Quote/s of the Day – 10 November – St Andrew Avellino CR (1521–1608) Confessor
“Ah ! what is all that I do and suffer, compared with what my Jesus did and suffered for my sake? O, that I might, for His honour, be torn with scourges and pierced with nails and expire on the Cross for Him!”
“One cannot separate the most Holy Eucharist from the Passion of Jesus.”
St Andrew Avellino (1521–1608)
“It has been curiously remarked by St Andrew Avellino that those who have a special devotion to the Passion, generally die quiet and sweet deaths, as the Virgin Mary, St John the Evangelist and St Mary Magdalen did. Certainly, it is remarkable that, while most of those close to Our Lord died violent deaths, the three who assisted at Calvary, should have died so softly, as if already their real death had been died there!”
Saint of the Day – 10 November – St Andrew Avellino CR (1521– 1608) Confessor, Theatine Priest, Canon and Civil Lawyer, Reformer, Founder of many new Theatine houses, Preacher, Spiritual Advisor, Miracle-worker.
Saint Andrew Avellino, Confessor By Fr Francis Xavier Weninger SJ (1805-1888)
St Andrew Avellino was born at Castro Nuovo, in the kingdom of Naples. To fear God and to avoid sin, were the maxims which his mother, from early childhood, implanted deep into his heart and which became the rule of his entire life. While he studied at Senise, a lady sought to attract him by several presents which she sent him but the chaste youth, accepted not her gifts,and sent her word, saying that she should trouble him no more and might rest assured that he would rather die than consent to any evil. On another occasion when he was enticed to sin, he fled like the chaste Joseph. To escape similar temptations, he determined to become a Priest and was Ordained after he had finished his studies.
For some time he devoted himself to the practice of Canon Law in the eEclesiastical Courts until one day, in the heat of his argument, a trivial lie escaped him. Soon after, while reading the Holy Scriptures, the words, “The mouth that lieth, killeth the soul,” came under his eyes and his repentance was such that, from that moment, he renounced his profession in order to escape from the danger of offending God and gave himself entirely, to the Sacred ministry. By associating frequently with the religious of the Theatine Order, he conceived the desire of joining their number, which he did in 1556. It was on this occasion that he took the name of Andrew, in honour of the holy Apostle of that name, after whose example he desired to suffer much for the glory of God.
His eminent virtues induced his superiors to make him Master of Novices, although he had been only five years in the Order,and afterwards, to charge him with the administration of several houses. He attended to all his duties to the greatest benefit of those under him. Besides the usual vows, he imposed upon himself two more. The first of these was to work continually against his own inclinations; the second, to make continual progress in perfection. The fervent love he bore to God and men, induced him to employ all his leisure moments in prayer and in labouring for the salvation of souls. Before entering into religion, he had been accustomed to give six hours daily to prayer but as he could not, as a religious, spare so much time during the day, he took a part of the night for this sacred duty.
He benefitted mankind much, by preaching and hearing Confessions. He reformed many a hardened sinner, restrained others from falling again, reconciled embittered minds and led numberless souls to Heaven.
God manifested more than once, by miracles, how agreeable the endeavours of the Saint were to Him. One night as he returned home, with his companion, from the house of a sick man whose Confession he had heard, a violent storm extinguished the light that was carried before them but then, such a brightness emanated from the Saint’s body that the way was made clear through the darkness, whilst, at the same time, neither he, nor his companion, was touched by the rain. Many similar events, as also the frequent visions of Saints, the gifts of prophecy and of reading the hearts of men but above all, the many examples of heroic virtue which he gave to others, won for St Andrew, the highest regard. St Charles Borromeo, the holy Cardinal, esteemed him greatly and made use of his zeal on many occasions.
Notwithstanding this, the holy man had so low an opinion of himself that he regarded as nothing his great and arduous labours to further the honour of God and the salvation of souls; looked upon himself as a great sinner,and frequently evinced great fear in regard to his salvation. “If they,” said he, “must regard themselves as useless servants, who have done all their duty, what must I do, who have done so small a part of what I ought to have done?” Sometimes he would look up to Heaven and sigh: “Will that magnificent mansion of the blessed spirits allow the entrance of one so miserable, despicable and sinful as I am?”
From this fear, however, he was afterwards freed by a comforting vision. St Augustine and St Thomas of Aquin, both of whom he honoured as Patrons, appeared to him, consoled him and promised him their aid, especially in that hour, on which eternity depends. Andrew, taking heart, asked them whether he would enjoy eternal life? The answer was as follows: “The time of thy salvation has not come yet. But as in life, everything is doubtful and uncertain, follow our advice – struggle, with the greatest perseverance, on the battle-field of virtue, as thou hast done till now and thus, thou wilt gather a treasure of merit and God will not close to thee, the gates of Heaven.” With these words, the Saint consoled himself,and not only continued his zeal in the practice of virtue but increased it daily.
During the last 18 years of his life, he allowed himself neither meat, nor eggs, nor fish – his nourishment consisted of beans only, of which he had always enough cooked to last him three days. When advised to change his diet, on account of his advanced age, he said: “Although, at the age of 83 years, I am excused from the law of fasting, I find, when thinking of my sins and my indolence in the service of the Most High that I am obliged to fast and to observe other austerities, in order to appease the wrath of God.” Thus spoke he, who had ever preserved his first innocence. His bed was a sack of straw on two boards. He daily scourged himself to blood. Not content with all this, he daily begged the Almighty to send him something to suffer.
The greatest wrongs he bore with invincible meekness; in persecutions and trials, he evinced heroic patience and he met his enemies with truly Christian gentleness. This was especially experienced by the man who had cruelly murdered the son of the Saint’s brother. The holy man exhorted his brother neither to seek, nor demand vengeance. He knew the murderer but revealed him not and when the wretch was at last discovered and arraigned, before the judges, Andrew implored mercy and pardon for him.
Our Saint’s devotion to the passion and death of our Lord Jesus Christ, was the cause of his earnest desire to suffer more and more. He was often heard to say: “Ah ! what is all that I do and suffer compared with what my Jesus did and suffered for my sake? O, that I might, for His honour, be torn with scourges and pierced with nails and expire on the Cross for Him!”
Not less deep was his devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and at the time of Holy Mass, his whole countenance glowed with divine love. To the very last day of his life, although he was almost entirely exhausted, he insisted on saying Mass but he had hardly begun the Psalm at the foot of the Altar, when he was struck with paralysis. He was then carried to his room, where the last Sacraments were administered to him. Having received them, he blessed all those who were present and peace and happiness shone from his countenance. After this, he turned his eyes upon an image of the Blessed Virgin,whom, during all his life he had greatly loved and honoured and expired in the 88th year of his life. His face beamed after his death with a truly divine radiance and God proclaimed the glory which the Saint enjoyed in Heaven, by many and great miracles. St Andrew Avellino, Pray for us! Amen.
St Andrew Avellino (1521 – 1608) Confessor, Theatine Priest, Canon and Civil Lawyer, Reformer, Founder of many new Theatine houses, Preacher, Spiritual Advisor. In 1624, only 16 years after his death, he was Beatified by Pope Urban VIII and in 1712 was Canonised by Pope Clement XI. His remains lie buried in the Church of St Paul at Naples. Patron against sudden death/of a Holy Death, against Apoplexy or Strokes. Biography: https://anastpaul.com/2018/11/10/saint-of-the-day-10-november-st-andrew-avellino-cr-1521-1608/
St Aedh Mac Bricc St Anianus the Deacon St Baudolino (c 700–c 740) Hermit St Demetrius of Antioch St Elaeth the King St Eustosius of Antioch St Grellen St Guerembaldus St Hadelin of Sees Bl Joaquín Piña Piazuelo St John of Ratzenburg St Joseph the Martyr
St Leo of Melun St Monitor of Orleans St Narses of Subagord St Nonnus of Heliopolis St Orestes of Cappadocia St Probus of Ravenna St Theoctiste St Tryphaena of Iconium St Tryphosa of Iconium
Martyrs of Agde – 3 Saints: A group of Christians who were tortured and Martyred together in the persecutions of Diocletian. The only about them to survive are the names – Florentia, Modestus and Tiberius. Martyred c 303 in Agde, France.
