Et álibi aliórum plurimórum sanctórum Mártyrum et Confessórum, atque sanctárum Vírginum.
And elsewhere in divers places, many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins.
Пресвятая Богородице спаси нас!  (Santíssima Mãe de Deus, salva-nos!)
RDeo grátias. R.  Thanks be to God.
March is the month of Saint Joseph since 1855;
2023
22,600 lives saved since 2007
Haitian Help Funding Seeds Haitian Geology AND Haitian Paintings
http://www.haitian-childrens-fund.org/

For the Son of man ... will repay every man for what he has done.

 www.40daysforlife.com   Campaign saves lives
Shawn Carney Campaign Director 

Please save the unborn from painful deaths and peaceful lives in this world
It is a great poverty that a child must die so that you may live as you wish -- Mother Teresa

 
Our Bartholomew Family Prayer List

Joyful Mystery on Monday Saturday   Glorius Mystery on Sunday Wednesday
   Sorrowful Mystery on Friday Tuesday   Luminous Mystery on Thursday Veterens of War
Acts of the Apostles

Nine First Fridays Devotion to the Sacred Heart From the writings of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
How do I start the Five First Saturdays?
Mary Mother of GOD 15 Promises of the Virgin Mary to those who recite the Rosary.


March 31 – Saturday of Holy Week – Our Lady of Iwer (Russia)
 
The poor alcoholic and the Mother of God 
In 1878, there was a poor farmer, who was a retired soldier and an alcoholic, from the province of Tula, Russia, who lived in misery. One night he had a dream in which a starets said, "Go to Serpukhov, to the monastery of Vladyk. There you will find an icon of Our Lady "The Inexhaustible Chalice." Recite the office in front of that icon and you will be healed in mind and body." So the peasant set off for Serpukhov.
When the drunkard arrived at the monastery of Vladyk, the sisters were surprised by his request to say the office in front of the icon of "The Inexhaustible Chalice," because none of them had ever heard of that icon. They searched everywhere and then a nun remembered an icon hanging in a passageway leading to the bell tower. It represented the Mother of God with a chalice. To everyone’s surprise, the back of the icon was inscribed with the title of "The Inexhaustible Chalice."
Later, in 1919, after the sack of the monastery by the Bolsheviks, the icon of "The Inexhaustible Chalice" was lost. Today there are two copies of it in Serpukhov, one in the women's monastery of Vladyk, the other in the men's monastery of Vysotsk. Pilgrims come in great numbers, and often relatives of alcoholics and drug addicts who come to see the icon miraculously receive what they ask for.
www.lecourrierderussie.com

Mary's Divine Motherhood
Called in the Gospel "the Mother of Jesus," Mary is acclaimed by Elizabeth, at the prompting of the Spirit and even before the birth of her son, as "the Mother of my Lord" (Lk 1:43; Jn 2:1; 19:25; cf. Mt 13:55; et al.). In fact, the One whom she conceived as man by the Holy Spirit, who truly became her Son according to the flesh, was none other than the Father's eternal Son, the second person of the Holy Trinity.
Hence the Church confesses that Mary is truly "Mother of God" (Theotokos).

Catechism of the Catholic Church 495, quoting the Council of Ephesus (431): DS 251.

"We venerate our God because He made us; we did not make Him. He as our Master loves us, for He is also our Father. Of His goodness He has rescued us from everlasting death." --Saint Acacius.
   Nov 27 305 St. Acacius priest at Sebaste Armenia & Hirenarchus during Diocletian persecution

The Iveron Icon of the Mother of God (which is preserved on Mt. Athos)
"Portaitissa"  or "Gate-Keeper" (October 13)

8th v BC. Amos Prophet 9 brief chapters "Return to the land of Judah, and there eat your bread and prophesy!" shepherd of Tekoah (Koa) near Bethlehem, a trimmer of sycamores (RM)

The greatest honor God can do a soul is not to give it much, but to ask much of it.
-- St. Therese of Lisieux


March 31 – Our Lady of Iwer (Russia) 
Rebecca is a figure of the Virgin Mary
Remember the story of Jacob and Esau? Esau sold his birth right in exchange for a dish of lentils.
When Isaac was elderly, Rebecca wanted to obtain the paternal blessing for her son Jacob. Isaac was now blind. Rebecca dressed her son Jacob in his brother’s clothes and Jacob received the blessing.

Well, Rebecca is a figure of the Virgin Mary: Mary loves each one of us like Rebecca loved Jacob. She dresses us in the clothes of her first born, Jesus Christ. The Virgin Mary is not the source of God's grace, but her pure heart, burning with the love of God and united to the heart of Christ, desires our salvation. She begs her Son Jesus Christ to dress us in the “cloak of salvation,” which is God's grace. This is why, like Saint John, we can take Mary into our home.
She will be an even better mother to us than Rebecca was to Jacob.
 Hervé Marie Catta
www.1000questions.net


A Spiritual Shot in the Arm March 31 - Our Lady of the Holy Cross (Jerusalem)
A response to: Dogma Proclamation
I also agree with His Eminence that it would be good and expedient for the Holy Father to proclaim the dogma of the Mediatrix of All Graces and Co-Redemptrix, already mentioned in "Lumen Gentium," chapter 8, as doctrines of the Church. Perhaps it would launch the era of the triumph of the Immaculate Heart and the triumph of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. The world needs a shot in the arm spiritually, so to speak. This could be it.
Thank God for Pope Benedict. May He grant him many, many years on the Throne of St Peter!
Fr. Héctor R.G. Pérez, S.T.D. Pastor, St Stephen Roman Catholic Church Pensacola, Florida, USA
See zenitenglish@zenit.org ZE0880223 Feb 23, 2008 The World Seen From Rome

March 31 - Our Lady of the Holy Cross, Jerusalem  Mary's Tears (III) 
When Mary weeps over us, her Tears are indeed a universal out flowing of heavenly Blood, of which she is the sovereign Dispenser, and this outpouring is at the same time the most perfect of oblations For, through grace, she is the only mother who has the power to lead her countless other children to worship by dint of her tears.
   The tears of the Blessed Virgin are only mentioned once in the Gospel, when she utters her fourth word after she has found her Son. And it is she who is speaking then. Elsewhere, the gospel-writers merely say that Jesus wept, and this must be sufficient for us to guess as to what His Mother is doing.
    Saint Bernardino of Sienna says that the grief of the Blessed Virgin was so great that if it were divided and shared among all creatures capable of suffering, they would die in an instant. Now, if we take account of the way in which this simple soul, filled with the Holy Spirit, was so greatly illumined with the Holy Spirit for whom the future had a present and significant reality, this affirmation must be heard down the ages, not just on Good Friday, but at every moment of her life from the Annunciation of the Archangel unto her death.  Léon Bloy (1846-1917)
1700  B.C. Righteous Joseph the Handsome son of the Old Testament patriarch Jacob (Gen. 37-50)
8th v BC. Amos Prophet 9 brief chapters
   Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday
 130 St. Balbina Martyr died for her faith was buried on the Appian Way She is invoked against scrofula
        St. Theodulus Martyr with Anesius & others in Proconsular Africa
251-260  St. Achatius led a devout life and was much revered for his charity
 326 Hypatius, Bishop of Gangra
Hieromartyr at 1st Ecumenical Council Nicea martyred by schismatics prayed for murderers  devout life miracles
361-363 38 Martyrs are also remembered on this day, beheaded by the sword under Julian (361-363)
 386
St. Anba Kyrellos (Cyril), Bishop of Jerusalem The Departure of; copticchurch.net
         S
t. Michael, Bishop of Naqadah The Departure of copticchurch.net
 395 Our Holy Father Apolionius hermit 40 years founded monastery 500 monks ascetic of the Thebaid
 418
Audas, Bishop of the City of Suza The Hieromartyr
 424? St. Benjamin Persian Deacon Martyr in Persia
 434 Verulus, Secundinus, and Companions (RM)
 446 Saint Hypatius Igumen of Rufinus in Chalcedon guided monastery for 40 years; healer, prophet
 452 Severian  bishop of Scythiopolis in Galilee murdered by the Eutychian heretics BM (RM)
 633 St. Renovatus Bishop of Merida 20 yrs Spain convert from Arianism
 695 Valerius of Astorga monk abbot representative of the revival wrought by Saint Isidore (636)
8th v -end Blessed Aldo of Hasnon count monk second abbot OSB (AC)
 794 St. Stephen of Mar Saba hermit displayed uncanny skills with people a valued spiritual guide
1046 St. Guy of Pomposa hermit abbot  gave everything to the poor; hermit abbot 46 yrs lived in silence, abstinence, fasting prayer devotions austerities heightened during Lent
1134 Le Vénérable Guigues, prieur de la Grande-Chartreuse (1134) Post-Schisme romain
1072 Peter Damian brilliant teacher and writer uncompromising attitude toward worldliness denunciations of simony clerical marriage B Doctor of the Church (RM)
1147 Blessed Guy of Vicogne founded the Premonstratensian abbey of Vicogne O Praem. (AC)
1174 St. Machabeo Irish abbot of Armagh 40 years
14th v Saint Hypatius the Healer of the Kiev Caves
14th v. BD JOAN OF TOULOUSE, VIRGIN a recluse.
1411 St. Daniel Camaldolese hermit originally a German merchant slain by robbers
1461 Saint Jonah Metropolitan of Moscow Wonderworker of All Russia miraculous healings at his grave  incorrupt relics first Metropolitan consecrated by Russian bishops Isidore the Bulgarian was Metropolitan but became Catholic after attending the Council of Florence (1438) and ousted by Russian heirarchs
1491 BD BONAVENTURE OF FORLI His relics were ultimately conveyed to Venice, where a cultus grew up marked by many miraculous cures.
1595 Robert Southwell Fire, sweetness, purity, and gentleness were features poet Jesuit priest  suffered for the faith SJ M
1631 John Donne 1601 das religiöse Gedicht "The Progresse of the Soule" verfaßte die "Divine Poems" (1607). Im "Pseudo-Martyr" (1610) 1631 Zwei Monate vor seinem Tod Predigten unter dem Titel "Death's Duel".

