, he built up the Cathedral district with a strong twelve-towered wall and erected further forts in the countryside to protect against attacks by the neighbouring Slavic peoples. Under his direction numerous Churches and other edifices arose, including even fortifications for the defence of his Episcopal City against the invasions of the pagan Normans. He protected his Diocese vigorously from all attacks and consequently his administration was marked by peace. Around 1020, he retired to a Benedictine Monastary to spend his remaining days in prayer.
His life was set down in writing by his mentor, Thangmar, in Vita Bernwardi. He died on 20 November 1022, a few weeks after the Consecration of the magnificent Church of St Michael, which he had built. Beloved Bishop Bernward was Canonized by Pope Celestine III on 8 January 1193.
One of the most famous examples of Bernward’s work ,is a monumental set of cast bronze doors, known as the Bernward Doors, now installed at St. Mary’s Cathedral. The Doors are sculpted with scenes of the Fall of Man and the Salvation of Man – Life of Christ and which are related, in some ways to the wooden doors of Santa Sabina in Rome.
St Bernward’s Doors at St Mary’s Cathedral
Bernward was instrumental in the construction of the early Romanesque St Michael’s Church was completed after Bernward’s death and he is buried in the western crypt. These projects of Bernward’s are today UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
St Michael’s Church has exerted great influence on developments in Architecture. The complex bears exceptional testimony to a civilization that has disappeared. These two edifices and their artistic treasures, give a better overall and more immediate understanding, than any other decoration in Romanesque Churches. St Michael’s Church was built between 1010 and 1020 on a symmetrical plan with two apses that was characteristic of Ottonian Romanesque art in Old Saxony. Its interior, in particular the wooden ceiling and painted stucco-work, its famous bronze doors and the Bernward bronze column, are – together with the treasures of St Mary’s Cathedral – of exceptional interest as examples of the Romanesque Churches of the Holy Roman Empire.
St Mary’s Cathedral, rebuilt after the fire of 1046, still retains its original Crypt. The nave arrangement, with the familiar alternation of two consecutive columns for every pillar, was modelled after that of St Michael’s but its proportions are more slender.
St Bernward’s Church in Hildesheim, a Neo-Romanesque Church built 1905-07 and St Bernward’s Chapel in Klein Düngen which dates from the 13th Century nad St Bernward’s in Hanover and all dedicated to our Saint.
Bl Anne Cartier St Ansegisus St Aurelius of Carthage St Bernward of Hildesheim (c960-1022) Bishop St Cassian of Saint Saba St Elijah the Prophet
St Elswith St Frumentius of Ethiopia
Blessed Gregory Lopez (1542-1596) “The Mystery Man” – Hermit, Spiritual Advisor, Writer. Around 1585, word of a “Mystery Man” began to leak into Mexico City, a strange hermit who lived out in the lonely valley of Guesteca, who walked miles to go to Mass, lived totally subject to “Lady Poverty” and had travelled from the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Spain (which dates from 712), to her Shrine in Mexico (which dates from 1531). Biography: https://anastpaul.com/2018/07/20/saint-of-the-day-20-july-blessed-gregory-lopez-1542-1596/
St Joseph Barsabbas the Just (1st Century) Disciple of Jesus, Bishop, Martyr. The Roman Martyrology states today: “The birthday of the blessed Joseph, surnamed the Just, whom the Apostles selected with the blessed Matthias, for the Apostleshop in the place of the traitor, Judas. The lot having fallen upon Matthias, Joseph, notwithstanding, continued to preach and advance in virtue and after having sustained from the Jews, many persecutions for the Faith of Christ, happoily ended his life in Judea.” His Life and Death: https://anastpaul.com/2021/07/20/saint-of-the-day-20-july-saint-joseph-barsabbas-the-just-1st-century-disciple-of-jesus/
St Mère St Paul of Saint Zoilus St Rorice of Limoges St Severa of Oehren St Severa of Saint Gemma St Wulmar
Martyrs of Corinth – 22 Saints: 22 Christians who were Martyred together. We know nothing else about them but the names – • Appia • Calorus • Cassius • Celsus • Cyriacus • Donatus • Emilis • Felix • Fructus • Magnus • Maximus • Nestita • Partinus • Pasterus • Paul • Romanus • Spretus • Tertius • Theodolus • Ueratia • Valerian • Victor. They were martyred in Corinth, Greece.
