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/
Bl 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).
Nossa Senhora das Graças / Our Lady of Graces, Pesqueira, Pernambuco, Northeast, Brazil (1936) – 6 August :
On 6 August 1936, Maria da Luz Teixeira, 13, and Maria da Conceição, 16 (a poor girl living with the Teixeira family), were gathering castor beans on Guarda mountain in the Cimbres district, 15 miles from Pesqueira. There was a flash of light and then Maria da Conceição said, “Look, there’s an image that looks like Our Lady.” Maria da Luz saw it too, up on a rock. They ran home and told Maria da Luz’s parents. At her mother’s insistence, Artur Teixeira climbed the hill with the girls, who reached the spot long before he struggled up through the brush. He saw nothing unusual but, at his suggestion, the girls together asked the image, “Who are you?”“I am Grace.” They asked what she wanted. “I’ve come to warn of three punishments sent by God. Tell the people to pray much and do penance.”
After this the girls returned to the site daily, where they prayed with a growing crowd of pilgrims. On 9 August, the crowd demanded a sign; reluctantly, the girls asked for one. The next day, they found water flowing from the rock and two sets of footprints embedded in stone, one an adult’s and one a child’s. The apparition confirmed they belonged to her and her son. The Bishop conducted an investigation. Maria da Luz described Our Lady of Grace as “similar to Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Pesqueira Cathedral but her mantle is blue and her dress cream, with a belt. She has a little child in her left arm and both have very beautiful crowns on their heads.”
Eventually the Virgin told her that the people’s response had been sufficient to avert the three chastisements, sometimes identified as armed bandits (particularly the notorious Lampião, killed by police in 1938) and the coming of World War II or a Communist regime to Brazil. Maria da Conceição died young. In 1940, Maria da Luz joined the Religious of Christian Instruction, taking the name Sister Adélia. In her absence, pilgrims continued to visit the Shrine at the apparition site, where 296 carved stone steps lead to a Statue of Our Lady of Grace (as depicted on the Miraculous Medal, without the Child, not as the girls saw her) and to report miracles there. In 1966, the Vatican approved the apparitions. Sister Adélia has since participated in some events at the Shrine, including the anniversary pilgrimages of 1985 and 1986 and reported some new messages from Our Lady. As of 2010 she was still living, aged 87. Because the original site is located in the Xukuru Indian reservation, an area of constant conflict, the City and Diocese of Pesqueira have built a new Shrine to Our Lady of Grace, with a grotto and Chapel, on a Calvary Shrine hill closer to town.
Bl Gezelin of Schlebusch St Gislain of Luxemburg St Glisente of Brescia Bl Goderanno Bl Guillermo Sanz St Hardulf of Breedon
Bl Octavian of Savona St Pope Sixtus II (Died 258) Pope and Martyr
St Stephen of Cardeña Bl Tadeusz Dulny 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).
Martyred in the Spanish Civil War: 10 Beati • Blessed Alejandro Casare Menéndez • Blessed Andrés Soto Carrera • Blessed José González Ramos Campos • Blessed José María Recalde Magúregui • Blessed Juan Silverio Pérez Ruano • Blessed Saturnino Ortega Montealegre
Quote/s of the Day – 6 August – Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord and the Memorial of Justus and Pastor – The Holy Martyred Children of Alcala de Henares in Spain (Died 304)
“Do not fear death of the body nor the torments, little brother. Calmly receive the strike of the sword. The God who has seen fit to call us to such a great grace, will give us the necessary strength, to endure the sufferings that await us.”
St Justus to his Brother St Pastor (Died 304) Holy Children Martyrs
“No-one should fear to suffer for the sake of justice, no-one should lose confidence in the reward that has been promised. The way to rest is through toil, the way to life is through death. Christ has taken on Himself the whole weakness of our lowly human nature. If then we are steadfast in our faith in Him and in our love for Him, we win the victory that He has won, we receive what He has promised.”