1879 St Innocent  Metropolitan of Moscow & Kolomensk proclaimed Gospel in Aleutian islands 6 dialects of tribes on Sitka island  among the Kolosh (Tlingit) remote Kamchatka diocese among Koryak, Chukchei, Tungus in Yakutsk region & North America; & in the Amur & the Usuriisk region.

< "GO THEREFORE MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS BAPTISING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT"

stlukeorthodox.com Righteous Joseph the Handsome ( 1700 BC). PriestMartyr Ipatios, Bishop of Gangra ( 326). Sainted-Hierarchs Jona (1461) and Innokentii (Innocent) (1879), Metropolitans of Moscow and WonderWorkers of All Russia. Monk Ipatii the Healer, of Pechersk, in the Farther Caves (XIV). PriestMartyrs Auda, Bishop of Persia, and Benjamin the Deacon ( 418-424). Monks Apollonios the Hermit, of Egypt (IV); Ipatios, Hegumen of Ruthianeia ( 446); Akakios the Confessor, Bishop of Meletineia ( 249-251); Blaisios of Ammoriseia (IX). Martyrs Menander; Theophilos, Atheneos and others; Saints James, Anna; Amenonios.
canto.ru/calendar/day

Great Lent. St. Cyril, archbishop of Jerusalem (386). Martyrs Trophimus and Eucarpus of Nicomedia (300). St. Ananias (Aninas), presbyter and monk, of the Euphrates. St. Edward the Martyr, king of England (978) (Celtic & British). Venerable Aninas the Monastic of the Euphrates. St. Tetricus, bishop of Langres in Gaul (572-573) (Gaul). St. Daniel, monk of Egypt (6th c.). St. Cyril of Astrakhan (1576). Сегодня, Суббота, 31 Марта 2007 года (18 Марта 2007 по ст.ст.)  Лазарева суббота, воскрешение прав. Лазаря 

Великий пост. Свт. Кирилла. архиеп. Иерусалимского (386). Мчч. Трофима и Евкарпия Никомидийских (ок. 300). Прп. Анина монаха. Мч. короля Эдуарда. Прп. Анании Евфратского. Свт. Тетрика, еп. Лангрского (Галл.).  {rest not translated into Cyrillic}
O Blessed Trinity   We thank You for having graced the Church with Pope John Paul II and for allowing the tenderness of your Fatherly care, the glory of the cross of Christ, and the splendor of the Holy Spirit, to shine through him. Trusting fully in Your infinite mercy and in the maternal intercession of Mary, he has given us a living image of Jesus the Good Shepherd, and has shown us that holiness is the necessary measure of ordinary Christian life and is the way of achieving eternal communion with you.
Grant us, by his intercession, and according to Your will, the graces we implore,
hoping that he will soon be numbered among your saints.  Amen 
Quote: Pope Paul VI’s 1969 Instruction on the Contemplative Life includes this passage: 
"To withdraw into the desert is for Christians tantamount to associating themselves more intimately with Christ’s passion, and it enables them, in a very special way, to share in the paschal mystery and in the passage of Our Lord from this world to the heavenly homeland" (#1). 
March 31 – Our Lady of Iwer (Russia) 
 
The unique moment when the risen Christ and Mary met
 Popular piety has imagined in a thousand ways the unique moment when the risen Christ and Mary met. Saint Vincent Ferrer described a grandiose scene where Mary takes her place among the great figures of the Old Testament:
"Christ told Mary what he had done in hell, how he had chained Satan, and he presented to his Mother the patriarchs he had brought back. They all greeted her with a deep bow.
I leave you to imagine the feelings of Adam and Eve when they said to Mary: "Blessed are you, our daughter and our Lady, whom our Lord had in mind when he said to the serpent: ‘I will put enmity between you and the woman.’"
Eve added: "I closed paradise through my fault, but you, full of grace, have opened it again."
And every Prophet said to her in turn: "I prophesied about you there and there in my book."
Then all hailed her and said: "You are the glory of Jerusalem, Israel's joy and the honor of our people."
The Virgin returned their greeting ... And the angels sang again: ‘Queen of Heaven, rejoice!’"
Father Nicolas Bossu LC
Jerusalem, April 14, 2014 (Zenit.org)

1700  B.C. Righteous Joseph the Handsome son of the Old Testament patriarch Jacob(Gen. 37-50)
Died in about the year 1700 before the Birth of Christ. His brothers by birth were jealous of him, because the father loved him more than the other brothers, and they feared him, since he told them about his dreams, foretelling his future greatness. The brothers decided to kill Righteous Joseph, but on the suggestion of the eldest of them, Reuben, they changed their minds and first threw Joseph into a pit, and then sold him to merchants who were journeying with a caravan to Egypt.

In Egypt Joseph was sold to Potiphar, -- head of the imperial bodyguards, and thanks to his mind and virtues, he earned the trust of his master. Righteous Joseph was exceedingly handsome, and the wife of Potiphar wanted to force him into adultery. But the chaste youth turned away the temptation. Then out of malice and spite the wife of Potiphar slandered Righteous Joseph before her husband, saying that the youth wanted to defile her. Believing the lie, Potiphar locked up the innocent youth in prison. Situated in prison, Saint Joseph the Handsome gained fame by his wise interpretation of dreams. Having solved the riddle of Pharaoh's dream, -- foretelling the approaching years of famine and misfortune for Egypt, Righteous Joseph was set free and made first counselor of Egypt. When the famine befell also the native-land of righteous Joseph in Palestine, Saint Joseph was able to re-settle his father with all his family into Egypt. Before his end, Righteous Joseph gave instructions to transfer his bones from Egypt to the Promised Land, which was done under the holy Prophet Moses (Comm. 4 September), 1496 BC. Through his sons Manassah and Ephraim, Saint Joseph the Handsome is situated at the head of two of the tribes of Israel.
The Bible (Gen. 37-50) testifies about the life of Righteous Joseph the Handsome.
8th v BC. Amos Prophet 9 brief chapters shepherd of Tekoah (Koa) near Bethlehem, a trimmer of sycamores (RM)
 Thécuæ, in Palæstína, sancti Amos Prophétæ, qui ab Amasía Sacerdóte frequénter plagis afflíctus est, atque ab hujus fílio Ozía vecte per témpora transfíxus; et póstea, semivívus in pátriam devéctus, ibídem exspirávit, sepultúsque est cum pátribus suis.
       At Thecua in Palestine, the holy prophet Amos, whom the priest Amasias frequently had scourged.  Ozias, that priest's son, pierced his head at the temples with an iron spike.  Being carried half dead to his own country, he died there, and was buried with his family.
One of the minor prophets of the Old Testament, Amos wrote only nine brief chapters, far less than a man who writes adventure stories; far less than a journalist who scribbles each day, far less than a columnist who writes each week, far less than many of us do on this list. Some say he wrote the nine chapters in a brief hour:
"Return to the land of Judah, and there eat your bread and prophesy!"
He was just a shepherd of Tekoah (Koa) near Bethlehem, a trimmer of sycamores, "a herdsman plucking wild figs" (Amos 7:13). Yet God seized him and told him to go and prophesy; and his words have endured for thousands of years.
"The Lord roared from Sion and made His voice heard in Jerusalem."
This is an amazing thing: that an unlettered man, 800 years before Christ, should write down (or better, have written down for him) certain sayings that the world has never been able to lose or destroy. The Roman Martyrology says that he was "transfixed with an iron bar through the temples." He was buried in his native place (Benedictines, Encyclopedia).