Martyrs of Damascus – 16 Saints: 16 Christians who were Martyred together. We know the names of six of then, but no details about any of them – Cassia, Julian, Macrobius, Maximus, Paul and Sabinus. They were martyred in Damascus, Syria, date unknown.
Saint of the Day – 19 July – St Epaphras of Colossae (1st Century) Bishop, Martyr, pagan Convert and Disciple of St Paul. Also known as – Epafra, Epagaphras.
The Roman Martyrology reads today: “The birthday of St Epaphras, whom the Apostle St Paul calls his fellow-prisoner. By the same Apostles, he was Consecrated Bishop of Colossae, where, becoming renowned for his virtues, he received the Palm of Martyrdom, for courageously defending the flock commited to his charges. His body now lies at the Basilica of St Mary Major in Rome.”
St Epaphras Statue at St Mary Major in Rome
In St Paul’s letters to the Colossians and the letter to Philemon, he conveyed greetings from Epaphras:
“Epaphras saluteth you, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, who is always solicitous for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect, and full in all the will of God. For I bear his testimony that he hath laboured much for you,and for those who are at Laodicea, and those at Hierapolis.” Colossians 4:12–13
Originally from Colossae (in modern Turkey) and a pagan. Epaphras was converted by St Paul during the three years of apostolate in Ephesus. He is the founder and head of the Church of Colossae. The Apostle praises it twice: in Colossians 1:7 – the Colossians were evangelised by Epaphras “our beloved companion in the ministry, faithful minister of Christ, all devoted to your good.”
Finally, in the Epistle to Philemon, St Paul calls him “my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus.” Epaphras, in fact, was in Rome with him, having come there from Colossae to visit and comfort him, with the assurance of the warm affection of all his faithful flock and disciples.
In the fervour of his apostolic zeal, Epaphras also made present to St Paul that heresy was trying to penetrate those Churches and to preserve them from danger, he had the Apostle write to them.
According to some critics, since the name Epaphras is a contraction of Epaphroditus, our Epaphras and the Epaphroditus mentioned by St Paul in the Epistle to the Philippians (3:25-28; 4:18) would be one and the same person. This identification, which rests only on the possible identity of the name, has nothing else on which to base itself and we agree to exclude it.
The tradition formed on this holy disciple of St Paul, was collected by Adonis: “On the birthday of the blessed Epaphras, who was Ordained Bishop of Colossae by the blessed Paul, famous for his virtues, received the Palm of Martyrdom for the sheep commended to him by a courageous struggle. He was buried in the same City but later his body was moved to St Mary Major in Rome.”
St Ambrose Autpertus Bl Antonio of Valladolid St Aurea of Cordoba
St Arsenius the Great (c 354-c 449) Deacon, Hermit, Desert Father, Theologian, writer. Arsenius one of the most highly regarded of the Desert Fathers, whose teachings were greatly influential on the development of asceticism and the contemplative life. His contemporaries so admired him as to surname him “the Great”. His Lifestory: https://anastpaul.com/2021/07/19/saint-of-the-day-19-july-saint-arsenius-the-great-c-354-c-449/
Bl Bernhard of Rodez St Daria of Constantinople St Epaphras of Colosse (1st Century) Bishop, Martyr, Disciple of St Paul St Felix of Verona
St Macrina the Younger (c 327-379) Virgin, Ascetic. With charm and grace, St Macrina ruled the roost in a family of saints. St Basil the Elder and St Emmelia, her parents, had ten children including the younger St Basil the Great (329-379) Father and Doctor of the Church, St Gregory of Nyssa (c 335–C 395) Father of the Church and St Peter of Sebaste Bishop (c 340–391). As the eldest child, Macrina exercised a formative influence on her more famous brothers and even on her mother. Her Life: https://anastpaul.com/2019/07/19/saint-of-the-day-19-july-saint-macrina-the-younger-c-327-379/
St Martin of Trier St Michael the Sabaitè Bl Pascasio of Lyon
St Romain of Ryazan St Pope Symachus (Died 514) Bishop of Rome from 22 November 498 until his death. St Vicente Cecilia Gallardo
Martyrs of Meros – 3 Saints: Three Christians tortured and Martyred together in the persecutions of emperor Julian the Apostate and governor Almachio. We know nothing else about them but the names – Macedoniuis, Tatian and Theodule. They were burned to death on an iron grill in Meros, Phrygia (in modern Turkey).