Saint of the Day – 9 November – Blessed Gratia of Cattaro OSA (1438-1508) Lay Brother of the Hermits of St Augustine, Ex-sailor. … Born 27 October 1438 at Mul, Cattaro, Dalmatia (modern Kotor, Montenegro) and died on 9 November 1508 in Murano, Italy of natural causes. Gratia was known for his humility, spirit of penance, love of the Eucharist and for his zealous hard labour. Also known as – Gratia of Kotor, Gracija, Grazia. Gratia was Beatified in 6 June 1889 by Pope Leo XIII (cultus confirmed).
Gratia was born in 1438 in the small town of Mula on the coast of Dalmatia near Cattaro (Kotor), not far from present-day Albania. He followed in the footsteps of his father ,who was a sailor and visited many port cities, being particularly drawn by the beauty of Venice. One day, after hearing a sermon of Simon of Camerino in the Augustinian Church of Saint Stephen in that City, he entered the Order as a brother and took the name Gratia, out of gratitude to God for the many gifts he had received. Simon of Camerino had founded a community near Padua where the Friars lived in absolute poverty while ministering at a Shrine dedicated to our Lady. Here Gratia lived a life of prayer and penance and devoted his energies toward the construction of the monastery and the cultivation of its garden.
Later, when Simon established the Friary of Saint Christopher in Venice, Gratia was transferred there, where he was greatly loved by the people and sought after by them for his prayer and counsel. Here he died on 8 November 1508. Within the Church of Saint Christopher, a marble monument was erected to his memory by a Senator of the City, while Gratia’s remains were eventually taken back to Mula. Pope Leo XIII confirmed his cult in 1889.
Gratia might have been considered a belated vocation in his day, earning a living by the hard labour of an itinerant sailor. Following his entrance into religious life, he continued to use his natural gifts in the service of God and his community and by his simple but genuine demeanour, drew others to also recognise, the grace of God at work in their lives.
St Agrippinus of Naples St Alexander of Salonica St Aurelius of Riditio St Benignus of Armagh St Eustolia St Francisco José Marín López de Arroyave
Blessed Gabriel Ferretti OFM (1385-1456) Priest, Friar of the Order of Friars Minor,, Provincial Superior, Mystic. renowned missionary Preacher. He was zealous in the restoration and establishment of new Convents. He was an ancestor to both Cardinal Gabriele Ferretti and Blessed Pope Pius IX, having been descended from a long noble lineage. Patronage – Ancona. His body is incorrupt. He was Beatified on 19 September 1753 by Pope Benedict XIV. Biography: https://anastpaul.com/2021/11/09/saint-of-the-day-9-november-blessed-gabriel-ferretti-ofm-1385-1456/
Bl George Napper Blessed Gratia of Cattaro OSA (1438-1508) Lay Brother of the Hermits of St Augustine Bl Helen of Hungary St Jane of Segna
St Justo Juanes Santos St Luigi Beltrame Quattrocchi St Luis Morbioli St María de la Salud Baldoví Trull St Pabo St Sopatra St Theodore Stratelates St Ursinus of Bourges St Valentín Gil Arribas St Vitonus of Verdun
Martyrs of Constantinople – 3 Saints: A group of ten Christians who tried to defend an image of Jesus over the Brazen Gate of Constantinople from an attack by Iconoclasts during the persecutions of Emperor Leo the Isaurian. The group of was seized by soldiers, condemned by judges for opposing the emperor, and Martyred. The only details that have survived are three of their names – Julian, Marcian and Maria. They were martyred in 730 at Constantinople (modern Istanbul, Turkey).
Four Crowned Martyrs: Saint Castorus, Saint Claudius, Saint Nicostratus and Saint Simpronian. Skilled stone carvers in the 3rd century quarries. Martyred when they refused to carve an idol of Aesculapius for Diocletian. They were drowned in the River Sava in 305. Patronages – against fever, cattle, sculptors, stone masons, stonecutters.
St Adeodatus I, Pope (Died 618) Bishop of Rome from 19 October 615 to 8 November 618 St Clair of Tours St Cybi of Caenarvon St Drouet
All Saints of the Diocese of Evry: A regional memorial of all the Saints and Beati of the calendar who have a connection to the Diocese of Evry-Corbeil-Essonnes, France. • Blessed Isabella of France, founded the Longchamp monastery • Blessed Nicolas Gaudreau, pastor of Vert-le-Petit • Blessed Pierre Bonse, pastor of Massy • Our Lady of Good Guard, patron saint of the diocese, venerated in Longpont-sur-Orge, France • Saint Corbinian, born in Saint-Germain-lès-Arpajon • Saint Denis of Paris, evangelizer of part of Essonne and revered ni Longpont-sur-Orge • Saint Eloi, who lived in Chilly-Mazarin • Saint Germain of Paris • Saint William of Bourges, son of Count Baldwin IV of Corbeil • Saint William of Aebelholt, pastor of Brunoy • Saint Wulfran of Sens, born in Milly-la-Forêt • Blessed Nativelle, vicar of Longjumeau • Blessed René Le Bris, pastor of Bris-sous-Forges • Saint Spire of Bayeux, whose relics are in Corbeil in the cathedral that bears his name All Saints of Wales
Saint of the Day – 7 November – St Florentius of Strasburg (Died 693) the 13th Bishop of Strasburg in Germany from 618–624, Missionary, Miracle-worker, founder of Monasteries and Churches, Hermit. Born in Ireland and died in 693 in Strasburg. Patronages – against rupture (hernia), Haslach, Germany. Also known as – Florent.
Florentius was an Irishman who laboured in Strasburg, in the seventh Century. Below is an account of his life from a study of early Irish Saints in Europe. Among the many points of interest, is that his Church had an Altar dedicated to Saint Brigid and like Saint Brigid, Florentius is also said to have hung his cloak on a sunbeam!
The fame of Florentius, whose Bishopric is not clearly dated but succeeded that of Arbogast, is due to his two important monastic foundations – St Thomas in the periphery of Strasburg,and that of Niederhaslach, in a valley to the west of the City. There, Florentius erected his first Monastery with the help of his Irish companions. Excavations have revealed that his Church, built on a Roman site, was no mean wooden structure but a stone edifice with three naves in the Byzantine style. Here his followers, it is explicitly stated, obeyed the Rule he laid down for them, adhering later to that of St Columban before adopting that of St Benedict.
Louis the Pious, son of Charlemagne, caused a new Church to be built over the Haslach foundation to receive the remains of the holy Bishop Florentius who was first buried in St Thomas in Strasbourg where he died. The translatio took place on 7 November 810 and was pronounced a Feast day to be celebrated by the entire Diocese and so it has remained.
Collegiate church Saint Florentius
This is the Florentiusfest, held yearly on the Sunday following 7 November when the Shrine and a life-size wooden Statue of the Patron Saint are borne in procession around the village of Niederhaslach. Later in the day, pilgrims visit Oberhaslach where they pray in the Chapelle Saint-Florent.
Halsach, whether Ober (Upper)or Nieder (lower), are modest enough villages to harbour so majestic a Church, but the Bishops of Strasburg had once their summer residence here and the place was not divided… The west facade with its slender Gothic portal bears the legend of St Florentius. Inside, we encounter again, the story of Florentius, as a worker of miracles, in one of the stained glass windows… The Altar of St Brigid is gone but Florentius’ relics are in a niche in the choir, his gilded Shrine of 1716 replacing a priceless relic that was robbed in 1525, when the Saint’s remains were thrown on the Church floor. Taken to safety, restored to the Church, then hidden again in various private houses, they were eventually brought back to rest after the French Revolution subsided.