Prophet Amos  Orthodoxe Kirche: 15. Juni  Katholische Kirche: 31. März
Amos aus Tekoa war ein Schafzüchter und Maulbeefeigenpflanzer (Amos 1, 1 und 7, 14). Er wurde um 760 v. Chr. als Prophet in das Nordreich gesandt. In Samaria und Bethel (der Kultstätte des Nordreiches) konnte er kurze Zeit seine Prophetie verkünden und wurde dann ausgewiesen.
The Iveron Icon of the Mother of God (which is preserved on Mt. Athos)"Portaitissa" or "Gate-Keeper" (October 13)
It kept in the home of a certain pious widow, who lived near Nicea. During the time of the emperor Theophilus, the Iconoclasts came to the house of this Christian, and one of the soldiers struck the image of the Mother of God with a spear. Blood flowed from the place where it was struck.

The widow, fearing its destruction, promised the imperial soldiers money and implored them not to touch the icon until morning. When the soldiers departed, the woman and her son (later an Athonite monk), sent the holy icon away upon the sea to preserve it. The icon, standing upright upon the water, floated to Athos.

For several days, the Athonite monks had seen a fiery pillar on the sea rising up to the heavens. They came down to the shore and found the holy image, standing upon the waters. After a Molieben of thanksgiving, a pious monk of the Iveron monastery, St Gabriel (July 12), had a dream in which the Mother of God appeared to him and gave him instructions. So he walked across the water, and taking up the holy icon, he placed it in the church.

On the following day, however, the icon was found not within the church, but on the gates of the monastery. This was repeated several times, until the Most Holy Theotokos revealed to St Gabriel Her will, saying that She did not want the icon to be guarded by the monks, but rather She intended to be their Protectress. After this, the icon was installed on the monastery gates. Therefore this icon came to be called "Portaitissa" or "Gate-Keeper" (October 13). This comes from the Akathist "Rejoice, O Blessed Gate-Keeper who opens the gates of Paradise to the righteous."

There is a tradition that the Mother of God promised St Gabriel that the grace and mercy of Her Son toward the monks would continue as long as the Icon remained at the monastery. It is also believed that the disappearance of the Iveron Icon from Mt. Athos would be a sign of the end of the world.

The Iveron Icon is also commemorated on February 12, October 13 (Its arrival in Moscow in 1648), and Bright Tuesday (Commemorating the appearance of the Icon in a pillar of fire at Mt. Athos and its recovery by St Gabriel).
130 St. Balbina Martyr died for her faith was buried on the Appian Way She is invoked against scrofula
 Romæ sanctæ Balbínæ Vírginis, fíliæ beáti Quiríni  Mártyris, quæ, a sancto Alexándro Papa baptizáta, in sancta virginitáte Christum sibi sponsum elégit; et, post devíctum hujus sæculi cursum, sepúlta est via Appia, juxta patrem suum.
       At Rome, the virgin St. Balbina, daughter of the blessed martyr Quirinus.  She was baptized by Pope Alexander, and she chose Christ as her spouse in her virginity.  After overcoming the world, she was buried at her father's side on the Appian Way.
baptized by Pope St. Alexander.

ST BALBINA, VIRGIN
IN the Roman Martyrology today we read the following notice: “At Rome, of St Balbina, Virgin, daughter of blessed Quirinus, Martyr, who was baptized by Pope Alexander and chose Christ as her spouse in holy virginity; after completing the course of this world she was buried on the Appian Way near her father.” This account was unfortunately dependent upon a wholly gratuitous insertion of the martyrologist Ado, who borrowed certain details from the Acts of St Acacius is called a martyr but there is no evidence that he was eventually Pope Alexander which Bede had prudently ignored, and used the names Quirinus, Theodora and Balbina to fill three successive blank days in the month of March.

The so-called Acts of Balbina are merely a late plagiarism from the Acts of Alexander. All that is known to us is that midway between the Via Appia and the Via Ardeatina there was a cemetery of Balbina, probably so called because it was constructed on the estate of a Christian lady named Balbina.
On the other hand there seems to have been a Balbina, called daughter of Quirinus, but she cannot have been identical with the first-named Balbina because she lived at a much earlier date, and was buried in the catacomb of Praetextatus. Balbina was honoured in a little fourth-century church on the Aventine which bore her name, but it is difficult to decide which Balbina was intended.

The fabulous story of St Balbina is printed in the Acta Sanctorum, March, vol. iii, but it is all extracted from the Acts of Alexander, in one version of which Balbina is represented as a martyr. See also Dom Quentin, Lee martyrologes historiques, especially pp. 153 and 490 Leclercq in DAC., vol. ii, pp. 137—157; and J. P. Kirsch, Die Römischen Titelkirchen im Altertum, Pp. 94—96.
The daughter of Quirinus the martyr (St Quirinus the Jailer), Balbina died for the faith and was buried on the Appian Way. Her relics were later enshrined in St. Balbina's Church on the Aventine.

Balbina of Rome V (RM) The laus in the Roman Martyrology says: "At Rome, the birthday of Saint Balbina the Virgin, daughter of blessed Quirinus the martyr; she was baptized by Pope Alexander, and chose Christ as her Spouse in her virginity; after completing the course of this world she was buried on the Appian Way near her father." Later, her relics were enshrined in the church dedicated to her on the Aventine. Modern writers question the veracity of the laus (Attwater2, Benedictines). In art, Saint Balbina is portrayed with a chain in her hand or fetters near her.
At times she may be shown kissing the chains of captives. She is invoked against scrofula (Roeder).
251-260 St. Achatius led a devout life and was much revered for his charity
3rd v. ST ACACIUS, OR Achatius, BISHOP

ST. ACACIUS, OR ACHATES, BISHOP OF ANTIOCH IN ASIA MINOR, C.