St Pope Leo the Great (400-461)
Father and Doctor of the Church
“By His loving foresight, He allowed them to taste for a short time, the contemplation of eternal joy, so that they might bear persecution bravely.”
The Venerable St Bede (673-735) Father and Doctor of the Church
“Jesus goes before us to show us the way, both up the mountain and into heaven and — I speak boldly — it is for us now, to follow him with all speed . . . Let us run with confidence and joy to enter into the cloud like Moses and Elijah, or like James and John. Let us be caught up like Peter to behold the divine vision and to be transfigured by that glorious transfiguration. Let us retire from the world, stand aloof from the earth, rise above the body, detach ourselves from creatures and turn to the Creator, to whom Peter in ecstasy exclaimed: ‘Lord, it is good for us to be here.’”
St Anastasius (Died 628)
“At His Transfiguration Christ showed His disciples, the splendour of His beauty, to which He will shape and colour those who are His: ‘He will reform our lowness configured to the body of his glory.’”
St Thomas Aquinas (1225 – 1274) Doctor of the Church
Saints of the Day – 6 August – Saints Justus and Pastor – The Holy Martyred Children of Alcala de Henares in Spain. (Died 304). Born c 295-297 in Spain and died by being scourged and beheaded in 304 at Alcala, Spain at ages 9 and 7. Patronage – Alcalá de Henares; Diocese of Alcalá and Madrid. Saints Justus and Pastor of Alcala were two brothers, who in their tender age overcame, with an heroic courage, the rage and power of Dacian, armed with all the instruments of cruelty.
“Do not fear death of the body nor the torments, little brother. Calmly receive the strike of the sword. The God who has seen fit to call us to such a great grace will give us the necessary strength to endure the sufferings that await us.”
During the Roman Empire, Christians were subjected to numerous persecutions, the harshest of which was perhaps the persecution of the emperor Diocletian in the fourth century. Instigated by Galerius, Diocletian promulgated the first edict against Christians on February 23 in the year 303 in Nicomedia, which demanded the destruction of Christian Churches and holy books and prohibited, that the faithful gather together, causing Christians, established in dignity to lose their honour. Following this first edict were three others – the second edict ordered the arrest and imprisonment of all clergy; the third granted the freedom of imprisoned clergy who apostatised and abandoned Christianity and harsh tortures for those who refused and the fourth obliged Christians to sacrifice to the gods of the Empire or suffer death.
To comply with the edict, the prefect Publius Dacianus was sent to Hispania (Spain) to cruelly and strictly enforce the imperial order. Christianity had taken strong root in Spain, clearly seen from the large number of Martyrs who shed their blood during the prefect’s rule. Among them are St Cucuphas, St Felix the “African,” St Pontius and St Narcissus, St Engracia and her eighteen companions, St Aquilina, etc.
Dacianus reached Complutum, today known as Alcalá de Henares (Madrid) in August of the year 304. Complutum was founded during the first century in the valley of Henares. The city had an ideal central location and enjoyed great prosperity during the third and fourth centuries. In this city, the “holy children,” Justus and Pastor, won the palm of Martyrdom. Very little has been written about them but we do know that they were from a good and holy Christian family. We also know the circumstances of their Martyrdom. The liturgy mentions that they were 7 and 9 years old respectively.
The most important part of the account of their Martyrdom has been passed on to us by tradition. When the imperial edict was made public in Complutum, the two brothers, Justus and Pastor, were at school. Stirred by an interior inspiration and an ardent desire to give their lives for Jesus Christ, they threw the slate tablets they used for writing on the ground and ran in haste to Dacianus’ residence with ardent hearts, ready to bear witness to their faith even to the point of Martyrdom. Despite their young age, the love of Christ had a profound effect in their hearts. They were unwilling to deny their God for anything in the world.
Upon seeing them so young, the doorkeepers thought they were playing but because the young boys insisted on seeing Dacianus, they were eventually taken to his presence. Before the prefect, they confessed firmly and with confidence that they were Christians and that they were unwilling to sacrifice to idols. In vain, the prefect tried to win them over with gifts and appeasements but seeing that he was unable to persuade them, he ordered them to be flogged with rods. The punishment was so severe that the two boys ended up bathed in blood.
