117 Maurus,
Pantaleemon,
and
Sergius These three martyrs are venerated at Bisceglia on the Adriatic.
Their
acta describe Maurus as a native of Bethlehem, who was sent by Saint
Peter to be Bisceglia's first bishop. MM (RM)
Vigíliis, in Apúlia, sanctórum Mártyrum
Mauri Epíscopi, Pantaleémonis et Sérgii; qui passi
sunt sub Trajáno.
At Bisceglia in Apulia, the holy martyrs Maur, a
bishop, Pantaleon, and Sergius, who suffered under Trajan.
They
are said to
have been
martyred under Trajan (Benedictines).
|
220 St. Theodore
of
Shotep in Upper Egypt Martyrdom of; one of the great Christian generals
during the reign of Emperor Lucianus who apostatized the faith,
started Christian persecutionsn and killed Theodore for this
professed faith {Coptic}
On this day, of the year 220 A.D., St. Theodore of Shotep was martyred.
His father's name was John and he was from the city of Shotep in Upper
Egypt. He went with his regiment to the city of Antioch, where he
married the daughter of a pagan noble man, and begot by her this St.
Theodore. When his mother wanted to present him to the house of idols
to be educated there, his father refused. She became angry, drove him
away, and the child remained with his mother. His father John prayed
ceaselessly, and entreated God to guide his son Theodore to the path of
salvation. The child grew up, and learned philosophy, wisdom, and
literature. The Lord Christ illuminated his heart, and Theodore went to
a righteous bishop who baptized him.
When his mother heard of
this
she was sorrowed greatly, but the Saint did not mind her.
He joined the army and advanced in the ranks
until he became one of the
great generals during the reign of Emperor Lucianus.
The people of the city of Eukhitos worshipped a great serpent, and
offered to him a human sacrifice every year. While St. Theodore was
passing through this district, he saw a woman crying bitterly. He asked
her about the reason for her crying. She answered him saying, "I am a
widow and they have taken my two sons to offer them as a sacrifice to
the serpent, although I am Christian." He said to himself, "They have
wronged this woman, but God shall avenge her." He came down from his
horse, and turned his face towards the East and prayed, then drew near
the serpent. The people of the city were watching him from the tops of
the walls of the city. The serpent was fourteen cubits long, but God
gave him power over it, and he speared it with his spear and killed it,
and delivered the sons of the widow.
After this, Theodore came to Egypt to search for his father, and he
stayed with him until he died, and then returned to Antioch. He found
that the Emperor had apostatized the faith and started to persecute the
Christians. He came before him and confessed the Lord Christ. The
Emperor ordered him beaten with rods, burned, and cast into the fire.
He delivered up his soul and received the crown of martyrdom. A
Christian woman took his body - it was said that she was his mother -
after she gave much money to the soldiers and hid his body until the
end of the time of persecution. Churches were built in his name in many
cities .
|
 250
St. Maximian, Malchus, Martinian, Dionysius, John Serapion, and
Constantine
Ephesi natális sanctórum septem Dormiéntium,
scílicet Maximiáni, Malchi, Martiniáni, Dionysii,
Joánnis, Serapiónis et Constantíni.
At Ephesus, the birthday of the Seven Holy Sleepers,
Maximian, Malchus, Martinian, Denis, John, Serapion, and Constantine.
"The Seven Sleepers" (Martyrs) Having
confessed the faith before the proconsul at Ephesus under Decius in
250, they were walled up together in a cave in which they had hid
themselves, and there slept in the Lord. Some moderns, mistaking this
expression, have imagined that they only lay asleep, till they were
found in 479, under Theodosius the younger The truth seems to be, that
their relics were then discovered. They are much honored by the Greeks,
Syrians, and
all the Oriental nations. Their relics were conveyed to Marseilles in a
large
stone coffin, which is still shown there in St. Victor s church. In the
Museum Victorium at Rome is a factitious plaster or stone (made of
sulphur melted with fire and mortar), formed in imitation of a large
precious stone in which is cut a group of figures representing the
Seven Sleepers with their names and near Constantine and John are
exhibited two clubs; near Maximian a knotty club; near Malchus and
Martinian two axes; near Serapion a burning torch, and near Danesius
(whom others call Vionysius) a great nail. That large nails (clavi
trabales, or such as were used in joining great rafters or beams in
buildings) were made use of as instruments of torture is evident from
St. Paulinus and Horace. From this ancient monument some infer that
these martyrs were put to death by various torments, and that their
bodies were only buried in the aforesaid cave. In this group of
figures, these martyrs are represented all as very young, and without
beards. In ancient Martyrologies and other writings they are frequently
called boys. The cave in which their bodies were found became a place
famous for devout pilgrimages, and is still shown to travelers, as
James Spon testifies.
Seven Sleepers of Ephesus MM (RM) Died 250-362. Maximian,
Malchus,
Martinian, Dionysius, John, Serapion, and Constantine--the names vary
in different versions of the legend--were walled up in a cave under
Decius (250) and found alive there 200 years later. They died soon
after they awoke to find Ephesus Christian and were venerated as saints.
The long sleep is a common theme of myth and folklore, and
this
Christianized version was already current in the 6th century. The most
ingenuous was written in Syriac about 500 by Saint James of Sarugh.
Saint Gregory of Tours spread the story to Europe. But its popularity
was heightened in Medieval Europe when it was included in The Golden
Legend by the Dominican Blessed James of Voraigne (based on the
translation by William Caxton):
The Seven Sleepers were born in Ephesus.
And when
Decius the Emperor came to Ephesus to persecute Christian men, he
commanded that temples be built in the middle of the city, so that all
should come and offer sacrifice to the idols with him. He sought out
all the Christians and obliged them to sacrifice or suffer death.
Because of this, every man was so afraid of the pains in store for
himself that friend betrayed friend, son repudiated father, and the
father the son.
Then in the city were found seven
Christian men
named, Maximian, Malchus, Marcian, Denis, John, Dionysius, Serapion,
and Constantine. And when they saw this, they were saddened, and
because they were the first in the palace that despised the sacrifices,
they hid themselves in their houses, fasted, and prayed.
And then they were accused before Decius,
and came
thither and were found to be very Christian men. They were given a
chance to repent before being brought again before Decius. In the
meantime they expended their patrimony in alms to the poor, and
assembled themselves together and took counsel, and went to the Mount
of Celion and there ordained to be more secretly and hid themselves a
long time. And one of them administered and served them always; and
when he went into the city he clothed himself in the habit of a beggar.
When
Decius returned, he commanded that they should
be fetched, and then Malchus, who was their servant and ministered to
them meat and drink, returned in great dread to his fellows and told
them about the great fury and madness of them, they were very
afraid...Suddenly, as God willed, they slept, and when they were sought
in
the morning they could not be found...Then Decius thought what he
should do with them and, as our Lord would, he enclosed the mouth of
the cave wherein they were with stones, so that they should die of
hunger and thirst.
Then the ministers and two Christian men,
Theodore
and Rufinus, wrote their martyrdom and laid it subtly among the stones.
And when Decius was dead, and all that generation, 362 years after and
the 30th year of Theodosius the Emperor, when the heresy of them that
denied the resurrection of dead bodies began to grow...God,
merciful and piteous, seeing, would comfort them that were sorrowful
and weeping and give to them hope of the resurrection of the dead,
opened the precious treasure of His pity and raised the aforesaid
martyrs in the following manner:
He put into the will of a burgess of
Ephesus that he
would make in the mountain, which was desert and rough, a stable for
his pastures and herdsmen. And it happened that by chance the masons
that made the said stable opened the cave. And then these holy saints
that were within awoke, and got up and saluted one another and supposed
verily that they had slept but one night only and remembered of the
heaviness that they had the previous day...
Maximian commanded Malchus to go and buy
bread in
the city, and bade him bring more than he did yesterday and also to
enquire and demand what the emperor had commanded to do. And then
Malchus took five shillings and issued out of the cave, and when he saw
the masons and the stones before the cave he began to bless him and was
much amazed. But he thought little on the stones, for he thought about
other things.
Then came he all doubtful to the gates of
the city,
and was totally amazed. For he saw the signs of the cross above the
gate, and then, without tarrying, he went to that other gate of the
city and found there also the sign of the cross thereon, and then he
had great marvel, for upon every gate he saw set up the sign of the
cross, and therewith the city was garnished. And then he blessed
himself and returned to the first gate and knew he had dreamed; and
after he advised and comforted himself and covered his visage and
entered into the city.
And when he came to the sellers of bread
and heard
the men speak of God, yet then was he more abashed and said, 'What is
this that no man durst yesterday name Jesus Christ, and now every man
confesses himself Christian? I trust this is not the city of Ephesus,
for it is all otherwise built. It is some other city. I don't know what
to think.'
And
when he demanded and heard verily that it was
Ephesus, he supposed that he had erred and thought verily to go back
again to his fellows, and then went to them that sold bread. And when
he showed his money, the sellers marvelled and said that one to that
other, that this young man has found some old treasure. And when
Malchus saw them talk together, he doubted not that they would lead him
to the emperors; show it to us, and we shall be fellows with thee and
keep both money and bread, but they held him and said to him, "From
where do you come? For you have found treasure of the old emperors;
show it to us, and we shall be fellows with you and keep it secret."
And Malchus was so afeared that he did
not know what
to say to them for dread. And when they saw that he spoke not, they put
a cord about his neck and drew him through the city unto the middle
thereof...And when Saint Martin, the bishop, and Antipater, the
consul, which were new come into this city, heard of this thing, they
sent for him that they should bring him wisely to them and his money
with him.
And when he was brought to the church he
knew well
he should have been led to the Emperor Decius. And then the bishop and
the consul marvelled of the money and they demanded him where he had
found this treasure unknown. And he answered that he had nothing found
but it was come to him of his kindred and patrimony...And then
said the judge, "How may we believe that this money is come to you from
your friends when it appears from the inscription that it is more than
372 years since it was made and forged and is of the first days of
Decius the emperor and it resembles nothing of our money?"
...And
Malchus said, 'Sir, hereof I am greatly
abashed and no man believes me, for I know well that we fled for fear
of Decius the emperor, and I saw him that yesterday he entered into
this city, if this be the city of Ephesus.'
Then the bishop thought in himself and
said to the
judge that this is a vision that our Lord will have showed this young
man. Then said the young man, 'Follow me, and I will show you my
fellows which are in the mount of Celion, and believe them. This I know
well, that we fled from the face of the Emperor Decius.'