  St. Achactes was bishop of Antioch, probably the town of that name in Phrygia, where the Marcionites were numerous. He was surnamed Agathangel, or Good-angel, and extremely respected by the people for his sanctity. It was owing to his zeal that none of his flock renounced Christ by sacrificing to idols during the persecution of Decius, a weakness which several of the Marcionites heretic had betrayed. Our saint himself made a glorious confession of his faith; of which the following relation, transcribed from the public
register, is a voucher. Martian, man of consular dignity arriving at Antioch, a small town of his government, ordered the bishop to be brought before him. His name was Acacius, and he was styled the buckler and refuge of that country for his universal charity and episcopal zeal. Martian said to him: “As you have the happiness to live under the Roman laws, you are bound to love and honor our princes, who are our protectors." Acacius answered "of all the subjects of the empire, none love and honor the emperor more than the Christians. We pray without intermission for his person, and that it may please God to grant him long life, prosperity, success, and all benedictions that he may be endowed by him with the spirit of justice and wisdom to govern his people.  That his reign be auspicious, and prosperous, blessed with joy, peace, and plenty, throughout all the provinces that obey him."
Martian.-" All this I commend; but that the emperor may be the better convinced of your submission and fidelity, come now and offer him a sacrifice with me."  Acacius.-" I have already told you that I pray to the great and true God for the emperor; but he ought not to require a sacrifice from us, nor is there any need to him or to any man whatsoever."   MARTIAN.-"Tell us what God you adore, that we may also pay him our offerings and homages" Acacius.-"I wish from my heart you did but know him to your advantage."  Martian.-" Tell me his name." Acacius. He is called the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob." Martian.-"Are these the names of gods? Acacius-" By no means, but of nice to whom the true God spoke; he is the only God, and he alone is to he adored, feared, and loved."  Martian.-" What is this God ~"  Acacius.-' he is the most high Adenia, who is seated above the cherubim’s and seraphim’s." Martian." What is a seraph?" Acacius." A ministering spirit of the highest God, and one of the principal lords of the heavenly court." Martian.-" What chimeras are these Lay aside these whims of invisible beings, and adore such gods as you can see." Acacius."tell me who those gods to whom you would have me sacrifice?" MARTIAN,"Apollo, the savior of men, who preserves us from pestilence and famine, who enlightens, preserves, and governs the universe." Acacius." Do you mean that wretch that could not preserve his own life who, being in love with a young woman, (Daphne,) rail about distracted in pursuit of her, not knowing that he was never to possess the object of his desires. It is therefore evident that he could not foresee things to come, since he was in the dark as to his own fate and was as clear that he could be no god, who was thus cheated by a creature. All know likewise that he had a base passion for Hyacinth, a beautiful boy; and was so awkward as to break the head of that minion, the fond object of his criminal passion, with, a quoit. Is not he also that god who, with Neptune, turned mason, hired himself to a king, (Laomedon of Troy,) and built the walls of a city?” Would you oblige me to sacrifice to such a divinity, or to Eseulapius, thunderstruck by Jupiter? or to Venus, whose life was infamous, and to a hundred such monsters, to whom you offer sacrifice? No, though my life itself depended on it, ought I to pay divine honors to those whom I should blush to imitate, and of whom I can entertain no other sentiments than those of contempt and execration? You adore gods, the imitators of whom you yourselves would punish" MARTIAN"It is usual for you Christians to raise several calumnies against our gods for which reason I command you to come now with me to a banquet in honor of Jupiter and Juno, and acknowledge and perform what is due to their majesty." Acacius," how can I sacrifice to a man whose sepulcher is unquestionably in Crete? What is he risen again?"  MARTiAN.-" You must  either  sacrifice or  die." Acacius. This is the custom of the Dalmatian robbers when they have taken a passenger in a narrow way, they leave him no other choice but to surrender his money or his life. But, for my part, I declare to you that I fear nothing that you can do to me. The laws punish adulterers, thieves, and murderers. Were I guilty of any of those things I should be the first man to condemn myself. But if my whole crime be the adoring of the true God, and I am on his account to be put to death, it is no longer a law but an injustice." MARTIAN." I have no order to judge but to counsel you to obey. If you refuse, I know how to force you to compliance." Acacius.-" I have a law which I will obey this commands no not to renounce my God. If you think yourself bound to execute the orders of a man who in a little time hence must leave the world, and his body become the food of worms much more strictly am I bound to obey the omnipotent God, who is infinite and eternal, and who hath declared, Whosoever shall deny me before men, than will I deny before my Father."   MARTIAN.-" You now mention the error of your sect which I have long desired to be informed of: you say then that God hath a son?" Acasius" Doubtless he hath one."  Martian Who is this son of God?"  Acacius" The Word of truth and grace." Marian .-" Is that his name?"  Acacius" You didn’t ask me his name, but what he is."  MARTIAN.-" What then is his name?" Acacius" Jesus Christ."  Martian having inquired of the saint by what woman God had this son, he replied, that the divine generation of the Word is of a different nature from human generation, and proved it from the language the royal prophet makes use of in the forty-fourth psalm.  MARTIAN" Is God their corporeal?" Acacius" He is known only to himself. We cannot describe him. He is invisible to us in this mortal state, but we are sufficiently acquainted with his perfections to confess: and adore him." Martian" If God hath no body, how can he have heart or mind?" Acacius Wisdom hath no dependence or connection with an organized body. What hath body to do with understanding? He then pressed him to sacrifice from, the example of the Cataphrygians, or Montanists, and engage all under his care to do the same? Acacius replied. It is not me these people obey, but God. Let them hear me when I advise them to what is right but let them despise me, if I offer them the contrary and endeavor to pervert them." Martian" give me all their names. "Acacius" They are written in heaven, in Gods invisible registers." MARTIAN" Where are the magicians, your companions, and the teachers of this cunningly devised error by which he probably meant the priests. Acacius" No one in the world abhors magic more than we Christians."  Martian"  Magic is the new religion which you introduce." Acasius" You destroy those gods whom you fear, though you made them yourselves -  We, on the contrary, fear not him whom we have made with our hands, not him who created us, and who is the Lord and Master of all nature: who Loved us as our good father, and redeemed us from death and hell as the careful and affectionate shepherd of our souls." Martian" give me the names I require if you would avoid the torture." Arcadius" I am before the tribunal, and do you ask me my name, and, not satisfied with that, you must also know those of the other ministers?  Do you hope to conquer many you whom I alone am able to confound?  If you desire to know our names, mine Acacius.  If you would know more, they call me Agathangelus and my two companions are Piso, Bishop of the Trojans, and Menander, a priest. Do now what you please. Martian" You shall remain in prison till the emperor is acquainted with what has passed on this subject, and sends his orders concerning you. The emperor Deems having read the interrogatory, recompensed Martian by making him governor of Pamphilia, but admired so much the prudence and constancy of Acacius, that he ordered him to be discharged, and suffered him to profess the Christian religion.
This glorious confession is dated on the 29th of March, and happened under Decius in 250, or 251. How long St. Acacius survived does not appear. The Greeks, Egyptians, and other oriental churches, honor his name on the 31st of .March; though his name occurs not in the Roman Martyrology. See his authentic acts in Ruinart, p. 152; Tillemont, t. 2,p. 357;Fleury, t. 2  Ceillier, t. 3, p. 560.

This Acacius has been claimed as a bishop of Antioch in Pisidia by some and of Melitene in Armenia Minor by others; a third view is that he was not a bishop at all.
But a report of his trial has been preserved, in a document of which the Greek original is lost. According to this, Acacius was the great support of the Christians of Antioch, and as such was haled before the consular agent Martian. He declared that Christians were loyal subjects of the emperor, who prayed for him regularly, but when invited to an act of worship of the same emperor he refused.
Thereupon ensued a discussion between Martian and Acacius which ranged over the seraphim, Greco-Roman mythology, the Incarnation, Dalmatian morals, the nature of God and the religion of the Kataphrygians. When ordered to accompany the officer to sacrifice in the temple of Jupiter and Juno, Acacius replied, “I cannot sacrifice to someone who is buried in the isle of Crete. Or, has he come to life again?” Then Martian made an accusation of magic and wanted to know where were the magicians who helped him; and to Acacius’s rejoinder that all came from God and that magic was hateful to Christians he objected that they must be magicians, because they had invented a religion. “You make your own gods and are afraid of them; “we destroy them”, responded Acacius. “When there are no masons, or the masons have no stone, then you have no gods. We stand in awe of our God—but we did not make Him; He made us; for He is Master. And He loves us, for He is Father; and in His goodness He has snatched us from everlasting death.”

Finally Acacius was required to disclose the names of other Christians, on pain of death, and he would not. “I am on trial and you ask for names. If you cannot overcome me alone, do you suppose you would be successful with the others You want names—all right: I am called Acacius, and I have been surnamed Agathangelus [‘good angel ‘].  “Do what you like.” Acacius was then returned to prison and the proceedings of the examination forwarded to the emperor, Decius, who, we are told, could not forbear to smile when reading them. The upshot was that Martian was promoted to the legation of Pamphylia and Acacius received the imperial pardon, an interesting and unusual circumstance put to death for the faith, which may account for his never having received any cultus in the West; but his name figures in Eastern calendars on March 31 and other dates.