The bodies of the children were battered but their souls were anchored in God and their fortitude left those who contemplated them in awe. Justus and Pastor knew well in whom they had believed (cf. 2 Tim 1:12) and desired nothing other than to find the One who first loved them and said, “Let the little children come to Me and do not prevent them” (Mt 19:14). Full of anger and fearful of the courageous example the holy children could give to Christians, Dacianus ordered the executioners to take them out of the city and behead them.
Centuries later, St Isidore of Seville wrote concerning their Martyrdom: “While they were taken to the place of torment, the two little lambs mutually encouraged one another. Justus, the youngest, fearful that his brother would falter, spoke to him thus, ‘Do not fear death of the body nor the torments, little brother. Calmly receive the strike of the sword. The God who has seen fit to call us to such a great grace will give us the necessary strength to endure the sufferings that await us.’ In reply, Pastor said, ‘You have spoken well, my brother. I will gladly accompany you in Martyrdom to gain the glory of this combat.’”
On a stone. in a field outside the city walls of Complutum, later known as Campo Loable or Laudable (Praiseworthy or Laudable Field), the children’s Martyrdom took place. Justus was the first to be beheaded followed by Pastor. Laudate pueri Dominum!Children, praise the Lord!The sacrifice was accomplished. The inhabitants of Complutum zealously guarded the place of the Martyrdom as well as the Martyrs’ remains and later built a chapel over their burial place to honour their memory.
Fearful of what the Muslims could do, in the year 760 St Urbez transferred the relics of the “holy children” to the hermitage of Santa Maria, a remote place in the Valley de Nocito. Later on, they were transferred to San Pedro el Viejo in Huesca.
The Urn containing the Relics of the Holy Children Martyrs, Sts Justus and Pastor
In 1567, St Pius V promulgated a papal bull in which he ordered part of the relics of Saints Justus and Pastor to be taken from Huesca to Alcalá de Henares, the city of their birth and Martyrdom. In November of that same year, Philip II and his son prince Charles sent letters addressed to the Bishop of Huesca so that the Pope’s order could be fulfilled. Thus, part of the relics of Saints Justus and Pastor were sent to the city of Alcalá de Henares where the “Holy Children” were considered patrons.
How did the children Justus and Pastor have the strength to face Martyrdom? God Himself vested them with fortitude and made them ready for battle against the forces of evil, “the grace of God led the conflict against Him and delivered the weak and set them as firm pillars, able through patience to endure all the wrath of the evil one. They joined battle with Him, undergoing all kinds of shame and injury. Regarding their great sufferings as little, they hastened to Christ, revealing truly that ‘the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us.'” (Eusebius of Caesarea-Bishop and Historian). The power of God is fully made manifest in weakness.
Below is the Basilica of Sts Justus and Pastor in Alcala, Spain
Bl Gezelin of Schlebusch
St Gislain of Luxemburg
St Glisente of Brescia
Bl Goderanno
Bl Guillermo Sanz
St Hardulf of Breedon St Pope Hormisdas (c 450-523) His Life: https://anastpaul.com/2019/08/06/saint-of-the-day-6-august-saint-pope-hormisdas-c-450-523/
St James the Syrian St Justus and St Pastor of Alcala – Holy Martyred Children (Died 304)
Bl Maria Francesca Rubatto
Bl Octavian of Savona
St Stephen of Cardeña
Bl Tadeusz Dulny
Bl William of Altavilla
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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).
Martyred in the Spanish Civil War: 10 Beati
• Blessed Alejandro Casare Menéndez
• Blessed Andrés Soto Carrera
• Blessed José González Ramos Campos
• Blessed José María Recalde Magúregui
• Blessed Juan Silverio Pérez Ruano
• Blessed Saturnino Ortega Montealegre
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