And then they went with him and a great
multitude of
the people of the city with them. And Malchus entered first into the
cave to his fellows and the bishop came next. And there found they
among the stones the letters sealed with two seals of silver. And then
the bishop called them that had come with them and read them before
them all, so that they that heard it were all abashed and marvelled.
And they saw the saints sitting in the cave and their visages like unto
roses flowering, and they, kneeling down, glorified God. And anon the
bishop and the judge sent to Theodosius, the emperor, asking him to
come quickly to see the marvels of our Lord that He had late showed...
And as soon as the blessed saints of our
Lord saw
the emperor come, their visages shone like the sun. And the emperor
entered then and glorified our Lord and embraced them, weeping upon
each of them, and said, 'I see you now like as I should see our Lord
raising Lazarus.'
And then Maximian said to him, 'Believe
us, for
forsooth our Lord has raised us before the day of the great
resurrection. And to the end that you believe firmly the resurrection
of the dead, verily we be raised as you see here, and live. And in
likewise as the child is in the womb of his mother without feeling harm
or hurt, in the same wise we have been living and sleeping in lying
here without feeling anything.'
And when they had said all this they
inclined their
heads to the earth and rendered their spirits at the command of our
Lord Jesus Christ, and so died. Then the emperor arose and fell on
them, weeping strongly, and embraced them and kissed them debonairly.
And then he commanded to make precious sepulchers of gold and silver
and to bury their bodies therein.
That same night they appeared to the
emperor and
said to him that he should allow them to lie on the earth, as they had
lain until the time that our Lord had raised them, until the time that
they should rise again. Then commanded the emperor that the place
should be adorned nobly and richly with precious stones, and all the
bishops that would confess the resurrection should be assoiled. It is
in doubt of that which is said that they slept 362 years, for they were
raised the year of our Lord 478 and Decius reigned but one year and
three months, and that was in the year of our Lord 270, and so they
slept but 208 years.
The story most likely originated with a misunderstanding of
the term
"slept in the Lord" when discussing the discovery of some forgotten
relics. Or it may have been a pious romance written in connection with
controversy about the resurrection of the body. Gradually its heroes
came to be honored as saints.
They are much honored by
the Eastern Church. The cave in which their
bodies were found became a famous place for pilgrimages. Their relics
were conveyed to Marseilles in a large stone coffin, which can still be
seen in Saint Victor's church. Baronius challenged the authenticity of
the story, but retained their feast in the Roman Martyrology. The feast
has been removed from the Roman Calendar (Attwater, Benedictines,
Encyclopedia, Farmer, Husenbeth).
In art, they are seven youths asleep in a cave (Roeder). In
the Museum
Victorium at Rome is a statue representing the Seven Sleepers with
their names. Near Constantine and John are exhibited two clubs; near
Maximian a knotty club; near Malchus and Martinian two axes; near
Serapion a burning torch, and near Danesius (whom others call
Vionysius) a great nail, such as sometimes were used as an instrument
of torture. From this ancient monument some infer that these martyrs
were put to death by various torments. In this group of figures, these
martyrs are represented all as very young, and without beards, which
concurs with ancient martyrologies that say they were boys (Husenbeth).
"The Seven Sleepers were born in the city of
Ephesus. And
when Decius the Emperor came into Ephesus for the persecution of
Christian men he commanded to build up the temples in the middle of the
city, so that all should
come with him to do sacrifice to the idols, and did so seek all the
Christian people and bind them for to make them to do sacrifice, or
else to put them to death; in such
wise that every man was afeared of the pains that he promised, that the
friend forsook his friend, and the son repudiated his father, and the
father the
son. And then in this city were found seven Christian men, that
is to wit, Maxintian, Malchus, Marcian, Denis, John, Serapion and
Constantine [in the East they are Maximilian,
Jamblichus, Martin, John, Dionysius, Constantine and Antoninus, and
there are other lists]. And when they saw this, they had much
sorrow and, because they were the
first in the palace that despised the sacrifices, they hid them in
their houses and were in fastings and in prayers. And then
they were accused before
Decius, and came thither and were found very Christian men. Then
was given them space for to repent them, unto the coming again of
Decius.
In the
meanwhile they expended
their patrimony in alms to the poor people, and assembled themselves
together and took counsel, and went to the mount of Celion and there
ordained to be more secretly and hid themselves a long time. And
one of them administered and served them always; and when he went into
the city he clothed him in the habit of a beggar.
"When Decius
was come again he commanded that they should
be fetched, and then Malchus, which was their servant and ministered to
them meat and drink, returned in great dread to his fellows and told
and showed to them the
great fury and madness of them, and then they were sore afraid...
Suddenly, as God would, they slept, and when it
came on the morn they were sought and
could not be found...Then Decius thought what he should
do with them and, as our
Lord would, he enclosed the mouth of the cave wherein they
were with
stones, to the end that they should die therein for hunger and lack of
meat.
Then the ministers and two Christian men,
Theodore and Rufinus, wrote their martyrdom and laid it subtly among
the stones. And when Decius was dead, and all that generation,
three hundred and sixty-two years after and the thirtieth year of
Theodosius the Emperor, when the heresy of them that denied the
resurrection of dead bodies began to grow. God, merciful and
piteous, seeing, would comfort them that were sorrowful and weeping and
give to them esperance and hope of the resurrection of dead men, and
opened the precious treasure of His pity and raised the foresaid
martyrs in the manner following.
"He put into the will of a burgess of Ephesus
that he would make in that mountain, which was desert and rough, a
stable for his pasturers and herdmen. And it happed that of
adventure the masons that made the said stable opened the cave.
And then these holy saints that were within awoke, and got up and
saluted one another and supposed verily that they had slept but one
night only and remembered of the heaviness that they had the day
before. [Maximian] commanded Malchus to go and buy bread in the city,
and bade him bring more than he did yesterday and also to enquire and
demand what the emperor had commanded to do.
And then Malchus took five
shillings and issued out of the cave, and
when he saw the masons and the stones before the cave he began to bless
him and was much marvelled. But he thought little on the
stones, for he
thought on other things. Then came he all doubtful to the gates
of the city, and was all amarvelled. For he saw the signs
of the cross above the gate, and then, without tarrying, he went to
that other gate of the city and found there also the sign of the cross
thereon, and then he had great marvel, for upon every gate he saw set
up the sign of
the cross, and therewith the city was garnished. And
then he blessed him and returned to the first gate and weened he had
dreamed; and after he advised and
comforted himself and covered his visage and entered into the
city. And when he came to the sellers of bread and heard the men
speak of God, yet then was he more abashed and said, `What is this that
no man durst yesterday name Jesu
Christ, and now every man confesseth him to be
Christian? I trow this
is not the city of Ephesus, for it is all otherwise builded. it
is some other city; I wot not what.' And when he demanded and
heard verily that it was Ephesus he supposed that he
had erred and thought verily to go back again to his fellows, and then
went to them that sold bread. And when he showed his money, the
sellers marvelled and
said that one to that other, that this young man has found some old
treasure.
"And when Maichus saw them talk
together he doubted not that they would lead him to the emperor, and
was sore afeared and prayed them to let him go and keep both money and
bread, but they held him and said to him, `Of whence art
thou? For thou hast found treasure of old emperors; show it
to us, and we shall be fellows with thee and keep it secret.'
"And Malchus was so afeared that he wist not
what to say to them for dread. And when they saw that he spake not they
put a cord about his neck and drew him through the city unto the middle
thereof...And when St Martin, the bishop, and Antipater, the
consul, which were new come into this city, heard of this thing,
they sent for him that they should bring him wisely to them and his
money with him. And when he was brought to the church he
weened well he should have been led to the Emperor
Decius. And then
the bishop and the consul marvelled of the money and they demanded him
where he had found this treasure unknown.
And he answered that he had nothing founden
but it was come to him of his kindred and
patrimony... And then said the judge, `How may
we believe that this money is come to thee of thy friends when it
appeareth in the scripture that it is more than three hundred and
seventy-two years sith it was made and forged and is of the first days
of Decius the emperor and it resembleth nothing of our money?..` And
Malchus said: `Sir, hereof I am greatly abashed and no man believeth
me, for I wot well that we fled for fear of Decius the emperor, and I
saw him that yesterday he entered into this city, if this be the city
of Ephesus.'
Then the bishop thought in himself and said to
the judge
that this is a vision that our Lord will have showed by this young man.
Then said the young man: `Follow ye me, and I will
show you my
fellows which be in the mount of Celion, and believe ye them.
This I know well, that we fled from
the face
of the Emperor Decius.'
And then they went with him
and a great
multitude of the people of the city with them. And Malchus
entered first into the cave to his fellows and the bishop
next after him. And there found they among the stones the letters
sealed with two seals of silver. And then the bishop called them that
were come thither and read them before them all, so that they that
heard it were all abashed and marvelled. And they saw
the saints sitting in the cave and their visages like unto roses
flowering, and they, kneeling down, glorified God. And anon
the bishop and the judge sent to Theodosius, the emperor, praying him
that he would come anon for to see the marvels of our Lord that He had
late showed.
"And as soon as the blessed saints of our Lord saw
the emperor
come, their visages shone like to the sun. And the emperor
entered then and glorified our Lord and embraced them, weeping upon
each of them, and said, `I see you now like as I should see our Lord
raising Lazarus'. And then Maximian said to him, `Believe us, for
forsooth our Lord hath raised us before the day of the great
resurrection. And to the end that thou believe finnly the
resurrection of the dead people, verily we be raised as ye here see,
and live. And in like wise as the child is in the womb of his
mother without feeling harm or hurt, in the same wise we have been
living and sleeping in lying here without feeling of anything.'
And when they had said all this they inclined their
heads to the earth and rendered their spirits at the command of our
Lord Jesus Christ, and so died. Then the
emperor arose and fell on them, weeping strongly, and embraced them and
kissed them debonairly. And then he commanded to make
precious sepulchres of gold and silver and to bury their bodies
therein. And in the same night they appeared to the emperor and
said to him that he should suffer them to lie on the earth, like as
they had lain before till that time that our Lord had raised them, unto
the time that they should rise again. Then commanded the emperor
that the place should be adorned nobly and richly with precious stones,
and all the bishops that would confess the resurrection should be
assoiled. It is in doubt of that which is said that they
slept three hundred and sixty-two years, for they were raised the year
of our Lord four hundred and seventy-eight, and Decius reigned but one
year and three months, and that was in the year of our Lord two hundred
and seventy, and so they slept but two hundred and eight years."