The acta disputationis (appropriately so called) are in Acta Sanctorum for March, vol. iii, and in Ruinart. Father Delehaye assigns them to his third category of such documents, viz. an embroidery of an otherwise reliable document: see his Les Passions des Martyrs. See also Allard, Histoire des Persecutions, vol. ii; and J. Weber, De actis S. Achatii (1913) but cf. the unfavourable judgement passed on Weber’s dissertation by Delehaye in Analecta Bollandiana, vol. xxxiii (1914), pp. 346—347.
Achatius, also known as Acacius; the facts of his life are uncertain. He may have been bishop of Antioch or of Militene and may not have been a bishop at all. He was prominent in Christian circles in Antioch and when summoned to appear before the local Roman official, Martian, a dialogue on Christianity and it's teachings as compared to other religions ensued, which has come down to us. Achatius refused to sacrifice to pagan gods, and when he would not supply the names of his fellow Christians, was sent to prison. Supposedly when Emperor Decius received Martian's report of the trial he was so impressed by both men that he promoted Martian and pardoned Achatius. Though listed as a martyr there is no evidence he died for the faith.
Saint Acacius the Confessor lived during the Decian persecution, and was Bishop of Melitene, Armenia.
Arrested as a Christian, St Acacius was brought before the governor Marcianus, who ordered that he be tortured. He was not put to death, but was set free after a while, bearing the wounds of Christ on his body. He died in peace.  St Acacius the Confessor is also commemorated on September 15. He should not be confused with another St Acacius of Melitene (April 17) who lived in the fifth century.

Acacius Agathangelos B (AC) (also known as Achatius) Died c. 251. "We venerate our God because He made us; we did not make Him. He as our Master loves us, for He is also our Father. Of His goodness He has rescued us from everlasting death." --Saint Acacius.
Saint Acacius, bishop of Antioch, Phrygia, led a devout life and was much revered for his charity and zeal by his flock who nicknamed him 'Agathangelus,' which means 'good angel,' and 'Thaumaturgus,' or the 'wonder - worker.' During the persecution of Christians under the Emperor Decius, not a single Christian in his diocese is said to have denied his faith.

Around 251, Decius's representative in Antioch, Martian, summoned the bishop for cross-examination. Acacius appeared and began by insisting that his flock was entirely faithful to the emperor.
Martian responded that the saint should prove this by making sacrifice to the emperor as a god. This the bishop adamantly refused to do.


The following transcript is from the public record of this interrogation:
Martian: "As you have the happiness to live under the Roman laws, you are bound to love and honor our princes, who are our protectors."
Acacius: "Of all the subjects of the empire, none love and honor the emperor more than the Christians. We pray without intermission for his person, and that it may please God to grant him long life, prosperity, success, and all benedictions; that he may be endowed by Him with the spirit of justice and wisdom to govern his people; that his reign be auspicious, and prosperous, blessed with joy, peace, and plenty, throughout all the provinces that obey him."

Martian: "All this I commend; but that the emperor may be the better convinced of your submission and fidelity, come now and offer him a sacrifice with me."
Acacius: "I have already told you that I pray to the great and true God for the emperor; but he ought not to require a sacrifice from us, nor is there any due to him or to any man whatsoever."
Martian: "Tell us what God you adore, that we may also pay Him our offerings and homages."
Acacius: "I wish from my heart you did know Him."

Instead of instantly sentencing Acacius to death, Martian continued to question him. They discussed the nature of angels. They spoke about the myths of the Greeks and the Romans. They philosophized together about the nature of God:
Martian: "Tell me His Name."
Acacius: "He is called the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."
Martian: "Are these the names of gods?"
Acacius: "By no means, but of men to whom the true God spoke; He is the only God, and He alone is to be adored, feared, and loved."
Martian: "What is this God?"
Acacius: "He is the most high Adonai, who is seated above the cherubim and seraphim."
Martian: "What is a seraph?"
Acacius: "A ministering spirit of the most high God, and one of the principal lords of the heavenly court."
Martian: "What chimeras are these? Lay aside these whims of invisible beings, and adore such gods as you can see."
Acacius: "Tell me who are those gods to whom you would have me sacrifice?"
Martian: "Apollo, the savior of men, who preserves us from pestilence and famine, who enlightens, preserves, and governs the universe."
Acacius: "Do you mean that wretch that could not preserve his own life: who, being in love with a young woman (Daphne), ran about distracted in pursuit of her, not knowing that he was never to possess the object of his desires? It is therefore evident that he could not foresee things to come, since he was in the dark as to his own fate, and as clear that he could be no god, who was thus cheated by a creature. All know likewise that he had a base passion for Hyacinth, a beautiful boy, and was so awkward as to break the head of that minion, the fond object of his criminal passion, with a quoit.
"Is not he also that god who, with Neptune, turned mason, hired himself to a king (Laamedon of Troy), and built the walls of a city? Would you oblige me to sacrifice to such a divinity, or to Esculapius, thunderstruck by Jupiter? or to Venus, whose life was infamous, and to a hundred such monsters, to whom you offer sacrifice?
" No, though my life itself depended on it, ought I to pay divine honors to those whom I should blush to imitate, and of whom I can entertain no other sentiments than those of contempt and execration? You adore gods, the imitators of whom you yourselves would punish."


Martian: "It is usual for you Christians to raise several calumnies against our gods; for which reason I command you to come now with me to a banquet in honor of Jupiter and Juno, and acknowledge and perform what is due to their majesty."
Acacius: "How can I sacrifice to a man whose sepulcher is unquestionably in Crete? What! Is he risen again?"
Martian: "You must either sacrifice or die."
Acacius: "Finis is the custom of the Dalmatian robbers; when they have taken a passenger in a narrow way, they leave him no other choice but to surrender his money or his life. But, for my part, I declare to you that I fear nothing that you can do to me. The laws punish adulterers, thieves, and murderers. Were I guilty of any of those things, I should be the first man to condemn myself. But if my whole crime be the adoring of the true God, and I am on this account to be put to death, it is no longer a law but an injustice."

Martian: "I have no order to judge but to counsel you to obey. If you refuse, I know how to force you to a compliance."
Acacius: "I have a law which I will obey: this commands me not to renounce my God. If you think yourself bound to execute the orders of a man who in a little while must leave the world, and his body become the food of worms, much more strictly am I bound to obey the omnipotent God, Who is infinite and eternal, and Who hath declared, `Whoever shall deny Me before men, him will I deny before My Father.'"

Martian: "You now mention the error of your sect which I have long desired to be informed of: you say then that God hath a son?"
Acacius: "Doubtless He hath one."
Martian: "Who is this son of God?"
Acacius: "The Word of truth and grace."
Martian: "Is that His name?"
Acacius: "You did not ask me His name, but what He is."
Martian: "What then is His name?"
Acacius: "Jesus Christ."
Martian asked "by what woman God had this son,"
   he replied, "that the divine generation of the Word is of a different nature from human generation,
and proved it from the language the royal prophet uses of in Psalm 44."
Martian: "Is God then corporeal?"
Acacius: "He is known only to Himself. We cannot describe Him; He is invisible to us in this mortal state, but we are sufficiently acquainted with His perfections to confess and adore Him."
Martian: "If God hath no body, how can He have a heart or mind?"
Acacius: "Wisdom hath no dependence or connection with an organized body. What does having a body have to do with understanding?"

He then pressed him to sacrifice as did some of the heretical Montanists.
Acacius: "It is not me these people obey, but God. Let them hear me when I advise them to what is right; or let them despise me, if I offer them the contrary and endeavor to pervert them."
Martian then asked the saint to provide him with the names of other Christians. The bishop would give him only two names: his own, Acacius, and his nickname, Agathangelus.
Martian: "Give me all their names."
Acacius: "They are written in heaven, in God's invisible registers."
Martian: "Where are the magicians, your companions, and the teachers of this cunningly devised error [the priests?]?"
Acacius: "No one in the world abhors magic more than we Christians."
Martian: "Magic is the new religion which you introduce."
Acacius: "We destroy those gods whom you fear, though you made them yourselves. We, on the contrary, fear not him whom we have made with our hands, but Him who created us, and Who is the Lord and Master of all nature; Who loved us as our good Father, and redeemed us from death and hell as the careful and affectionate shepherd of our souls."
Martian: "Give the names I require, if you would avoid the torture."
Acacius: "I am before the tribunal, and do you ask me my name, and, not satisfied with that, you must also know those of the other ministers? Do you hope to conquer many; you, whom I alone am able thus to confound? If you desire to know our names, mine is Acacius. If you would know more, they call me Agathangelus, and my two companions are Piso, bishop of the Trojans, and Menander, a priest. Do now what you please."
Martian: "You shall remain in prison till the emperor is acquainted with what has passed on this subject, and sends his orders concerning you."
The emperor's representative was so impressed by Acacius that he sent a transcript of the whole interview to Decius himself.
Decius smiled when he read it, promoted Martian to a higher post, and pardoned Bishop Acacius.