Martyrs of China: 3 Beati: Beatified on 17 April 1955 by Pope Pius XII. Elisabeth Qin Bianshi Elisabeth Ioannes Baptista Zhu Wurui Simon Qin Chunfu
Quote/s of the Day – 18 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus” – St Camillus de Lellis MI (1550-1614) “The Giant of Charity,” Confessor, Priest and Founder the Order of the Ministers of the Sick, or simply as the “Camillians”
“Why are you afraid? Do you not realise that this is not your work but mine?”
Christ on the Cross speaking to Saint Camillus
“Lord, forgive this great sinner. Give me time to do penance. No more world, no more sins!”
One Minute Reflection – 18 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus” – St Camillus de Lellis MI (1550-1614) Confessor, Priest and Founder, “The Giant of Charity.” – 1 John 3:13-18, John 15:12-16 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“This is My commandment that you love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love than this no man hath that a man lay down his life for his friends.” – John 15:12-13
REFLECTION – “We cannot truly love God without loving our neighbour, nor can we truly love our neighbour without loving God. This is why… the Holy Spirit was given a second time to the disciples. First it was given by the Lord while He was still dwelling on earth and later while he was watching over us in Heaven (Jn 20:22; Acts 2). He was given to us on earth that we may love our neighbours, from Heaven that we may love God. Why first on earth and later from Heaven – except for the reason given us openly by John: “How can anyone, who does not love his brother, whom he sees love God Whom he does not see?”
So let us love our neighbours, my friends, let us love the one who is near us, so that we may be able to attain the love of the One, Who is above us! Let our hearts reflect on what our neighbours hold up to God, so that they may be found completely worthy to rejoice in God with them. Then shall we reach the happiness of the heavenly multitude, the happiness of which we have received an assurance from the Holy Spirit. Let us move forward toward that goal where we shall be happy without end, with all our love. There is the holy community of heavenly citizens, there is the sure and solemn observance, there untroubled rest, there the true peace which is no longer dependent on us but given to us through our Lord Jesus Christ (Jn 14:27).” – St Gregory the Great (540-604) Pope, Father and Doctor of the Church (Excerpt Sermons on the Gospel No 30).
PRAYER – O God, Who endowed St Camillus with a special gift of charity for the help of souls struggling in their final agony, pour upon us, we beseech Thee, by his merits, the spirit of Thy love, so that at the hour of our death, we may be found worthy to overcome the enemy and attain the heavenly crown. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Saint of the Day – 18 July – St Philastrius of Brescia (c330-c387) Confessor, the 7th Bishop of Brescia, Italy, Defender of the True Faith against heretics, most particularly he fought zealously against the Arian heretics, Miracle-worker, he was one of the Bishops present at a Synod held in Aquileia in 381. Born in c330 in Spain and died in c387 of natural causes. St Philastrius’ Relics are venerated in the Crypt of Saint Apollonius in the Cathedral of Brescia, Italy. Also known as – Filastrius, Philaster.
The Roman Martyrology reads today: “At Brescia, the birthday of St Philastrius, Bishop of that City, who, in speech and writing combated heretics, especially the Arians, from whom he suffered much. Finally, he died in peace, renowned for miracles.”
WE know nothing of this Saint’s beginnings and his home, only that he quitted it and the house and inheritance of his ancestors, like Abraham, the more perfectly to disengage himself from the ties of the world.
