Saints of North America; the Orthodox Church in America remembers them On the second Sunday after Pentecost

Each local Orthodox Church commemorates all the saints, known and unknown, who have shone forth in its territory.

North_America_All_Saints

Saints of all times, and in every country are seen as the fulfillment of God's promise to redeem fallen humanity. Their example encourages us to "lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily besets us" and to "run with patience the race that is set before us" (Hebrews 12:1).

The saints of North America also teach us how we should live, and what we must expect to endure as Christians

Although it is a relatively young church, the Orthodox Church in America has produced saints in nearly all of the six major categories of saints: Apostles (and Equals of the Apostles); Martyrs (and Confessors); Prophets; Hierarchs; Monastic Saints; and the Righteous.

Prophets, of course, lived in Old Testament times and predicted the coming of Christ.

The first Divine Liturgy in what is now American territory (northern latitude 58 degrees, 14 minutes, western longitude 141 degrees) was celebrated on July 20, 1741, the Feast of the Prophet Elias, aboard the ship Peter under the command of Vitus Bering. Hieromonk Hilarion Trusov and the priest Ignatius Kozirevsky served together on that occasion.

Several years later, the Russian merchant Gregory I. Shelikov visited Valaam monastery, suggesting to the abbot that it would be desirable to send missionaries to Russian America.

On September 24, 1794, after a journey of 7,327 miles (the longest missionary journey in Orthodox history) and 293 days, a group of monks from Valaam arrived on Kodiak Island in Alaska. The mission was headed by Archimandrite Joasaph, and included Hieromonks Juvenal, Macarius, and Athanasius, the Hierodeacons Nectarius and Stephen, and the monks Herman and Joasaph.

St Herman of Alaska (December 13, August 9), the last surviving member of the mission, fell asleep in the Lord in 1837.
Born: around 1756-1760 (Serpukhov, Moscow Diocese, Russia)
Died: December 25, 1837 (Spruce Island, Alaska)
Glorification Date: August 9, 1970 August 9 (glorification)
Commemoration Dates:

Throughout the Church's history, the seeds of faith have always been watered by the blood of the martyrs.
The Protomartyr Juvenal was killed near Lake Iliamna by natives in 1799, thus becoming the first Orthodox Christian to shed his blood for Christ in the New World.

In 1816, St Peter the Aleut was put to death by Spanish missionaries in California when he refused to convert to Roman Catholicism.

Missionary efforts continued in the nineteenth century, with outreach to the native peoples of Alaska. ^Tikhon_of_Moscow^_Apostle_to_America.jpg
Two of the most prominent laborers in Christ's Vineyard were St Innocent Veniaminov (March 31 and October 6) and St Jacob Netsvetov (July 26), who translated Orthodox services and books into the native languages.
Father Jacob Netsvetev died in Sitka in 1864 after a life of devoted service to the Church.
Father John Veniaminov, after his wife's death, received monastic tonsure with the name Innocent.
He died in 1879 as the Metropolitan of Moscow.

As the nineteenth century was drawing to a close, an event of enormous significance for the North American Church took place. On March 25, 1891, Bishop Vladimir went to Minneapolis to receive St Alexis Toth (May 7) and 361 of his parishioners into the Orthodox Church.

This was the beginning of the return of many Uniates to Orthodoxy.

St Tikhon (Belavin), the future Patriarch of Moscow (April 7, October 9), came to America as bishop of the diocese of the Aleutians and Alaska in September 1898. As the only Orthodox bishop on the continent, St Tikhon traveled extensively throughout North America in order to minister to his widely scattered and diverse flock. He realized that the local church here could not be a permanent extension of the Russian Church. Therefore, he focused his efforts on giving the American Church a diocesan and parish structure which would help it mature and grow.
St Tikhon returned to Russia in 1907, and was elected as Patriarch of Moscow ten years later. He died in 1925, and for many years his exact burial place remained unknown.

St Tikhon's grave was discovered on February 22, 1992 in the smaller cathedral of Our Lady of the Don in the Don Monastery when a fire made renovation of the church necessary.

St Raphael of Brooklyn (February 27) was the first Orthodox bishop to be consecrated in North America. Archimandrite Raphael Hawaweeny was consecrated by Bishop Tikhon and Bishop Innocent (Pustynsky) at St Nicholas Cathedral in New York on March 13, 1904. As Bishop of Brooklyn, St Raphael was a trusted and capable assistant to St Tikhon in his archpastoral ministry. St Raphael reposed on February 27, 1915.

The first All American Council took place March 5-7, 1907 at Mayfield, PA, and the main topic was "How to expand the mission." Guidelines and directions for missionary activity, and statutes for the administrative structure of parishes were also set forth.

John_Kochurov.jpg

In the twentieth century, in the aftermath of the Russian Revolution, countless men, women, and children received the crown of martyrdom rather than renounce Christ. Alexander_Hotovitzky.jpg

Sts John Kochurov (October 31) and Alexander Hotovitzky (December 4 and August 7) both served the Church in North America before going back to Russia.

St John became the first clergyman to be martyred in Russia on October 31, 1917 in St Petersburg. St Alexander Hotovitzky, who served in America until 1914, was killed in 1937.

In addition to the saints listed above, we also honor those saints who are known only to God, and have not been recognized officially by the Church.

As we contemplate the lives of these saints, let us remember that we are also called by God to a life of holiness.

Heavenly Georgia— the legion of Georgian saints, extolling the Lord in the Heavenly Kingdom with a single voice—is infinitely glorious
Having examined the history of Georgia and the hagiographical treasures attesting to the faith of the Georgian nation, we become convinced that. It is unknown how many cleansed themselves of their earthly sins in merciless warfare with the enemy of Christ, or how many purified their souls in unheated cells through prayer, fasting, and ascetic labors.

To God alone are known the names of those ascetics, forgotten by history, who by their humble labors tirelessly forged the future of the Georgian Church and people.

St. George of the Holy Mountain wrote: “From the time we recognized the one true God, we have never renounced Him, nor have our people ever yielded to heresy.”

A decree of the Church Council of Ruisi-Urbnisi states: “We will not depart from thee, the Catholic Church which bore us in holiness, nor will we betray thee, our pride—Orthodoxy—to which we have always been faithful, for we have been granted the honor to know thee, the witness of the Truth Itself!” This relationship to Orthodoxy is the cornerstone of the life of every Georgian believer.

It is impossible to count the names of all those Christians who have been raised up from the earthly Church in Georgia to the heavens, let alone to describe all the godly deeds they have performed. For this reason December 11 has been set aside for the commemoration not only of the saints whose Lives are known to us but also of the nearly three hundred more whose names, but not stories, have been preserved as well.

Most Georgian people bear the name of a saint who is commemorated on this day, and they entreat the saint to intercede before the Lord in their behalf.