So William Caxton
translated Bd James of Voragine's version of
the famous tale of the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus, which does more
justice to it than any bald
summary. After Baronius first began to question
its truth in the sixteenth century, it was generally put forward as the
explanation of the genesis and rise of the legend that there was a
finding, not of living martyrs, but of their relics at Ephesus under
Theodosius II.
This was quite a good surmise, but there
is no record or rumour of any such finding, and everything points to
the story being a purely imaginative romance, a Christian version of a
well-known theme, looking back to pagan and Jewish legends and forward
to Rip van Winkle; a theme, moreover, found in one "folk" form or
another throughout Europe and Asia.
In the sixth century it was written down
by James of
Sang in the East and St Gregory of Tours in the West, and a cultus of
the mythical saints began to arise and develop. It soon spread
throughout the East, where the Sleepers are generally regarded as
children, and their feast is kept to this day in the Byzantine and
other rites ; the Greek Euchologion has a prayer invoking their aid
against sleeplessness.
In the West they also achieved a wide
popularity:
they are still named in the Roman Martyrology and their feast is
observed in two or three places, as it was in England in earlier times.
There has been much
discussion as to the provenance
of the story
and as to the language in which it first took the shape of a
contribution to hagiography. The theme of the sleeper who
after long years awakes to find the face of the world around him
entirely changed seems to have its roots in the folk-lore of ages. See,
with regard to the tale of Epimenides in particular, H. Demoulin, Epimenide De Crete (1901). The
christianized version must have been in circulation at a relatively
early date. It was the subject of one of the metrical
homilies of James of Sarug who died in 521, and a portion of the prose
legend in Syriac is found in a manuscript at the British
Museum which is assigned to the sixth
century.
St Gregory of Tours in the
same century recounted
the episode of the Seven Sleepers at full length in Latin, Syro quodanz interpretante, which
may only mean that the man who translated it for him was an
oriental. Still B. Krusch in his critical edition of
Gregory's version, printed in the Analecta
Bollandiana, vol. xii, pp. 372-388, inclined to the opinion that
the interpreter was a Syrian, though the narrative itself had first
been compiled in Greek. That the Greek is the oldest is also the view
of the Bollandist Fathers Peeters and Delehaye. lgnazio Guidi,
when he first published the oriental texts, also gave precedence to the
Greek, but from his article in the Encyclopedia
of Religion and Ethics, vol. xi, pp. 426-428, he seems to have
modified his earlier conclusions. A. Allgeier in Oriens Christianus (vols. iv to
vii) argues for the priority of the Syriac; Dom M. Huber somewhat
paradoxically holds that the Latin was the original. Gratitude is,
however, due to Dom Huber for the vast collection of
materials he has brought together in his book Die Wanderlegende von den Siebenschlafern
(1910). See also J. Koch, Die
Siebenschlaferlegende...(1883). For
the legend of the Sleepers in Islam, see Analecta Bollandiana, vol. lxviii
(1950), pp. 245-260. There is a
translation of Gregory of Tours on the subject in Selections from his minor works
(University of Pennsylvania Press, 1949). See E.
Honigmann, Patristic Studies (1953),
pp. 125-168 (Studi e testi 173)
very important.
|
305
St. Hermolaus elderly priest converted Pantaleon Martyr
with Hermippus and Hermocrates. Hermolaus was an elderly priest
who converted St. Pantaleon. Hermippus and Hermocrates were brothers.
Nicomedíæ sancti Hermolái Presbyteri, cujus
doctrína beátus Pantáleon ad fidem
convérsus est; itémque sanctórum Hermíppi
et Hermócratis fratrum, qui, post multas pœnas sibi
illátas, capitáli senténtia, ob
confessiónem Christi, a Maximiáno Imperatóre
puníti sunt.
At Nicomedia, St. Hermolaus, priest, by whose
instructions blessed Pantaleon was converted to the faith. Also,
the Saints Hermippus and Hermocrates, brothers. After many
sufferings borne for the confession of Christ, they were condemned to
death by the same Maximian.
Orthodoxe Kirche: 26. Juli
Katholische Kirche: Hermolaos 27. Juli mit Pantaleon
Hermolaus, Hermippus & Hermacrates MM (RM)
Saint Hermolaus was an
aged priest of Nicomedia. He is the one responsible for the conversion
of the imperial physician, Saint Pantaleon, to the faith. Hermolaus and
the two brothers, Hermippus and Heracrates, were martyred with
Pantaleon (Benedictines).
Hermolaos, Hermippos und
Hermokrates
Orthodoxe Kirche: 26. Juli Katholische Kirche: Hermolaos 27. Juli mit
Pantaleon
Hermolaos, Hermippos und Hermokrates gehörten zu einer kleinen
Schar, die den Anschlag auf die Kirche in Nikomedia überlebt hatte
(vgl. 20.000 Märtyrer). Sie waren Priester und verbargen sich
zwar, predigten aber weiter zu der heidnischen Bevölkerung.
Hermolaos konnte Panteleimon bekehren und wurde mit diesem zusammen
verhaftet. Auch Hermipppos und Hermokrates wurden verhaftet. Sie
weigerten sich, den heidnischen Götzen zu opfern und wiurden
gefoltert. Da ereignete sich ein starkes Erdbeben, das alle
Götzenbilder im Tempel zerstörte. Kaiser Maximian befahl
daraufhin, die drei sofort zu enthaupten .
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St. Felix
Martyr
with Julia and Jucunda
Nolæ, in Campánia, sanctórum Mártyrum
Felícis, Júliæ et Jucúndæ.
At Nola in Campania, the holy martyrs Felix, Julia,
and Jucunda.
Felix, Julia, and Jucunda MM (RM)
The Roman Martyrology erroneously assigns these martyrs to Nola. As to
Saint Felix, the reference may simply be to the date of his
consecration at Nola in southern Italy.
Saints Julia
and Jucunda are in
older manuscripts assigned to Nicomedia in Asia Minor (Benedictines).
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 305
St.
Pantaleon
Nicomedíæ pássio sancti Pantaleónis
médici, qui, pro fide Christi, a Maximiáno
Imperatóre tentus, et equúlei pœna ac lampadárum
exustióne afflíctus, sed inter hæc, Dómino
sibi apparénte, refrigerátus, gládii tandem ictu
martyrium consummávit.
At Nicomedia, the martyrdom of St. Pantaleon, a
physician. For the faith of Christ he was apprehended by Emperor
Maximian, subjected to the torture and burned with torches, during
which torments he was comforted by an apparition of our Lord. He
ended his martyrdom by a stroke of the sword.
(Panteleemon,
Panteleimon); 1/14 Holy
Helpers; from
Nicomedia,
near the Black Sea; the
"Great Martyr and
Wonder-worker"; so
famous a doctor the Emperor chose him
for his own doctor; was a Christian, but bad influence
from pagan court caused him to give up his Christian faith entirely;. A
holy priest named Hermolaos made
him realize what a sin he had committed, Pantaleon listened to him,
detested his sin and joined the Church once more. To make up for what
he had done, he greatly desired to suffer and die for Jesus. In the
meantime, he imitated Our Lord's charity by taking care of poor sick
people without any charge for his medical services.
When the Emperor
Diocletian
began his persecution, Pantaleon at once gave away everything he owned
to the poor. Not long afterwards, he was accused of being a Christian.
He was given the choice of denying his Faith or being put to death. No
torture could force Pantaleon to deny his Faith.
There has been strong devotion in past ages to this Saint. In the East
he is called the "Great Martyr and
Wonder-worker."
 Panteleimon
The Great Martyr and Healer was born in
the city of Nicomedia into the family of the illustrious pagan
Eustorgius, and he was named Pantoleon. His mother St Euboula (March
30) was a Christian. She wanted to raise her son in the Christian
Faith, but she died when the future martyr was just a young child. His
father sent Pantoleon to a pagan school, after which the young man
studied medicine at Nicomedia under the renowned physician Euphrosynus.
Pantoleon came to the attention of the emperor Maximian (284-305), who
wished to appoint him as royal physician when he finished his schooling.
The hieromartyrs Hermolaus, Hermippus and
Hermocrates, survivors of the
massacre of 20,000 Christians in 303 (December 28), were living
secretly in Nicomedia at that time. St Hermolaus saw Pantoleon time and
again when he came to the house where they were hiding. Once, the
priest invited the youth to the house and spoke about the Christian
Faith. After this Pantoleon visited St Hermolaus every day.
One day the saint found a dead child on the
street. He had been bitten
by a great snake, which was still beside the child's body. Pantoleon
began to pray to the Lord Jesus Christ to revive the dead child and to
destroy the venomous reptile. He firmly resolved that if his prayer
were fulfilled, he would become a follower of Christ and receive
Baptism. The child rose up alive, and the snake died before Pantoleon's
eyes.
After this
miracle, Pantoleon was baptized by St Hermolaus with the
name Panteleimon (meaning "all-merciful"). Speaking with Eustorgius, St
Panteleimon prepared him to accept Christianity. When the father saw
how his son healed a blind man by invoking Jesus Christ, he then
believed in Christ and was baptized by St Hermolaus together with the
man whose sight was restored.
After the death of his father, St Panteleimon
dedicated his life to the
suffering, the sick, the unfortunate and the needy. He treated all
those who turned to him without charge, healing them in the name of
Jesus Christ. He visited those held captive in prison. These were
usually Christians, and he healed them of their wounds. In a short
time, reports of the charitable physician spread throughout the city.
Forsaking the other doctors, the inhabitants began to turn only to St
Panteleimon.
The envious doctors told the emperor that St
Panteleimon was healing
Christian prisoners. Maximian urged the saint to refute the charge by
offering sacrifice to idols. St Panteleimon confessed himself a
Christian, and suggested that a sick person, for whom the doctors held
out no hope, should be brought before the emperor. Then the doctors
could invoke their gods, and Panteleimon would pray to his God to heal
the man. A man paralyzed for many years was brought in, and pagan
priests who knew the art of medicine invoked their gods without
success. Then, before the very eyes of the emperor, the saint healed
the paralytic by calling on the name of Jesus Christ. The ferocious
Maximian executed the healed man, and gave St Panteleimon over to
fierce torture.
The Lord appeared to the saint and strengthened
him before his
sufferings. They suspended the Great Martyr Panteleimon from a tree and
scraped him with iron hooks, burned him with fire and then stretched
him on the rack, threw him into a cauldron of boiling tar, and cast him
into the sea with a stone around his neck. Throughout these tortures
the martyr remained unhurt, and denounced the emperor.