He lived in perfect continency and often passed whole nights in meditating on the Holy Scriptures. Being Ordained Priest, he travelled through many provinces to oppose the infidels and heretics, especially the Arians, whose fury was, at that time, formidable over the whole Church. His zeal and lively faith gave him courage to rejoice with the apostles in suffering for the truth and to bear in his body, the marks of the stripes which he received by a severe scourging which he underwent for Jesus Christ. At Milan he vigorously opposed the endeavours of Auxentius, the impious Arian wolf, who laboured there, to destroy the flock of Christ and, our Saint was its strenuous guardian before St Ambrose was made Bishop of that City.
He afterwards went to Brescia and, finding the inhabitants of that place savage and barbarous, almost entirely ignorant in spiritual things, yet desirous to learn, he took much pain to instruct them and had the comfort to see his labours crowned with incredible success. He rooted out the tares of many errors and cultivated this wild soil with such assiduity that it became fruitful in good works.
Being chosen the 7th Bishop of this See, he exerted himself in the discharge of all his pastoral functions with such vigour as even to outdo himself and the authority of his high dignity added the greater weight to his endeavours. He was not quite equal in learning to the Ambroses and Augustins of that age but what was wanting in that respect, was abundantly made up by the example of his life, his spirit of perfect humility and piety and his unwearied application to every pastoral duty. Philastrius is an instance of what eminent service and may be capable of achieving in the Church, when they are joined with a heroic degree of virtue.
Brescia Cathedral
To caution his flock against the danger of errors in faith, he wrote his Catalogue of Heresies. He, everywhere breathes an ardent zeal for the Catholic faith. St. Gaudentius extols his profound humility, his meekness, and sweetness towards all men, which was such that it seemed natural to him to repay injuries only with kindness and favours and, he never discovered the least emotions of anger. By his charity and patience, he gained the hearts of all men. In all he did, he sought no interest but that of Jesus Christ and regarding with contempt all earthly things, he pursued and valued only those that are eternal.
Being most mortified and sparing in his diet and apparel, he seemed to know no other use of money than to employ it in relieving the poor and he extended his liberality, not only to all that were reduced to beggary but also, to tradesmen and all others, whom he often generously enabled to carry on, or when expedient, to enlarge their business. Although he communicated himself with surprising charity and goodness to all sorts of persons of every age, sex and condition, he seemed always to receive the poor with particular affection.
He trained many pious and eminent disciples, among whom are named St Gaudentius, his successor as Bishop of Brescia and one Benevolus, who, in his lifetime, was a true imitator of the Apostles. St Augustine met our St Philastrius at Milan with St Ambrose in the year 384. He died soon after, and before St Ambrose, his Archbishop, who after his death placed St Gaudentius in the See of Brescia. This Saint solemnised every year, with his people, the day on which his master, St Philastrius, passed to glory and always honoured it with a panegyric but of these discourses only the fourteenth is extant.
St Symphorosa and her seven sons / Also known as – The Martyrs of Tivoli – 8 Saints: A widow, St Symphorosa and her seven sons ( Crescens, Eugene, Julian, Justin, Nemesius, Primitivus and Stracteus) Martyred in Tivoli, Italy in the 2nd-century persecutions of Hadrian.
St Aemilian of Dorostorium St Alanus of Sassovivo St Alfons Tracki Blessed Angeline of Marsciano Bl Arnold of Amiens St Arnold of Arnoldsweiler St Arnoul the Martyr
St Goneri of Treguier St Gundenis of Carthage Bl Herveus St Marina of Ourense St Maternus of Milan St Minnborinus St Pambo of the Nitrian Desert St Philastrius of Brescia (c330-c387) Bishop St Rufillus of Forlimpopoli
Martyrs of Silistria – 7 Saints: Seven Christians who were Martyred together. No details about them have survived but the names – Bassus, Donata, Justus, Marinus, Maximus, Paulus and Secunda. They were martyred in Silistria (Durostorum), Moesia (in modern Bulgaria), date unknown.
Saint of the Day – 17 July – St Marcellina (c330-c398) Consecrated Virgin. Born in Trier, Gaul (in modern Germany), the daughter of the Praetorian Prefect of Gaul and the elder sister of St Ambrose of Milan and St Satyrus of Milan. Marcellina died in c398 in Milan of natural causes.