The acta of Acacius seem genuine: held in veneration in the East (Attwater2, Benedictines, Bentley, Encyclopedia, Husenbeth).

Akazius von Melitene  Orthodoxe und Evangelische Kirche: 31. März
Akazius lebte im 3. Jahrhundert. Er war Bischof von Melitene (Armenien). Unter Kaiser Decius wurde er 251 gefangengenommen und vor den Konsul Marcianus gebracht. Marcianus befragte Akazius und dieser redete zu ihm über die göttliche Ordnung und auch über die Cherubim und Seraphim. Daraufhin ließ Marcianus ihn foltern und ins Gefängnis werfen. Marcianus berichtete auch dem Kaiser über seine Untersuchung. Dieser Bericht ist erhalten geblieben. Decius befahl dann, Akazius freizulassen.
Akazius übte sein Amt weiter aus und starb friedlich um 260.
361-363 38 Martyrs are also remembered on this day, beheaded by the sword under Julian (361-363)
St. Theodulus Martyr with Anesius & others in Proconsular Africa
 In Africa sanctórum Mártyrum Theodúli, Anésii, Felícis, Cornéliæ et Sociórum.
       In Africa, the holy martyrs Theodulus, Anesius, Felix, Cornelia, and their companions.
Felix, Cornelia, and companions in Africa. The details of their suffering are not extant.
Theodolus, Anesius, Felix, Cornelia & Comp. MM (RM. Martyrs in Proconsular Africa (Benedictines).
326 Hieromartyr Hypatius {Ipatios}, Bishop of Gangra at First Ecumenical Council at Nicea martyred by schismatics he prayed for his murderers devout life and miracles
Bishop of the city of Gangra in Paphlagonia (Asia Minor). In the year 325 he participated in the First Ecumenical Council at Nicea, at which the heresy of Arius was anathematized.

When St Hypatius was returning in 326 from Constantinople to Gangra, followers of the schismatics Novatus and Felicissimus fell upon him in a desolate place. The heretics ran him through with swords and spears, and threw him into a swamp. Like the Protomartyr Stephen, St Hypatius prayed for his murderers.

An Arian woman struck the saint on the head with a stone, killing him. The murderers hid his body in a cave, where a Christian who kept straw there found his body. Recognizing the bishop's body, he hastened to the city to report this, and the inhabitants of Gangra piously buried their beloved archpastor.

Born in Cilicia, he was bishop in the town of Gangra. At the First Ecumenical Council, he was lauded on all sides for his devout life and miracles. The Emperor Constantius ordered a bust of Hypatius to be made in the saint's lifetime, and he kept this bust in his palace as a weapon against every adverse power. Returning once from Constantinople, Hypatius was attacked in a gorge by a heretic, Novatianus, and was pushed off the road into the mud. On top of that, a woman of that company threw a rock at his head, and the saint thus finished his earthly course. But this woman suddenly went insane, and, taking the same rock, began to strike herself with it. When they brought her to the grave of St Hypatius and prayed for her, she was healed by Hypatius's compassionate spirit and spent the rest of her life in repentance and prayer. St Hypatius suffered and went to the eternal Kingdom of Christ our God in 326.

After death the relics of Saint Ipatios won reknown for numerous miracles, in particular the casting out of demons and for healing the sick.

From of old the Priestmartyr Ipatios was particularly venerated in the Russian land. Thus in the year 1330 was built at Kostroma

 the IPATIEV MONASTERY, on the place of an appearance of the Mother of God with the Pre-eternal Christ-Child
saints that were present -- the Apostle Philip and the Priestmartyr Ipatios, bishop of Gangra.


This monastery afterwards occupied a significant place in the spiritual and social life of the nation, particularly during the years of the Time of Troubles. The old-time copies of the Vita of the Priestmartyr Ipatios were widely distributed in Russian literature, and one of these entered into the compiling of the Chet'i Minei [Reading Menaion] of Metropolitan Makarii (1542-1564).
In this Vita was preserved an account about the appearance of the Saviour to Saint Ipatios on the eve of the martyr's death. The veneration to the saint consists of prayers, words of praise and teaching on the day of his memory. The pious veneration of Sainted Ipatios was also expressed in the liturgical works of Russian authors. During the XIX Century was written a new service to the Priestmartyr Ipatios, distinct from the services written by the Monk Joseph the Studite, contained in the March Menaion.

386 The Departure of St. Anba Kyrellos (Cyril), Bishop of Jerusalem. copticchurch.net
On this day of the year 386 A.D. the holy father Anba Kyrellos (Cyril), Bishop of Jerusalem, departed. This father was chosen in the year 348 A.D. as a successor for Anba Maximus, Bishop of Jerusalem, for his knowledge and righteousness. He did not stay long on his Chair, until a contention arose between him and Acacius Bishop of Caesarea about who had the right to be in primacy over the other.
Kyrellos argument in that he was the successor of St. James, one of the Twelve Disciples.
Anba Kyrellos sold some of the church vessels and distributed the money on the needy because of a famine that befell the land of Palestine. Acacius took this chance and made an effort to obtain an order to exile him from the country. Anba Kyrellos was exiled without any one listening to his case. In the year 359 A.D., he appealed his case before the council of Seleucia. The council called Acacius to hear from him his argument, but he did not attend, so they judged by removing him from his office, and the return of Kyrellos to his Chair (Parish). He did not stay long for Acacius went and enticed emperor Constans to assemble a council at Constantinople and the Arian bishops agreed with him.
This council convened in the year 360 A.D. and ordered to exile this saint once more.
When Constans died, and was succeeded by Julian who ordered the return of all the exiled bishops to their chairs. This saint returned to his chair in the year 362 A.D. and shepherded his people faithfully and honestly, but he resisted the Arians. They went to emperor Valens the Arian who invalidated the order of his predecessor Julian stating the return of the exiled bishops to their chairs.
This way St. Kyrellos was exiled for the third time, where he remained until the death of Valens in the year 379 A.D. When Theodosius the great reigned and assembled the one hundred fifty in a council against Macedonius (The second universal council), this father attended, and opposed Macedonius, Sabilius and other heretics.
This Saint composed many Homilies and Exhortations, exceedingly profitable, in the Doctrines of faith and old traditions then departed in peace.

May his prayers be with us. Amen.
The Departure of St. Michael, Bishop of Naqadah. copticchurch.net
On this day also the honored father, and the unblemished bishop Anba Michael bishop of the Chair of Naqadah, departed.
With his prayers may the Lord have mercy on us, and Glory be to God forever. Amen
395 Our Holy Father Apolionius hermit 40 years founded monastery 500 monks
Saint Apollonius, when he was a fifteen-year-old youth, withdrew into the inner Thebaid desert (Lower Egypt), where he spent forty years in monastic struggles. Directed by God, he founded a monastery near Hermopolis, where eventually about five hundred monks gathered. St Apollonius was strict in fasting, only on Sundays did he eat cooked food, and on other days he ate wild plants.