The Life and Miracles of St Florentius
Beside these depredations, the worldy remains of Florentius had other ordeals to overcome, being for centuries the object of fierce controversy between Strasburg and Haslach, both proclaiming to be in possession of them. This endless ‘War of the Relics’ obliged the German Emperor, Karl IV to intervene in the year 1353 in person. He caused the contents of both reliquaries to be examined, after which,, to the joy of Haslach’s Augustinians, the affair was settled in their favour. Gratified, they presented the monarch wih an arm of the holy Patron, which he took with him to his residence in Prague. A special Altar was provided for the Florentius relic in the Cathedral and there it has, hopefully, remained.
Florentius had started off with a hermitage in the wooded Haslach valley, near the present village of Oberhaslach. Several place-names in the vicinity bear out the tradition of this eremitic community, a site to the northeast of the village. References are given in Strasburg’s early Diocesan files to ‘Priests’ quarters, described as ‘of the Irish’. Considering that these sites were wiped out in the wars, the reference is most welcome and revealing. The pilgrims’ Church of Oberhaslach, does its part in keeping alive the Florentius tradition. The vintage image below shows St Florentius with wild animals on the edge of a ‘cityscape’ – it seems to indicate the many wondrous talents and achievements of this ancient Saint – what a pity we have such a sparcity of information on his holy life.
There an old Roman road leading off in a north-easterly direction to Marlenheim is also indicative. Marlenheim was once the seat of Merovingian Royalty, who donated land to Florentius for a missionary station. The proximity of the Palace brings to mind the miraculous cure of King Dagobert’s daughter, a miracle performed by Florentius, portrayed both in stone and in painted glass, in Niederhaslach’s noble Church. The legend records how the Saint, on arrival, hung up his cloak on a sunbeam – how lovely a thought!
The Feast of All Saints of the Order of Preachers: “Fountain of all holiness, You stirred up in our holy brothers and sisters an extraordinary love of truth, conformity to Christ Crucified and a thirst for the salvation of souls: may we imitate them in offering You thanksgiving on account of the way of life they gave us.” — From the Intercessions at Lauds for the Feast of All Saints of the Order of Preachers. HERE: https://anastpaul.com/2019/11/07/thought-for-the-day-7-november-feast-of-all-dominican-saints/
Blessed Anthony Baldinucci SJ (1665-1717) Priest of the Society of Jesus, Preacher, Writer and Missionary. Fr Baldinucci was Beatified by Pope Leo XIII on 25 March 1893. Biography here: tps://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/11/07/saint-of-the-day-blessed-anthony-baldinucci-s-j-1665-1717/
St Athenodorus of Neo-Caesarea St Auctus of Amphipolis St Baud of Tours St Blinlivet St Congar
St Ernest of Mecca St Florentius of Strasburg (Died 693) Bishop St Gebetrude of Remiremont St Herculanus of Perugia St Hesychius of Mytilene St Hieron of Mytilene St Hyacinth Castañeda Puchasons St Lazarus the Stylite Bl Lucia of Settefonti St Nicander of Mytilene Bl Peter Ou St Prosdocimus of Padua St Prosdocimus of Rieti St Raverranus of Séez St Rufus of Metz St Taurion of Amphipolis St Thessalonica of Amphipolis St Tremorus of Brittany
Nostra Signora del Suffragio / Our Lady of Suffrage (For the Souls in Purgatory)
St Atticus St Barlaam of Novgorod Bl Beatrice of Olive Bl Christina of Stommeln St Demetrian of Cyprus St Edwen of Northumbria St Efflam of Brittany St Emilian of Faenza St Erlafrid of Hirschau St Felix of Fondi St Felix of Genoa St Felix of Thynissa St Illtyd St Israel of Limoges
St Leonard of Reresby Bl Leonianus of Autun St Melaine of Rennes St Paul of Constantinople St Pinnock St Protasius of Lausanne St Severus of Barcelona Bl Simon of Aulne St Stephen of Apt St Theobald of Dorat Bl Thomas Ochia Jihyoe St Valentine of Genoa St Victor Chumillas-Fernández
Martyrs of Antioch – 10 Saints: Ten Christians murdered together by Arabs after their seizure of Antioch, Syria. No names or other details about them have come down to us. 637 in Antioch, Syria.
Martyrs of Gaza – 9 Saints: A group of Christian soldiers who were captured by Saracens invading the area of Gaza in Palestine. When the men continued to profess their Christianity, they were executed. We know the names of some of the Martyrs – Himerius, John (2 of them), Kallinikos (Callinoco), Paul, Peter, Stephen and Theodore (2 of them). They were beheaded in Gaza, Palestine.
All Saints and Blesseds of the Society of Jesus: The Society of Jesus, commonly known as the Jesuits, was Founded in 1534 by Saint Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556) at Montmartre, Paris, France. A body of clerics regular organised for Apostolic work, following a religious rule and relying on alms for their support. It was the chief instrument of the Catholic Reformation. Pope Paul III approved the new rule in 1540 and Ignatius was elected the first general of the order in 1541. The constitutions, drafted by him and based on his Spiritual Exercises were adopted in 1558. It was the first order which enjoined by its constitutions devotion to the cause of education. The ministry of the Society consists chiefly in preaching. teaching catechism. administering the sacraments. conducting missions in parishes, taking care of parishes. organising pious confraternities, teaching in schools of every grade, writing books, pamphlets, periodical articles, going on foreign missions and special missions when ordered by the current Holy Father, to whom they take a vow of total obedience. Our current Holy Father, Pope Francis is a Jesuit and has jokingly wondered aloud who is boss of whom in his Order. The general resides at Rome, Italy and has a council of assistants. The motto of the Society is Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam (For the greater glory of God). All Jesuit Saints and Blesseds: https://anastpaul.com/2018/11/05/feast-of-all-the-saints-and-blesseds-of-the-society-of-jesus/
St Canonica St Comasia St Dominator of Brescia St Elizabeth St Domninus the Physician St Epistemis St Eusebius of Terracina St Felix of Terracina St Fibitius St Galation St Gerald of Beziers Bl Gomidas Keumurjian Bl Gregory Lakota St Guetnoco St Hermenegild St Idda St Juan Antoni Burró Mas St Juan Duarte Martín St Kanten St Kea St Laetus of Orleans St Magnus of Milan St Mamete St Marco of Troia Bl Simon Ballachi St Spinulus of Moyen-Moûtier St Sylvanus of Syria St Zachary
Martyrs of Caesarea Maritima – 4 Saints: Four young Christian men who were Martyred together is the persecutions of Maximian – Aussenzius, Philotheus, Timothy and Theotimus. They were martyred in the arena at Caesarea Maritima, Palestine.
Saints of the Day – 4 November – St Vitalis (Died c 304) and St Agricola (Died c 304) Martyrs, Laymen. They died in c 304 in Bologna, Italy in the persecution of Diocletian. Patronage – Bologna.
The Roman Martyrology reads: “In Bologna, Saints Vitalis and Agricola, Martyrs, of whom, according to what Saint Ambrose recounts, the first was first a slave to the other, then a companion in Martyrdom: Vitalis, in fact, suffered such torments that there was no longer any part of his body without wound. Agricola, not at all terrified by the torture of his slave, imitated him in Martyrdom by undergoing crucifixion.”
The painting of Martyrs Vitalis and Agricola in Bologna.