The Roman Martyrology reads: “At Milan, the Virgin St Marcellina, sister of the blessed Archbishop Ambrose, who received the religious veil from Pope Liberius, in the Basilica of St Peter at Rome. Her sanctity is attested by St Ambrse in his writings.”
Saint Marcellina was born around 330, probably in Trier, where the Western Roman Emperor then resided. Her father, Galliarum (or Ambrosius of Gaul), who belonged to the Roman noble family Aurelia, was Prefect of the Praetorian Guard and Governor of Gaul, including Spain, the Netherlands and Britannia. The family had become Christians early on and had Martyrs in their family. She was the eldest of three siblings, the younger brothers being Satyrus (c334-c379) and St Ambrose of Milan (c340-397).
When Galliarum died in 345 (or 354), his pious widow returned to Rome with her children. On Christmas Day 353, Marcellina received the veil as a Consecrated Virgin from Pope Liberius (352-366) but she continued to live at home, since, at that time, there were few regular Convents for women. In his sermon on that occasion, the Pope exhorted her to love only Our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in eternal reflection and asceticism and to always behave in Church with the utmost respect and reverence. Ambrose recorded the sermon in writing and added to the Pope’s eloquence, where he found it insufficient for the occasion.
When Ambrose became the Bishop of Milan in 374, Marcellina used to visit him there. Their brother, Satyrus, resigned from his Prefecture and came to live with Ambrose and lighten his burdens by taking care of his worldly affairs, so that the Bishop could concentrate on spiritual matters. But around 379, after a business trip to Africa, Satyrus was shipwrecked on the way home. Although he was able to swim to shore, he was so weakened that he fell ill and died in Milan in the arms of Ambrose and Marcellina. In Ambrose’ Eulogy for his brother, “De excessu fratris sui Satyri,” he referred to Marcelina as “a holy sister, well esteemed for her innocence and also for her uprightness and not least for her kindness to others.”
Marcellina used to advise Ambrose in spiritual matters, continuing the work she had begun when she was put in charge of his early education as a child. Three letters which he wrote to her have been preserved, in which he deals with problems he faced. It was to her that he dedicated his work on Virginity: “Libri III de virginibus ad Marcellinam.”
Her own life was characterised by great severity and asceticism and towards her end, Ambrose begged her to moderate her fasting and penatential exercises. She did not live in a community but in a private house in Rome with a single companion.
She survived Ambrose, who died in 397 and an old biography states that she died while Ambrose’ successor, Saint Simplician, was the Bishop of Milan (397-401). She died in mid-July – the year of death is usually given as 398 but the year 400 is also mentioned. She was buried in the Basilica of Sant’Ambrogio in Milan near her brothers. In 1812, her Relics were transferred to a special Chapel built in her honour by donations from the faithful.
Her Feast day is 17 July and her name appears in the Martyrologium Romanum. The main sources for her biography are the writings of Ambrose and a Eulogy about her preserved by Mombritius. Ambrose’ Secretary, Paulinus, approached Marcellina to find out a little about Ambrose’ youth and it is also possible that Saint Jerome spoke to her.