67 St. Crispulus & Restitutus 1st century Martyrs who died in Rome in the reign of Emperor Nero. Some scholars state that they were martyred in Spain In Hispánia sanctórum Mártyrum Críspuli et Restitúti. In Spain, the holy martyrs Crispulus and Restitutus.
At Rome, on the Salarian Way, the martyrdom of blessed Getulius, a very learned nobleman, and his companions, Caerealis, Amantius, and Primitivus. By order of Emperor Hadrian they were arrested by the ex-consul Licinius, scourged, thrown into prison, and then delivered to the flames. But the fire did not injure them, and their heads were crushed with clubs, thus ending their martyrdom. Romæ, via Salária, pássio beáti Getúlii, claríssimi et doctíssimi viri, ac susceptórum e sancta uxóre Symphorósa beatórum septem fratrum Mártyrum patris, ejúsque Sociórum Cæreális, Amántii et Primitívi. Hi omnes, Hadriáni Imperatóris jussu, a Licínio Consulári tenti, primum cæsi sunt, deínde in cárcerem trusi; postrémum, incéndio tráditi, sed nullo modo ab igne læsi, martyrium suum, fústibus illíso cápite, complevérunt. Ipsórum autem córpora Symphorósa, beáti Getúlii uxor, collégit, et in arenário prædii sui honorífice sepelívit. At Rome, on the Salarian Way, the martyrdom of blessed Getulius, a very learned nobleman, and his companions, Caerealis, Amantius, and Primitivus. By order of Emperor Hadrian they were arrested by the ex-consul Licinius, scourged, thrown into prison, and then delivered to the flames. But the fire did not injure them, and their heads were crushed with clubs, thus ending their martyrdom. Their bodies were taken by Symphorosa, wife of blessed Getulius, and reverently interred on her own estate.. Their bodies were taken by Symphorosa, wife of blessed Getulius, and reverently interred on her own estate.. 120 St. Getulius Martyr with Amantius, Caerealis, and Primitivus the husband of St. Symphorosa; officer in the Roman army, he resigned when became a Christian returned to his estates near Tivoli, Italy. There he converted Caerealis, an imperial legate sent to arrest him. With his brother Amantius and with Caerealis and Primitivus, Getulius was tortured and martyred at Tivoli. 120 Ss. Getulius And His Companions, Martyrs Getulius the husband of St Symphorosa, had been an officer in the Roman army under Trajan and Hadrian: but after his conversion to the Christian faith he resigned his commission and withdrew to his estate in the Sabine Hills, near Tivoli. Here he lived in retirement, surrounded by a little band of Christians whom he taught and supported. He was one day engaged in instructing some of his people when he was surprised by a visit from Cerealis, the imperial vicar, who had been sent to arrest him. But Cerealis himself was won over to Christianity as the result of conversations with Getulius and with his brother Amantius who, though an ardent believer, still remained a tribune in the Roman army. As soon as the emperor had been informed of the conversion and baptism of Cerealis, he ordered the consul Licinius to apprehend the three men and to condemn them to death unless they consented to abjure their faith. All made a bold confession, and after suffering imprisonment for twenty-seven days, at Tivoli, with divers tortures, they were beheaded or burnt at the stake on the Via Salaria. With them perished another Christian, of the name of Primitivus. The relics of the saints were buried by St Symphorosa in an arenarium upon her estate. St Getulius is honoured with an unusually long elogium in the Roman Martyrology, but his passio, printed in the Acta Sanctorum, June, vol. ii, is of the legendary type, and his name is lacking in the Depositio Martyrum, and other early records. There are also conflicting statements as to his resting-place. It is possible, however, that the early date of the martyrdom may in part explain these difficulties. See also Dufourcq, Étude sur les Gesta Martyrum romains, vol. i, pp. 197—199 and 227; H. Quentin, Martyrologes historiques, p. 542 F. Scavini, Septem Dioeceses Aprutienses (1914), where see the index.
275 St. Basilides and Companions 23 martyrs, including Mandal and Tripos, slain in Rome on the Aurelian Way. They died in the persecution under Emperor Aurelian Item Romæ, via Aurélia, natális sanctórum Basílidis, Trípodis, Mándalis et aliórum vigínti Mártyrum, sub Imperatóre Aureliáno et Urbis Præfécto Platóne. Also at Rome, on the Aurelian Way, the birthday of the Saints Basilides, Tripos, Mandal, and twenty other martyrs, under Emperor Aurelian and Plato, the governor of the city..
Alexander_Antonina_Pansemnas { see below} 313 Alexander and Antonina the Virgin The Holy Martyrs saint bravely confessed Christ she urged the governor to renounce the worship of demons in the form of idols St Antonina was from the city of Krodamos (Asia Minor). She was arrested for being a Christian, and was brought before the governor Festus. He urged her to worship the pagan gods, promising to make her a priestess of the goddess Artemis. But the saint bravely confessed Christ, and she urged the governor to renounce the worship of demons in the form of idols. Festus gave orders to strike the saint on the face and lock her up in prison. The martyr spent all her time at prayer, she ate and drank nothing, but then she heard the voice of God, "Antonina, fortify yourself with food and be brave, for I am with you." When they led her before the governor again, the martyr continued to stand up for the Christian Faith and to denounce the pagans. The governor decided to give the holy virgin over for defilement by soldiers, but the Lord inspired one of them, St Alexander, to save the holy virgin. He sought permission to go in to her on the pretext that he might be able to convince her to obey the governor's will. St Alexander then suggested that she put on his military attire and flee. St Antonina was afraid, but the Lord ordered her to agree. No one recognized her dressed as a soldier, and she walked out of prison. The soldiers sent by Festus found St Alexander alone in the cell. He would not respond to the questions of the governor, and so he was tortured and mercilessly beaten. Through the inspiration of the Lord Jesus Christ, St Antonina also came to stand before Festus. Soldiers cut off their hands, then they smeared them with pitch and threw them into a pit where a fire was burning. When the fire went out, they threw snakes into the pit, so that Christians would not be able to gather up the bones of the martyrs. Returning home, Festus became numb, and was able neither to eat nor to drink. He died after seven days of terrible torment. Sts Alexander and Antonina were martyred on May 3, 313. In the Prologue their memory is listed under June 10. The relics of the saints were transferred to Constantinople and placed in the Maximov monastery.
369 Saint Pansemnas and Theophanes of Antioch who zealously taught the keeping of the commandments of God to everyone who came to him. He exhorted people to lead a pure and chaste life, and he condemned the debauchery of the people of Antioch. He was the son of pagans. At a youthful age he entered into marriage, but after three years his wife died. St Theophanes then came to believe in Christ and accepted Baptism. He gave up everything and began to live beyond the city in a manner of self-denial. He zealously taught the keeping of the commandments of God to everyone who came to him. He exhorted people to lead a pure and chaste life, and he condemned the debauchery of the people of Antioch. When St Theophanes learned about a certain profligate woman, Pansemne, who was caught up in the snares of the devil, he wanted to save her. Knowing how difficult it would be to fulfill such an intention, and conscious of his own infirmity, St Theophanes prayed and he besought the Lord to help him save the sinful woman. Finally, the saint dressed up in fine clothing, took along much gold and then went to Pansemne. The monk gave her the gold and he asked her to forsake the dissolute life to marry him. Pansemne happily consented and gave him her word to become his wife. The sole condition which St Theophanes set for Pansemne was that she should accept Baptism. Because of the attractive marriage offer, Pansemne consented. In preparing her to accept Baptism, St Theophanes instructed her in the Christian Faith. He explained that the truth of God does not tolerate sin and corruption, but that the love of God is gracious to those that repent. Having accepted Baptism, St Pansemne by the grace of God was completely reborn as a person. She distributed all the riches that she had acquired through profligacy, and she settled into a hut beside the cell of the monk and began to live the life of an ascetic. After 22 months she died on the very same day as the monk (+ 369).
4th v. Construction of the first church of St. George in the cities of Birma and Beer Maa (Water Well) in the Oases. On this day, the first church in the name of St. George was built in Egypt in the city of Beer Maa in the Oasis. As was consecrated also on this day a church in his name in the city of Birma, district of Tanta. For after the perishing of Diocletian, and the reign of the righteous Emperor Constantine, all the temples of the idols were destroyed. Churches were built after the name of the heroic martyrs, who strived with their blood to defend the faith. Some Christian soldiers in the land of Egypt, had donated a piece of the land where the city of Birma is now located. One of them was a righteous and meek young man, who lived on a piece of this land with some of the farmers. In this area there was a well of water. This young man heard of the wonders of the great among the martyrs, St. George. He searched until he found his biography. He wrote it, and it comforted him to read it, which he did without boredom. While he stood praying, on the evening of the twenty-fourth of the month of Bashans, he saw that an assembly of the saints had come down beside the well. They were praising God and chanting with angelic voices. They were surrounded by heavenly light, and he was astounded. One of them, who was in the uniform of a soldier, came forward and informed him that he was Gawargios (George) who was martyred at the hands of Diocletian. He ordered him to build a church for him on that site, for that was the Will of God. The assembly left him, and raised up to heaven while they were glorifying the Most High. The young man spent that night awake till morning. Few days passed during which he was thinking about how he could build this church, knowing that he did not have the money for a small piece of it. One night, while he stood praying, the great martyr St. George appeared to him. The Saint pointed out to him the place to build the church. Then he directed the young man to another place and told him, "Dig here and you shall find what you need to build the church." When he woke up in the morning, he went where the honorable martyr had directed him. He dug there and found a vessel filled with gold and silver. He praised God, and glorified his patron saint. He built the church and called the father the Patriarch who consecrated it on this day. The relics of St. George, that were kept in his church in the city of Beer Maa in the Oasis, were relocated to the monastery of Anba Samuel by its monks. That was during the days of the Saint Abba Mattheos (87th Patriarch), and the monastery was under the direction of Fr. Zachary Ebn-Elkomos and Fr. Soliman El-Qualamony. During the Papacy of Pope Gabriel (88th Patriarch) the relics of the saint were relocated to his well-known church in Old Cairo. That was on the 16th day of Abib, 1240 A.M. (July 10, 1024 A.D.). A great celebration takes place annually, where the church was built beside the water well, to commemorate this venerable event. There, many signs of casting out of evil spirits and healing of the sick take place with the intercession of this great martyr. May his prayers be with us. Amen.
Departure of St. Martha of Egypt. On this day also, the ascetic and fighter St. Martha, departed. She was born in the city of Mesr (Cairo) to wealthy Christian parents. She loved fornication and unchastity in her youth and her works became known. However, the mercy of God from above encompassed her, and moved her to go to the church. That was on the Nativity of Our Lord. When she came to its door and wished to go inside, the servant delegated to watch the door told her, "It is not meet for you to go into the holy church, for you know what you are?" A confrontation took place between them, and when the Bishop heard the clamor, he came to the door of the church to see what had happened. When he saw the girl, he said to her, "Do you not know that the house of God is holy, and only the pure enter it." She wept and said, "Accept me O father, for I am repentant from this instant, and have decided not to go back to my sin." The bishop replied, "If it is true what you have said, go and bring back here all your silk clothes and gold ornaments." She went quickly and brought back all of her clothes and ornaments and gave them to the Bishop. He ordered that they be burned immediately, then he shaved off the hair of her head. He put on her the monastic garb and sent her to one of the convents. She fought a great spiritual fight, and she frequently said in her prayers: "O Lord, if I could not bear the disgrace from the servant of Your house, so please do not put me to shame before Your angels and saints." She continued the spiritual fight for twenty-five years, during which she did not go out of the door of the convent, then departed in peace. May her prayers be with us. Amen
St. Gezelin A hermit honored at Slebusrode, near Colonge, Germany. He is listed as Ghislain, Gisle, and Jocelyn.
St. Maurinus Abbot and martyr. He probably governed St. Pantaleon Abbey in Cologne, Germany He is revered as a martyr, but his Acta are not extant Colóniæ Agrippínæ sancti Mauríni, Abbátis et Mártyris. At Cologne, St. Maurinus, abbot and martyr
371 Martyrdom of St. Alladius (Hilarius or Hilarion) the Bishop. {coptic} Today also marks the martyrdom of St. Alladius (Hilarius or Hilarion), bishop of one of the countries of the East. One day, he rebuked Emperor Julian for worshipping the idols. The Emperor replied, "If I am, in your opinion infidel, because I do not worship that whom was crucified, I shall make you also forsake worshipping him." Then the Emperor handed him to one of his officers and commanded him to torture Alladius without mercy for one year. When he did not turn away from his firm intention, he lit a fire in a pit and threw him in it, but no harm came upon him. Many believed, and the Emperor ordered their heads to be cut off. Finally, they brought the saint out of the pit, and ordered to cut off his head. He delivered up his soul in the hand of the Lord Christ and received the crown of martyrdom. May his prayers be with us. Amen.
4th v. St. Maximus Martyred bishop of Naples, Italy, from 359 . He died in exile from his see and is venerated as a martyr Neápoli, in Campánia, sancti Máximi, Epíscopi et Mártyris; qui, ob strénuam Nicǽnæ fídei confessiónem, a Constántio Imperatóre in exsílium pulsus, ibídem, ærúmnis conféctus, decéssit. At Naples in Campania, St. Maximus, bishop and martyr. For having vigorously defended the Nicene Creed he was exiled by Emperor Constantius, where he died worn out by his trials..
362 St. Timothy Martyr and bishop. The Prusa, in Bithynia (modern Turkey), he was put to death during the persecutions of the Church under Emperor Julian the Apostate Prusæ, in Bithynia, sancti Timóthei, Epíscopi et Mártyris, qui, sub Juliáno Apóstata, cum Christum ejuráre noluísset, idcírco, ipsíus Imperatóris jussu, cápite abscíssus est. At Prusias in Bithynia, St. Timothy, bishop and martyr. He was beheaded during the reign of Julian the Apostate because he refused to deny Christ. The Hieromartyr Timothy, Bishop of Prusa (Bithynia), received from the Lord the gift of wonderworking because of his purity and sanctity of life. At Prusa he converted many pagans to the faith in Christ. The emperor Julian the Apostate (361-363), upon hearing about St Timothy had him locked up in prison, but even there also the saint continued to preach the Gospel. Julian forbade him to teach about Jesus Christ, but the saint continued to spread the Christian Faith. Finally, the emperor gave orders to behead the saint. His holy relics were afterwards transferred to Constantinople.
365 St. Asterius Convert from Arianism, bishop of Petra, Jordan attacked at the Council of Sardica in 347 for denouncing Arian heresy Petræ, in Arábia, sancti Astérii Epíscopi, qui, ob fidem cathólicam, ab Ariánis multa passus et ab Imperatóre Constántio in Africam relegátus est, ac tandem, in Ecclésiam suam restitútus, Conféssor gloriósus occúbuit. At Petra in Africa, St. Asterius, a bishop who suffered greatly for the Catholic faith at the hands of the Arians. He was banished to Africa by Emperor Constantius, and there died as a glorious confessor. Exiled to Libya by the pro-Arian Emperor Constantius TI. In 362, Emperor Julian the Apostate restored him, and he attended the Council of Alexandria, Egypt. Asterius was named the delegate of this council to bear a letter to the Church of Antioch, where he provided leaders with a report of the proceedings. He died in Petra soon after
St. Aresius and Companions African martyrs, seventeen in number, including Rogatus these martyrs were included in early martyrologies In Africa sanctórum Mártyrum Arésii, Rogáti et aliórum quíndecim. In Africa, the holy martyrs Aresius, Rogatus, and fifteen others.
430 Saint Bassian, Bishop of Lodi friend of St Ambrose, Bishop of Milan (December 7) glorified by miracles providing his flock example of a virtuous life St Bassian's father governed the Syracuse region (in Sicily) and he prepared his son to follow in his footsteps. He sent him to Rome to receive his education. While still in his childhood St Bassian had heard about the Christians and he wanted to learn more about them and become familiar with the Christian Faith. Gordian the priest taught him the essentials of the Christian Faith, and the youth was filled with the desire to accept Baptism. At the time of the performing of the Mystery St Bassian beheld an angel in the Baptismal font, holding the garment in which the newly-baptized would be clothed. The saint made bold to ask who he was and where he was from. The angel replied that he was sent from afar to help him fulfill his holy intent to know Christ. Then he became invisible. St Bassian began to lead a strict life, eating little food, and spending his nights at prayer. His servants were astonished at such temperance, and they surmised that he had accepted Christianity. They reported about this to St Bassian's father, who ordered him to return to Syracuse. Praying in the church of St John the Theologian, the saint received from the Apostle the command to leave Rome. And so St Bassian distributed all his substance to the poor and together with his faithful Christian servant, he set off to Ravenna to his kinsman, Bishop Ursus. Bishop Ursus set him up at a solitary place outside the city near the church in honor of the Hieromartyr Apollinarius. St Bassian quickly advanced spiritually, and soon he was glorified by miracles. During this time a judge had been falsely accused and was sentenced to death by decapitation. Along the way to he prayerfully called out for help to St Bassian. When the executioner was already holding the sword over his head, the sword suddenly was knocked from his hands and flew off to the side. This occurred three times. The same thing happened with another executioner. When they reported this to the Emperor, the Emperor set the judge free. He then told how he had been saved through the intercession of St Bassian. The people of the city, believing that the prayer of St Bassian was powerful before God, asked Bishop Ursus to ordain him to the priesthood. Upon the death of the bishop of the city of Lodium (Lodi in Liguria, Northern Italy), the priest Clement of the cathedral church had a revelation that St Bassian would be chosen Bishop of Lodium. Both St Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, and Bishop Ursus officiated at at his consecration. St Bassian taught the people not only by word, but also by deed, providing his flock example of a virtuous life. At Lodi he built a beautiful church dedicated to the holy Apostles. St Bassian often exchanged letters with St Ambrose, and he was present at his blessed repose, and buried his body. St Bassian died peacefully in the year 430, having served as archbishop for 35 years.
486 St. Censurius Bishop of Auxerre, France, the successor of St. Germanus. Censurius governed Auxerre from 448 until his death. He was buried in the church of St. Germanus Antisiodóri sancti Censúrii Epíscopi. At Auxerre, St. Censurius, bishop.
656 St Ithamar, Bishop Of Rochester; reputation for miracles St Ithamar has a special claim upon our interest, because he was the first Englishman to occupy an English bishopric. Unfortunately, we know very little about him. St Honorius, archbishop of Canterbury, consecrated him to the see of Rochester after the death of St Paulinus, and Bede tells us that “though he was a man of Kent”, yet in piety as well as in learning he was the equal of his predecessors, St Justus and St Paulinus, both of whom had been Italian missionaries under St Augustine. In 655 St Ithamar consecrated a fellow-countryman---Frithona or Deusdedit—to be archbishop of Canterbury. His death appears to have taken place the following year. On account of his reputation for miracles, several churches were dedicated in his honour, and his relics were enshrined in 1100. The very little we know about St Ithamar is derived almost wholly from Bede’s Ecclesiastical History; see C. Plummer’s edition, and the notes. There is a considerable catalogue (compiled in the twelfth century) of miracles wrought at his shrine; the full text has never been edited, but the Bollandists, in Acta Sanctorum, June, vol. ii, have printed a compendium which had been incorporated by Capgrave. See T. D. Hardy, Catalogue of Materials for British History (Rolls Series), vol. i, pp. 251—252.
690 St. Amelberga Benedictine nun widow relative of Blessed Pepin of Landen mother of Sts. Cludula, Emebert, and Reinildis. Her husband, Count Witger, became a religious, and she entered a convent.
729 Departure of Pope Cosmas, the 44th Patriarch from the village of Abi-Sair monk in the monastery of St. Macarius. {Coptic} This day also marks the departure of Pope Cosmas the First (44th Patriarch), in the year 446 A.M. (June 24, 730 A.D.). He was from the village of Abi-Sair. He became a monk in the monastery of St. Macarius. He was ordained against his will a patriarch on Sunday the 30th day of Baramhat, 445 A.M. (March 729 A.D.). He did not cease, since his enthronement, from asking God to repose his soul speedily. God responded to his request after one year and three months of his enthronement. May his prayers be with us. Amen.