At this time the priests Hermolaus, Hermippus
and Hermocrates were
brought before the court of the pagans. All three confessed their faith
in the Savior and were beheaded (July 26).
By order of the emperor they brought the Great
Martyr Panteleimon to
the circus to be devoured by wild beasts. The animals, however, came up
to him and licked his feet. The spectators began to shout, "Great is
the God of the Christians!" The enraged Maximian ordered the soldiers
to stab with the sword anyone who glorified Christ, and to cut off the
head of the Great Martyr Panteleimon.
They led the saint to the place of execution and
tied him to an olive
tree. While the martyr prayed, one of the soldiers struck him with a
sword, but the sword became soft like wax and inflicted no wound. The
saint completed his prayer, and a Voice was heard from Heaven, calling
the passion-bearer by his new name and summoning him to the heavenly
Kingdom.
Hearing the Voice, the soldiers fell down on
their knees before the
holy martyr and begged forgiveness. They refused to continue with the
execution, but St Panteleimon told them to fulfill the emperor's
command, because otherwise they would have no share with him in the
future life. The soldiers tearfully took their leave of the saint with
a kiss.
When the saint was beheaded, the olive tree to
which the saint was tied
became covered with fruit. Many who were present at the execution
believed in Christ. The saint's body was thrown into a fire, but
remained unharmed, and was buried by Christians. St Panteleimon's
servants Laurence, Bassos and Probus witnessed his execution and heard
the Voice from Heaven. They recorded the life, the sufferings and death
of the saint.
Portions of
the holy relics of the Great Martyr Panteleimon were
distributed throughout all the Christian world. His venerable head is
now located at the Russian monastery of St Panteleimon on Mt. Athos.
The veneration of the holy martyr in the Russian
Orthodox Church was
already known in the twelfth century. Prince Izyaslav (in Baptism
Panteleimon), the son of St Mstislav the Great, had an image of St
Panteleimon on his helmet. Through the intercession of the saint he
remained alive during a battle in the year 1151. On the Feast of the
Great Martyr Panteleimon, Russian forces won two naval victories over
the Swedes (in 1714 near Hanhauze and in 1720 near Grenham).
St Panteleimon is venerated in the Orthodox
Church as a mighty saint,
and the protector of soldiers. This aspect of his veneration is derived
from his first name Pantoleon, which means "a lion in everything". His
second name, Panteleimon, given him at Baptism, which means
"all-merciful", is manifest in the veneration of the martyr as a
healer. The connection between these two aspects of the saint is
readily apparent in that soldiers, receiving wounds more frequently
than others, are more in need of a physician-healer. Christians waging
spiritual warfare also have recourse to this saint, asking him to heal
their spiritual wounds.
The holy Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon is
invoked in the Mystery
of Anointing the Sick, at the Blessing of Water, and in the Prayers for
the Sick.
The Feast of the holy Great Martyr and Healer
Panteleimon is the
patronal Feast of the Russian monastery on Athos. The forefeast starts
eight days before the Feast. Each day after Vespers, Moliebens are sung
with Canons in each of the eight tones. Thus, each day has its own
particular Canon. The second day of the Feast is the monastery
feastday. On this day a general Panikhida is served after Vespers in
memory of the founders and benefactors of the monastery, and kollyva
(kutia: wheat or rice boiled with honey) is blessed and distributed.
The verses of the Ninth Ode of the Canon of the
Great Martyr and Healer
Panteleimon from the manuscript of the Athonite service are reprinted
in the "Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate" (1975, No.3, pp. 45-47).
Pantaleon the Physician M (RM) (also known as
Panteleemon,
Panteleimon). Saint Pantaleon is one of the Fourteen Holy
Helpers, known for their efficacious prayer, who are especially
venerated in France and Germany. All of them have highly embroidered
life stories, although they themselves are rather shadowy figures about
whom almost nothing is known for certain. Pantaleon's unreliable vita
may have developed because his name in Greek, means "the
all-compassionate." It is
said that he was a doctor of such skill
that Emperor Maximian, a
great persecutor of Christians employed Pantaleon as the court
physician. He was the son of a pagan father, Eustorgius, and a
Christian mother, Eubula, who raised him as a Christian. In the
fanatically anti-Christian and dissolute court of Maximian, he lost his
faith and nearly his soul with his self-indulgent lifestyle. In
time, however, a fellow-Christian named Hermolaos reminded the doctor
of the faith he had abandoned. From that time Pantaleon's skills were
at the disposal of the poor. The wealth he had gained from his
successful practice was given away.
Other physicians, jealous
of his position at court, saw Pantaleon's
renewed faith as a way of discrediting him at court. When the
persecution of Christians under Emperor Diocletian broke out in
Nicomedia in 303, Pantaleon, Hermolaos, and two other Christians were
arrested. This time Pantaleon refused to reject the faith; instead he
chose death. Vain attempts were made to put him to death in six
different ways--including drowning, fire, and wild beasts--before he
was successfully beheaded amidst a halo of other marvels.
What is probably true is that he was a physician, who
practiced without
payment, and who was martyred under Diocletian, probably at Nicomedia.
He cultus is primarily connected with Bithynia, where Emperor Justinian
rebuilt his church at Nicomedia. Churches are dedicated to him in
Constantinople and Rome. In the East he is known as the Great Martyr
and Wonder Worker. A reputed relic of Pantaleon's blood kept at Ravello
in southern Italy displays the phenomenon of liquefaction on his feast
day, similar to that of Saint Januarius (Attwater, Benedictines,
Bentley, Delaney, Encyclopedia, Farmer, Sheppard)
In art, Saint Pantaleon is a physician holding
a phial of
medicine. At
times he may be depicted (1) healing a sick child; (2) bound with hands
above his head to an olive tree, to which he is nailed, with a sword at
his feet; (3) nail through his hands into his head; (4) pushed off a
rock with a pitchfork; (5) with a stone tied to his neck; (6) killed
with a club; or (7) with a sword and vase or phial (Roeder). Click here
to see an image of the saint by Photios Kontoglou.
Together with Saints
Cosmas and Damian, Pantaleon is the patron of the medical profession
(Bentley). He is invoked against lung disease (Sheppard).
Panteleimon/Pantaleon Orthodoxe
und Katholische Kirche: 27. Juli
Pantaleon wurde in der Verfolgung unter Diokletian um 305
hingerichtet.
Die legendäre Lebensgeschichte aus dem 5. Jahrhundert berichtet,
er sei Leibarzt des Kaisers gewesen und von dem Priester und
Märtyrer Hermolaos bekehrt worden. Er wurde denunziert,
festgenommen und gefoltert. Als er für seine Peiniger betete, habe
ihm Christus vom Himmel den Namen Panteleimon (griech. All-Erbarmer)
gegeben (Nach anderen Berichten wurde er von Hermolaos auf diesen Namen
getauft). Als Panteleimon enthauptet wurde, soll aus seinem Körper
Milch geflossen sein (von der es heute noch an vielen Orten Reliquien
gibt). Panteleimon wird in der Ostkirche als Großmärtyrer
verehrt und zählt zu den Anargyroi, den heiligen Ärzten und
in der Westkirche zu den 14 Nothelfern.
St Pantaleon, Or
Panteleimon, That there was a martyr of this name
(the all-compassionate) there can be little doubt,
but the legends which have come down to us are without any
value. According to them he was the son of a pagan father,
Eustorgius of Nicomedia, brought up in the faith by his Christian
mother, Eubula. He became learned in medicine and was
physician to the Emperor Galerius Maximian at
Nicomedia. For a time he failed under a temptation
which is sometimes more dangerous than the severest trials or fierce
tonnents, bad example, which, if not shunned, insensibly weakens and at
length destroys the strongest virtue. Pantaleon, being
perpetually obsessed by it in a wicked and idolatrous court, and
deceived by often hearing false wisdom of the world applauded, fell
into apostasy. But a zealous Christian, called Herrnolaos, by his
prudent admonitions awakened his conscience to a sense of his guilt,
and brought him again into the Church.
When Diocletian's persecution broke out
at Nicomedia
in 303, he distributed all his possessions among the poor Christians,
and was shortly after denounced to the authorities by some jealous
fellow-physicians; he was arrested together with Hermolaos and two
others. The emperor wished to
save him and urged him to apostatize, but Pantaleon refused, and
miraculously cured a paralytic as a sign of the truth of the
faith. After suffering many torments they were all condemned to
lose their heads, but St Pantaleon suffered the day after the
rest. He was subjected to six different attempts to kill
him, by burning, liquid lead, drowning, wild beasts, the wheel, and the
sword; all of these, with the help of the Lord under the appearance of
Herniolaos, he frustrated, till at length he permitted himself to be
beheaded: there poured from his severed veins milk instead of blood,
and the olive tree to which he was bound sprang into fruit.
St Pantaleon is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers and
is honoured
in the East. as the" Great Martyr and Wonder-worker" and one of the
Holy Moneyless One who
treated the sick without payment.
In the past he has been almost as famous in the West.
Alleged
relics of his blood are preserved at Constantinople, Madrid and
Ravello, and these are said to liquefy on his feast-day exactly as does
that of St Januarius at Naples.
In spite of the extravagant
legends of the saint
which exist
both in Latin and in Greek in many redactions (see BHL, 6429-6448, and
BHG., 1413-1418) his early cultus is
well attested and seems to be predominantly connected with Nicomedia
and Bithynia. See Delehaye, La
Origines des Cult. des Martyrs, p. 189, etc. That the
wildly fabulous story of St Pantaleon was in early circulation is
proved by the fact that a translation of it into Syriac exists at the
British Museum in a manuscript which is dated sixth century (Addit.,
12,142). At the same time the Syrians wanted to have a Pantaleon
of their own; so they borrowed many features of his legend and bestowed
them upon a fictitious creation called Asia (the word means
"physician"), making him a resident of Antioch, in which city also he
is
represented as ending his days. See the Analecta Bollandiana, vol. xxxviii
(1920), p. 408. For a present-day account of the liquefaction of
the blood of St Pantaleon at Ravello see Ian Grant, rite Testimony of Blood (1929), pp.
17-44; J. H. Newman, when a newly-ordained priest, wrote about the
phenomenon to Henry Wilberforce from Naples in August 1846 .
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532
St. Ecclesius great
compassion Bishop of Ravenna, Italy. He served the see from 521 until
his death,
building San Vitale there, and is revered because of his great
compassion.