Feast of The Humility of the Blessed Virgin Mary or the Madonna of Humility: The Feast of the Humility of the Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated on 17 July. It was included in the General Roman Calendar of 1954 among the feasts ‘pro aliquibus locis’ (in some places) but was removed from the General Roman Calendar of 1960. However, many Diocese worldwide still celebrate this beautiful Feast as do all Traditional Catholics. https://anastpaul.com/2022/07/17/saint-of-the-day-17-july-the-humility-of-mary-by-st-alphonsus/
Martyrs of Compiegne (16 Carmelite Beati): Sixteen Blessed Teresian Martyrs of Compiègne. Eleven Discalced Carmelite nuns, three lay sisters and two lay women servants who were Martyred together in the French Revolution. They were the earliest Martyrs of the French Revolution that have been recognised. They were: Angelique Roussel • Anne Pelras • Anne-Marie-Madeleine Thouret • Catherine Soiron • élisabeth-Julitte Vérolot • Marie Dufour • Marie Hanniset • Marie-Anne Piedcourt • Marie-Anne-Françoise Brideau • Marie-Claude-Cyprienne Brard • Marie-Françoise de Croissy • Marie-Gabrielle Trezel • Marie-Geneviève Meunier • Marie-Madeleine-Claudine Lidoine • Rose-Chretien de Neuville • Thérèse Soiron. They were guillotined on 17 July 1794 at the Place du Trône Renversé (modern Place de la Nation) in Paris, France. The 16 Martyrs Story: https://anastpaul.com/2017/07/17/saints-of-the-day-17-july-the-carmelite-martyrs-of-compiegne-o-c-d/
Bl Arnold of Himmerod Bl Bénigne Bl Biagio of the Incarnation
Bl Carlos de Dios Murias OFM Conv (1945-1976) Priest Martyr St Clement of Ohrid St Cynllo St Ennodius of Pavia St Fredegand of Kerkelodor St Generosus St Gorazd St Hyacinth of Amastris St Kenelm St Pope Leo IV St Marcellina (c330-c398) Consecrated Virgin, sister of St Ambrose. St Nerses Lambronazi Bl Sebastian of the Holy Spirit Bl Tarsykia Matskiv St Theodosius of Auxerre St Theodota of Constantinople St Turninus
Martyrs of Scillium (12 Saints): A group of twelve Christians Martyred together, the final deaths in the persecutions of Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Upon their conviction for the crime of being Christians, the group was offered 30 days to reconsider their allegiance to the faith; they all declined. Their official Acta still exist. Their names : • Acyllinus • Cythinus • Donata • Felix • Generosa • Januaria • Laetantius • Narzales • Secunda • Speratus • Vestina • Veturius They were beheaded on 17 July 180 in Scillium, Numidia (in North Africa).
Saint of the Day – 16 July – St Helier of Jersey (Died c555) Martyr, Missionary from Belgium, Hermit, Ascetic, Miracle-worker. Born at Tongres, Belgium and died at Jersey in the Channel Islands. PATRONAGES – St Helier is the Patron Saint of Jersey and in particular of the Diocese and Capital City of Jersey, named for him – Saint Helier, he is invoked against and for the cure of EYE diseases and skin disorders, Also known as – Elerio, Elie, Helerous, Hielier, Helerius, Hélyi.
Helier was born to pagan parents in Tongeren (now in Belgium). His father was Sigebert, a nobleman from Tongres and his mother was Lusigard. Having had difficulties conceiving a child, they turned to a Christian teacher named St Cunibert, who advised them to pray to God and that when they had a child they must hand him over to God and that he, Cunibert, would bring him up in the Christian faith.
Their prayers having been answered, Helier was born but Helier’s father, the Frankish Governor of that place, eventually grew angry at the influence Cunibert exerted over his precocious son, who was already causing consternation with his youthful miracles. Helier’s father had Cunibert killed, whereupon Helier fled.
Helier’s wanderings led him to the coast of France where he sought retreat from the distractions of the world in the monastic community of Saint Marculf at Nantus (now St.-Marcouf-de-l’Isle in Manche).
Helier, however, found the monastic community did not provide the quiet he required to devote himself fully to a life of contemplation. St Marculf had received pleas from the few inhabitants of the island called Gersut, or Agna, now called Jersey, which was all but depopulated due to repeated attacks by Vikings. The inhabitants requested someone to help them and bring the Gospel to them as they had no shepherd to guide and care for their spiritual needs.
A medieval Chapel was constructed over ‘St Helier’s Bed’ the hollow in the rock whre Helier sheltered. The Hermitage rock is the focus of the annual pilgrimage
Marculf sent Helier and a companion, Saint Romard, to Jersey where he found a small community of fishermen on the sand dunes where the modern City of St Helier was to develop. Helier settled on a tidal islet, nowadays known as the Hermitage Rock, next to L’Islet,[ another tidal island now occupied by the 16th Century Elizabeth Castle. The Romard would travel back and forth between the hermitage on this rock and the fishing village.