9th v. Bl. Olive (Olivia) achieved a large following when her story from a biography held in great esteem by Christians and Muslims. She was described as a ravishing beauty of 13 years when Saracens captured her at Palermo, Sicily in the 9th century. She was deported to Tunis where she began to perform miracles and convert Muslims to Christianity. Wishing to get rid of her, but fearing her power, her captors abandoned her in a forest, giving her to the beasts. Some hunters found her and took her themselves as a slave, but she converted them to the Faith. Exasperated Muslim authorities arrested, tortured, and beheaded her. At the moment of her death, her soul was seen to fly to heaven in the form of a dove. She has been honored in Carthage and Palermo, and was held in great esteem by Christians and Muslims. The great mosque of Tunis is called the Mosque of Olivia, and Tunisian Muslims say that who speaks ill of her is always punished by God.
661 St. Landericus (or Landry) Bishop of Paris, from 650-661 A sincere and dedicated servant of God great love for the poor and the lowly; erect the city's first real hospital He labored zealously to improve their lot. And when the proceeds from the sale of all his possessions did not suffice to relieve their hungry during a famine, he went so far as to sell some of the Church vessels and furniture. St. Landericus became increasingly aware that the sick poor of his diocese were not really cared for by the custom then in vogue of housing them in little hostels dependent on the casual alms of charitable persons. This led him to erect the city's first real hospital, dedicated to St. Christopher, which in time became the famous Hotel-Dieu. Always on the alert to provide spiritual help for his people, this saintly bishop welcomed the Benedictines into his diocese and encouraged them to set up the Abbey of Denis. In 653, in company with twenty-three other bishops, he signed the foundation charter granted by King Clovis to the Abbey. He died about 661 after having commissioned the monk Marculfus to compile a collection of Ecclesiastical Formulas.
660 St Landericus, Or Landry, Bishop Of Paris During the reign of Clovis II and in the year 650 St Landericus became bishop of Paris. He was a very earnest and devout man, distinguished especially by his great love of the poor; to relieve them, during a time of famine, he sold not only his personal possessions, but also some of the vessels and furniture of the church. Before his day the only facilities for the care of the sick poor of Paris were provided by a few little hostels, matriculae, dependent for their upkeep from day to day on casual alms. To St Landericus is attributed the foundation of the city’s first real hospital, near Notre-Dame, and dedicated under the name of St Christopher. It subsequently developed into the great institution which was famous in later ages as the Hôtel-Dieu. In 653 Landericus signed an exemption of the newly established abbey of St Denis from episcopal jurisdiction. The date of the death of St Landericus is uncertain, but it cannot have taken place earlier than 66o, for in that year a monk named Marculf dedicated to him a collection of ecclesiastical formulae which he had compiled under his instructions. Not much information is available concerning St Landry, but the Bollandists, in the Acta Sanctorum, June, vol. ii, have pieced together an account mainly derived from breviary lessons of much later date. On the beginnings of Saint-Denis, see J. Havet, in the Bibl. de l’Ecole des Chartes, vol. Ii (1890), pp. 5—62. Cf. also Duchesne, Fastes Épiscopaux, vol. ii, p. 472.
9th V. Bd Olive Of Palermo, Virgin And Martyr The story of Bd Olive, or St Olive as she is generally styled, belongs to the realm of pious fiction, and it is through the religious drama that her cultus seems to have been propagated in Italy. Her feast, however, is observed to this day in the diocese of Carthage, as well as in Palermo. In a fifteenth-century codex in the library of the cathedral of Palermo, her legend is given in nine lessons. A beautiful Christian maiden of thirteen, she was carried off from her home in Palermo by the Saracens, who conveyed her to Tunis. At first, in consideration of her noble lineage, she was allowed to live in a cave near the city; there she effected a number of cures. But when it came to light that Mohammedans were being converted by her to the Christian faith, she was arrested and subjected to various tortures. She was shut up in a dungeon without light or food; she was scourged until her flesh was cut tc the bone; she was extended on the rack and torn with the iron comb; she was plunged into boiling oil. As she emerged from her steaming bath, unhurt but saturated with oil, she was stretched again upon the rack and executioners were directed to set light to her with torches; the burning brands fell from the hands of the men, who were instantaneously converted. Finally, Olive was beheaded, and her soul was seen to escape from her body in the form of a dove, which soared up to Heaven. This is the fantastic story which the Bollandists have summarized mainly from Cajetan, De Vitis Sanctorum Siculorum, who professes to have drawn his materials from earlier manuscript sources. There is, however, a text of the supposed passio printed in Analecta Bollandiana, vol. iv (1885), pp. 5—10. It is curious that Bd Olive seems to be held in veneration by the Mohammedans of Tunis; the great mosque in that city bears the name of Jams as-Zituna, i.e. the mosque of Olive, and it seems to be a popular belief among the Arabs of that region that those who speak ill of her are always visited by calamity. See S. Romano in the Archivio Storico Siciliano, vol. xxvi (1901), pp. 11—21. There are several small popular accounts of Bd Olive which have been published in Sicily and elsewhere. See also A. d’Ancona, Origini del Teatro italiano, vol. i, pp. 436—437, and C. Courtois in Miscellanées G. de Jerphanion (1947), t. i, pp. 63—68.
1053 St. Bardo Benedictine archbishop official of the Holy Roman Empire He was born in Oppershafen, Wetterau, Germany, in about 982. Educated at Fulda Abbey, he became a Benedictine and was made the abbot of two monasteries, becoming the archbishop of Mainz in 1031. He served as chancellor and chief almoner alms distributor for the empire. Pope St. Leo IX advised Bardo to lighten his duties and relax some of his personal austerities and mortifications.
1093 MARGARET of Scotland Memorial 16 November; formerly 10 June; 16 June in Scotland founded abbeys and used her position to work for justice and improved conditions for the poor Sanctæ Margarítæ Víduæ, Scotórum Regínæ, quæ sextodécimo Kaléndas Decémbris obdormívit in Dómino. St. Margaret, widow, queen of Scotland, who slept in the Lord on the 16th of November.. Granddaughter of King Edmund Ironside of England. Great-niece of Saint Stephen of Hungary. Born in Hungary while her family was in exile due to the Danish invasion of England, she still spent much of her youth in the British Isles. While fleeing the invading army of William the Conqueror in 1066, her family's ship wrecked on the Scottish coast. They were assisted by King Malcolm III Canmore of Scotland, whom Margaret married in 1070. Queen of Scotland. They had eight children, one of whom as Saint Maud, wife of Henry I. Margaret founded abbeys and used her position to work for justice and improved conditions for the poor. Born c.1045 in Hungary Died 16 November 1093 at Edinburgh Castle, Scotland, four days after her husband and son died in defense of the castle; buried in front of the high altar at Dunfermline, Scotland; relics later removed to a nearby shrine; the bulk of her relics were destroyed in stages during the Protestant Reformation and the French Revolution Canonized 1251 by Pope Innocent IV 1093 ST MARGARET OF SCOTLAND, MATRON * In Scotland the feast of St Margaret is observed on the anniversary of her death, November 16. MARGARET was a daughter of Edward d’Outremer (“The Exile”), next of kin to Edward the Confessor, and sister to Edgar the Atheling, who took refuge from William the Conqueror at the court of King Malcolm Canmore in Scotland. There Margaret, as beautiful as she was good and accomplished, captivated Malcolm, and they were married at the castle of Dunfermline in the year 1070, she being then twenty-four years of age. This marriage was fraught with great blessings for Malcolm and for Scotland. He was rough and uncultured but his disposition was good, and Margaret, through the great influence she acquired over him, softened his temper, polished his manners, and rendered him one of the most virtuous kings who have ever occupied the Scottish throne. To maintain justice, to establish religion, and to make their subjects happy appeared to be their chief object in life. “She incited the king to works of justice, mercy, charity and other virtues”, writes an ancient author, “in all which by divine grace she induced him to carry out her pious wishes. For he, perceiving that Christ dwelt in the heart of his queen, was always ready to follow her advice.” Indeed, he not only left to her the whole management of his domestic affairs, but also consulted her in state matters. What she did for her husband Margaret also did in a great measure for her adopted country, promoting the arts of civilization and encouraging education and religion. She found Scotland a prey to ignorance and to many grave abuses, both among priests and people. At her instigation synods were held which passed enactments to meet these evils. She herself was present at these meetings, taking part in the discussions. The due observance of Sundays, festivals and fasts was made obligatory, Easter communion was enjoined upon all, and many scandalous practices, such as simony, usury and incestuous marriages, were strictly prohibited. St Margaret made it her constant effort to obtain good priests and teachers for all parts of the country, and formed a kind of embroidery guild among the ladies of the court to provide vestments and church furniture. With her husband she founded several churches, notably that of the Holy Trinity at Dunfermline. God blessed the couple with a family of six sons and two daughters, and their mother brought them up with the utmost care, herself instructing them in the Christian faith and superintending their studies. The daughter Matilda afterwards married Henry I of England and was known as Good Queen Maud,* whilst three of the sons, Edgar, Alexander and David, successively occupied the Scottish throne, the last named being revered as a saint. St Margaret’s care and attention was extended to her servants and household as well as to her own family; yet in spite of all the state affairs and domestic duties which devolved upon her, she kept her heart disengaged from the world and recollected in God. Her private life was most austere: she ate sparingly, and in order to obtain time for her devotions she permitted herself very little sleep. Every year she kept two Lents, the one at the usual season, the other before Christmas. At these times she always rose at midnight and went to the church for Matins, the king often sharing her vigil. On her return she washed the feet of six poor persons and gave them alms. She also had stated times during the day for prayer and reading the Holy Scriptures. Her own copy of the Gospels was on one occasion inadvertently dropped into a river, but sustained no damage beyond a small watermark on the cover: that book is now preserved amongst the treasures of the Bodleian Library at Oxford. Perhaps St Margaret’s most outstanding virtue was her love of the poor. She often visited the sick and tended them with her own hands. She erected hostels for strangers and ransomed many captives—preferably those of English nationality. When she appeared outside in public she was invariably surrounded by beggars, none of whom went away unrelieved, and she never sat down at table without first having fed nine little orphans and twenty-four adults. Often—especially during Advent and Lent—the king and queen would entertain three hundred poor persons, serving them on their knees with dishes similar to those provided for their own table. In 1093 King William Rufus surprised Ainwick castle, putting its garrison to the sword. King Malcolm in the ensuing hostilities was killed by treachery, and his son Edward was also slain. St Margaret at this time was lying on her death-bed. The day her husband was killed she was overcome with sadness and said to her attendants, “Perhaps this day a greater evil hath befallen Scotland than any this long time.” When her son Edgar arrived back from Ainwick she asked how his father and brother were. Afraid of the effect the news might have upon her in her weak state, he replied that they were well. She exclaimed, “ I know how it is Then raising her hands towards Heaven she said, “I thank thee, Almighty God, that in sending me so great an affliction in the last hour of my life, thou wouldst purify me from my sins, as I hope, by thy mercy.” Soon afterwards she repeated the words, “0 Lord Jesus Christ who by thy death hast given life to the world, deliver me from all evil ! “ and breathed her last. She died four days after her husband, on November 16, 1093, being in her forty-seventh year, and was buried in the church of the abbey of Dunfermline which she and her husband had founded. St Margaret was canonized in 1250 and was named patroness of Scotland in 1673. The beautiful memoir of St Margaret which we probably owe to Turgot, prior of Durham and afterwards bishop of St Andrews, a man who knew her well and had heard the confession of her whole life, leaves a wonderfully inspiring picture of the influence she exercised over the rude Scottish court. Speaking of the care she took to provide suitable vestments and altar linen for the service of God, he goes on: These works were entrusted to certain women of noble birth and approved gravity of manners who were thought worthy of a part in the queen’s service. No men were admitted among them, with the sole exception of such as she permitted to enter along with herself when she paid the women an occasional visit. There was no giddy pertness among them, no light familiarity between them and the men; for the queen united so much strictness with her sweetness of temper, so pleasant was she even in her severity, that all who waited upon her, men as well as women, loved her while they feared her, and in fearing loved her. Thus it came to pass that while she was present no one ventured to utter even one unseemly word, much less to do aught that was objectionable. There was a gravity in her very joy, and something stately in her anger. With her, mirth never expressed itself in fits of laughter, nor did displeasure kindle into fury. Sometimes she chid the faults of others—her own always—with that commendable severity tempered with justice which the Psalmist directs us unceasingly to employ, when he says “Be ye angry and sin not “. Every action of her life was regulated by the balance of the nicest discretion, which impressed its own distinctive character upon each single virtue. When she spoke, her conversation was seasoned with the salt of wisdom; when she was silent, her silence was filled with good thoughts. So thoroughly did her outward bearing correspond with the staidness of her character that it seemed as if she had been born the pattern of a virtuous life. I may say, in short, every word that she uttered, every act that she performed, showed that she was meditating on the things of Heaven. By far the most valuable source for the story of St Margaret’s life is the account from which the above quotation is taken, which was almost certainly written by Turgot who, in spite of his foreign-sounding name, was a Lincolnshire man of an old Saxon family. The Latin text is in the Acta Sanctorum, June, vol. ii, and elsewhere; there is an excellent English translation by Fr W. Forbes-Leith (1884). Other materials are furnished by such chroniclers as William of Malmesbury and Simeon of Durham; most of these have been turned to profit in Freeman’s Norman Conquest. An interesting account of the history of her relics will be found in DNB., vol. xxxvi. There are modern lives of St Margaret by S. Cowan (1911), L. Menzies (1925), J. R. Barnett (1926) and others. For the date of her feast, see the Acta Sanctorum, Decembris Propylaeum, p. 230.
1182 St. Bogumilus Archbishop and founder joined the Camaldolese at Uniedow, Poland Also called Bogimilus and Theophilus. He was born into a noble family near Dobrow, Poland. While studying in Paris, France, with his twin brother, Boguphalus, he was ordained a priest in a church near Dobrow. His uncle, the archbishop of Gnesen, made him the chancellor of that city. When his uncle died, Bogumilus succeeded him. Bogumilus founded a Cistercian abbey at Coronawa. He resigned his see in 1172, opposed by his archdiocesan clergy because of his strictness. Bogumilus joined the Camaldolese at Uniedow, Poland. 1182 St Bogumilus, Archbishop of Gniezno Bogumilus and Boguphalus are said to have been the twin sons of noble Polish parents. The brothers, who were born near Dobrow, on the Werthe, received an excellent education, completing their studies at Paris. Boguphalus then received the habit in a Cistercian monastery, and Bogumilus built at Dobrow a church which he dedicated to the Holy Trinity. Having been raised to the priesthood he took charge of the parish himself. His uncle John, who was archbishop of Gniezno, appointed him his chancellor and nominated him his successor; and in 1167, after his uncle’s death, he was accordingly consecrated and ruled the archdiocese for nearly five years. He founded the Cistercian monastery of Coronowa, and endowed it with some of his family estates. Though a wise and zealous pastor, he proved quite unable to enforce discipline upon his clergy. Unwilling to countenance abuses which he was unable to remedy, he asked and obtained permission to resign his office. He subsequently entered the Camaldolese Order and spent the remainder of his life in one of its hermitages at Uniow. He died there in 1182, but his body was afterwards translated to the church at Dobrow which he had founded. The Bollandists in the Acta Sanctorum, June, vol. ii, have reprinted in a contracted form a Latin life which was written by Stephen Damalewicz and published by him at Warsaw in 1649. The cultus was formally approved by the Holy See in 1925, for which see the Acta Apostolicae Sedis, vol. xvii (1925), pp. 384—387. “Bogomil” means “friend of God”, or “loved of God”, i.e. Theophilus.
1270 Bl. Amata Dominican co-foundress. Amata was a Dominican nun in Rome. She co-founded the convent of St. Agnes at Valle di Pietro, in the Bologna area of Italy. 1315 Bd Henry of Treviso; 276 miracles, wrought by his relics, recorded within days of death by notaries appointed by the magistrates: they occupy thirty-two closely printed columns of the Acta Sanctorum Henry of Treviso, or San Rigo as he is often called in Italy, was born at Bolzano in the Trentino. His parents were very poor, and he never learnt to read or write. He went as a young man to Treviso, where he supported himself as a day labourer, secretly giving away to the poor whatever he could save from his scanty wages. Throughout his whole life his one object was the service of God. He heard Mass daily, frequently making his communion, and every day he went to confession—not from scrupulosity, but to preserve the utmost purity of conscience. All the time that was not employed in labour and in necessary duties he spent in devotion, either at church or in private; the penitential instruments he used for the discipline of his body were preserved after his death in the cathedral. Men marvelled at his extraordinary equanimity, which nothing could ever ruffle. Foolish people and children sometimes mocked or molested the shabby, thick-set little man, with his sunken eyes, long nose, and crooked mouth, but he never resented their treatment or replied to it, except to pray for them. When he could no longer work, a citizen called James Castagnolis gave him a room in his house and, when necessary, food. Usually, however, Bd Henry subsisted on the alms of the charitable, which he shared with beggars, never holding anything over from one day to the next. Even extreme bodily weakness in advancing age could not keep him from God’s house and from visiting all the churches within walking distance of Treviso. He died on June 10, 1315. His little room was immediately thronged with visitors eager to venerate him and to secure some fragment of his possessions, which consisted of a hair-shirt, a wooden log which had been his pillow, and some cords and straw that had served as his bed. Extraordinary scenes were witnessed after his body had been removed to the cathedral. The people broke into the basilica at night, and the bishop and the podestà, roused from their sleep, were obliged to go and protect the body by putting a wooden palisade round it. No fewer than 276 miracles, said to have been wrought by his relics, were recorded within a few days of Bd Henry’s death by the notaries appointed by the magistrates: they occupy thirty-two closely printed columns of the Acta Sanctorum. The cultus of Bd Henry was confirmed by Pope Benedict XIV. A life of Bd Henry, by his contemporary Bishop Pierdomenico de Baone, has been printed by the Bollandists, June, vol. ii. See also R. degli Azzoni Avogaro, Memorie del Beato Enrico (2 vols., 1760); A. Tschöll (1887); Austria Sancta, Die Heiligen und Seligen Tirols, vol. ii (1910), pp. 41 seq. ; and II B. Enrico . . . (Treviso, 1915). 14th v. Silvanus of the Kiev Caves The Holy Schemamonk labored in asceticism in the Far Caves during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries One time, by the power of his prayer, he held fast to the spot robbers, who had come into the monastery garden, and for three days they were not able to move. When they repented, the monk then freed them. The memory of St Silvanus is celebrated also on August 28, and on the second Sunday of Great Lent. The Monk Siluan, Kievo-Pechersk SchemaMonk, asceticised in the Farther Caves during the XIII-XIV Centuries. One time, by the power of his prayer, he held fast to the spot robbers, who had come into the monastery garden, and for three days they were not able to move. When they repented, the monk then freed them. The memory of the Monk Siluan is celebrated also on 28 August and on the 2nd Sunday of Great Lent. 1386 Bd Bonaventure of Peraga, Cardinal of The Holy Roman Church. The first member of the Augustinian Order of Hermits to be raised to the dignity of a cardinal was Bonaventure Baduario. He belonged to one of the leading families of Padua, and was born at Peraga at a short distance from the city. Having received the Augustinian habit at an early age, he was sent to the University of Paris, and when Pope Innocent VI established a theological faculty at the University of Bologna, Bonaventure was one of the earliest occupants of a chair. In addition to his teaching he wrote a number of treatises and commentaries, and he was interested in profane as well as in sacred literature. Community of tastes and mutual attraction led him to form a close friendship with the poet Petrarch, whose funeral oration he preached. In 1377 he was chosen prior general of his order: the following year he was created cardinal of St Cecilia. On several occasions he acted as ambassador for Pope Urban VI during the Schism. He always stoutly defended the rights of the Church, and in so doing came into conflict with his kinsman, Francis, Prince of Carrara, who was the ruler of Padua. On the occasion of a visit to Rome, as Bonaventure was crossing the Tiber to visit the Vatican, he was struck by an arrow and killed. The perpetrator of the deed was never identified, but it was generally believed that the murder had been committed by order of the Prince of Carrara. Cardinal Bonaventure’s claims to the title Blessed seems a little doubtful, though his own order venerated him as a martyr shortly after his death. The Bollandists, in the Acta Sanctorum, June, vol. ii, have compiled an account based mainly on T. de Ferrera’s Alphabetum Augustinianum. In modern times, D. A. Perini has published a small volume, Il b. Bonaventura Baduario-Peraga (1952). 