Ecclesius of Ravenna B (AC). As bishop of Ravenna from 521 to 532,
Ecclesius began the building of San Vitale, where there is a figure of
him in mosaic (Benedictines). In art, Ecclesius is an early Christian
bishop holding a basilica (Roeder).
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573 Etherius of
Auxerre B (RM). Bishop of Auxerre, France, from 563 to 573
(Benedictines).
Antisiodóri deposítio beáti Æthérii,
Epíscopi et Confessóris.
At Auxerre, the death of blessed Aetherius, bishop
and confessor.
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Congall of
Iabnallivin Before Congall's death he committed the governance of his
monastery to his beloved disciple, Saint Fegnarnach. He is the titular
patron of a parish on the upper part of Lake Erne, where his feast is a
holy day of obligation (Husenbeth). (AC)
|
Saint Luican the
titular
patron
of Kill-luicain parish in Ireland (Benedictines).
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759 St. Anthusa
Abbess tortured by the Byzantine Emperor Constantine V; Anthusa was originally a
hermitess, becoming abbess of the convent near Constantinople. Because
of her veneration of sacred
images,
Constantinópoli beátæ Anthúsæ
Vírginis, quæ, sub Constantíno Coprónymo, ob
cultum sanctárum Imáginum, verbéribus cæsa
et exsílio relegáta, quiévit in Dómino.
At Constantinople, blessed Anthusa, virgin.
After being scourged and banished by Constantine Copronymus for the
veneration of holy images, she rested in the Lord.
She was arrested by the emperor {Joint rule as junior
emperor with Leo III (his father), Joint rule with Leo IV (his son)
751}, who, as an ardent iconoclast,
opposed such sacramentals. Anthusa was tortured severely until the empress intervened
and secured her release. Saint Anthusa the Confessor
lived at Mantinea, Paphlygonia
in Asia
Minor during the eighth century. Leaving the world at a young age, St
Anthusa lived in asceticism in the mountains in complete solitude. She
received monastic tonsure from the hieromonk Sisinius, and became
abbess of a monastery of ninety nuns.
St Anthusa suffered during the reign of the emperor
Constantine
Copronymos, who demanded that the saint renounce the veneration of holy
icons. St Anthusa was subjected to torture, since she disobeyed the
emperor's order. Among those who witnessed the torture was the
emperor's wife, for whom the saint predicted the birth of a son and
daughter. When St Anthusa's prediction was fulfilled, she was allowed
to return to her convent, where she died in great old age. The daughter
born to the emperor's wife was named Anthusa (April 12).
Having lived a life pleasing to
God, she reposed in 759 and now lives with Him forever. She was buried
in her cell.
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852
St. Natalie husband
Aurelius
martyred for
her Faith with her husband Aurelius.
Córdubæ, in Hispánia, sanctórum
Mártyrum Geórgii Diáconi, Aurélii et
uxóris Natáliæ, Felícis et uxóris
Liliósæ, in persecutióne Arábica.
At Cordova in Spain, during the Arab persecution,
the holy martyrs George, a deacon, Aurelius and his wife Natalia, Felix
and his wife Liliosa.
According to his biography by St.
Eulogius of Toledo, Aurelius was the son of a Moor and a Spanish woman,
and was orphaned as a child. He was secretly raised a Christian by his
aunt during the Moorish persecution of Christians. He married a half
Moorish woman, Sabigotho, who took the name Natalie when he converted
her to Christianity. They were both beheaded for practicing their
religion openly together with George, a monk from Jerusalem whom
Aurelius had befriended.
852 Aurelius, Natalia, And Their Companions, Martyrs
During the eighth century the Christians of Spain, as
elsewhere in the
early stages of Mohammedan domination, were treated tolerantly,
provided they did not make converts from Islam or openly abuse the law
of Mohammed. But after the setting up of the independpnt emirate
at Cordova, the Emirs Abdur Rahman II and Mohammed I carried on a more
positive persecution. Among its victims was St Eulogius of
Toledo, who before he was beheaded in 859 had been assiduous in
fortifying the harassed Christians and in waiting upon the confessors
in prison; he moreover wrote accounts of their lives, sufferings and
deaths, and among others of these martyrs who are today commemorated at
Cordova. The first of them, Aurelius, was the son of a Moor
and of a Spanish woman, people of distinction they both died white he
was yet a boy, confiding him to the care of his mother's sister who
brought him up a Christian. When he grew up he conformed outwardly, so
far as he conscientiously could, to Islam, but continued to practise
his religion in secret and converted his half-Moorish wife, Sabigotho,
who at her baptism took the name of Natalia.
One day this
Aurelius saw a certain Christian merchant, one John, who had been
cruelly beaten for having publicly asserted the falseness of the
Mohammedan religion and its prophet, and who was being led through the
streets on a donkey as a spectacle and an
example. The sight of this confessor moved
Aurelius to compunction, and he began to be ashamed of his own careful
hiding of the fact that he was a Christian ; at the same time he was
much troubled as to what he should do, as he had two small
children. He talked it over with his wife, and together they
consulted St Eulogius, who advised them that, before they made open
avowal of their religion, they should make material provision for their
children and arrange for them, in case their parents were killed, to be
brought up in the faith ; they were, in fact, commended to the care of
Eulogius himself. Their example fired a kinsman of Aurelius,
Felix, who had been brought up a Christian but apostatized to Islam,
although his wife, Liliosa, had remained
faithful. He returned to the Church (thus
automatically making himself liable to death as a renegade), and all
four took to visiting and ministering to the Christian captives,
getting to know, among others, the merchant John and two girls, SS.
Flora and Mary, who were in prison at Seville.
At this time there
had come into Spain a monk called George; he
belonged to the monastery of St Sabas near Jerusalem, and had been
sent, first to Egypt and then to Europe, to beg alms for his
house. When he came to Cordova he met Aurelius,
was received into his house, and they became great friends; it is
recorded of George that he had not washed for twenty-five years, a form
of mortification better thought of in those days than in these.
Flora and Mary duly received the crown of martyrdom, and soon after
appeared in a vision to Aurelius and Natalia, telling them that they
would before long have a like happy fate. Taking this as an
indication of the will of God, Natalia and her friend Liliosa gave
themselves away as Christian women by visiting the churches of Cordova
(there were even then seven of them) with their faces open and
unveiled. They were all arrested, with other Christians,
while assisting at Mass in the house of Aurelius, and the monk George
putting himself forward as one of the rest was taken along
too. They were charged with apostasy from
Islam, but as no such charge could be laid against George who was a
foreigner, he would have been released; but he openly before the court
reviled the name of Mohammed, so he was condemned with the rest.
They were all beheaded before the emir's palace.
The Memorialis sanctorum of St Eulogius
is practically our only source of information. The relevant
matter is quoted in the Acta
Sanctotum, July, vol. vi, but under the heading "Georgii
monachi, Aurelii, etc." Cf.
however, Florez, España Sagrada, vol. x; and Simonet, Historia de los Mozarabes de España, pp. 428 seq. On
St Eulogius,
see March 11.
|
852
deacon George, Aurelius,
Natalia,
Felix & Liliosa had converted to Islam for a time, married the
Christian Liliosa and returned to the faith. Both couples openly
professed their Christianity MM (RM)
These martyrs suffered at Córdova, Spain, under the
Caliph
Abderrahman II. Aurelius, son of a Moor and a Spanish woman, was a
secret Christian as was his half-Moorish wife, Natalia. Aurelius's
relative Felix, who had converted to Islam for a time, married the
Christian Liliosa and returned to the faith. Both couples openly
professed their Christianity, perhaps because the women went about the
city unveiled. They were arrested as apostates from Islam and beheaded.
The deacon George, however, was a monk of Palestine. He was arrested
for having openly spoken against the Prophet. Although he
was offered
pardon because he was a foreigner, he preferred to suffer with the
others (Attwater, Benedictines, Encyclopedia) . |
 916
Saints Clement, Bishop of Ochrid, Equal of the Apostles, Naum, Sava,
Gorazd and Angelar were Slavs, disciples of Sts Cyril and Methodius
(May 11) These Enlighteners of
the Slavs were opposed by German missionaries,
who had the support of the Pope and the patronage of the Moravian
prince Svyatopolk. The struggle centered around the questions of the
need for divine services in Slavonic, the Filioque and Saturday
fasting. Pope Stephen VI prohibited the use of Slavonic in
church. The proponents of the three-tongued heresy (who wanted to
use only Hebrew, Greek, or Latin for Church purposes), after setting
aside the ancestral language of the Slavic peoples, brought the
disciples of St Methodius to trial, including St Clement. They
subjected them to fierce torture: dragging them through thorns, and
holding them in prison for a long time, just as they had done with
their spiritual Father, St Methodius.
Nahum_of_Ochrid
Orthodoxe Kirche: 27.
Juli
Katholische Kirche: 17. Juli (Clemens von Bulgarien und Sieben Apostel
Bulgariens)
At first they lived as
ascetics in Moravia, where St Gorazd succeded St
Methodius as bishop. He was fluent in Slavonic, Greek and Latin. Sts
Clement, Naum, Angelar and Sava were priests. These Enlighteners
of the Slavs were opposed by German missionaries, who had the support
of the Pope and the patronage of the Moravian prince Svyatopolk. The
struggle centered around the questions of the need for divine services
in Slavonic, the Filioque and Saturday fasting. Pope Stephen VI
prohibited the use of Slavonic in church. The proponents of the
three-tongued heresy (who wanted to use only Hebrew, Greek, or Latin
for Church purposes), after setting aside the ancestral language of the
Slavic peoples, brought the disciples of St Methodius to trial,
including St Clement. They subjected them to fierce torture: dragging
them through thorns, and holding them in prison for a long time, just
as they had done with their spiritual Father, St Methodius.
In 886, some of the prisoners were sold to slave-traders,
and ended up
in the Venice marketplace. The ambassador of the Byzantine Emperor
Basil the Macedonian went to Venice, ransomed the saints and brought
them to Constantinople. The older confessors were banished. It is not
known where St Gorazd went, nor where St Sava found shelter. Naum and
Angelar went to Bulgaria.
In 907 Moravia collapsed under the onslaught of the Magyars,
and
Moravian refugees escaped along those same paths followed earlier by
the saints they had exiled.
The Bulgarians received the Slavonic confessors with respect
and
requested them to conduct divine services in the Slavonic language. The
Bulgarian prince Boris sought out such people as the disciples of St
Methodius, who labored for the enlightenment of his nation. The saints
immediately began to study Slavonic books collected by the Bulgarian
nobles.