At the roots of the Bolognese Church, there is the figure of two Martyrs, distinguished by social class but united by the Palm of death due to faith. Vitalis and Agricola, servant and master, launched, with their testimony, a message of equality and solidarity that would have public recognition, at the rise of freedom, with the decree of liberation of the serfs (Liber Paradisus).
The oldest memory of the two Proto-martyrs of Bologna, dates back to St Ambrose (340-397) and St Paulinus of Nola (354-431), who attest to their “connection and bonds of Martyrdom.” Their bodies were rediscovered in the Jewish cemetery by Bishop Eusebius and, in 393, were transferred by St Ambrose to the Milan.
Their cult was already widespread in the 5th and 6th Centuries. Their Relics are venerated in the Mother Church of Bologna. At the end of the sixth Century, St Gregory of Tours, in one of his works complained that there was no “passio” of the Saints Vitalis and Agricola. However, this was not entirely correct, as the reports on the two Bolognese Proto-martyrs is based on an authentic statement by the Milanese Bishop St Ambrogio in 392, as well as one of St Paulinus ofi Nola in 403. Two stories have also been included in the Acta Sanctorum also attributed to St Ambrose himself.
In reality, Vitalis and Agricola had been absolutely unknown until 392, the year in which the Bolognese Bishop, St Eusebius, announced the discovery of their remains in a Jewish cemetery in today’s Emilian capital. He gave them a new burial, with a Christian rite, an event which was also attended by St Ambrose, who spoke of the Martyrs in his sermon and invited the population to venerate their Relics.
The cult of the two holy Martyrs spread, thanks to the impulse given by St Ambrose, who, in addition to writing about them, wanted to transfer part of the Relics to Milan and then donated part of them to Florence. Numerous Bishops too, felt compelled to request some for their Cathedrals. However, the cult maintained its epicentre in Bologna, where a Basilica was built specifically to house their remains, which were later transferred to the adjacent Chapel.
So we know little about the life of the two Saints. It seems that Agricola was a Christian citizen of Bologna and Vitalis was his servant. The latter had also followed his master in his religion and was the first to crown his life with Martyrdom. Both were led to the arena, Vitalis was tortured throughout his body until death. The torturers thought that at the sight of his sufferings, Agricola would lose his determination to declare himself a Christian but instead, all this had the opposite effect of what was hoped for. Agricola was in fact fortified and encouraged by the death of his faithful servant and faced the crucifixion with great courage, testifying his Christian faith to the end. His body was also pierced with nails.
PRAYER
We bless and thank Thee, Father, for the gift of Martyrdom in our brothers, Vitalis and Agricola: from their fruitful blood, Thou made the Church of Bologna sprout and in the fraternal solidarity of the slave and the master Thou gave us a shining example of humanity reconciled in the love of Christ. Through their solidarity, grant us to be courageous witnesses of the Faith, living stones of Thy Church, operators of communion and peace. We ask Thee Father, in the Holy Spirit, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Saint of the Day – 3 November – Blessed Simon Ballachi OP (c 1210-1319) Lay Brother of the Order of Preachers, Mystic. Born in c 1240 at Santarcangelo di Romagna, Italy and died on 3 November 1319 in Rimini, Italy of natural causes. Also known as Simone Ballachi . Ballachi served as a former soldier in Rimini before renouncing that path in favour of the religious life where he became a gardener noted for his strict adherence to the rule of Saint Dominic. He was Beatified by Pope Pius VII on 14 March 1817.
St Archangel, a village in the northern part of Italy, about three miles distant from Rimini, was the birthplace of Blessed Simon Ballachi, lay-brother of the Order of St Dominic. The Bellachi family was distinguished in both Church and State. Two of Simon’s uncles were successively Bishop of Rimini. One of these, at least, Lawrence Ballachi, who died in 1302, was a Friar Preacher. One of Blessed Simon’s brothers, moreover, was a Priest.
Simon came of a family of lords, to whose care had been entrusted the protection and welfare of the little village in which they lived. Simon, it seems, was to carry on the family name and honour. Since his was to be a life in the world, and therefore more active than contemplative, in accordance with the custom of the times, Blessed Simon received little, if any, knowledge of letters. His early youth was spent in the camp acquiring the tactics of military discipline and the training that made for the successful soldier and knight.
At the age of twenty seven he decided to leave the world and seek admission into some religious order, saying with the Psalmist, “I have chosen to be an abject in my Father’s house, rather than to dwell in the tabernacle of sinners.” Accordingly, he presented himself to the Prior of the Dominican Convent of Rimini and humbly asked to be admitted as a lay-brother. His request met with favour. Once clothed in the Habit of St Dominic, Simon never looked back but gave himself unreservedly to the service of the King of kings.
In the cloister his aim was perfection. He hoped to gain this state by a faithful observance of his Rule and Constitutions. The guides that had directed so many before him, even in the first Century of the Order, could not lead him astray. In the following brief account of his life and labours we read the story of a man of God, animated by the love of Jesus Christ and striving to conform his life in all things to that of his Divine Model.
Realising that anything resembling sloth is incompatible with the religious life, Simon waged incessant warfare against this root of all vices. He strove to be constatly employed. His superiors appointed him overseer of the Convent gardens but Simon was far from content with a position of mere direction. He laboured with his own hands and strove to bring each flower and plant to perfection according to its kind.
The good Brother knew no rest. When his own work was finished, or the weather prevented him from working in the garden, it was his custom to take upon himself the duties of the other brothers. This he did from a spirit of humility because he considered himself the least of all and the servant of all. Each week he swept the entire Convent. With Blessed Simon, to work was to pray. He sanctified even the most lowly occupations by doing everything for the honor and glory of God, remembering the words of St Paul to the Corinthians, “Therefore, whether you eat, or drink, or whatsoever else you do, do all to the glory of God.” (I Cor. 10:31)
Just as he laboured in the garden to bring perfection among the plants and flowers, so too, in the garden of his heart, he sowed the seeds of perfection and labored to bring each to maturity. His penances for this purpose were severe and continual. For all of Lent, he fasted on bread and water. Frequently he passed two whole days without taking even this slight nourishment. His fastings were so excessive that soon he began to weaken and it was necessary for his superiors to mitigate the severity of his penances. For twenty years he wore an iron chain that must have caused him great suffering during his labours in the garden. … In his humble position of lay-brother he strove byhis prayers and penances to assist the Fathers in their work of saving souls.
While at prayer, Satan never failed to annoy him, that he might divide his attention or force’ from him some expression of mpatience. All the attacks of hell, however, proved unavailing to disturb the tranquillity of the servant of God. Like another Tobias, God tried the faithfulness of his servant, by many and severe afflictions. At the age of fifty-seven he became blind.
Little by little the severity of his life undermined his strength until finally, his infirmities became so great that he was forced to remain on a couch in a reclining position. To many this would have been a hard lot but not so with Blessed Simon. He made use even of his infirmities to merit grace and honour God. Our Blessed was frequently favoured with a heavenly visitation. An Angel came to console him and assure him that God was mindful of his sufferings and would make him victorious over all the attacks of hell. At times his couch was seen surrounded by a bright light and a voice was heard, saying, “Fear not, Simon, for thou hast found favour before God.“
Blessed Simon had a special devotion to St Catherine of Alexandria. On one occasion, when he was suffering from a severe headache, the Saint appeared to him and cured him. Nor were these the only favours granted to this humble lay-brother. He was the recipient of many and signal blessings. Among the various visions with which he was favoured was one of Our Lord. Our Blessed Mother, St Dominic and St Peter Martyr appeared to him at different times, to console and assist him in the struggle against the enemy of his soul.
Blessed Simon’s reputation for sanctity was widespread. On 3 November 1319, this faithful servant of the Lord was called to his reward. The people came in such crowds to honour the holy man and to carry away some relic or article that had touched his body, that two days hardly sufficed to accommodate those who would honour him. His Habit was literally cut to pieces, so that.it was necessary to clothe him anew before burial.