The Elizabeth Castle
From the vantage point on his rock, Helier could see the sails of approaching attackers and would signal to the shore, whereupon the inhabitants would scatter into the surrounding marshes, thereby frustrating the attackers’ bloodlust. Small dark clouds on the horizon are still known in Jersey as the sails of St Helier.
Helier remained at his hermitage in fasting and prayer for about fifteen years. The belief is that around 555 he was Martyred by marauding pirates who beheaded him with an axe – hence the crossed axes on the parish crest.
Once while Marculf was visiting, a band of raiders arrived. The Holy men, Marculf, Helier and Romard, prayed atogether nd made the Sign of the Cross resulting in a great storm awhich suddenly arose and destroyed the raiders ships.
Although Helier’s fasting ensured that his body was of a very lean and weak statue, legend holds that he had the strength, when he was beheaded by attackers, to pick up his head and walk to shore. According to the hagiography, Romard discovered Helier’s body on the beach still clutching his head in his hands. He placed it in a boat and set off for the mainland. The boat, guided by the hand of God, arrived at Bréville-sur-Mer, where a miraculous Spring arose on the spot where Helier’s body had rested overnight. A Church was founded next to the Spring, which is now topped by a statue and still attracts those seeking a cure.
Marculf founded an Abbey on L’Islet not far from Helier’s Hermitage and named it for his pupil. It was later visited by St Samson of Dol.
Churches dedicated to Helier can be found in Rennes, St Helier, Beuzeville, Amécourt, Barentin (Seine-Maritime), Monhoudou (Sarthe). Evidence of veneration of the saint can be found in La Hague in the Cotentin at Querqueville and also at Omonville-la-Rogue where a 13th-Century mural in the Church of St John the Baptist links Helier with Thomas Becket.
St Helier’s Feast day, marked in Jersey by an annual municipal and Ecumenical Pilgrimage to the Hermitage on 16 July. The Hermitage is depicted on the Jersey 2 pence coin and on the 2010 issue of the Jersey £10 note.
In 2005, the tides necessitated an early morning start to the Pilgrimage.
St Andrew the Hermit St Antiochus of Sebaste Bl Arnold of Clairvaux Bl Arnold of Hildesheim St Athenogenes of Sebaste
St Bartholomew of Braga OP – ArchBishop of Braga also known as Bl Bartholomew of the Martyrs (Bartolomeu Fernandez dei Martiri Fernandes) (1514-1590) Portuguese Dominican Friar and Priest, Writer, Theologian, Advisor, Teacher and Catechetical writer, Apostle of Charity founding a series of hospitals and hospices in Braga and surrounds. St Bartholomew: https://anastpaul.com/2018/07/16/saint-of-the-day-16-july-blessed-bartholomew-of-the-martyrs-1514-1590/
St Generosus of Poitou St Gobbán Beg St Gondulf of Tongeren-Maastricht St Gondolf of Saintes St Grimoald of Saintes St Helier of Jersey (Died c555) Martyr, Hermit Bl Irmengard St Landericus of Séez Bl Madeleine-Françoise de Justamond Bl Marguerite-Rose de Gordon Bl Marguerite-Thérèse Charensol Bl Marie-Anne Béguin-Royal Bl Marie-Anne Doux
St Marie-Madeline Postel (1756-1846) Religious Sister and Founder of the Sisters of Christian Schools of which she is the Patron, Teacher, Franciscan tertiary. Pope Pius X later signified on 22 January 1908 his approval to two investigated miracles attributed to her intercession and so Beatified her on 17 May 1908. Pope Pius XI confirmed two additional miracles and Canonised Blessed Marie-Madeline on 24 May 1925. Her Life: https://anastpaul.com/2019/07/16/saint-of-the-day-16-july-st-marie-madeline-postel-
Bl Marie-Rose Laye Bl Milon of Thérouanne St Monulphus of Tongeren-Maastricht Bl Ornandus of Vicogne
Martyrs of Antioch – 5 Saints: Five Christians who were Martyred together. No details about them have survived by the names – Dionysius, Eustasius, Maximus, Theodosius and Theodulus. They were Martyred in Antioch, Syria, date unknown.
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