St Angelar soon died, and St Clement received the
appointment to teach
at Kutmichivitsa, a region in southwest Macedonia. In the Eastern
Church a worthy man was chosen to be a teacher, someone known for his
devout life, and possessed with a gift of words. St Clement was a
teacher while he was still in Moravia. In Bulgaria, St Clement worked
as an instructor until 893. He organized a school at the princely
court, which attained high esteem during the reign of Simeon. In
southwest Macedonia he created separate schools for adults and for
children.
St Clement instructed the children in reading and in
writing. The total
number of his students was enormous. Those chosen and accepted for the
clergy amounted to 3500 men. In the year 893, St Clement became Bishop
of Dremvitsa, or Velitsa, and St Naum took his place. St Clement was the first Bulgarian hierarch
to serve, preach and write in the Slavonic language. To this end
he systematically prepared clergy from among the Slavic people. The
holy bishop labored for the glory of God into his old age. When his
strength failed, and he was unable to fulfill his responsibilities in
the cathedral, he asked Tsar Simeon to let him retire. The Tsar urged
the saint not to forsake the cathedral, and St Clement agreed to
continue his episcopal service. After this he went to Ochrid, to a
monastery he founded. There the saint continued with his translation
activities and translated important parts of the PENTEKOSTARION.
Soon the saint became
seriously ill and departed to the Lord in the
year 916. The saint's body was placed in a coffin he made with his own
hands, and was buried in Ochrid's St Panteleimon monastery.
St Clement is considered the first Slavonic author. He not
only
continued the translation work begun by Sts Cyril and Methodius, but
also left behind works of his own composition, the first samples of
Slavonic spiritual literature. Many of the lessons and sermons of
St Clement were brought to Russia, where they were read and lovingly
copied by pious Russian Christians.
The relics of Sts Gorazd
and
Angelar rest near Berat in Albania, and St Naum's relics are in the
monastery bearing his name, near Lake Ochrid. St Clement is also
commemorated on November 25.
Clemens von Bulgarien, Angelarius, Gorazd, Nahum und Sabas
Orthodoxe Kirche: 27. Juli Katholische Kirche: 17. Juli (Clemens
von Bulgarien und Sieben Apostel Bulgariens)
Zu den sieben Aposteln
Bulgariens gehören auch Cyrillus und
Methodius. Clemens, Angelarius, Gorazd, Nahum und Sabas waren ihre
Schüler.
Gorazd wurde nach dem Tod
des Methodius sein Nachfolger als Bischof von
Mähren. Clemens, Angelarius, Nahum und Sabas waren
Kirchenälteste. Der Streit um Slawisch als Kirchensprache und
andere orthodoxe Traditionen spitzte sich nach dem Tod des Methodius
zu; die Liturgie in slawischer Sprache wurde verboten. Über den
Verbleib von Gorazd und Sabas in den Auseinandersetzungen ist nichts
bekannt.
ClemensClemens wurde wie
viele andere Anhänger der orthodoxen
Richtung gefangengesetzt und als Sklave nach Venedig gebracht. Hier
kaufte ihn der Legat von Konstantinopel frei und Clemes gelangte ebenso
wie Angelarius und Nahum nach Bulgarien. Hier wurden sie freundlich
empfangen und gebeten, Gottesdienste in slawischer Sprache zu halten.
Angelarius starb bald darauf. Clemens wirkte vor allem als Lehrer,
Literat und Übersetzer. Er errichtete Schulen für Kinder und
Erwachsene und auch ein Priesterseminar, in dem er 3.500 Männer
ausbildete. Mit Nahum zusammen gründete er auch die glagolitische
literarische Schule und das Panteleimon-Kloster in Ohrid. Clemens gilt
als der erste slawische Autor, der neben Übersetzungen auch eigene
Werke in slawischer Sprache verfaßte. 893 wurde er Bischof von
Velitsa (oder Dremvitsa) und Nahum übernahm die Ausbildung der
Geistlichen. Clemens starb am 17.7.916 in seinem Kloster bei Ohrid
(Makedonien) .
|
1142 Blessed
Berthold
of
Garsten Berthold;
particularly
interesting in view of
the period that Berthold's zeal manifested itself especially in hearing
confessions, both of his own religious and of lay people; led the ordinary life of a monk, dividing
time between prayer,study, and work of the house ; but this life is
designed to be a means of sanctity, by it Berthold became a saint: in
secret he led a life of great penitence, he never ate meat or fish, and
spent hours of his short night in private prayer. People came
from far and wide to hear him preach and to ask his blessing; , OSB
Abbot (AC)
Born in Constance; Scion of the family of the counts of Bogen, Berthold
did as he was expected and married. At the age of 30 he was widowed and
immediately joined the Benedictines of Blasien Abbey in the Black
Forest. There he rose to the position of prior. He was then called to
be prior of Göttweig in Austria, and finally abbot of Garsten in
Styria, where he founded a hospice for the poor. He was known for his
excellence as a confessor (Benedictines). In art, Berthold is a
Benedictine abbot carrying fish and bread. Sometimes there is an angel
near him holding fish on a plate or fishes come to him (Roeder). He is
venerated in Constance, Saint Blasien (Schwärzwald, Germany), and
Göttweig (Austria) (Roeder).
Berthold was born about the year 1090 on the shores of Lake
Constance. His wife dying when he was some thirty years old, he
became a monk at Sankt Blasien and was promoted to be prior of
Goettweig in the Black Forest. Ottokar, Margrave of Styria, had some
years previously founded a house of secular canons at Steyer-Garsten,
but the institution had not come up to his expectations and fulfilled
his intentions, so he determined to dismiss the canons and people the
house with Benedictines. This he did about 1111, and put at
their head Bd Berthold, who at once established a rigorous discipline,
and the reputation of the abbot and his monks soon made the monastery a
place of pilgrimage. To shelter and entertain them Berthold built
a hospice and added thereto a hospital for the benefit of the sick poor
of the whole neighbourhood as well as of
travellers. These charities, and the succour of
the numerous indigent folk who asked for help, were a great strain on
the resources of the monastery, but on seven! occasions it appeared
that God had intervened to supply their needs miraculously.
Berthold led the ordinary life of a monk,
dividing his time between prayer and study and the work of the house ;
but this life is designed to be a means of sanctity, and by it Berthold
became a saint: in secret he led a life of great penitence, he never
ate meat or fish, and spent hours of his short night in private
prayer. People came from far and wide to hear him preach and to
ask his blessing; and it is particularly interesting to note, in view
of the period at which he lived, that Berthold's zeal manifested itself
especially in hearing confessions, both of his own religious and of lay
people.
The full life of Bd Berthold
which we possess was written about
twenty years after his death, and has been printed with much
illustrative matter in the Acta
Sanctorum, July, vol. vi .
|
1227 Blessed Conrad
of Ottobeuren, OSB Abbot (PC). Conrad was abbot of Ottobeuren Abbey in
Bavaria from 1193 until his death. He is described as a "lover of the
brethren and of the poor" (Benedictines).
|
1247
St. Theobald of Marly Cistercian
abbot took the Cistercian habit at Vaux-de-Cernay in 1220, and was
chosen abbot in 1235. He lived in the midst of his brethren as
the servant of every one, and surpassed all others in his love of
poverty, silence and prayer. He was known to and much venerated
by St Louis. Theobald died on December 8, 1247, but the Cistercians
observe his feast on July 27.
1247
St. Theobald of Marly Cistercian
abbot monk, by his virtue the great ornament of the
illustrious family of Montmorency in France, born in the castle of
Many. His father, Bouchard de Montmorency, gave him an education
suitable to his birth, trained him for arms, and sent him for a time to
the court of King Philip Augustus II. But Theobald
manifested a strong inclination to a state of retirement he spent
a great part of his time in prayer, and resorted often to the church of
the nunnery called Port Royal, which had been founded in 1204 by the
wife of Matthew de Montmorency, and on which his father Bouchard had
bestowed so many estates that he was regarded as a second
founder. Theobald took the Cistercian habit at
Vaux-de-Cernay in 1220, and was chosen abbot in 1235. He lived in
the midst of his brethren as the servant of every one, and surpassed
all others in his love of poverty, silence and prayer. He was
known to and much venerated by St
Louis. Theobald died on December 8, 1247, but the Cistercians
observe his feast on July 27.
We do not know very much
about Theobald of Many, but
some biographical material has been printed by André Duchesne in
his Historiae Francorum Scriptore:,
vol. v, pp. 406-407. See also Lenain, Histoire de C'iteaux, vol. ix, and
especially G. Muller's article "Der bl. Theobald, Abt von Vaux de
Cennay", in Cistercienser-Chronik,
vol. xv (1903), pp. 321-336 .
Cistercian abbot. The son of Buchard of Montmorency, he was
born in
Marly Castle, France, and was raised as a knight at the court of King
Philip II Augustus of France (r. 1180-1223). Undergoing a personal
conversion, he left the court, gave up his worldly ambitions, and
entered the Cistercian abbey of Vaux-de-Cernay in 1220. He became prior
in 1230 and abbot in 1235.
Theobald of Marly, OSB Cist. Abbot (AC) (also known as Thibaut) Born at
Marly Castle, Montmorency, France; died December 8, 1247. Saint
Theobald, son of Bouchard of Montmorency, was trained to take up the
profession of arms, although he had always displayed an inclination to
a life of prayer. Nevertheless, he was a distinguished knight at the
court of King Philip Augustus II, even while he resorted frequently to
the convent church of Port-Royal. He abandoned his worldly goods in
order to enter the Cistercian monastery of Vaux-de-Cernay in 1220. He
was highly esteemed by King Saint Louis of France, as well as his
brothers in religion who elected him prior in 1230 and abbot in 1235.
Even as abbot he lived in the midst of his brethren as the servant of
every one, and surpassed all others in his love of poverty, silence,
and holy prayer. Theobald's shrine at Vaux-de- Cernay is visited by
many people on Whitsundays. His solemn feast is kept there July 8 and
in some places on July 9, which is probably the day on which his relics
were first translated (Benedictines, Husenbeth, Walsh). In art, Saint
Theobald is a knight bearing the arms of Thann. He may, at times, wear
armor under his Cistercian habit with his miter at his feet (Roeder).
He is venerated in Thann (Alsace) and Hemel Hempstead (Roeder).
|
1280
Blessed Nevolo of
Faenza; He married and led a frivolous life until at the age of 24 he
experienced a complete conversion. He became the first Franciscan
tertiary and later enter the Camaldolese monastery at San Maglorio at
Faenza as a lay-brother (Benedictines). OSB Cam.