Devotion to our Blessed has not waned for many centuries . His body was frequently moved from place to place (mainly due to wars and unrest) but finally on the demand of the people of St Archangel, it was laid to rest in the Collegiate Church of that place, where it lies today.
In the year 1817 Pope Pius VII confirmed by Bull, the cult in honour of Blessed Simon and placed this humble lay-brother of the Order of Friars Preachers, on the Altar of Holy Mother the Church. (By Paul Curran OP – Excerpt).
St Acepsimas St Acheric of Vosges Bl Alphais of Cudot Bl Berardo dei Marsi Bl Berchtold of Engelberg St Caesarius St Cecilio Manrique Arnáiz St Clydog St Cristiolus St Domnus of Vienne St Elerius St Englatius St Florus of Lodeve St Francisco Colom González St Gaudiosus of Tarazona St Germanus St Guenhael St Hermengaudius of Urgell St Hilary of Viterbo
St Papulus St Pirmin St Quartus St Rumwold of Buckingham Blessed Simon Ballachi OP (c 1210-1319) Lay Brother of the Order of Preachers, Mystic. St Sylvia of Rome St Theophilus St Valentine of Viterbo St Valentinian St Vitalis St William of Vosges St Winifred of Wales St Wulganus
Innumerable Martyrs of Saragossa: A large group of Christians martyred in Zaragoza, Spain by Dacian during the persecutions of Diocletian. Dacian ordered all Christians of the city into exile under pain of death; when they were assembled to leave, Dacian ordered imperial soldiers to massacre the lot of them. They were Martyred in 304.
Saint of the Day – 2 November – Blessed Margaret of Lorraine OSC (1463-1521) Duchess of Alençon, Mother, Widow, Nun of the Poor Clares, Apostle of the sick, the poor and those suffering under unjust feudal lords. Born in 1463 as Marguerite de Lorraine-Vaudemont in Vaudemont Castle, Lorraine, France and died on 2 November 1521 at Argentan, Brittany, France of natural causes. Also known as – Margaret Lotarynska, Marguerite de Lorraine-Vaudemont, Margarita, Margherita, Marguerite. Margaret was Beatified on 10 March 1921 by Pope Benedict XV (cultus confirmed).
Blessed Margaret of Lorraine was born of the ancient noble family of the Dukes of Lorraine. Her earnest efforts to lead a virtuous life attracted attention very early in her life. After the death of her husband, Duke Rene of Alençon, she assumed the government of the Duchy. In this, she was guided solely by Catholic principles and by means of prudent economy, she managed to save a significant amount of materials which she used to render aid to the poor and the needy. She took particular pleasure in nursing the sick and the lepers. She built Churches, Convents and hospitals everywhere.
The subject matter taught in the schools and the instruction of the people were objects of particular solicitude to her. Hard-hearted landlords and selfish officials were dealt with by her, with the greatest severity.
Still, she remained very humble and spent a great part of her day in meditating on the sufferings of Christ and in performing works of penance.
In later years, after she had turned the government over to her son, she was invested with the habit of the Third Order. And when that no longer satisfied her desire for perfection, she entered the Convent of the Poor Clares at Alençon, which she herself had founded. Blessed Margaret aspired to perfection as a child, a woman, a ruler, a widow and finally as a religious and she succeeded in achieving her goal.
Every Christian is obliged to strive for perfection. It is not without reason that Our Lord says: “Be you, therefore, perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt. 5,48).
This obligation does not require the impossible of us. Everyone can love his neighbour, do good and overcome himself. We must, above all, bear in mind that perfection does not consist in external practices but rather, in the disposition of our heart. The motive must be the love of God. All for the love of God!
Blessed Margaret of Lorraine died a saintly death at the Convent at Alençon in the year 1521. Pope Benedict XV approved her veneration.
In 1792 the body of Blessed Margaret was exhumed and found incorrupt. Inside the casket was found a small reliquary which contained her heart.
During the French Revolution a group of Jacobins disinterred the saint’s body to profane it, later placing it in a common grave. Only the bones and the saint’s heart remain and are now at the Monastery of Clarisses at Alençon
All Saints Day – (a Holy Day of Obligation) Instituted to honour all the saints, known and unknown. It owes its origin in the Western Church to the dedication of the Roman Pantheon in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the Martyrs by Pope Saint Boniface IV in 609, the anniversary of which was celebrated at Rome on 13 May. Pope Saint Gregory III Consecrated a Chapel in the Vatican Basilica in honour of All Saints, designating 1 November as their feast. Pope Gregory IV extended its observance to the whole Church. It has a Vigil and Octave and is a Holy Day of Obligation – the eve is popularly celebrated as Hallowe’en. Patronage – Arzignano, Italy. ABOUT: https://anastpaul.com/2019/11/01/solemnity-of-all-saints-1-november/ AND: https://anastpaul.com/2018/11/01/1-november-solemnity-of-all-saints/ AND: https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/11/01/1-november-the-feast-of-all-the-saints/
Unsere Liebe Frau von Heede / Our Lady of Heede, Queen of the Universe , Queen of the Poor Souls in Purgatory (1937-1945) – 1 November
St Amabilis of Auvergne St Austremonius St Benignus of Dijon St Cadfan St Caesarius of Africa St Caesarius of Damascus St Ceitho St Cledwyn of Wales Bl Clemens Kyuemon St Cyrenia of Tarsus St Dacius of Damascus St Deborah the Prophetess St Dingad Bl Dionysius Fugixima St Floribert of Ghent St Gal of Clermont St Genesius of Lyon St Germanus of Montfort St Harold the King St James of Persia St John of Persia St Julian of Africa St Juliana of Tarsus St Lluís Estruch Vives St Marcel of Paris St Mary the Slave St Mathurin St Meigan St Nichole St Pabiali of Wales St Pere Josep Almató Ribera Auras St Peter Absalon Bl Peter Paul Navarra Bl Petrus Onizuka Sadayu St Rachel the Matriarch
Saint of the Day – 31 October – Blessed Christopher of Romagna OFM (Died 1272) Priest, Friar of the Order of Friars Minor during the life of St Francis, Missionary, sent by St Francis to preach against the heretic Albigensians in France.and Founder of Franciscan Monasteries there. Born in the late 12th Century in the Romagna region of Italy and died in 1272 in Cahors, France, of natural causes. He was Beatified in 1905 by Pope Pius X. Also known as – Christophe de Romagne.
A Franciscan Friar – unknown name
Christopher had been a Priest for many years when the grace of God impelled him to ask our holy Father St Francis, for the Habit. In 1219 Blessed Christopher of Romagnola was sent to Guienne, in southern France, to establish the Order in those parts. He was a man full of holy simplicity and sincere love for the poor and the unfortunate. He took great pleasure in caring for the many persons who were afflicted with leprosy in those days and were outcasts of society.
Christopher was very severe with himself. He wore an iron shirt for a long time, and always a belt having sharp points. He ate but once a day even in his advanced age. He built a small cell for himself of branches and sticks and covered it with straw. But in spite of these rigorous penances, he was always cheerful of countenance and pleasant in his dealings with others.
The pleasant demeanor by which Blessed Christopher gained the hearts of so many sinners, was a virtue he had learned from St Francis. Father Christopher had seen how St Francis of Assisi dealt with his fellowmen, especially with poor sinners.
Portrait of an unknown Franciscan Friar
As in all things else, so in this matter, St Francis kept before his mind the example of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who always received sinners with kindness.