1419 Bd John Dominici, Archbishop of Ragusa and Cardinal; instrumental in helping to end the great schism, Amongst the almost contemporary records of Bd John Dominici which have come down to us are a short biography written by one of his most famous sons— St Antoninus, archbishop of Florence—and a portrait painted by another—Fra Angelico—on the walls of San Marco. A Florentine of humble parentage, born in 1376, John received the Dominican habit at the age of eighteen in the priory of Santa Maria Novella, in spite of some opposition caused by his lack of education and a tendency to stammer. An unusually retentive memory and great perseverance enabled him soon to remedy these defects and he became one of the leading theologians of his day as well as an eloquent preacher. In addition to commentaries on the Holy Scriptures and one or two treatises, he wrote laudi or hymns in the vernacular. For twelve years after completing his studies at the University of Paris he taught and preached in Venice. He was then prior of Santa Maria Novella and elsewhere. At Fiesole and in Venice he founded new houses for men-and in the latter city he established the convent of Corpus Christi for Dominican nuns. He it was who contributed most to the reform movement in Italy, introducing or restoring the strict rule of St Dominic in several priories, with the approval of the master general, Bd Raymund of Capua. It should be further noticed that he took the keenest interest in the Christian education of the young and that he was one of the first to detect and resist the pernicious tendencies of the new paganism that was growing up with the humanists. In 1406 he attended the conclave which elected Pope Gregory XII, and he afterwards became confessor and adviser to that pope, who created him archbishop of Ragusa and cardinal of San Sisto. By encouraging Pope Gregory to resign—as the only possible means of inducing the antipopes likewise to forego their claims—Bd John was instrumental in helping to end the great schism, and it was he who conveyed Gregory’s resignation to the Council of Constance. The next pope, Martin V, appointed him legate to Bohemia and Hungary, charged especially with the duty of counteracting the influence of the Hussites. He found Bohemia in a turmoil: public opinion had been roused to the verge of frenzy by the execution of John Huss; and King Wenceslaus would not take the repressive measures advocated by the nuncio. As he could do nothing there, Dominici passed on to Hungary, but he caught fever soon after his arrival and died at Buda on June 10, 1419. His cultus was confirmed in 1832. In the Acta Sanctorum, two lives are printed: one, a short memoir by St Antoninus of Florence; the other, of much greater length, by John Caroli. Unfortunately this last is not very accurate or reliable. But a good deal has been written otherwise concerning Bd John’s life and work, particularly in relation to the later phases of the great schism. See especially the articles of J. Hollerbach in the Römische Quartalschrift for 1909 and 1910, and H. Finke’s Acta Concilii Constantiensis. Bd John’s two works on education, Lucula Noctis (new ed. by E. Hunt, U.S.A., 1940) and Regola del governo di cura familiare, are of notable importance in the history of pedagogy. He also wrote a very edifying tractate of an ascetical character, II Libro d’amore di caritâ. Consult further the preface of Fr Coulon to his edition of the Lucula Noctis (1908), and Fr Mortier’s Histoire des Maîtres Généraux OP., vols. iii and iv; with Taurisano’s Catalogus Hagiographicus OP. 1609 Saint Basil, Bishop of Ryazan Uncovering and Transfer of the Holy Relics into the Ryazan-Dormition (afterwards Nativity) church in the Kremlin of Ryazan-Pereslavl (Saint Basil, Bishop of Ryazan July 3), was done by Archbishop Theodoret of Ryazan (1605-1617). It pleased Divine Providence during the Time of Troubles to glorify St Basil. The uncovering of his relics and their transfer into the Ryazan-Dormition (afterwards Nativity) church in the Kremlin of Ryazan-Pereslavl took place on July 10, 1609. This had been the cathedral church from the time of the Ryazan bishop Jonah II (1522-1547). The relics of St Basil were placed in a reliquary at the left kleros, beside the iconostasis. A troparion and kontakion were then composed. From that time the name of St Basil was "commemorated throughout all the churches of the Ryazan diocese." People had recourse to him as to "their constant intercessor, a helper in sorrow and peril." Under Archbishop Moses (1638-1651), a stone crypt was built over the relics of St Basil in 1638, and over it was put the Murom Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos "the Supplication of Basil." During this period services of thanksgiving to St Basil were served in the Ryazan churches. The first solemn celebration of the transfer of the relics of the saint took place on June 10, 1645 under Archbishop Moses. Especially fervent in veneration of the Ryazan hierarch was Archbishop Misael (1651-1655). By his command, in 1653, an inscription was made on a large silver vessel for the blessing of water, "This cup is from Ryazan-Pereslavl, in the cathedral church of the Dormition and the holy Passion-Bearers Boris and Gleb, and our Father among the saints Basil, Bishop of Ryazan, Wonderworker". In 1655 St Basil was depicted upon a silver cross together with St John the Forerunner and St Jonah, Metropolitan of Moscow. In 1712 during the time of Metropolitan Stephen Yavorsky, a stone chapel was constructed over the original burial place of St Basil, at the Borisoglebsk church , through the zeal of the clerk Nikita Altukhov. In the years 1722-1723 under Tsar Peter I a formal investigation of the saint was conducted, after which St Basil was depicted upon an icon together with other Russian saints. Metropolitan Demetrius (Sechenov) of Novgorod, during his time as Bishop of Ryazan (1752-1757) compiled the service to St Basil, "having in mind first of all the writing of the troparion, kontakion and canon". Through his efforts a new crypt was constructed over the relics of St Basil, containing a reliquary with an icon of the saint. In 1782 the reliquary was elegantly adorned by the Archbishop of Ryazan and Zaraisk, Simon (Lagova) (1778-1804). In 1810 under the Ryazan and Zaraisk archbishop Theophylakt (Rusanov), a decree of the Holy Synod was promulgated concerning the celebration of St Basil on the Sunday of All Saints. On October 4, 1836 a new memorial was unveiled at the spot of the uncovering of the relics of St Basil. It was set up through the zeal of the churchwarden of the Borisoglebsk church, Simeon Panov. In 1871, Archbishop Alexis (Rzhanitsky, 1867-1876) served the Divine Liturgy at the Borisoglebsk church on the Feast day of St Basil, July 3, for the first time. Under Archbishop Palladius (Raev, 1876-1882) the Holy Synod in 1881 appointed the following days for commemoration of St Basil: July 3, the day of his blessed repose, and June 10, the day of the transfer of his holy relics. Even today, St Basil is especially venerated in the Ryazan lands. In each temple of the Ryazan diocese there is his icon. In the majority of the churches, moreover, is found a mural of the saint sailing along on the water on his mantiya with the Murom Icon of the Mother of God in hand. In the cathedral church each Wednesday evening an Akathist is sung to him. 1626 Bl. Caspar Sadamazu Japanese martyr a Jesuit received into the Order at Bungo in 1582 served as secretary to several provincials before being arrested as a Christian His superior, who joined him in prison, was Blessed Francis Pacheco. Caspar was burned alive in Nagasaki. He was beatified in 1867. 1715 Saint John, Metropolitan of Tobolsk and All Siberia Wonderwonder teacher of the Latin language Kiev Spiritual Academy monasticism at the Kiev Caves "How ought man to conform his will with the will of God?" The Wonderwonder, in the world was named John Maximovitch, and he was born in the city of Nezhino in 1651. His father Maxim Vasil'evich and mother Euphrosyne had seven sons, of which John was the eldest. Upon his completion of the Kiev-Mogilyansk College (afterwards the Kiev Spiritual Academy), the future hierarch emerged from it as a teacher of the Latin language. Thereafter, in 1680, he accepted monasticism at the Kiev Caves monastery and became absorbed in inner spiritual activity. With the general consent of the brethren, the young monk was given the obedience of preaching. From this period he demonstrated an exceptional eloquence. He attached a special significance to inner religious knowledge. The chief theme of his life can be defined at a stroke as, "How ought man to conform his will with the will of God?" He developed this theme both in his preachings, and in his subsequent missionary service. In answer to it appeared the work, published towards the end of his long ascetic life, and entitled "Heliotropion" or "Sunflower," or "Conforming the Human Will to the Divine Will." Of the many works of the holy Fathers of the Orthodox Church, this work gives a very thorough answer to this great question of Christian soteriology. In 1658 they sent him on a mission to Moscow. There he was appointed by Patriarch Joachim (1674-1690) as vicar of the Briansk-Svensk monastery, which was then under the Kiev Caves Lavra. St Theodosius, Archbishop of Chernigov, in 1695 shortly before his own death (February 5) appointed Hieromonk John as Archimandrite of the Chernigov Eletsk monastery, and designated him as his successor as bishop. (St John revered the memory of St Theodosius, believing in the power of his prayerful intercession before the Lord. Because of his faith, he received healing from a serious illness through the prayers of St Theodosius. At the very height of the sickness, St Theodosius appeared to him and said, "Serve tomorrow, you will be well." On the following day St John, completely well and to the amazement of everyone, served the Divine Liturgy. This miracle of St John's healing marked the beginning of the veneration of St Theodosius as a grace-bearing saint of God.) On January 10, 1697 Patriarch Adrian of Moscow and All Rus (1690-1700) consecrated Archimandrite John as Bishop of Chernigov, in the Dormition cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. Upon entering into the administration of the diocese, Bishop John created a Collegium near the archbishop's cathedral, similar to the Kiev Academy, which the saint intended should serve as an "Athens at Chernigov," a school of pious enlightenment. In view of its high level of theological education and training, St John's school received wide renown. In essence, this was the first seminary in Russia. Seminaries on the model of this one began opening in other dioceses of the Russian Church. The saint also later opened a printing press, at which he and his successors published many works of spiritual and moral content. The life of St John was illumined by lofty virtues, and especially humility. It is reflected also in his works, "The Moral-Didactic Reflector" (Chernigov, 1703 and 1707); "The Alphabet, with Rhymes Added" (1705); "The Virgin Mother of God" (1707); "The Theatre, or Moral-Didactic Disgrace" (1708); "Excursus on Psalm 50" (Chernigov, 1708); "Excursus on the "Our Father" and "The Eight Gospel Beatitudes" (1709); "The Royal Way of the Cross" (Chernigov, 1709); "Thoughts on God to the Benefit of Right-Belief" (1710 and 1711); "Synaxarion Commemoration on the Victory of Poltava" (1710); "The Pilgrim" (in manuscript); "Spiritual Thoughts" (Moscow, 1782). At Chernigov in 1714 the saint also first published his chief work, written in the Latin language. It was a peculiarity of the graduates of the Kiev school was that they wrote their works in classical Latin. Professor I. A. Maximovich in 1888 translated the "Heliotropion" into the modern Russian language and published it at first in parts in the "Chernigov Diocesan Newsletter", and later on in a separate book (Kiev, 1896). With his name is connected also "The Latin-Greek-Russian Lexicon." Saint John was known to have connections with Mount Athos. He had a special interest in the fate of Russian inhabitants on the Holy Mountain, and sent them substantial material aid during these difficult years. His archbishopal grammota to the Russian monastery of St Panteleimon has been preserved, and it testifies to his concern for those on Mount Athos. On August 14, 1711, after his elevation to the dignity of metropolitan, St John arrived at the see of Tobolsk and All Siberia. The saint concerned himself constantly with the enlightening of his diocese. There he continued with his work, started at Chernigov. He improved the school which had been opened by his predecessor, the renowned missionary Metropolitan Philotheus (Leschinsky, + 1727), and he continued the apostolic preaching among the pagans of Siberia, converting many thousands to Christ. In 1714 St John set off to Peking to head a mission with Archimandrite Hilarion (Lezhaisky). At Tobolsk he again undertook publishing activity, using the printing press he set up at Chernigov. To this time belongs also the publication by Metropolitan John of the "Heliotropion" in the Slavonic-Russian language (1714), so that the Siberians could also understand it. The chronicler describes the life of the saint in Siberia: "He was quiet and unpretentious, graciously considerate, sympathetic to the poor, and merciful." He often helped people secretly, and sometimes in the garb of a simple monk, he would bring generous alms to the homes of the needy saying, "Accept this in the Name of Jesus Christ." His home at Tobolsk was always open to all those in need of help or a word of comfort. Even on the day he died, June 10, 1715, after Divine Liturgy St John had set up a dining-hall at his home for the clergy and the impoverished, and he himself served at table. Later on, having taken his leave of everyone, the saint withdrew to his chambers. When the church bells rang for Vespers, he died at prayer on his knees. The saint was buried in the chapel of St John Chrysostom at the Tobolsk Dormition-Sophia cathedral. St John has long been venerated in Siberia. In light of numerous miracles and the longstanding local veneration of St John, in 1916 the Church established the all-Russian celebration of the saint on June 10, the day of repose. St John's memory is fervently kept by Siberians and by all the believing Russian people. He at present rests in the Tobolsk cathedral of the Protection of the Mother of God. The service to him was republished, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexis I, by Metropolitan Bartholomew (Gorodtsov) in 1947 at the city of Novosibirsk. 1854 Blessed Joachima marriage to a young lawyer, Theodore de Mas deeply devout, they became secular Franciscans they raised eight children he died and she she established the Carmelite Sisters of Charity known and admired for her high degree of prayer, deep trust in God and selfless charity Born 1783 into an aristocratic family in Barcelona, Spain, Joachima was 12 when she expressed a desire to become a Carmelite nun. But her life took an altogether different turn at 16 with her marriage to a young lawyer, Theodore de Mas. Both deeply devout, they became secular Franciscans. During their 17 years of married life they raised eight children. The normalcy of their family life was interrupted when Napoleon invaded Spain. Joachima had to flee with the children; Theodore, remaining behind, died. Though Joachima reexperienced a desire to enter a religious community, she attended to her duties as a mother. At the same time, the young widow led a life of austerity and chose to wear the habit of the Third Order of St. Francis as her ordinary dress. She spent much time in prayer and visiting the sick. Four years later, with some of her children now married and younger ones under their care, Joachima confessed her desire to a priest to join a religious order. With his encouragement she established the Carmelite Sisters of Charity. In the midst of the fratricidal wars occurring at the time, Joachima was briefly imprisoned and, later, exiled to France for several years. Sickness ultimately compelled her to resign as superior of her order. Over the next four years she slowly succumbed to paralysis, which caused her to die by inches. At her death in 1854 at the age of 71, Joachima was known and admired for her high degree of prayer, deep trust in God and selfless charity. Comment: Joachima understands loss. She lost the home where her children grew up, her husband and, finally, her health. As the power to move and care for her own needs slowly ebbed away, this woman who had all her life cared for others became wholly dependent; she required help with life’s simplest tasks. When our own lives go spinning out of control, when illness and bereavement and financial hardship strike, all we can do is cling to the belief that sustained Joachima: God watches over us always. 1914 Departure of St. Abraam, bishop of El-Fayyoum ordained a monk and priest; meek, humble, had a pure life, and he prayed much in seclusion; Many patients, of different religions, came to him, seeking the blessing of his prayers and were healed miracles were manifested through him after his departure, and his tomb became and still is a pilgrimage for many who have special needs or infirmities.. Today also, the saint Anba Abraam, Bishop of El-fayyoum and El-Giza, departed. This was in the year 1630 A.M. (June 10, 1914 A.D.). This saint, whose name was Paul (Boulos), was born in 1545 A.M. (1829 A.D.) in the Estate of "Gilda", district of Mallawi, governate of Miniah, to righteous parents. They brought him up in a Christian manner. They sent him to the church school, where he learned religious subjects and the church hymns. As he was a very bright student, Anba Yousab, the Bishop of Sunabbo ordained him a deacon for the church of Gilda. His heart longed for the monastic life, so he went to El-Muharrak monastery where he was ordained a monk by the name of Paul Gabriel El-Muharraki. He was nineteen years old. He was meek, humble, had a pure life, and he prayed much in seclusion. Accordingly, the monks loved him exceedingly. When Anba Yakoubos, bishop of El-Meniah, heard of him, he summoned him. He retained him in the episcopate for a period of time during which he promoted him to a priest. When he returned to his monastery, the monks with a consensus decided to make him the abbot over the monastery after the death of their Abbot. He was then promoted to archpriest (hegumen) in the days of Abba Demitrius the second (111th Patriarch). He remained Abbot of the monastery for five years, during which the monastery was the refuge for thousands of the poor. So he was called the father of the poor and the destitute. During his time as abbot, he did not spare an effort to improve the condition of the monastery spiritually and physically. He improved its finances by developing its agricultural land. As he increased his charity toward the poor, the orphans and the widows, some of the monks became more resentful of him, for they considered these charitable works as squandering and extravagant acts. They complained against him to Anba Morcos, Metropolitan of El-Behira, who was the acting Patriarch after the death of Pope Demitrius. Anba Morcos accepted their complaints and deposed him as the abbot of their monastery. Shortly after his dismissal, he left El-Muharrak monastery and went to the monastery of El-Baramous. Several monks from the El-Muharrak monastery went to the monastery of El-Baramous, with archpriest Bolous (Abba Abraam), because they did not like the attitudes of the complaining monks. He stayed there for some time studying the Bible and teaching the monks. The abbot of the monastery of El-Baramous at that time was archpriest Youhanna the Scribe, who became later on Pope Kyrillos the fifth (112th Patriarch). In the year 1597 A.M. (1881 A.D.), Pope Kyrillos the Fifth chose and ordained him a bishop for the parish of El-Fayyoum and El-Giza. He replaced its reposed bishop, Anba Eisak, and was ordained with the name of Abba Abraam. During his episcopate, he became famous for two attributes: The First: His charity to the multitude of poor that came to the bishopric residence. He gave them all what he had of money. He made the bishopric residence a shelter for many of them. He offered clothing for those who had no clothes and food for those who were hungry. He never allowed anyone to offer him food that was better than that offered to the poor. Once he went down to visit the poor while they were eating, and found that the food he was offered that day was better than that offered to them. He became very sad, and immediately relieved the nun supervising the feeding service of the poor from her duties. The Second: He was famous for his prayer of faith. Many miracles were performed, through his prayers, on his hands. His fame was spread to all parts of Egypt and also to some parts of Europe. Many patients, of different religions, came to him, seeking the blessing of his prayers and were healed. Anba Abraam was well read of the holy books. He always gave to his visitors advice, instructions and sermons which showed the great depth of his knowledge. More important was that he possessed a pure nature and many virtues. Particularly, his severe denial of himself, and his true renouncement of the pleasures of life and its vain glory. His food and clothing were just bare necessities. His ambition never looked up to the glory of higher ranks or positions. When the Patriarch wanted to promote him to the rank of metropolitan he apologized saying that the Holy Bible did not mention any ranks in the priesthood except the ranks of the priest and the bishop. He was also straightforward in revealing his own opinion, looking only for the truth. He never gave any attention to the rank and greatness of people in higher places, for their greatness was far less than the greatness of the truth. For this reason, all the metropolitans and bishops of the church avoided his anger and sought to please him. Abba Abraam departed to the heavenly bless on the 3rd day of Baouna, 1630 A.M. (June 10, 1914 A.D.). More than ten thousand Christian and Moslems walked in his funeral precession. His pure body was laid in the tomb, which was prepared for him in the monastery of the Virgin Mary in El-Ezab. Many miracles were manifested through him after his departure, and his tomb became and still is a pilgrimage for many who have special needs or infirmities. May his prayers be with us and Glory be to God forever. Amen.