All the monks followed the example of St Apollonius, engaging in spiritual struggles at the monastery. The holy ascetic died in the fourth century.
A famous Egyptian hermit, he renounced the world at the age of fifteen and withdrew to a mountain, where he lived for forty years eating only wild plants.
After that, he founded a monastery in which he had 500 monks. He entered peacefully into rest in 395.
418 The Hieromartyr Audas, Bishop of the City of Suza.
He was beheaded for Christ in 418 in Persia by King Yezdegeherd. His deacon, St Benjamin, was released by the torturers on condition that he preach the Gospel no more. He observed this condition for a time, but his heart could not bear it and he began again to spread the truth of Christ among the people. For this he was arrested and killed in 421, three years after St Audas.
The Hieromartyrs Audas (Abdas), the Bishop and the Deacon Benjamin.
St Audas was Bishop of Bethchasar in Persia. He destroyed a temple of the fire-worshippers, and was brought to trial before the Persian emperor Izdegerd I (401-402), who ordered the saint to rebuild the temple. When Bishop Audas refused, the emperor ordered soldiers to destroy all the Christian churches, persecute the Christians, and to torture them.
St Audas was the first to be martyred. He was beheaded after lengthy tortures. After thirty days, the other martyrs were also executed. Among them was the deacon Benjamin, who suffered particularly cruel torments. They stuck sharp needles under his nails and impaled him on a spear.
The hieromartyrs died in the old Persian city of Suza.
424? St. Benjamin Persian Deacon Martyr in Persia
 In Pérside sancti Bénjamin Diáconi, qui, cum Dei verbum non desísteret prædicáre, ídeo, sub Isdegérde Rege, arundínibus acútis confíxus únguibus, et spinósa sude per alvum transmíssa, martyrium consummávit.
       In Persia, during the reign of King Isdegerdes, the deacon St. Benjamin.  Because he would not stop preaching the word of God, he had a sharp reed forced under his nails, a thorny stake driven through his body, and thus completed his martyrdom.
                 SAINT BENJAMIN, DEACON, M.
                      From Theodoret, Hist., Eccles. 1. 5, c. 39, &c.
                                 A. D. 424.
  ISDEGERDES, son of Sapor III., put a stop to the cruel persecutions against the Christians in Persia, which had been begun by Sapor II., and the Church had enjoyed twelve years' peace in that kingdom, when, in 420, it was disturbed by the indiscreet zeal of one Abdas, a Christian bishop, who burned down the Pyraeum or temple of fire, the great divinity of the Persians. King Isdegerdes threatened to demolish all the churches of the Christians, unless he would rebuild it. Abdas had done ill in destroying the temple, but did well in refusing to rebuild it for nothing can make it lawful to contribute to any act of idolatry, or to the building a temple, as Theodoret observes.   Isdegerdes therefore demolished all the Christian churches in Persia, put to death Abdas, and raised a general persecution against the Church, which continued forty years with great fury. Isdegerdes died the year following, in 421. But his son and successor, Varanes, carried on the persecution with greater inhumanity.  The very description which Theodoret, a contemporary writer, and one that lived in the neighborhood gives of the cruelties he exercised on the Christians, strikes us with horror: some were flayed alive in different parts of the body, and suffered all kinds of torture that could be invented :others, being stuck all over with sharp reeds, were hauled and rolled about in that condition others were tormented divers other ways, such as nothing but the most hellish malice was capable of suggesting. Among these glorious champions of Christ was St. Benjamin a deacon. The tyrant caused him to be beaten and imprisoned.  He had lain a year in the dungeon, when an ambassador from the emperor obtained his enlargement, on condition should never speak to any of the couturiers about religion. The ambassador passed his word in his behalf that he would not but Benjamin, who was a minister of the gospel, declared that he could not detain the truth in captivity, conscious to himself of the condemnation of the slothful servant for having hid his talent. He therefore neglected no opportunity of announcing Christ. The king, being informed that he still preached the faith in his kingdom, ordered him to be apprehended.
  But the martyr made no other reply to his threats rears than by putting this question to the king. What opinion he would have of any of his subjects who should renounce his allegiance to him, and join in war against him. The enraged tyrant caused reeds to be run in between the nails and the flesh both of his hands and feet, and the same to be thrust into other most tender parts, and drawn out again, and this to be frequently repeated with violence.  He lastly ordered a knotty stake to be thrust into his bowels to rend and tear them, in which torment he expired in the year 424.
The Roman Martyrology places his name on the 31st of March.


421 ST BENJAMIN, MARTYR
KING YEZDIGERD, the son of Sapor II, put an end to the cruel persecution of Christians which had raged in Persia under his father, and the Church had been in the enjoyment of peace for twelve years when a bishop named Abdas, with misdirected zeal, burnt down the Pyraeum, or Temple of Fire, the chief object of worship of the Persians. The king threatened to destroy all the churches of Christians unless Abdas would rebuild the temple. This he refused to do, and Yezdigerd put him to death and initiated a general persecution which was intensified under his son Varanes and lasted for forty years. Theodoret, who was living in the neighbourhood at the time, gives an appalling account of the cruelties practised.
One of the foremost of the martyrs was a deacon, called Benjamin. After he had been beaten and then imprisoned for a year, an ambassador from the emperor at Constantinople obtained his release, promising on his behalf, that he would refrain from speaking about his religion. Benjamin, however, declared that he could not observe such a condition, and in fact he lost no opportunity of preaching the gospel. He was again apprehended and brought before the king. At the trial his only reply to the indictment was to ask the monarch what he would think of a subject who would renounce his allegiance and join in war against him. The tyrant ordered that reeds should he thrust in between his nails and his flesh and into all the tenderest parts of his body and then withdrawn. After this torture had been, repeated several times, a knotted stake was inserted into his bowels to rend and tear him. The martyr expired in the most terrible agony.

Besides Theodoret (Eccles. lust., bk v, ch. 38), which source is reproduced in the dicta Sanctorum, March, vol. iii, an account of these martyrs has been preserved both in Syriac and Armenian.. See Peeters in the Analecta Bollandiana, vol. xxviii (1909), pp. 399—415, who throws great light upon certain inconsistencies in the narrative, and shows that Theodoret has probably used a Syriac original. Cf. also the Historisches Jahrbuch, vol. xxxiv (1913), pp. 94 seq. and Labourt, Le Christianisme dans l’Empire perse, pp. 105—112.

The Christians in Persia had enjoyed twelve years of peace during the reign of Isdegerd, son of Sapor III, when in 420 it was disturbed by the indiscreet zeal of Abdas, a Christian Bishop who burned the Temple of Fire (Pyraeum), the great sanctuary of the Persians. King Isdegerd threatened to destroy all the churches of the Christians unless the Bishop would rebuild it.
Benjamin the Deacon M (RM) Yezdigerd (Isdegerdes), the king of Persia, put an end to the cruel persecution of Christians under his father Sapor (Shapur) II, and there followed 12 years of peace. Bishop Abdas then burned down the Pyraeum, or Temple of Fire, the chief object of worship of the Persians. The king threatened to destroy all Christian churches unless Abdas rebuilt it. The bishop refused, and the king put him to death and initiated a general persecution of Christians, which continued for forty years and intensified under his son Varanes. An account of the terrible cruelties was given by a contemporary, Theodoret (Ecclesiastical History).
Benjamin, a Persian deacon, was beaten and imprisoned for a year for preaching Christianity during the persecution. He was released at the request of the Emperor of Constantinople, who promised he would stop preaching to Varanes' courtiers. As soon as he was released, Benjamin again began proclaiming the Gospel, was arrested and tortured after he said that he would not be silent if again released.
At his trial, he asked the king what he would think of a subject who would renounce his allegiance and join in a war against him. The king ordered reeds thrust under his nails and into the most tender parts of his body and then withdrawn. After this was repeated several times, a knotted stake was inserted into his bowels to rend and tear him. He expired in terrible agony (Attwater2, Barr, Benedictines, Davies, Delaney, White).  He is depicted as a deacon with reeds thrust under his nails; sometimes impaled by knotted stake (Roeder).