Realising the value of time, Blessed Christopher of Romagna never wasted a moment, always busily occupied in prayer, meditation, manual labour, care of the garden, or other work that benefitted his brethren. His kindness and affability attracted many sinners, whom he succeeded in converting. God frequently favoured him with extraordinary inspirations and so, it was revealed to him, that St Francis was about to die. He hastened from France to Italy and arrived at the Portiuncula shortly before the death of St Francis. He had the consolation of receiving the Saint’s last blessing.
When Christopher arrived at the age of nearly one hundred years, his earthly sojourn came to an end. While earnestly exhorting the brethren gathered about his deathbed, he surrendered his soul to God in the year 1272. In death Blessed Christopher of Romagna looked more like a person who had fallen asleep, than like a dead person. An unusual concourse of people assembled for his burial which took place in Cahors, France. Many miracles occurred after his death; and his cult as Blessed was approved in 1905. He was buried there at the Franciscan Monastery. Sadly his relics were destroyed by the Huguenots in 1580 when they burned down the Monastery
Vigil of All Saints Day or All Hallow’s Eve: Eve of the Feast of All Hallows, that is, All Saints Day. Halloween is a day on which many quaint customs are revived. It is popular in the United States and Scotland and in the US has become the second largest secular holiday of the year.
St Ampliatus St Antoninus of Milan St Apelles of Eraclea Sintica St Arnulf of Novalesa St Begu of Hackness Blessed Christopher of Romagna OFM (Died 1272) Priest St Epimachus of Melusio St Erth of Cornwall
Bl Irene Stefani St Jesús Miquel Girbau St Lucilla of Rome Bl Maria de Requesens St Narcissus St Notburga of Cologne St Quentin St Stachys of Constantinople
St Wolfgang of Regensburg (c 934 –994) “The Great Almoner,” Bishop, Monk, Missionary, Ascetic, Apostle of Charity. He is regarded as one of the three great German saints of the 10th century, the other two being Saint Ulrich and Saint Conrad of Constance. He was Canonised in 1052 by Pope Leo IX. St Wolfgang’s life: https://anastpaul.com/2019/10/31/saint-of-the-day-31-october-saint-wolfgang-of-regensburg-c-934-994/
St Germanus of Capua (Died c 541) Bishop of Capua, Italy, Confessor, Papal Legate. St Germanus was a close friend of St Benedict of Nursia. The Roman Martyrology states: St Germanus, Bishop and Confessor, a man of great sanctity, whose soul, at the hour of death, was seen by St Benedict taken to heaven by angels. His Life: https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/30/saint-of-the-day-30-october-saint-germanus-of-capua-died-c-541/
St Herbert of Tours Bl Jean-Michel Langevin Bl John Slade St Lucanus of Lagny St Marcellus the Centurion St Marcian of Syracuse St Maximus of Cumae St Nanterius of Saint-Mihiel Bl Raymond of Cardona St Saturninus of Cagliari St Serapion of Antioch St Talarica of Scotland Bl Terrence Albert O’Brien St Theonestus of Philippi (Died 425) Bishop, Martyr St Zenobia of Aegea St Zenobius of Aegea
Martyrs in Africa: A group of 100 to 200 Christians murdered in the early persecutions and about whom we know nothing except that they died for their faith.
Saint of the Day – 29 October – Saint Achahildis (Died c 970) Married Laywoman, Apostle of the poor, Miracle-worker, she built the Church in Wendelstein, Germany. Born in Luxembourg and died in c 970 of natural causes in Wendelstein. Also known as – Achatia, Lady Atzin, Atzia, Atza, Reinilda of Luxembourg.
Born into a noble family, she was the sister of Saint Cunégundes. She married Thietmar and the couple were blessed with 5 children.
Achahildis was known for her charity towards the poor. She founded the Wendelstein Church south of Nuremberg in Germany where she is still venerated.
The legend says that having discovered that a servant had stolen and killed geese, she forgave her and brought the geese back to life, including the one that had been cooked. During one of pregnancies, Achahildis developed an appetite for cherries in winter and a cherry tree in her garden bore ripe fruit to her great delight. The cherry tree was considered a tree of paradise . Based on these miracles that have been passed down, Achahildis is depicted with either three geese or a goose leg and a cherry tree with ripe red fruit.
Achahildis died in c 970 and was interred at the Church in Wendelstein, Germany that she had founded. Her tomb re-discovered in 1447 and many miracles, especially of children, were reported at her tomb. Today there is a Chapel dedicated to her in Wendelstein.
St Colman of Kilmacduagh St Dodone of Wallers-en-Fagne St Donatus of Corfu St Ermelinda of Meldaert St Eusebia of Bergamo St Felician of Carthage St Abraham of Rostov St Achahildis of Wendelstein (Died c 970) Married Laywoman. and mother. St Anne of Mount Olympus St Honoratus of Vercelli St John of Autun St Kennera St Mary of Edessa St Narcissus of Gerona
St Sigolinus of Stavelot St Stephen of Cajazzo St Terence of Metz St Theodore of Vienne St Zenobius of Sidon
Martyrs of Douai – (160 Saints and Beati): 160 Priests, Laymen and Religious who studied at the English College in Douai, France, then returned to minister to covert Catholics in England during a period of government persecution of the Church and were murdered for their work.
Martyrs of Lucania – (4 Saints): A group of Christians executed together for their faith. Only their names have survived – Felician, Hyacinth, Lucius and Quintus. Their Martyrdom occurred in Lucania, southern Italy.
Quote of the Day – 28 October – Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles
“The Patron Saint of the Impossible:” This practice is thought to stem from the belief that few Christians invoked St Jude in prayer, due to their misplaced fear of praying to Christ’s betrayer, Judas Iscariot, the two names being so similar. Being so seldom invoked and reverenced, St Jude was and is, ready and waiting to hear the prayers of those who call upon him. Ironically, he is probably the Apostle who is the most frequently invoked in prayer and the most memorialised in Churches, with Statues and stained glass windows or other artworks. The ignored St Jude, thus became more eager to assist anyone who sought his intercession and aid, to the point of interceding in the most dire of circumstances. And so, the Title, “The Saint of Impossible Causes, for the Hopeless and the Desperate,” remains, to our benefit with the glorious Saint Jude. St Bernard and St Bridget too, both had visions from God, asking each to accept St Jude as “The Patron Saint of the Impossible.” Today, more than ever before, the merits of the beloved Saint Jude Thaddeus is being revived in people’s minds and hearts. In return, he is proving himself to be more than an ordinary advocate, taking special delight in coming to the aid of persons in desperate need.
Prayer to St Jude Patron of Impossible Causes
It is a beautiful tradition, associated with prayer to St Jude, to leave a copy of the prayer in a Church or before his Statue, Image or Shrine, for someone else, who is in great need, to find.
Most holy Apostle, St Jude, faithful servant and friend of Jesus, the Church honours and invokes you universally, as the patron of hopeless causes, of things almost despaired of. Pray for me, I am so helpless and alone. Help me, I implore you, by that particular privilege given to you, to bring visible and speedy help where help is almost despaired of. Come to my assistance in this great need, that I may receive the consolation and help of Heaven in all my necessities, tribulation and sufferings, particularly ………………… (state request) and that I may praise God with you and all the elect forever. I promise, O blessed St Jude, to be ever mindful of this great favour, to always honour you as my special and powerful patron and to gratefully encourage devotion to you. Amen
Saint of the Day – 27 October – Saint Odrian (c Died 563) Bishop of Waterford, Ireland, Abbot, Missionary. Born in County Meath, Ireland and died in c 563 at Iona Abbey, Scotland. Patronages – Silversmiths, the City and Diocese of Waterford, Ireland, Also known as – Odrioan of Waterford, Odrian of Iona, Otteran, Odhran, Odran, Oran, Oterano.