To Save A Life is Earthly; To Save A Soul is Eternal

THE PSALTER OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY PSALM 10

I trust in our Lady; because of the sweetness of the mercy of her name.

Her eyes look upon the poor: and her hands are stretched out to the orphan and the widow.

Seek after her from your youth: she will glorify you before the face of the peoples.

Her mercy will deliver us from the multitude of our sins: and will bestow on us fruitfulness of merits.

Stretch out to us thy arm, O glorious Virgin: and do not turn away from us thy glorious face.

Let every spirit praise Our Lady

Rejoice, ye Heavens, and be glad, O Earth: because Mary will console her servants and will have mercy on her poor.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost as it was in the beginning and will always be.

God loves variety. He doesn't mass-produce his saints. Every saint is unique, for each is the result of a new idea. As the liturgy says: Non est inventus similis illis--there are no two exactly alike. It is we with our lack of imagination, who paint the same haloes on all the saints. Dear Lord, grant us a spirit that is not bound by our own ideas and preferences. Grant that we may be able to appreciate in others what we lack in ourselves. O Lord, grant that we may understand that every saint must be a unique praise of Your glory. Catholic saints are holy people and human people who lived extraordinary lives. Each saint the Church honors responded to God's invitation to use his or her unique gifts. God calls each one of us to be a saint in order to get into heaven: only saints are allowed into heaven. The more "extravagant" graces are bestowed NOT for the benefit of the recipients so much as FOR the benefit of others.

There are over 10,000 named saints beati from history
and Roman Martyology Orthodox sources
Patron_Saints.html Widowed_Saints html Indulgences The Catholic Church in China
LINKS: Marian Shrines India Marian Shrine Lourdes of the East Lourdes 1858 China Marian shrines 1995
Kenya national Marian shrine Loreto, Italy Marian Apparitions (over 2000) Quang Tri Vietnam La Vang 1798
Links to Related MarianWebsites Angels and Archangels Saints Visions of Heaven and Hell
Widowed Saints html
Doctors_of_the_Church Acts_Of_The_Apostles Roman Catholic Popes Purgatory Uniates Chalcedon

Mary the Mother of Jesus Miracles_BC Lay Saints Miraculous_Icons Miraculous_Medal_Novena Patron Saints
Miracles by Century 100   200   300   400   500   600   700    800   900   1000    1100   1200   1300   1400 1500 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000
Miracles 100   200   300   400   500   600   700    800   900   1000
1100   1200   1300   1400 1500 1600 1700 1800   1900 Lay Saints

The great psalm of the Passion, Chapter 22, whose first verse “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”
Jesus pronounced on the cross, ended with the vision: “All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord;
and all the families of the nations shall worship before him” For kingship belongs to the LORD, the ruler over the nations. All who sleep in the earth will bow low before God; All who have gone down into the dust will kneel in homage. And I will live for the LORD; my descendants will serve you. The generation to come will be told of the Lord, that they may proclaim to a people yet unborn the deliverance you have brought.

Pope Benedict XVI to The Catholic Church In China {whole article here} 2000 years of the Catholic Church in China
The saints “a cloud of witnesses over our head”, showing us life of Christian perfection is possible.

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Saint Frances Xavier Seelos Practical Guide to Holiness

1. Go to Mass with deepest devotion. 2. Spend a half hour to reflect upon your main failing & make resolutions to avoid it.
3. Do daily spiritual reading for at least 15 minutes, if a half hour is not possible. 4. Say the rosary every day.
5. Also daily, if at all possible, visit the Blessed Sacrament; toward evening, meditate on the Passion of Christ for a half hour, 6. Conclude the day with evening prayer & an examination of conscience over all the faults & sins of the day.
7. Every month make a review of the month in confession.
8. Choose a special patron every month & imitate that patron in some special virtue.
9. Precede every great feast with a novena that is nine days of devotion. 10. Try to begin & end every activity with a Hail Mary

My God, I believe, I adore, I trust and I love Thee. I beg pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not

O most Holy trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore Thee profoundly. I offer Thee the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the Tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifference by which He is offended, and by the infite merits of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. I beg the conversion of poor sinners, Fatima Prayer, Angel of Peace

The voice of the Father is heard, the Son enters the water, and the Holy Spirit appears in the form of a dove.

THE spirit and example of the world imperceptibly instil the error into the minds of many that there is a kind of middle way of going to Heaven; and so, because the world does not live up to the gospel, they bring the gospel down to the level of the world. It is not by this example that we are to measure the Christian rule, but words and life of Christ. All His followers are commanded to labour to become perfect even as our heavenly Father is perfect, and to bear His image in our hearts that we may be His children. We are obliged by the gospel to die to ourselves by fighting self-love in our hearts, by the mastery of our passions, by taking on the spirit of our Lord.

These are the conditions under which Christ makes His promises and numbers us among His children, as is manifest from His words which the apostles have left us in their inspired writings. Here is no distinction made or foreseen between the apostles or clergy or religious and secular persons. The former, indeed, take upon themselves certain stricter obligations, as a means of accomplishing these ends more perfectly; but the law of holiness and of disengagement of the heart from the world is general and binds all the followers of Christ.

