Saint of the Day – 26 November – Blessed Pontius of Faucigny (c1100-c1178) Abbot, Founder and the 1st Abbot of the Monastery of Faucigny. Born in c1100 in Faucigny, Savoy (in modern France) and died on 26 November 1178 or 1179 in Sixt, Savoy, also in modern France, of natural causes.
Pontius was born around the year 1100 to the noble family of Faucigny, lords of the region of Savoy. At a very young age he entered the Abbey of the Canons Regular of Abondance, of which he revised the Constitutions, harmonising them with the original Augustinian Rule.
In 1144 he was commissioned to found a religious house in Sixt region, also in Savoy which was ten year later, in 1155, promoted to an Abbey by Pope Adrian IV. Pontius became its first Abbot, while remaining in constant contact with Abondance.
In 1172 he was called to succeed Burcardius as the Abbot of Abondance and the following year he obtained the dignity of Abbey for the Monastery of Grandval.
However, wishing to be able to prepare himself more effectively for death, he abandoned all his duties to retire to Abondance as a simple Monk He died there on 26 November 1178 or 1179 and was buried in the Abbey Church.
His mortal remains, a few years later, were the object of an elevation and from then on he received a regular cult. On 14 November 1620, Saint Francis de Sales, a great devotee of the holy Abbot, his compatriot from Savoy, opened his tomb to take some of his Relics. Francis’s successor, Charles Augustus de Sales, also had great respect for Pontius.
The “Bollandists” observe that seven centuries passed between Pontius’s death and the appearance of his first biography, a factor which led to great caution regarding the veracity of certain data. Only in 1866, the cause for the official recognition of the cult paid to him from time immemorial was initiated by the Bishop of Annecy, Claude Magnin and was subsequently resumed in 1890 by Monsignor Ernest Isoard. Pope Leo XIII confirmed the cult “ab immemorabili” of Blessed Pontius of Faucigny, with a decree dated 15 December 1896. His Feast is still celebrated today on the anniversary of his death most especially by the Canons of the Lateran and by the Diocese of Annecy.
St Leonard of Port Maurice OFM (1676-1751) Confessor, Priest and Friar of the Friars Minor, Preacher – in particular Parish Mission, Ascetic Writer, Spiritual Director. St Leonard founded many pious apostolates, societies and confraternities and exerted himself to spread devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Perpetual Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament, the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Passion of Christ. He was among the few to insist that the concept of the Immaculate Conception of Mary be defined as a Dogma of the Faith. He was Beatified on 19 June 1796 by Pope Pius VI and Canonised on 29 June 1867 by Pope Pius IX. Biography: https://anastpaul.com/2018/11/27/saint-of-the-day-27-november-st-leonard-of-port-maurice-ofm-1676-1751/
Bl essed Delphina of Glandèves TOSF (1283-1360) Virgin, Virgin Laywoman, Married in Chastity to St Elzear (below) Widow, Recluse, Apostle of the Poor and needy. Sometimes regarded as ‘Saint’ – the anniversary of her death and birthday into Heaven is today, 28 November. After the Vatican II Council, her Feast day was moved to 27 September: Blessed Delphina’s Chaste Life: https://anastpaul.com/2022/09/27/saint-of-the-day-27-september-saint-delphina-tosf-1283-1360-virgin/
St Egelwine of Athelney St Ida of Cologne St James the Hermit St Magnance of Ste-Magnance St Marcellus of Nicomedia St Martin of Arades St Nicon of Sparta Blessed Pontius of Faucigny (c1100-c1178) Abbot St Sabaudus of Trier
St Siricius, Pope (c334-399) Confessor, Bishop of Rome from December 384, Confessor, Defender of the Faith against heresies, Reformer of clerical discipline, Born in Rome and died there of natural causes aged around 64. In response to inquiries from Bishop Himerius of Tarragona, Siricius issued the Directa Decretal, containing Decrees of Baptism, Church discipline and other matters. His are the oldest completely preserved Papal Decrees. He is sometimes said to have been the first Bishop of Rome to call himself “Pope or Papa” – the word derived from the Greek, Papa, meaning Father. The Roman Martyrology reads today: “At Rome, St Siricius, Pope and Confessor, celebrated for his learning, piety and zeal for religion, who condemned various heretics and published salutary laws concerning Ecclesiastical discipline.” A True Shepherd.: https://anastpaul.com/2023/11/26/saint-of-the-day-26-november-st-pope-siricius-c334-399-confessor/
St Stylinus St Vacz – 11th Century Hermit in Visegrád, Hungary. No further information is available.
Martyrs of Alexandria – 650+- Saints: A group of approximately 650 Christian Priests, Bishops and Laity Martyred together in the persecution of Maximian Galerius. We have the names and a few details only seven of them – Ammonius, Didius, Faustus, Hesychius, Pachomius, Phileas and Theodore. The were born in Egypt and were martyred there in c 311 in Alexandria, Egypt.
Martyrs of Capua – 7 Saints: A group of seven Christians Martyred together. The only details about them to survive are the names – Ammonius, Cassianus, Felicissimus, Nicander, Romana, Saturnin and Serenus. They were martyred in Capua, Campania, Italy, date unknown.
Martyrs of Nicomedia – 6 Saints: A group of six Christians Martyred by Arians. Few details have survived except their names – Marcellus, Melisus, Numerius, Peter, Serenusa and Victorinus. Martyred in 349 in Nicomedia, Bithynia, Asia Minor (modern Izmit, Turkey).
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