Odrian lived for over forty years in the area now known as Silvermines, in County Tipperary, Ireland, building a Church there in 520. According to Irish tradition, Odrian also served as Abbot of Meath and founded Lattreagh Monastery – images of the ruins below. He became one of the first Bishops of Waterford, Ireland. Waterford was part of an ancient deanery system at the time, ruled by an Abbot Bishop.
In 563, he was among the twelve who accompanied St Columba to the Scottish island of Iona, where he died and was buried. Columba is said to have seen devils and angels fight over Odran’s soul before it ascended into Heaven.
The oldest remaining Church on Iona is dedicated to Saint Odrian, see below. The surrounding cemetery is called Reilig Odhráin in his memory.
St Odrian is the Patron Saint of the Parish of Silvermines, County Tipperary. He was chosen by the Vikings as Patron of the City of Waterford in 1096 and later chosen as Patron of the Diocese. Below is St Odrian’s Well, Oranmore, County Galway.
Saint of the Day – 26 October – Saint Cedd (Died 664) Bishop, Monk , Missionary, Evangelist, Founder of Monasteries and many Churches. Born inNorthumbria, England and died on 26 October 664 at Lastingham, Yorkshire, England of the plague. Patronages – of Interpreters, Essex and Lastingham, England. Also known as – Cedda, Cedde, Ceddus, Ceddi, Ceadwalla.
Cedd was the chief Evangelist of the Middle Angles and East Saxons in England and a significant participant in the Council of Whitby, a Council which resolved important differences within the Church in Ireland and England. The little that is known of St Cedd’s life, comes to us mainly from the writing of the Venerable St Bede in his Ecclesiastical History of the English People.
St Cedd, the eldest of four brothers, was born in 620 into a noble Northumbrian family at the beginning of the 7th century. With his siblings, Cynebil, Caelin and St (Ceadda) Chad (who became the first Bishop of York and then Bishop of Lichfield) he entered the school at Lindisfarne Priory at an early ae and learned the ways of the Irish Monks under Bishop St Aidan. St Aidan was well known for his personal austerity and disregard for the trappings of wealth and power. St Bede several times, stresses that Cedd and Chad absorbed St Aidan’s example and traditions. They were eventually sent to Ireland for further study and all four subsequently became Priests.
In 653, Peada, King of the Middle Angles, asked Aidan’s successor at Lindisfarne, St Finan (of Lindisfarne), for a Bishop for his region and St Finan chose four Monks, including Cedd, from Lindisfarne to evangelise Peada’s people. After making some conversions, Cedd returned to Lindisfarne to report to Finan. In recognition of his success, St Finan Consecrated him Bishop, calling in two other Irish Bishops to assist at the rite. Cedd was appointed Bishop of the East Saxons. As a result, he is generally listed among the Bishops of London.
St Bede’s record makes clear that Cedd demanded personal commitment and that he was unafraid to confront the powerful. He excommunicated a noble ,who was in an unlawful marriage and forbade Christians to accept the man’s hospitality. According to St Bede, when King Sigeberht continued to visit the man’s home, Cedd went to the house to denounce the King, foretelling that he would die in that house. St Bede asserts that the King’s subsequent murder (in 660) was his penance for defying Cedd’s injunction.
Cedd founded three Monasteries of his own, the best known being Lastingham, where he became the first Abbot and he died of the Plague in 664. St Bede has a beautiful story of Cedd’s founding of Lastingham, of how Cedd spent forty days in prayer and fasting in a remote spot given to him by King Ethelwald, to purify the site, although urgent royal business took him away after 30 days and Cynibil, his brother Bishop, took over the fast for him.
In 664, Cedd was present at the Council of Whitby and was a member of the Irish party, those wishing to retain the Irish date for Easter. But when the Council decided in favour of the Roman date, Cedd accepted the decision, not wanting to cause any further disunity in the Churches.
After the Council of Whitby, a Plague struck England,and Cedd was among those who died from the Plague. At the news of his death, thirty Monks came from London to spend their lives where their Founder had died. But they, too, caught the Plague and were buried near the little Chapel that had been erected in Cedd’s memory.
Cedd was the second Bishop of the City of London; the first was Mellitus, who came with St Augustine and later became Archbishop of Canterbury. Mellitus was driven from the See by the King of the East Saxons in 616 and London was without a Bishop until Cedd’s arrival about 654.
St Adalgott of Einsiedeln St St Alanus of Quimper St Albinus of Buraburg
St Alfred the Great (849-899) King of Wessex, Confessor, Scholar, Writer and Translator, negotiator. He administered justice with insight and fairness, protected the poor, and encouraged art and the crafts. He tried in all that he did, to rule as a model Christian King. For all this, he alone among the rulers of England is called “the Great.” This Great Saint’s Life: https://anastpaul.com/2021/10/26/saint-of-the-day-26-october-saint-alfred-the-great-849-899/
St Alorus of Quimper St Amandus of Strasburg St Amandus of Worms St Aneurin St Aptonius of Angouleme St Arnold of Queralt St Bean of Mortlach St Bernard de Figuerols
St Eadfrid St Eata of Hexham St Felicissimus of Carthage St Fulk of Piacenza St Gaudiosus of Salerno St Gibitrudis St Gwinoc St Humbert St Lucian St Marcian St Quadragesimus of Policastro St Rogatian of Carthage St Rusticus of Narbonne St Sigibald of Metz
Saints of the Day – 25 October – Saint Chrysanthus and Saint Daria (Died c 282) Martyrs, Married Couple Died in c 282, by being buried alive by stones and sand in a sandpit off the Salarian Way, Rome, Italy. Also known as – Crisaunt, Crescentius, Crisanto, Dariasus. Their names appear in the Martyrologium Hieronymianum, an early martyrs list and a Church in their honour was built over their grave in Rome.
The Roman Martyrology reads: “At Rome, the holy Martyrs, Chrysanthus and his wife, Daria. After many sufferings endured for Christ, under the Prefect Celerinus, they were ordered by the Emperor Numerian, to be thrown into a sandpit on the Salarian Way, where, being overwhelmed with earth and stones, they were buried alive.”
Chrysanthus was the only son of a of an Egyptian patrician, named Polemius or Poleon, who lived in the reign of Numerian. Polemius moved from Alexandria to Rome and Chrysanthus was educated in the finest manner of the era. His superior intelligence was quickly appreciated. Convinced of the vanity of idol-worship, he undertook every means at his disposal to learn the truth and deliver his soul from the doubts afflicting him.
An elderly gentlemen was pointed out to him as a sage and Chrysanthus went to him with his questions. The old man, who was a Christian Priest named Carpophorus,.had no difficulty in opening the eyes of the young man. Chrysanthus instantly embraced the truth with ardour and became an apostle.
His father, at first astonished, became irritated and decided to bring his son back, from what he called his superstitions and errors. No means were effectual for this purpose. Thus, influenced by his associates, the father locked him in his palace and sent a courtesan to seduce his purity.
When the first one did not succeed, others were commissioned for the infamous task and finally a vestal Virgin, Daria, priestess of an idol regarded as the Empire’s bulwark, attempted every artifice to corrupt the young Christian. Instead, she herself became the conquest of grace. The two Christians saw themselves united by the bonds of faith, hope and charity and determined to add to these holy chains, those of a virginal marriage. This decision brought about liberty for Chrysanthus and gave him the means to continue his preaching of Christ.
Many conversions among the officers of the Roman society, with which he was already familiar, were the fruit of the apostolate of the young spouses, including that of the tribune Claudius, with his household and seventy soldiers. For this betrayal, the Emperor had Claudius drowned, his sons beheaded and his wife hanged at the gallows.
But complaints began to be addressed to the Prefect of Rome, who arrested the young couple. After enduring torments, Chrysanthus was shut up in the Mamertine prison and Daria was sent to a house of ill fame. But the Lord watched over both of them, as He had done over many others and they surmounted their trials, intact and pure. To be done with them, the irritated Emperor had them buried alive. It appears this torment was chosen in order to inflict on Daria, the death reserved for unfaithful vestals.