God loves variety. He doesn't mass-produce his saints. Every saint is unique each the result of a new idea.

As the liturgy says: Non est inventus similis illis--there are no two exactly alike.
It is we with our lack of imagination, who paint the same haloes on all the saints.
Dear Lord, grant us a spirit not bound by our own ideas and preferences.
Grant that we may be able to appreciate in others what we lack in ourselves.
O Lord, grant that we may understand that every saint must be a unique praise of Your glory.
Catholic saints are holy people and human people who lived extraordinary lives.

Each saint the Church honors responded to God's invitation to use his or her unique gifts.

The 15 Promises of the Virgin Mary to those who recite the Rosary ) Revealed to St. Dominic and Blessed Alan)

1. Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall receive signal graces. 2. I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary. 3. The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell, it will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies. 4. It will cause virtue and good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the hearts of people from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire of eternal things. Oh, that soul would sanctify them by this means. 5. The soul that recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary shall not perish. 6. Whoever shall recite the Rosary devoutly, applying themselves to the consideration of its Sacred Mysteries shall never be conquered by misfortune. God will not chastise them in His justice, they shall not perish by an unprovided death; if they be just, they shall remain in the grace of God, and become worthy of eternal life. 7. Whoever shall have a true devotion for the Rosary shall not die without the Sacraments of the Church. 8. Those who are faithful to recite the Rosary shall have during their life and at their death the light of God and the plentitude of His graces; at the moment of death they shall participate in the merits of the Saints in Paradise. 9. I shall deliver from purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary. 10. The faithful children of the Rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in Heaven. 11. You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the Rosary. 12. I shall aid all those who propagate the Holy Rosary in their necessities. 13. I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the Rosary shall have for intercessors the entire celestial court during their life and at the hour of death. 14. All who recite the Rosary are my children, and brothers and sisters of my only Son, Jesus Christ. 15. Devotion to my Rosary is a great sign of predestination.

His Holiness Aram I, current (2013) Catholicos of Cilicia of Armenians, whose See is located in Lebanese town of Antelias. The Catholicosate was founded in Sis, capital of Cilicia, in the year 1441 following the move of the Catholicosate of All Armenians back to its original See of Etchmiadzin in Armenia. The Catholicosate of Cilicia enjoyed local jurisdiction, though spiritually subject to the authority of Etchmiadzin. In 1921 the See was transferred to Aleppo in Syria, and in 1930 to Antelias.

Its jurisdiction currently extends to Syria, Cyprus, Iran and Greece.

Aramaic dialect of Edessa, now known as Syriac

The exact date of the introduction of Christianity into Edessa {Armenian Ourhaï in Arabic Er Roha, commonly Orfa or Urfa, its present name} is not known. It is certain, however, that the Christian community was at first made up from the Jewish population of the city. According to an ancient legend, King Abgar V, Ushana, was converted by Addai, who was one of the seventy-two disciples. In fact, however, the first King of Edessa to embrace the Christian Faith was Abgar IX (c. 206) becoming official kingdom religion.

Christian council held at Edessa early as 197 (Eusebius, Hist. Ecc7V,xxiii).

In 201 the city was devastated by a great flood, and the Christian church was destroyed (“Chronicon Edessenum”, ad. an. 201).

In 232 the relics of the Apostle St. Thomas were brought from India, on which occasion his Syriac Acts were written.

Under Roman domination martyrs suffered at Edessa: Sts. Scharbîl and Barsamya, under Decius; Sts. Gûrja, Schâmôna, Habib, and others under Diocletian.

In the meanwhile Christian priests from Edessa evangelized Eastern Mesopotamia and Persia, established the first Churches in the kingdom of the Sassanides. Atillâtiâ, Bishop of Edessa, assisted at the Council of Nicæa (325). The “Peregrinatio Silviæ” (or Etheriæ) (ed. Gamurrini, Rome, 1887, 62 sqq.) gives an account of the many sanctuaries at Edessa about 388.

Although Hebrew had been the language of the ancient Israelite kingdom, after their return from Exile the Jews turned more and more to Aramaic, using it for parts of the books of Ezra and Daniel in the Bible. By the time of Jesus, Aramaic was the main language of Palestine, and quite a number of texts from the Dead Sea Scrolls are also written in Aramaic.

Aramaic continued to be an important language for Jews, alongside Hebrew, and parts of the Talmud are written in it.

After Arab conquests of the seventh century, Arabic quickly replaced Aramaic as the main language of those who converted to Islam, although in out of the way places, Aramaic continued as a vernacular language of Muslims.

Aramaic, however, enjoyed its greatest success in Christianity. Although the New Testament wins written in Greek, Christianity had come into existence in an Aramaic-speaking milieu, and it was the Aramaic dialect of Edessa, now known as Syriac, that became the literary language of a large number of Christians living in the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire and in the Persian Empire, further east. Over the course of the centuries the influence of the Syriac Churches spread eastwards to China (in Xian, in western China, a Chinese-Syriac inscription dated 781 is still to be seen); to southern India where the state of Kerala can boast more Christians of Syriac liturgical tradition than anywhere else in the world.

680 Shiite saint Imam Hussein, grandson of Islam's Prophet Muhammad Known as Ashoura and observed by Shiites across the world, the 10th day of the lunar Muslim month of Muharram: the anniversary of the 7th century death in battle of one of Shiite Islam's most beloved saints. Imam Hussein died in the 680 A.D. battle fought on the plains outside Karbala, a city in modern Iraq that's home to the saint's shrine. The battle over a dispute about the leadership of the Muslim faith following Muhammad's death in 632 A.D. It is the defining event in Islam's split into Sunni and Shiite branches. The occasion is the source of an enduring moral lesson. "He sacrificed his blood to teach us not to give in to corruption, coercion, or use of force and to seek honor and justice." According to Shiite beliefs, Hussein and companions were denied water by enemies who controlled the nearby Euphrates. Streets get partially covered with blood from slaughter of hundreds of cows and sheep. Volunteers cook the meat and feed it to the poor. Hussein's martyrdom recounted through a rich body of prose, poetry and song remains an inspirational example of sacrifice to many Shiites, 10 percent of the world's estimated 1.3 billion Muslims.

Meeting of the Saints walis (saints of Allah)

Great men covet to embrace martyrdom for a cause and principle.

So was the case with Hazrat Ali. He could have made a compromise with the evil forces of his time and, as a result, could have led a very comfortable, easy and luxurious life. But he was not a person who would succumb to such temptations. His upbringing, his education and his training in the lap of the holy Prophet made him refuse such an offer.
Rabia Al-Basri (717–801 C.E.) She was first to set forth the doctrine of mystical love and who is widely considered to be the most important of the early Sufi poets. An elderly Shia pointed out that during his pre-Partition childhood it was quite common to find pictures and portraits of Shia icons in Imambaras across the country.
Shah Abdul Latif: The Exalted Sufi Master born 1690 in a Syed family; died 1754. In ancient times, Sindh housed the exemplary Indus Valley Civilisation with Moenjo Daro as its capital, and now, it is the land of a culture which evolved from the teachings of eminent Sufi saints. Pakistan is home to the mortal remains of many Sufi saints, the exalted among them being Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, a practitioner of the real Islam, philosopher, poet, musicologist and preacher. He presented his teaching through poetry and music - both instruments sublime - and commands a very large following, not only among Muslims but also among Hindus and Christians. Sindh culture: The Shah is synonymous with Sindh. He is the very fountainhead of Sindh's culture. His message remains as fresh as that of any present day poet, and the people of Sindh find solace from his writings. He did indeed think for Sindh. One of his prayers, in exquisite Sindhi, translates thus: “Oh God, may ever You on Sindh bestow abundance rare! Beloved! All the world let share Thy grace, and fruitful be.”
Shia Ali al-Hadi, died 868 and son Hassan al-Askari 874. These saints are the 10th and 11th of Shia's 12 most revered Imams. Baba Farid Sufi 1398 miracle, Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki renowned Muslim Sufi saint scholar miracles 569 A.H. [1173 C.E.] hermit gave to poor, Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti greatest mystic of his time born 533 Hijri (1138-39 A.D.), Hazrat Ghuas-e Azam, Hazrat Bu Ali Sharif, and Hazrat Nizamuddi n Aulia Sufi Saint Hazrath Khwaja Syed Mohammed Badshah Quadri Chisty Yamani Quadeer (RA) 1236-1325 welcomed people of all faiths & all walks of life.

801 Rabi'a al-'Adawiyya Sufi One of the most famous Islamic mystics
(b. 717). This 8th century saint was an early Sufi who had a profound influence on later Sufis, who in turn deeply influenced the European mystical love and troubadour traditions. Rabi'a was a woman of Basra, a seaport in southern Iraq. She was born around 717 and died in 801 (185-186). Her biographer, the great medieval poet Attar, tells us that she was "on fire with love and longing" and that men accepted her "as a second spotless Mary" (186). She was, he continues, “an unquestioned authority to her contemporaries" (218).
Rabi'a began her ascetic life in a small desert cell near Basra, where she lost herself in prayer and went straight to God for teaching. As far as is known, she never studied under any master or spiritual director. She was one of the first of the Sufis to teach that Love alone was the guide on the mystic path (222). A later Sufi taught that there were two classes of "true believers": one class sought a master as an intermediary between them and God -- unless they could see the footsteps of the Prophet on the path before them, they would not accept the path as valid. The second class “...did not look before them for the footprint of any of God's creatures, for they had removed all thought of what He had created from their hearts, and concerned themselves solely with God. (218)
Rabi'a was of this second kind. She felt no reverence even for the House of God in Mecca: "It is the Lord of the house Whom I need; what have I to do with the house?" (219) One lovely spring morning a friend asked her to come outside to see the works of God. She replied, "Come you inside that you may behold their Maker. Contemplation of the Maker has turned me aside from what He has made" (219). During an illness, a friend asked this woman if she desired anything.
"...[H]ow can you ask me such a question as 'What do I desire?' I swear by the glory of God that for twelve years I have desired fresh dates, and you know that in Basra dates are plentiful, and I have not yet tasted them. I am a servant (of God), and what has a servant to do with desire?" (162)
When a male friend once suggested she should pray for relief from a debilitating illness, she said,
"O Sufyan, do you not know Who it is that wills this suffering for me? Is it not God Who wills it? When you know this, why do you bid me ask for what is contrary to His will? It is not well to oppose one's Beloved." (221)
She was an ascetic. It was her custom to pray all night, sleep briefly just before dawn, and then rise again just as dawn "tinged the sky with gold" (187). She lived in celibacy and poverty, having renounced the world. A friend visited her in old age and found that all she owned were a reed mat, screen, a pottery jug, and a bed of felt which doubled as her prayer-rug (186), for where she prayed all night, she also slept briefly in the pre-dawn chill. Once her friends offered to get her a servant; she replied,
"I should be ashamed to ask for the things of this world from Him to Whom the world belongs, and how should I ask for them from those to whom it does not belong?" (186-7)
A wealthy merchant once wanted to give her a purse of gold. She refused it, saying that God, who sustains even those who dishonor Him, would surely sustain her, "whose soul is overflowing with love" for Him. And she added an ethical concern as well:
"...How should I take the wealth of someone of whom I do not know whether he acquired it lawfully or not?" (187)
She taught that repentance was a gift from God because no one could repent unless God had already accepted him and given him this gift of repentance. She taught that sinners must fear the punishment they deserved for their sins, but she also offered such sinners far more hope of Paradise than most other ascetics did. For herself, she held to a higher ideal, worshipping God neither from fear of Hell nor from hope of Paradise, for she saw such self-interest as unworthy of God's servants; emotions like fear and hope were like veils -- i.e., hindrances to the vision of God Himself. The story is told that once a number of Sufis saw her hurrying on her way with water in one hand and a burning torch in the other. When they asked her to explain, she said:
"I am going to light a fire in Paradise and to pour water on to Hell, so that both veils may vanish altogether from before the pilgrims and their purpose may be sure..." (187-188)
She was once asked where she came from. "From that other world," she said. "And where are you going?" she was asked. "To that other world," she replied (219). She taught that the spirit originated with God in "that other world" and had to return to Him in the end. Yet if the soul were sufficiently purified, even on earth, it could look upon God unveiled in all His glory and unite with him in love. In this quest, logic and reason were powerless. Instead, she speaks of the "eye" of her heart which alone could apprehend Him and His mysteries (220).
Above all, she was a lover, a bhakti, like one of Krishna’s Goptis in the Hindu tradition. Her hours of prayer were not so much devoted to intercession as to communion with her Beloved. Through this communion, she could discover His will for her. Many of her prayers have come down to us:
       "I have made Thee the Companion of my heart,
        But my body is available for those who seek its company,
        And my body is friendly towards its guests,
        But the Beloved of my heart is the Guest of my soul." [224]

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Mother Angelica saving souls is this beautiful womans journey

Shrine_of_The_Most_Blessed_Sacrament

Colombia was among the countries Mother Angelica visited.
In Bogotá, a Salesian priest - Father Juan Pablo Rodriguez - brought Mother and the nuns to the Sanctuary of the Divine Infant Jesus to attend Mass. After Mass, Father Juan Pablo took them into a small Shrine which housed the miraculous statue of the Child Jesus. Mother Angelica stood praying at the side of the statue when suddenly the miraculous image came alive and turned towards her. Then the Child Jesus spoke with the voice of a young boy: “Build Me a Temple and I will help those who help you.”

Thus began a great adventure that would eventually result in the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament, a Temple dedicated to the Divine Child Jesus, a place of refuge for all. Use this link to read a remarkable story about The Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament

Father Reardon, Editor of The Catholic Bulletin for 14 years Lover of the poor; “A very Holy Man of God.”