Hermit
(AC) Cultus approved in 1817. Nevolo was a shoemaker by trade.
|
1350 Blessed Lucy
Bufalari, OSA V (AC) Born at Castel Porziano, near Rome, Italy; cultus
confirmed in 1832. Lucy, the sister of Blessed John of Rieti, became an
Augustinian nun at Amelia. Later she was prioress. She is invoked
against diabolical possession (Benedictines).
1350 Blessed Lucy Bufalari was born
at Castel Ponziano in Umbria, and was a sister of Bd John of
Rieti. Like her brother, she joined the order of the Hermits of
St Augustine (Augustinian Friars), and she became prioress of the
convent of Amelia. She practised the most severe
mortifications and displayed heroic virtues in the service of God in
the cloister. After her death she was invoked by the people, and
her cult was confirmed in 1832.
See Lupidi, Mentorie
storiche riguardanti la B. Lucia Bufalari 1938
&Seeböck, Herrlichkeit der
Katholischen Kirche (1900)
|
1392 Blessed Nicholas
Konchanov, Novgorod Fool-for-Christ ; The Lord glorified Blessed
Nicholas with the gift of miracles and clairvoyance.
Born at Novgorod into a rich and illustrious family. From
his youthful
years he loved piety, he went to church faithfully, and loved fasting
and prayer. Seeing his virtuous life, people began to praise him.
Blessed Nicholas, disdaining glory from men, began the difficult
exploit of folly for the Lord's sake. He ran about the city in the
bitter cold dressed in rags, enduring beatings, insults and mockery.
Blessed Nicholas and another Novgorod fool, Blessed Theodore (January
19), pretended to be irreconcilable foes, and graphically demonstrated
to the people of Novgorod the pernicious character of their internecine
strife.
Once, having overcome his sham opponent, Blessed Nicholas
went along
the Volkhov as if on dry land, and threw a head of cabbage at Blessed
Theodore, therefore he was called "Konchanov" (i.e. "cabbage-head").
The Lord glorified Blessed Nicholas with the gift of miracles and
clairvoyance.
Once, after being turned away by
servants from a feast to which he had been invited, he left.
Immediately, the wine disappeared from the barrel. Only upon the return
of the fool, and through his prayer, did it reappear again. When he
died, Blessed Nicholas was buried at the end of the cemetery by the
Yakovlev cathedral.
The relics of Blessed Nicholas
rest under a crypt in the church of the Great Martyr Panteleimon which
was built over his grave.
|
1557
Engel de Merel
{Angelus Merula} Catholic priest and freethinker,supported the
Reformation imprisoned around 1550 for criticizing the Catholic
church. He studied the Bible in the original text and represented
the view that
not human efforts, but God's mercy save the person and not efforts save
the person.
Evangelische Kirche: 27. Juli
Angelus Merula In the 16th century, the Roman Catholic Church movement
was being influenced by declining ritual practices. This resulted in
iconoclasm in Brielle and finally, in the Reformation. In the
year 1482, Engel de Merel, or ‘Angelus Merula’ (as is known in Latin)
was born in Brielle. In 1532 he was nominated for pastor in the small
town of Heenvliet, approximately 7 km east of Brielle. Angelus Merula
supported the Reformation. Meetings of the reformatory people had
already been tolerated by the authorities for several years. On the
contrary, the inquisition, the ‘secret police’ of the Roman Catholic
Church fought the heretics pitilessly. In 1557 Angelus Merula met with
his death by fire on the stake. He bequeathed his home (near the Sint
Catharijne - church) in the town of Brielle as an orphanage.
Angelus Merula wurde um 1482 in Briel geboren. Nach der Ausbildung zum
Priester wirkte er als Notar in seiner Heimatstadt. 1530 wurde er
Pfarrer in Heenvliet in Geldern. Er studierte die Bibel im Urtext und
vertrat die Auffassung, daß nicht menschliche Verdienste, sondern
Gottes Gnade und Barmherzigkeit den Menschen retteten. 1552 wurde er
von der Inquisition verhaftet. Angelus Merula was born around 1482 in
Briel. After the education in the priest he worked as a notary public
in his hometown. He became 1530 priest in Heenvliet in Geldern. He
studied the Bible in the original text and represented the view that
human efforts, but God's mercy and efforts did not save the person.
1552 he was arrested by the inquisition. Zwar fanden sich kaum
Widersprüche zur katholischen Lehre, dennoch wurde Merula
aufgefordert, zu widerrufen. Da er sich mehr als ein Jahr lang
weigerte, sollte er im September 1554 hingerichtet werden. Indeed,
contradictions were barely found to the Catholic apprenticeship, Merula
was still asked to recant. Because he refused during more than 1 year,
he should be executed in September, 1554
Zahlreiche Menschen aus Geldern strömten zusammen um ihn notfalls
mit Gewalt zu befreien. Die Glaubensrichter verkündeten daraufhin,
Merula habe widerrufen und sei zu lebenslanger Haft verurteilt worden.
Nachdem er in Vergessenheit geraten war, wurde er 1557 zum Feuertod
verurteilt. Unmittelbar vor der Hinrichtung starb er am 26.7.1557 an
einem Schlaganfall.
Numerous people from Geldern flowed out together around him if
necessary by force to release. As a result the religious judges
announced, Merula has recanted and has been condemned to lifelong
custody. After he had fallen into oblivion, he was condemned 1557 to
the death by fire. Immediately before the execution he died on
26.7.1557 of a stroke .
|
1583
Bl. Rudolf
Acquaviva Jesuit martyr sent to India, going to the court of Mogul
Akbar near Agra. He became superior of the Salsette mission. Rudolf was
martyred at Salsette, near Goa, by Hindus, with four companions,
including Alfonso Pacheco
Born at Atri, Portugal in 1550, he was the nephew of
Claudius
Acquaviva, the fifth master general of the Jesuits, and he followed his
uncle into the Society of Jesus. In 1549, he was sent to India, going
to the court of Mogul Akbar near Agra. He became superior of the
Salsette mission. Rudolf was martyred at Salsette, near Goa, by Hindus,
with four companions, including Alfonso Pacheco.
1583 Bl.
Rudolf Aquaviva and
Companions These five martyrs of the Society
of Jesus were Rudolf Aquaviva, Alfonso Pacheco, Pirrea Berno, Antony
Francisco, Priests, And Francis Aranha, temporal coadjutor.
Father Aquaviva was son of the Duke of Atri, related to the family of St Aloysius Gonzaga, and nephew of
Claud Aquaviva, the fifth general of the Jesuits. He was
admitted at the age of eighteen, in 1568, and after being ordained
priest at Lisbon was sent to Goa, in India. In 1579 a request was
received from the Great Mogul Akbar that missionaries should be sent to
his court at
Fatehpur Sikri, near Agra. Father Aquaviva, a
man "of very
sweet and simple disposition...perpetually conscious of God", was
one of the two chosen for this mission, and he spent till 1583 in
strenuous efforts to convert Akbar and his subjects; he had no success,
and in that year was recalled to be put in charge of the Salsette
mission, north of Bombay.
Father Pacheco, a Castilian, and
Father Berno,
a Swiss, accompanied two punitive expeditions of the Portuguese against
the village of Cuncolim; on these occasions they were both conspicuous
for their energy in the destruction of Hindu sacred
buildings, and no doubt the
people made a note of it. Father Francisco was
Italian; Brother Aranha was the mission architect at Goa and at his
death had been twenty-three years in India.
These five Jesuits,
then, were all in the district of Salsette,
and they determined together to make a "frontal attack" on Cuncolim,
which was the heart of Hindu opposition in that mission. On July
15, 1583, they met at Orlim and, together with other Christians, set
out for Cuncolim,
intending to choose there a piece of ground for a church and to plant a
cross thereon. On their arrival the notables of
the village hurriedly took counsel, and then approached the
missionaries with an armed force. A Portuguese
layman, Rodriguez, would have fired on them, but he was stopped by
Father Pacheco with the words, "We are not here to fight ".
The villagers then fell on the party. Bd Rudolf
and Ed Alfonso
were killed praying for their murderers, and the other two priests were
likewise slain outright. The coadjutor, Ed Francis,
left for dead, but found living the next day; he was given the chance
to venerate an idol, and on refusing was tied to a tree and shot
through with arrows.
There were put to death at the same time Goacalo Rodriguez and
fourteen Indian Christians, two of whom were lads.
There is now no means
of judging the reasons
on account of which these fifteen were omitted from the cause of the
martyrs by Mgr Menezes, Archbishop of Goa, in 1600 but, from what is
known of the methods of that prelate, they would probably be found
unconvincing today. Even the
cause of the five Jesuits was
subjected to long
delay. The promoter of the faith raised the doubt that the
destroying of Hindu pagodas and other aggressive acts had brought about
what was in effect a state of war which, rather than hatred of the
faith, involved the massacre. It was not till
1741 that Pope Benedict XIV
declared the martyrdom proved, and even then the formal
beatification did not take place till 1893 .
The
best popular account of the Martyrs of Salsette is that
written in German by Father H. Gruber, Der selige Rudolf Aquaviva und seine
Gefahrten Les BB. martyrs de
Salsette (1893),
and in English F. Goldie, The First
Chritian Mission to the Great Mogul (1897), and J. S. Naraysn, Aquaviva and the Great Mogul (Patna,
1946). From the point of view of secular history valuable sidelights
may be obtained from Sir Edward Maclagan's article in the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal (vol.
Ixv) on "Jesuit Missions to the Emperor Akbar", and from C. H. Payne's Akbar and the Jesuits
(1926) (1894); but see also P. Suau.1583
Bl. Rudolf
Aquaviva and
Companions
Blessed Aquaviva and his Companions were Jesuit priests. He
was the son
of the Duke of Atri, related to the family of St. Aloysius
Gonzaga,
and nephew of Claud Aquaviva, the fifth general of the Jesuits. He was
admitted at the age of eighteen, in 1568, and after being ordained
priest at Lisbon was sent to Goa, in India.
Father Aquaviva was one of the two chosen for the mission at
Fatehpur
Sikri, near Agra, and he worked till 1583 in strenuous efforts to
convert Akbar and his subjects, but had no success. He was then put in
charge of the Salsette mission, north of Bombay.