In the ninth Century, the principal relics of Chrysanthus and Daria were brought to the Church of Chrysanthus and Daria, Bad Münstereifel, Germany. This is the Church below which contains a beautiful Statue of St Daria.
St Cyrinus of Rome St Dulcardus St Fronto of Périgueux St Fructus of Segovia
St Gaudentius of Brescia (Died 410) Bishop, renowned Preacher, Theologian, Diplomatic Mediator, The Roman Martyrology states today: “In Brescia, Saint Gaudentius, Bishop, who, Ordained by Saint Ambrose, shone among the prelates of his time for doctrine and virtue, instructed his people with words and writings and founded a Basilica which he called the ‘Council of Saints.‘” Biography: https://anastpaul.com/2021/10/25/saint-of-the-day-25-october-st-gaudentius-of-brescia-died-410/
St George of Périgueux St Goeznoveus of Leon St Guesnoveus Bl Henry of Segusio St Hilary of Javols St Hilary of Mende St Hildemarca of Fecamp St Januarius of Sassari St Lucius of Rome St Lupus of Bayeux St Mark of Rome
Saint of the Day – 24 October – Saint Martin of Vertou (527–601) Abbot, Hermit, Founder of Vertou Abbey and the Evangelist of the region around Nantes, Miracle-worker. Born in 527 at Nantes, France and died in 601 at Durieu, France of natural causes. Also known as – the Apostle of the Herbauges.
Martin was born into a wealthy family well-known in the region. He was distinguished by his virtue, learning and talent. He was Ordained Deacon by Saint Felix, Bishop of Nantes, who also made him Archdeacon of the Church of Nantes and charged him with converting the inhabitants of the Town and the surrounding area.
In about 577, he withdrew to Dumen forest at Brittany, to live as a Hermit. . There his obvious sanctity attracted so many followers that he was forced to found Vertou Abbey near Nantes whre he served as its first Abbot. Tradition says he was led to the site of the Monastery by an Angel.
Later Martin founded Saint Jouin-de-Marne Abbey, the Convent at Durieu and assisted in the founding of further houses.
It was at Durieu Abbey, where Martin died in 601 at the age of seventy-four.
There is a wonderful miracle told of him – he planted his pilgrim’s staff in the middle of the Abbey courtyard at Vertou and it took root, growing into a yew tree, which appears on the arms of the commune of Vertou.
Martin is greatly honoured and venerated for many miracles in Nantes and the beautiful Cathedral below is dedicated to him.
Saint Raphael the Archangel The Feast day of Saint Raphael was included for the first time in the General Roman Calendar in 1921, for celebration on 24 October. With the 1969 revision of the General Roman Calendar, the Feast was transferred to September 29 for celebration together with Archangels Saints Michael and Gabriel. St Raphael: https://anastpaul.com/2021/10/24/saint-of-the-day-24-october-st-raphael-the-archangel/
Beata Vergine delle Grazie / The Blessed Virgin of Grace, Udine, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy (1479) – Fourth Sunday of October:
Bl Amado García Sánchez St Audactus of Thibiuca St Cadfarch St Ciriacus of Hierapolis St Claudian of Hierapolis St Ebregislus of Cologne St Felix of Thibiuca St Fortunatus of Thibiuca St Fromundus of Coutances St Maglorius of Wales St Marcius of Monte Cassino St Martin of Vertou (527–601) Abbot, Hermit
St Senoch St Senócus of Tours St Septimus of Thibiuca
Martyrs of Ephesus – 3 Saints: Three Christians Martyred together. All we know about them are the names Mark, Sotericus and Valentina. They were stoned to death near Ephesus, Asia Minor (in modern Turkey). Their relics are enshrined on the island of Tasos.
Saint of the Day – 23 October – Blessed Severinus Boethius (c 475-524) Martyr, Layman, Roman Statesman and Philosopher, Theologian, Writer, Rhetorician, often styled “The Last of the Romans”, regarded by tradition as a Christian Martyr, Born in c 475-480 at Rome, Italy as Anicius Manlius Torquatus Severinus Boethius and died in 524-525 at Pavia, Italy. Also known as – Anicius Manlius Torquatus Severinus Boethius, The Last of the Romans, Severino Boezio.
Blessed Severinus Boethius was one of those rare minds that can assimilate knowledge and pass it on in an understandable form. He planned to translate the whole of Plato and Aristotle into Latin, to share the Greek wisdom with his contemporaries. He also wrote a treatise on the Trinity which , is considered a major work of Western Theology. He wrote extensively on matters concerning music, mathematics,and Theology. Although his translations were unfinished following an untimely death, it is largely due to them that the works of Aristotle survived.
He was born when Odoacer, the Ostrogoth, had become Ruler of Italy and when Boethius was thirteen, Odoacer was overthrown by Theodoric. He was left an orphan at an early age and was educated by the pious and noble-minded Symmachus, whose daughter, Rusticana, he married. Severinus entered public life in the footsteps of his father and in 510 was made Consul by Theodoric.
Theodoric began to suspect that certain of his nobles were plotting with the Emperor in Constantinople, to overthrow his government and Albinus, an Ex-consul and friend of Boethius,, was charged with treason. Boethius, defended Albinus in Court but was himself accused, of being part of the plot and imprisoned. It was in prison that he wrote his best known work. He found no defenders, even among his friends and not even his father-in-law, Symmachus, stood up for his innocence.
Boethius was cruelly tortured and died a violent death. He was buried in the Cathedral at Ticinium and his relics are now in the Church of St Peter at Pavia.
Tradition began very early to represent Boethius as a Martyr for the Christian Faith. It was believed that among the accusations brought against him, was devotion to the Catholic Church, which at that time, was championed by the Emperor Justin against the Arian Theodoric. In the eighth century this tradition had assumed definite shape and in many place,s Boethius was honoured as a Martyr and his feast observed on the twenty-third of October.
The reflective manner in which he faced death was an inspiration to others and his works were one of the important sources of writings throughout the Middle Ages. He died in the year 524 and was Beatified in 1883 by Pope Leo XIII .
Saint of the Day – 22 October – Saint Melanius (Died 314) Bishop of Rouen, Confessor, Miracle-worker, Hermit. Born c 229 near Cardiff, Wales and died on 11 November 314 in Hericourt, France of natural causes. Also known as – Mellon, Mallone, Mallonous, Mello, Mellonin, Mellouns, Mellonius.
The Roman Martyrology reads: “At Rouen, St Melanius, Bishop, who was Ordained by Pope St Stephen I and sent to Rouen to preach the Gospel.”
Melanius was the son of local Welsh pagan nobility. He was sent to Rome to accompany the tribute due from his Province to the Roman Emperor.
Whilst in Rome Melanius was converted to Christianity by Pope Stephen 1, who Ordained him Priest and later Consecrated him Bishop. Pope Stephen then sent him to be the Bishop of Rouen in France. In 311, after a long Episcopate, he retired to a Hermit’s cell at a place called Hericourt, where he died
History records that whilst Bishop of Rouen ,Melanius performed many miracles including an exorcism where he cast out devils in their often depicted form – as monkeys!
Melanius was buried at Rouen but, towards the end of the 8th Century, his remains were translated to a Church in Pontoise to protect them from Norse invaders. They remained there until they were lost or destroyed, during the French Revolution.
Both the Village of St Mellons and the Church, in Cardiff are dedicated to Melanius of Rouen. A fair is held on 22 October, his Feast Day in the Village of St Mellons. In Hericourt, where our Saint had lived the last few years as a Hermit, there is now a Church dedicated to him and another in Thiédeville and Plomelin, Brittany.
AnaStpaul 
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