Monsignor Reardon Protonotarius Apostolicus
Pastor 42 years BASILICA OF SAINT MARY Minneapolis MN

America's First Basilica Largest Nave in the World

August 7, 1907-ground broke for the foundation

by Archbishop Ireland-laying cornerstone May 31, 1908

James M. Reardon Publication History of Basilica of Saint Mary 1600-1932

Index to Part I and Part II 1932

James M. Reardon Publication History of the Basilica of Saint Mary 1955 {update}

Brief History of our Beloved Holy Priest Here and his published books of Catholic History in North America
Reardon, J.M. Archbishop Ireland; Prelate, Patriot, Publicist, 1838-1918.
A Memoir (St. Paul; 1919); George Anthony Belcourt Pioneer Catholic Missionary of the Northwest 1803-1874 (1955);
The Catholic Church IN THE DIOCESE OF ST. PAUL from earliest origin to centennial achievement 1362-1950 (1952);
The Church of Saint Mary of Saint Paul 1875-1922; (1932)
The Vikings in the American Heartland;
The Catholic Total Abstinence Society in Minnesota;

James Michael Reardon Born in Nova Scotia, 1872; Priest, ordained by Bishop Ireland;

Member -- St. Paul Seminary faculty.

Affiliations and Indulgences Litany of Loretto in Stained glass windows here. Nave Sacristy and Residence Here
Sanctuary spaces between them filled with grilles of hand-forged wrought iron the life of our Blessed Lady After the crucifixon

Apostle statues Replicas of those in St John Lateran--Christendom's earliest Basilica.
Ordered by Rome's first Christian Emperor, Constantine the Great, Popes' cathedral and official residence first millennium of Christian history.

The only replicas ever made: in order from west to east {1932}.

Saints Simon (saw), Bartholomew (knife), James the Lesser (book), John (eagle), Andrew (transverse cross), Peter keys), Paul (sword), James the Greater (staff), Thomas (carpenter's square), Philip (serpent), Matthew (book), and Jude sword

Every Christian must be a living book wherein one can read the teaching of the gospel
It Makes No Sense Not To Believe In GOD

THE BLESSED MOTHER AND ISLAM By Father John Corapi.

June 19, Trinity Sunday, 1991: Ordained Catholic Priest under Pope John Paul II;
then 2,000,000 miles delivering the Gospel to millions, and continues to do so.

By Father John Corapi
THE BLESSED MOTHER AND ISLAM By Father John Corapi.

June 19, Trinity Sunday, 1991: Ordained Catholic Priest under Pope John Paul II;
then 2,000,000 miles delivering the Gospel to millions, and continues to do so.

By Father John Corapi

Among the most important titles we have in the Catholic Church for the Blessed Virgin Mary are Our Lady of Victory and Our Lady of the Rosary. These titles can be traced back to one of the most decisive times in the history of the world and Christendom. The Battle of Lepanto took place on October 7 (date of feast of Our Lady of Rosary), 1571. This proved to be the most crucial battle for the Christian forces against the radical Muslim navy of Turkey. Pope Pius V led a procession around St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City praying the Rosary. He showed true pastoral leadership in recognizing the danger posed to Christendom by the radical Muslim forces, and in using the means necessary to defeat it. Spiritual battles require spiritual weapons, and this more than anything was a battle that had its origins in the spiritual order—a true battle between good and evil.

Today we have a similar spiritual battle in progress—a battle between the forces of good and evil, light and darkness, truth and lies, life and death. If we do not soon stop the genocide of abortion in the United States, we shall run the course of all those that prove by their actions that they are enemies of God—total collapse, economic, social, and national. The moral demise of a nation results in the ultimate demise of a nation. God is not a disinterested spectator to the affairs of man. Life begins at conception. This is an unalterable formal teaching of the Catholic Church. If you do not accept this you are a heretic in plain English. A single abortion is homicide. The more than 48,000,000 abortions since Roe v. Wade in the United States constitute genocide by definition. The group singled out for death—unwanted, unborn children.

No other issue, not all other issues taken together, can constitute a proportionate reason for voting for candidates that intend to preserve and defend this holocaust of innocent human life that is abortion.
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. These are not ordinary times and this is not business as usual. We are at a crossroads in human history and the time for Catholics and all Christians to act is now. All evil can ultimately be traced to its origin, which is moral evil. All of the political action, peace talks, international peacekeeping forces, etc. will avail nothing if the underlying sickness is not addressed. This is sin. One person at a time hearts and minds must be moved from evil to good, from lies to truth, from violence to peace.
Islam, an Arabic word that has often been defined as “to make peace,” seems like a living contradiction today. Islam is a religion of peace. As we celebrate the birthday of Our Lady, I am proposing that each one of us pray the Rosary for peace. Prayer is what must precede all other activity if that activity is to have any chance of success. Pray for peace, pray the Rosary every day without fail. There is a great love for Mary among Muslim people. It is not a coincidence that a little village named Fatima is where God chose to have His Mother appear in the twentieth century. Our Lady’s name appears no less than thirty times in the Koran. No other woman’s name is mentioned, not even that of Mohammed’s daughter, Fatima. In the Koran Our Lady is described as “Virgin, ever Virgin.”

Archbishop Fulton Sheen prophetically spoke of the resurgence of Islam in our day. He said it would be through the Blessed Virgin Mary that Islam would be converted. We must pray for this to happen quickly if we are to avert a horrible time of suffering for this poor, sinful world. Turn to our Mother in this time of great peril. Pray the Rosary every day. Then, and only then will there be peace, when the hearts and minds of men are changed from the inside.

Talk is weak. Prayer is strong. Pray! God bless you, Father John Corapi

Father Corapi's Biography

Father John Corapi is what has commonly been called a late vocation. In other words, he came to the priesthood other than a young man. He was 44 years old when he was ordained. From small town boy to the Vietnam era US Army, from successful businessman in Las Vegas and Hollywood to drug addicted and homeless, to religious life and ordination to the priesthood by Pope John Paul II, to a life as a preacher of the Gospel who has reached millions with the simple message that God's Name is Mercy!

Father Corapi's academic credentials are quite extensive. He received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Pace University in the seventies. Then as an older man returned to the university classrooms in preparation for his life as a priest and preacher. He received all of his academic credentials for the Church with honors: a Masters degree in Sacred Scripture from Holy Apostles Seminary and Bachelor, Licentiate, and Doctorate degrees in dogmatic theology from the University of Navarre in Spain.

Father John Corapi goes to the heart of the contemporary world's many woes and wars, whether the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Somalia, or the Congo, or the natural disasters that seem to be increasing every year, the moral and spiritual war is at the basis of everything. “Our battle is not against human forces,” St. Paul asserts, “but against principalities and powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness...” (Ephesians 6:12).
The “War to end all wars” is the moral and spiritual combat that rages in the hearts and minds of human beings. The outcome of that unseen fight largely determines how the battle in the realm of the seen unfolds. The title talk, “With the Moon Under Her Feet,” is taken from the twelfth chapter of the Book of Revelation, and deals with the current threat to the world from radical Islam, and the Blessed Virgin Mary's role in the ultimate victory that will result in the conversion of Islam. Few Catholics are aware of the connection between Islam, Fatima, and Guadalupe. Presented in Father Corapi's straight-forward style, you will be both inspired and educated by him.

About Father John Corapi.

Father Corapi is a Catholic priest .

The pillars of father's preaching are basically:

Love for and a relationship with the Blessed Virgin Mary
Leading a vibrant and loving relationship with Jesus Christ
Great love and reverence for the Most Holy Eucharist from Holy Mass to adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
An uncompromising love for and obedience to the Holy Father and the teaching of the Magisterium of the Church

God Bless you on your journey Father John Corapi

Records on life of Father Flanagan, founder of Boys Town, presented at Vatican
Jul 23, 2019 - 03:01 am .- The cause for canonization of Servant of God Edward Flanagan, the priest who founded Nebraska's Boys Town community for orphans and other boys, advanced Monday with the presentation of a summary of records on his life.

Archbishop Fulton Sheen to be beatified
Jul 6, 2019 - 04:00 am .- Pope Francis approved the miracle attributed to Archbishop Fulton Sheen Friday, making possible the American television catechist's beatification.

Brooklyn diocese advances sainthood cause of local priest
Jun 25, 2019 - 03:01 am .- The Bishop of Brooklyn accepted last week the findings of a nine-year diocesan investigation into the life of Monsignor Bernard John Quinn, known for fighting bigotry and serving the African American population, as part of his cause for canonization.

Fr. Augustus Tolton, former African American slave, advances toward sainthood
Jun 12, 2019 - 05:03 am .- Fr. Augustus Tolton advanced along the path to sainthood Wednesday, making the runaway slave-turned-priest one step closer to being the first black American saint.

Pope Francis will beatify these martyred Greek-Catholic bishops in Romania
May 30, 2019 - 03:01 pm .- On Sunday in Blaj, Pope Francis will beatify seven Greek-Catholic bishops of Romania who were killed by the communist regime between 1950 and 1970.

Woman who served Brazil’s poorest to be canonized
May 14, 2019 - 06:53 am .- Pope Francis Tuesday gave his approval for eight sainthood causes to proceed, including that of Bl. Dulce Lopes Pontes, a 20th-century religious sister who served Brazil’s poor.

Seven 20th-century Romanian bishops declared martyrs
Mar 19, 2019 - 12:01 pm .- Pope Francis declared Tuesday the martyrdom of seven Greek-Catholic bishops killed by the communist regime in Romania in the mid-20th century.

Pope advances sainthood causes of 17 women
Jan 15, 2019 - 11:12 am .- Pope Francis approved Tuesday the next step in the canonization causes of 17 women from four countries, including the martyrdom of 14 religious sisters killed in Spain at the start of the Spanish Civil War.

Nineteen Algerian martyrs beatified
Dec 10, 2018 - 03:08 pm .- Bishop Pierre Claverie and his 18 companions, who were martyred in Algeria between 1994 and 1996, were beatified Saturday during a Mass in Oran.

The Algerian martyrs shed their blood for Christ, pope says
Dec 7, 2018 - 10:02 am .- Ahead of the beatification Saturday of Bishop Pierre Claverie and his 18 companions, who were martyred in Algeria between 1994 and 1996, Pope Francis said martyrs have a special place in the Church.
Algerian martyrs are models for the Church, archbishop says
Nov 16, 2018 - 03:01 am .- Archbishop Paul Desfarges of Algiers has said that Bishop Pierre Claverie and his 18 companions, who were martyred in Algeria between 1994 and 1996, are “models for our lives as disciples today and tomorrow.”

Francesco Spinelli to be canonized after healing of a newborn in DR Congo
Oct 9, 2018 - 05:01 pm .- Among those being canonized on Sunday are Fr. Franceso Spinelli, a diocesan priest through whose intercession a newborn was saved from death in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Algerian martyrs to be beatified in December
Sep 14, 2018 - 06:01 pm .- The Algerian bishops' conference has announced that the beatification of Bishop Pierre Claverie and his 18 companions, who were martyred in the country between 1994 and 1996, will be held Dec. 8.

Now a cardinal, Giovanni Angelo Becciu heads to congregation for saints' causes
Jun 28, 2018 - 11:41 am .- Newly-minted Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu will resign from his post as substitute of the Secretariat of State tomorrow, in anticipation of his appointment as prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints later this summer.

Pope Francis creates new path to beatification under ‘offering of life’
Jul 11, 2017 - 06:22 am .- On Tuesday Pope Francis declared a new category of Christian life suitable for consideration of beatification called “offering of life” – in which a person has died prematurely through an offering of their life for love of God and neighbor.

Twentieth century Polish nurse among causes advancing toward sainthood
Jul 7, 2017 - 06:14 am .- Pope Francis on Friday approved a miracle attributed to the intercession of the Venerable Hanna Chrzanowska, a Polish nurse and nursing instructor who died from cancer in 1973, paving the way for her beatification.

Sainthood causes advance, including layman who resisted fascism
Jun 17, 2017 - 09:22 am .- Pope Francis on Friday recognized the heroic virtue of six persons on the path to canonization, as well as the martyrdom of an Italian man who died from injuries of a beating he received while imprisoned in a concentration camp for resisting fascism.

Solanus Casey, Cardinal Van Thuan among those advanced toward sainthood
May 4, 2017 - 10:47 am .- Pope Francis on Thursday approved decrees of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints advancing the causes for canonization of 12 individuals, including the American-born Capuchin Solanus Casey and the Vietnamese cardinal Francis Xavier Nguen Van Thuan.

Pope clears way for canonization of Fatima visionaries
Mar 23, 2017 - 06:44 am .- On Thursday Pope Francis approved the second and final miracle needed to canonize Blessed Francisco and Jacinta Marto, two of the shepherd children who witnessed the Fatima Marian apparitions.
Surgeon and father among sainthood causes moving forward
Feb 27, 2017 - 11:03 am .- Pope Francis recognized on Monday the heroic virtue of eight persons on the path to canonization, including an Italian surgeon and father of eight who suffered from several painful diseases throughout his life.

Records on life of Father Flanagan, founder of Boys Town, presented at Vatican
Jul 23, 2019 - 03:01 am .- The cause for canonization of Servant of God Edward Flanagan, the priest who founded Nebraska's Boys Town community for orphans and other boys, advanced Monday with the presentation of a summary of records on his life.

Archbishop Fulton Sheen to be beatified
Jul 6, 2019 - 04:00 am .- Pope Francis approved the miracle attributed to Archbishop Fulton Sheen Friday, making possible the American television catechist's beatification.

Brooklyn diocese advances sainthood cause of local priest
Jun 25, 2019 - 03:01 am .- The Bishop of Brooklyn accepted last week the findings of a nine-year diocesan investigation into the life of Monsignor Bernard John Quinn, known for fighting bigotry and serving the African American population, as part of his cause for canonization.

Fr. Augustus Tolton, former African American slave, advances toward sainthood
Jun 12, 2019 - 05:03 am .- Fr. Augustus Tolton advanced along the path to sainthood Wednesday, making the runaway slave-turned-priest one step closer to being the first black American saint.

Pope Francis will beatify these martyred Greek-Catholic bishops in Romania
May 30, 2019 - 03:01 pm .- On Sunday in Blaj, Pope Francis will beatify seven Greek-Catholic bishops of Romania who were killed by the communist regime between 1950 and 1970.

Woman who served Brazil’s poorest to be canonized
May 14, 2019 - 06:53 am .- Pope Francis Tuesday gave his approval for eight sainthood causes to proceed, including that of Bl. Dulce Lopes Pontes, a 20th-century religious sister who served Brazil’s poor.

Seven 20th-century Romanian bishops declared martyrs
Mar 19, 2019 - 12:01 pm .- Pope Francis declared Tuesday the martyrdom of seven Greek-Catholic bishops killed by the communist regime in Romania in the mid-20th century.