He and four
companions, Father Pacheco,
Father Berno,
Father
Francisco and Brother Aranha, together with other Christians, set out
for Cuncolim, the heart of Hindu opposition in that mission, intending
to choose there a piece of ground for a church and to plant a cross
thereon. They were met with armed force by the villagers. Blessed
Rudolf and Blessed Alfonso were killed praying for their murderers, and
the other two priests were likewise slain outright. Blessed Francis was
left for dead, but found living the next day; he was given a chance to
venerate an idol, and on refusing was tied to a tree and shot with
arrows. It was not till 1741 that Pope Benedict XIV declared the
martyrdom proved, and even then the formal beatification did not take
place till 1893.
Blessed Rudolph Acquaviva, & Four Comps.,
SJ MM (AC) Born at
Atri in 1550; died near Goa, India, July 25, 1583; beatified in 1893.
Rudolph was the nephew of Claudio Acquaviva, the fifth general of the
Society of Jesus. Under the influence of his uncle, he too became a
Jesuit and went to the society's mission in the East Indies. He was
martyred on the peninsula of Salsette with four companions
(Benedictines) .
|
1737 Blessed
Mary
Magdalen Martinengo, OFM Cap. V (AC) Born in Brescia, Italy; beatified
in 1900. Mary Magdalen took the veil at the Capuchin convent in
Brescia. She filled the post of novice mistress and prioress with
marked success (Benedictines).
Blessed
Mary
Magdalen Martinengo, was born into a noble family at Brescia in
northern Italy in 1687. At five months old she lost her mother,
and her child-hood showed a considerable precocity of
religious devotion,
self-inflicted mortifications and spiritual, or psychological,
disturbances. Her determination "to imitate everything in the
lives of the saints", though heroic, could hardly be called a wise
programme at any age. When she was eighteen Mary
Martinengo joined the Capuchinesses of Santa Maria delta Neve in her
native town. She was professed in 1706, and her
responsibilities varied between novice-mistress (three times) and
portress; in 1732 and again in 1736 she was superior of the convent,
and was admirable in alt these offices. Her humility and
selfless love of God were adorned with the divine recognition of
unusual mystical experiences and the gift of miracles; she had a
particular personal devotion towards our Lord's sufferings from the
crown of thorns, and after her death a fillet of sharp points was found
bound about her own brow.
This was the simplest and most "ordinary" of Bd
Mary's
practices, which to detail, would not necessarily tend to edification;
not without reason has a Benedictine written that to many they might
seem like " the feats of a fakir". But they were so many
withesses to her love for the crucified Redeemer who had suffered so
much for her, "for everybody to love whom with one single heart is too
little, much too little". And all this was joined with
capability as novice-mistress and abbess, with a love of silence, with
a quiet sweetness of speech. Bd Mary Magdalen died in 1737, in
her fiftieth year, and was beatified in 1900.
Several biographies, mostly
based upon the, documents
of the
cause, were published about the time of Bd Mary's beatification,
notably that by Fr Ladislaus of Vannes in French (1901). Others,
in Italian, were by Fr Ludovic of Leghorn (1899), Fr Antonino of
Bergamo (1900), and Fr Siato of Pisa (1900) .
|
1752 Blessed
Antonio
Lucci; attended the local school run by the Conventual Franciscans and
joined them at the age of 16. Antonio completed his studies for the
priesthood in Assisi, where he was ordained in 1705. Further studies
led to a doctorate in theology and appointments as a teacher in Agnone,
Ravello and Naples. He also served as guardian in Naples; bishop
of
Bovino
Antonio studied with and was a friend of St. Francesco Antonio Fasani,
who after Antonio Lucci’s death testified at the diocesan hearings
regarding the holiness of Lucci.
Born 1682 in Agnone in southern Italy,
a city famous for manufacturing bells and copper crafts, he was given
the name Angelo at Baptism. He
attended the local school run by the Conventual Franciscans and joined
them at the age of 16. Antonio completed his studies for the priesthood
in Assisi, where he was ordained in 1705. Further studies led to a
doctorate in theology and appointments as a teacher in Agnone, Ravello
and Naples. He also served as guardian in Naples.
Elected minister provincial in 1718, the following
year he was
appointed professor at St. Bonaventure College in Rome, a position he
held until Pope Benedict XIII chose him as bishop of Bovino (near
Foggia) in 1729. The pope explained, "I have chosen as bishop of Bovino
an eminent theologian and a great saint."
His 23 years as bishop were marked by visits to local
parishes
and a renewal of gospel living among the people of his diocese. He
dedicated his episcopal income to works of education and charity.
At
the urging of the Conventual minister general, Bishop Lucci wrote a
major book about the saints and blesseds in the first
200 years of the Conventual Franciscans.
He was beatified in 1989,
three years after his friend Francesco
Antonio Fasani was canonized.
Comment: As Pope Paul
VI wrote in 1975, people today
"are more
impressed
by witnesses than by teachers, and if they listen to these it is
because they also bear witness" (Evangelization in the Modern World,
#41).
Quote: When Francis of
Assisi learned that Anthony of Padua was
teaching theology to the friars in Bologna, Francis wrote: "It pleases
me that you teach sacred theology to the brothers, as long as—in the
words of the Rule—you do not extinguish the spirit of prayer and
devotion with study of this kind."
|
1836
St. Bartholomea
Capitanjo Foundress of the Italian Sisters of Charity of Lovere
with St.
Vincenzia Gerosa. She was born in 1807.Young, she was the guiding light
of the congregation. The Sisters of Charity of Lovere was approved in
1840.
|
1878 Gustav Knak
Nach
dem Studium der Theologie wirkte er zunächst als Lehrer, dann ab
1834 als Pastor in Wusterwitz
Evangelische Kirche: 27. Juli
One of the profoundest spiritual thoughts is expressed by Gustav Knak’s
song of the heart which Mennonite Brethren have sung for generations:
O that my heart an altar
were of incense and of praise, Where thanks
and honor to the Lamb my soul might ever raise!
The knowledge of this Lamb sublime has banished doubts away,
Because my faith is placed in Him, I fear no Judgment Day.
The debt of
sin has now been paid, Tis covered by the blood!
And God has no remembrance made since came the cleansing
flood!
My heart is glad, I now rejoice, To find such peaceful ways!
Thus ever
shall I lift my voice in my Redeemer’s praise! Worship Hymnal
(Fresno: Board of Christian Literature, General Conference of the
Mennonite Brethren Churches, 1979), No. 345.
Gustav Knak wurde am 12.7.1806 in Berlin geboren. Nach dem Studium der
Theologie wirkte er zunächst als Lehrer, dann ab 1834 als Pastor
in Wusterwitz (Vorpommern). Knak verkündete seiner Gemeinde, sie
brauche den heiligen Geist und um die nötige Vergebung zu
erlangen, müsse jeder seine Sünden erkennen und bekennen. Er
führte das Beichtgespräch wieder ein und hielt
Erbauungsstunden. Die Wusterwitzer Missionsfeste trugen die Erweckung
weiter. Auf diesen Festen waren die Wirkungen des Heiligen Geistes und
die Gemeinschaft der Heiligen erlebbar und erfahrbar. Knak wurde auch
zu Veranstaltungen anderer Gemeinden gerufen, zum Beispiel auch von
Volkening. After the study of the theology he worked at first as
a teacher, then from 1834 as a pastor in Wusterwitz (Western
Pomerania). Knak announced to his municipality, she needs to attain the
holy mind and around the necessary forgiveness, must recognize
everybody his sins and know. He introduced the Beichtgespräch
again and held construction hours. The Wusterwitzer mission parties
carried the arousal further. At these parties the effects of the holy
mind and the community of the saints were experienceable and learnable.
Knak was also called to arrangements of other municipalities, for
example, also from Volkening. Aus dieser Tätigkeit
entstanden seine Lieder Laßt mich gehn, daß ich Jesum
möge sehn und Zieht in Frieden eure Pfade (EG 258). Um den
Menschen, die in der Natur Gott begegnen wollten, zu helfen, gab er den
'Reisepsalter' heraus. From this activity there originated his songs
letting me gehn that I Jesum may sees and Pulling in peace your paths
(the EC 258). To help the people who wanted to meet in the nature God,
he published the 'travel psalter'. 1850 wurde er als Nachfolger
Goßners an die Berliner Bethlehemkirche berufen. Er war einer der
führenden Erweckungsprediger. Der christlich-sozialen Bewegung
unter Stoecker schloß er sich zwar nicht an, weil er das
Evangelium nicht mit Politik vermengen wollte, begleitete aber diese
Arbeit mit seiner Fürbitte. In 1850 he was appointed as successor
Gossners to the Berlin Bethlehem church. He was one of the leading
arousal preachers. Indeed, of the Christian-social movement under
jailer he did not join because he did not want to mix the Gospel with
policy, however, this work with his Fürbitte accompanied.
Knak starb am 27.7.1878 in Berlin .
|
1942 Bl.
Titus
Brandsma Carmelite martyr who died
at the hands of the Nazis; was sent to various concentration camps
where he demonstrated
charity and concern
Becoming a Carmelite as
a young man, he displayed a dazzling intellect and scholarship,
receiving ordination as a priest
in 1905
and earning a doctorate in philosophy at Rome. Titus then taught in
Dutch universities and lectured in many countries on Carmelite
spirituality and mysticism. He also served as rector magnificus at the
Catholic University of Nijmegen. In
1935 he became an ecclesiastical advisor to Catholic journalists. His
academic and spiritual studies were also printed and widely read.
He was born in 1881
at Bolsward in the Netherlands. When
the Nazis occupied the Netherlands, Titus was singled out as an enemy
because he fought against the spread of Nazism in Europe. Arrested,
Titus was sent to various concentration camps where he demonstrated
charity and concern. In 1942, he was martyred in Dachau.
Titus was
beatified by Pope John Paul II on November 3, 1985 .
|
Mary Mother
of GOD 
Saints of this Day July 27 Sexto Kaléndas
Augústi 
Romæ sancti
Cælestíni Papæ
Primi, qui damnávit Constantinopolitánum Epíscopum
Nestórium, Pelagiúmque fugávit; cujus étiam
auctoritáte universális sancta Synodus Ephesína
advérsus eúndem Nestórium celebráta est.
Quote: Pope
Paul
VI’s 1969 
As
we watch the
spectacle of the world
seeming to self-destruct before our eyes, we can’t help but be saddened
and even frightened by so much evil run rampant. Iraq, Lebanon,
Afghanistan, Somalia, North Korea—It is all a disaster of epic
proportions displayed in living color on our television screens.