Pope advances sainthood causes of 17 women
Jan 15, 2019 - 11:12 am .- Pope Francis approved Tuesday the next step in the canonization causes of 17 women from four countries, including the martyrdom of 14 religious sisters killed in Spain at the start of the Spanish Civil War.

Nineteen Algerian martyrs beatified
Dec 10, 2018 - 03:08 pm .- Bishop Pierre Claverie and his 18 companions, who were martyred in Algeria between 1994 and 1996, were beatified Saturday during a Mass in Oran.

The Algerian martyrs shed their blood for Christ, pope says
Dec 7, 2018 - 10:02 am .- Ahead of the beatification Saturday of Bishop Pierre Claverie and his 18 companions, who were martyred in Algeria between 1994 and 1996, Pope Francis said martyrs have a special place in the Church.
Algerian martyrs are models for the Church, archbishop says
Nov 16, 2018 - 03:01 am .- Archbishop Paul Desfarges of Algiers has said that Bishop Pierre Claverie and his 18 companions, who were martyred in Algeria between 1994 and 1996, are “models for our lives as disciples today and tomorrow.”

Francesco Spinelli to be canonized after healing of a newborn in DR Congo
Oct 9, 2018 - 05:01 pm .- Among those being canonized on Sunday are Fr. Franceso Spinelli, a diocesan priest through whose intercession a newborn was saved from death in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Algerian martyrs to be beatified in December
Sep 14, 2018 - 06:01 pm .- The Algerian bishops' conference has announced that the beatification of Bishop Pierre Claverie and his 18 companions, who were martyred in the country between 1994 and 1996, will be held Dec. 8.

Now a cardinal, Giovanni Angelo Becciu heads to congregation for saints' causes
Jun 28, 2018 - 11:41 am .- Newly-minted Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu will resign from his post as substitute of the Secretariat of State tomorrow, in anticipation of his appointment as prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints later this summer.

Pope Francis creates new path to beatification under ‘offering of life’
Jul 11, 2017 - 06:22 am .- On Tuesday Pope Francis declared a new category of Christian life suitable for consideration of beatification called “offering of life” – in which a person has died prematurely through an offering of their life for love of God and neighbor.

Twentieth century Polish nurse among causes advancing toward sainthood
Jul 7, 2017 - 06:14 am .- Pope Francis on Friday approved a miracle attributed to the intercession of the Venerable Hanna Chrzanowska, a Polish nurse and nursing instructor who died from cancer in 1973, paving the way for her beatification.

Sainthood causes advance, including layman who resisted fascism
Jun 17, 2017 - 09:22 am .- Pope Francis on Friday recognized the heroic virtue of six persons on the path to canonization, as well as the martyrdom of an Italian man who died from injuries of a beating he received while imprisoned in a concentration camp for resisting fascism.

Solanus Casey, Cardinal Van Thuan among those advanced toward sainthood
May 4, 2017 - 10:47 am .- Pope Francis on Thursday approved decrees of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints advancing the causes for canonization of 12 individuals, including the American-born Capuchin Solanus Casey and the Vietnamese cardinal Francis Xavier Nguen Van Thuan.

Pope clears way for canonization of Fatima visionaries
Mar 23, 2017 - 06:44 am .- On Thursday Pope Francis approved the second and final miracle needed to canonize Blessed Francisco and Jacinta Marto, two of the shepherd children who witnessed the Fatima Marian apparitions.
Surgeon and father among sainthood causes moving forward
Feb 27, 2017 - 11:03 am .- Pope Francis recognized on Monday the heroic virtue of eight persons on the path to canonization, including an Italian surgeon and father of eight who suffered from several painful diseases throughout his life.

8 Martyrs Move Closer to Sainthood 8 July, 2016
Posted by ZENIT Staff on 8 July, 2016

The angel appears to Saint Monica
This morning, Pope Francis received Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, Cardinal Angelo Amato. During the audience, he authorized the promulgation of decrees concerning the following causes:

***
MIRACLES:
Miracle attributed to the intercession of the Venerable Servant of God Luis Antonio Rosa Ormières, priest and founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Guardian Angel; born July 4, 1809 and died on Jan. 16, 1890
MARTYRDOM:
Servants of God Antonio Arribas Hortigüela and 6 Companions, Missionaries of the Sacred Heart; killed in hatred of the Faith, Sept. 29, 1936
Servant of God Josef Mayr-Nusser, a layman; killed in hatred of the Faith, Feb. 24, 1945
HEROIC VIRTUE:

Servant of God Alfonse Gallegos of the Order of Augustinian Recollects, Titular Bishop of Sasabe, auxiliary of Sacramento; born Feb. 20, 1931 and died Oct. 6, 1991
Servant of God Rafael Sánchez García, diocesan priest; born June 14, 1911 and died on Aug. 8, 1973
Servant of God Andrés García Acosta, professed layman of the Order of Friars Minor; born Jan. 10, 1800 and died Jan. 14, 1853
Servant of God Joseph Marchetti, professed priest of the Congregation of the Missionaries of St. Charles; born Oct. 3, 1869 and died Dec. 14, 1896
Servant of God Giacomo Viale, professed priest of the Order of Friars Minor, pastor of Bordighera; born Feb. 28, 1830 and died April 16, 1912
Servant of God Maria Pia of the Cross (née Maddalena Notari), foundress of the Congregation of Crucified Sisters Adorers of the Eucharist; born Dec. 2, 1847 and died on July 1, 1919

Sunday, November 23 2014 Six to Be Canonized on Feast of Christ the King.

On the List Are Lay Founder of a Hospital and Eastern Catholic Religious
VATICAN CITY, June 12, 2014 (Zenit.org) - Today, the Vatican announced that during the celebration of the feast of Christ the King on Sunday, November 23, an ordinary public consistory will be held for the canonization of the following six blesseds, who include a lay founder of a hospital for the poor, founders of religious orders, and two members of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the Holy See:
-Giovanni Antonio Farina (1803-1888), an Italian bishop who founded the Institute of the Sisters Teachers of Saint Dorothy, Daughters of the Sacred Hearts
-Kuriakose Elias Chavara (1805-1871), a Syro-Malabar priest in India who founded the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate
-Ludovico of Casoria (1814-1885), an Italian Franciscan priest who founded the Gray Sisters of St. Elizabeth
-Nicola Saggio (Nicola da Longobardi, 1650-1709), an Italian oblate of the Order of Minims
-Euphrasia Eluvathingal (1877-1952), an Indian Carmelite of the Syro-Malabar Church
-Amato Ronconi (1238-1304), an Italian, Third Order Franciscan who founded a hospital for poor pilgrims

CAUSES OF SAINTS July 2015.
Pope Recognizes Heroic Virtues of Ukrainian Archbishop
Recognition Brings Metropolitan Archbishop Andrey Sheptytsky Closer to Beatification
By Junno Arocho Esteves Rome, July 17, 2015 (ZENIT.org)
Pope Francis recognized the heroic virtues of Ukrainian Greek Catholic Archbishop Andrey Sheptytsky. According to a communique released by the Holy See Press Office, the Holy Father met this morning with Cardinal Angelo Amato, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.

The Pope also recognized the heroic virtues of several religious/lay men and women from Italy, Spain, France & Mexico.
Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky is considered to be one of the most influential 20th century figures in the history of the Ukrainian Church.
Enthroned as Metropolitan of Lviv in 1901, Archbishop Sheptytsky was arrested shortly after the outbreak of World War I in 1914 by the Russians. After his imprisonment in several prisons in Russia and the Ukraine, the Archbishop was released in 1918.

The Ukrainian Greek Catholic prelate was also an ardent supporter of the Jewish community in Ukraine, going so far as to learn Hebrew to better communicate with them. He also was a vocal protestor against atrocities committed by the Nazis, evidenced in his pastoral letter, "Thou Shalt Not Kill." He was also known to harbor thousands of Jews in his residence and in Greek Catholic monasteries.
Following his death in 1944, his cause for canonization was opened in 1958.
* * *
The Holy Father authorized the Congregation to promulgate the following decrees regarding the heroic virtues of:
- Servant of God Andrey Sheptytsky, O.S.B.M., major archbishop of Leopolis of the Ukrainians, metropolitan of Halyc (1865-1944);
- Servant of God Giuseppe Carraro, Bishop of Verona, Italy (1899-1980);
- Servant of God Agustin Ramirez Barba, Mexican diocesan priest and founder of the Servants of the Lord of Mercy (1881-1967);
- Servant of God Simpliciano della Nativita (ne Aniello Francesco Saverio Maresca), Italian professed priest of the Order of Friars Minor, founder of the Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Hearts (1827-1898);
- Servant of God Maria del Refugio Aguilar y Torres del Cancino, Mexican founder of the Mercedarian Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament (1866-1937);
- Servant of God Marie-Charlotte Dupouy Bordes (Marie-Teresa), French professed religious of the Society of the Religious of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary (1873-1953);
- Servant of God Elisa Miceli, Italian founder of the Rural Catechist Sisters of the Sacred Heart (1904-1976);
- Servant of God Isabel Mendez Herrero (Isabel of Mary Immaculate), Spanish professed nun of the Servants of St. Joseph (1924-1953)

October 01, 2015 Vatican City, Pope Authorizes following Decrees
(ZENIT.org) By Staff Reporter
Polish Layperson Recognized as Servant of God
Pope Authorizes Decrees
Pope Francis on Wednesday authorised the Congregation for Saints' Causes to promulgate the following decrees:

MARTYRDOM
- Servant of God Valentin Palencia Marquina, Spanish diocesan priest, killed in hatred of the faith in Suances, Spain in 1937;

HEROIC VIRTUES
- Servant of God Giovanni Folci, Italian diocesan priest and founder of the Opera Divin Prigioniero (1890-1963);
- Servant of God Franciszek Blachnicki, Polish diocesan priest (1921-1987);
- Servant of God Jose Rivera Ramirez, Spanish diocesan priest (1925-1991);
- Servant of God Juan Manuel Martín del Campo, Mexican diocesan priest (1917-1996);
- Servant of God Antonio Filomeno Maria Losito, Italian professed priest of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (1838-1917);
- Servant of God Maria Benedetta Giuseppa Frey (nee Ersilia Penelope), Italian professed nun of the Cistercian Order (1836-1913);
- Servant of God Hanna Chrzanowska, Polish layperson, Oblate of the Ursulines of St. Benedict (1902-1973).

March 06 2016 MIRACLES authorised the Congregation to promulgate the following decrees:
Pope Francis received in a private audience Cardinal Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, during which he authorised the Congregation to promulgate the following decrees:
MIRACLES

– Blessed Manuel González García, bishop of Palencia, Spain, founder of the Eucharistic Missionaries of Nazareth (1877-1940);
– Blessed Elisabeth of the Trinity (née Elisabeth Catez), French professed religious of the Order of Discalced Carmelites (1880-1906);
– Venerable Servant of God Marie-Eugène of the Child Jesus (né Henri Grialou), French professed priest of the Order of Discalced Carmelites, founder of the Secular Institute “Notre-Dame de Vie” (1894-1967);
– Venerable Servant of God María Antonia of St. Joseph (née María Antonio de Paz y Figueroa), Argentine founder of the Beaterio of the Spiritual Exercise of Buenos Aires (1730-1799);
HEROIC VIRTUE

– Servant of God Stefano Ferrando, Italian professed priest of the Salesians, bishop of Shillong, India, founder of the Congregation of Missionary Sisters of Mary Help of Christians (1895-1978);
– Servant of God Enrico Battista Stanislao Verjus, Italian professed priest of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, coadjutor of the apostolic vicariate of New Guinea (1860-1892);
– Servant of God Giovanni Battista Quilici, Italian diocesan priest, founder of the Congregation of the Daughters of the Crucified (1791-1844);
– Servant of God Bernardo Mattio, Italian diocesan priest (1845-1914);
– Servant of God Quirico Pignalberi, Italian professed priest of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual (1891-1982);
– Servant of God Teodora Campostrini, Italian founder of the Minim Sisters of Charity of Our Lady of Sorrows (1788-1860);
– Servant of God Bianca Piccolomini Clementini, Italian founder of the Company of St. Angela Merici di Siena (1875-1959);
– Servant of God María Nieves of the Holy Family (née María Nieves Sánchez y Fernández), Spanish professed religious of the Daughters of Mary of the Pious Schools (1900-1978).

April 26 2016 MIRACLES authorised the Congregation to promulgate the following decrees:
Here is the full list of decrees approved by the Pope:

MIRACLES
– Blessed Alfonso Maria Fusco, diocesan priest and founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. John the Baptist (1839-1910);
– Venerable Servant of God John Sullivan, professed priest of the Society of Jesus (1861-1933);
MARTYRDOM
– Servants of God Nikolle Vinçenc Prennushi, O.F.M., archbishop of Durres, Albania, and 37 companions killed between 1945 and 1974;
– Servants of God José Antón Gómez and three companions of the Benedictines of Madrid, Spain, killed 1936;
HEROIC VIRTUES
– Servant of God Thomas Choe Yang-Eop, diocesan priest (1821-1861);
– Servant of God Sosio Del Prete (né Vincenzo), professed priest of the Order of Friars Minor, founder of the Congregation of the Little Servants of Christ the King (1885-1952);
– Servant of God Wenanty Katarzyniec (né Jósef), professed priest of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual (1889-1921);
– Servant of God Maria Consiglia of the Holy Spirity (née Emilia Pasqualina Addatis), founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Addolorata, Servants of Mary (1845-1900);
– Servant of God Maria of the Incarnation (née Caterina Carrasco Tenorio), founder of the Congregation of the Franciscan Tertiary Sisters of the Flock of Mary (1840-1917);
– Servant of God , founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Family of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (1851-1923);
– Servant of God Ilia Corsaro, founder of the Congregation of the Little Missionaries of the Eucharist (1897-1977);
– Servant of God Maria Montserrat Grases García, layperson of the Personal Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei (1941-1959).

LINKS:
Marian Apparitions (over 2000) India Marian Shrine Lourdes of the East   Lourdes Feb 11- July 16, Loreto, Italy 1858
China Marian shrines May 23, 1995 Zarvintisya Ukraine Lourdes Kenya national Marian shrine    Quang Tri Vietnam La Vang 1798
Links to Related Marian Websites Angels and Archangels
Doctors_of_the_Church   Acts_Apostles Roman Catholic Popes Purgatory Uniates, PSALTER BLESSED VIRGIN MARY 1 2021