SAINT GUI, ABBE DE POMPOSE (+ 1046) (lat. : Guido, Vido; germ. : Wit ou Witen) Evêque de Rome : Grégoire 6. - Empereur d'Occident : Henri 3. - Roi de France : Henri 1er.
Saint Gui naquit près de Ravenne, en Italie, au village de Casemar. Son père, appelé Albert, et sa mère, nommée Marie ou Marotie, étaient des personnes d'honnête famille et d'une insigne piété; il reçut d'eux une parfaite éducation et de fortes inclinations pour le bien: et l'on vit en lui, dès sa jeunesse, avec l'amour de l'étude et des belles-lettres, la retenue et la maturité d'un homme fait. Il avait cependant un défaut : il aimait à être vêtu aussi splendidement que pas un autre de sa condition, quoiqu'il ne le fit que pour plaire à ses parents. Mais Dieu, qui en voulait faire un homme selon son coeur, le prévint d'un mouvement de sa grâce si fort et si efficace, qu'il conçut tout d'un coup un mépris extrême de cette vanité, et qu'il se détermina à changer l'éclat de ses habits mondains pour un froc qui le rendit méprisable devant le monde.
Il se rendit donc à Ravenne la nuit même qu'on célébrait la fête du très-illustre martyr saint Apollinaire, patron de la ville; il se dépouilla de ses habits précieux, les donna aux pauvres et se revêtit à leur place d'un habit vil et décbiré. En cet état, il s'en alla à Rome, à l'insu de ses parents, pour y visiter les tombeaux des saints Apôtres, et y demeura quelque temps; il y reçut même la tonsure cléricale, et, comme le désir de la perfection embrasait son coeur de plus en plus, il prit la résolution de passer en Palestine pour y visiter les saints Lieux et ne plus revenir en son pays.
Mais pendant qu'il pensait au moyen de faire ce voyage, Dieu lui inspira de retourner à Ravenne et de se mettre sous la discipline d'un saint ermite, nommé Martin, qui vivait en solitude dans une petite île de la rivière du Pô. Il le vint donc trouver, et, ayant pris l'habit religieux, il vécut 3 ans sous sa conduite avec beaucoup d'obéissance et de docilité. Au bout de 3 ans, Martin, qui venait de recevoir le soin de l'abbaye de Pompose, et qui la gouvernait par un saint religieux nommé Guillaume, lequel faisait pour lui l'office d'abbé, y fit entrer son disciple Gui, afin qu'il pût apprendre, en cette grande compagnie, les exercices de la vie monastique. Ce fut là qu'il fit paraître avec éclat les vertus éminentes que le secret d'un ermitage avait cachées jusqu'alors. De sorte que, après avoir passé par toutes les cbarges du monastère et s'en être acquitté à l'entière satisfaction de tous les moines, après avoir aussi gouverné saintement le couvent de Saint Sévère, à Ravenne, dont Martin, son maître, lui donna la direction, l'abbé Guillaume s'étant démis de son office pour embrasser la vie solitaire, et Jean l'Ange, qu'il avait laissé pour successeur étant décédé, Gui fut unanimement élu abbé de Pompose.
Sa réputation fut tout d'un coup si grande, que plusieurs se vinrent ranger sous sa conduite; entre autres Albert, son père, et Gérard, son frère. Obligé de bâtir un nouveau monastère, il préserva de la mort, par ses prières, quelques ouvriers qui devaient être accablés sous des ruines. Un jour que les ouvriers se plaignaient bautement qu'on les laissait manquer de vivres, il sortit pour en aller chercher à Ravenne; son voyage ne fut pas long ; il rencontra aussitôt 2 bateaux chargés de blé et de vin que la divine Providence lui envoyait dans son besoin. Il fit aussi qu'un vase plein de vin qui tomba de dessus un mur ne fut point brisé, ni le vin répandu. Plusieurs autres fois, des vases de terre et de verre, tombant des mains de ses disciples, ne se cassèrent point; l'eau dont il s'était lavé les mains guérissait les fièvres et d'autres maladies; c'était une chose assez ordinaire que l'eau qu'on lui servait à table se changeât en vin: ce que de grands prélats ont même éprouvé avec admiration.
Sa vie, durant tout le temps de son ministère, fut plutôt angélique qu'humaine : il se démit de tout le soin temporel et le confia à divers abbés qu'il fit successivement ses vicaires; pour lui, il ne vaquait qu'au spirituel; pour être plus capable d'élever des âmes à Dieu, il avait toujours son esprit et son coeur dans le Ciel. Il se retirait ordinairement dans une solitude, à une lieue du monastère, où son abstinence était si grande et son oraison si continuelle, qu'il semblait ne plus vivre que de jeûne et de prière. Il traitait son corps avec tant de sévérité, principalement en Carême, que son historien ne fait point difficulté de dire que les tyrans et les bourreaux auraient eu de la peine à le traiter avec plus de rigueur. Cependant, il avait une douceur extrême et une charité vraiment paternelle pour ses religieux; et eux, de leur côté, l'aimaient fort tendrement.
Un d'eux, Martin, étant mort à 3 ou 4 lieues du monastère, l'on y apporta sou corps pour l'enterrer: mais après que la Messe et les autres prières pour les morts furent achevées, comme on était près de le mettre en terre, il commença à donner des signes de vie et appela à haute voix son saint Abbé. Le Saint lui demanda d'où il venait, ce qu'il avait vu et ce qui lui avait rendu la vie. Il répondit "qu'il avait vu un lieu de tourments horribles, où étaient plusieurs de ses parents et de ses connaissances; comme il les considérait avec horreur, saint Michel lui avait apparu, et, après lui avoir fait goûter d'un miel d'une douceur extraordinaire, il lui avait commandé de revenir pour 3 jours en son corps". En effet, ce bon religieux vécut encore 3 jours, ayant toujours le goût de ce miel dans la bouche, et, au bout de ce temps, ayant reçu la bénédiotion de son Abbé, il expira fort saintement.
Un autre, nommé Barthode, tomba malade à la mort. Dans son agonie, il fut si horriblement tenté par les démons, que, dans les peines où il était, il semblait donner des marques de désespoir. La communauté en fut tout épouvantée : mais le saint Supérieur fit tant par ses prières, que le calme et la sérénité succédèrent à ce grand combat. Ses confrères lui demandèrent ce qui lui avait causé des frayeurs et des agitations si terribles; il leur dit : "J'ai vu les malins esprits en des formes épouvantables, et extrêmement acharnés contre moi, quoiqu'ils n'eussent à me reprocher qu'un seul péché, que j'ai commis il y a longtemps, et dont je n'avais plus de mémoire : c'était d'avoir appris dans le monde une espèce de magie, que je n'ai pas néanmoins exercée. Mais par la grâce de Notre-Seigneur Jésus-Christ et par les prières de notre saint Abbé et les vôtres, ils se sont retirés avec honte, et m'ont laissé en repos". Il reçut ensuite l'absolution de cette offense, et rendit son âme en grande paix.
Ce bienheureux Abbé, du consentement de son Chapitre, avait ordonné qu'on ne mangerait point de poisson le mercredi ni le vendredi. En son absence, le prieur on fit donner: mais en même temps, un troupeau de l'abbaye se dispersa tellement dans la forêt, qu'il fut impossible de le réunir, et il ne revint qu'après que le Saint, ayant été informé de cette transgression, l'eût punie par une sévère pénitence.
Mais, quoique sa sainteté fut si admirable, il ne laissa pas d'être exposé à la persécution. Héribert, archevêque de Ravenne, conçut tant de haine contre lui, qu'il résolut de le perdre et de mener même des soldats dans son monastère pour le piller et le détruire. Saint Gui ne voulut point s'opposer à cette tyrannie par d'autres armes que par les armes spirituelles de l'oraison et de la pénitence: il ordonna donc à ses moines de jeûner pendant 3 jours au pain d'orge et à l'eau pure, et durant ce même temps, de ne manger qu'à terre, de porter toujours le cilice et de prendre souvent très-rudement la discipline; lui-même leur servait d'exemple, et cette austérité fut si puissante, qu'elle désarma ce prélat, tout violent et tout furieux qu'il était. Il vint au monastère, accompagné de gens d'armes; Gui, à la tête de ses moines, alla au-devant de lui, le reçut avec une gravité et une modestie angéliques, le conduisit à l'église, selon la coutume, avec beaucoup de solennité, et le Saint-Esprit toucha si fort Héribert, que, fondant en larmes et demandant pardon de ce mauvais dessein, il jura au Saint et à toute sa communauté une amitié et une protection perpétuelles.
Enfin, ce grand homme ayant été mandé par l'empereur Henri 3, qui voulait se servir de son conseil en des affaires très-importantes, se rendit à Parme, où, 3 jours après, n'ayant eu qu'une maladie fort courte, il rendit son esprit à Dieu, l'an 1046 et le huitième de son gouvernement. Comme les moines reportaient son corps en leur abbaye, les Parmesans ayant reconnu, par la guérison qu'il fit d'un aveugle, et par leurs cloches qui sonnèrent sans nul ministère des hommes, la grandeur du trésor qu'ils enlevaient, ils le saisirent et s'en rendirent les maitres. Mais l'empereur de Germanie, Henri 3, survenant là-dessus, le fit porter d'abord à Vérone, où il fut mis dans l'église de Saint-Zénon et y fit beaucoup de guérisons miraculeuses. L'année d'après, il le fit transporter à Spire, en Allemagne, en l'église de Saint-Jean-l'Evangéliste, laquelle, depuis ce temps-là, a pris aussi-le titre de Saint-Gui ou Saint- Witen; on y célèbre cette translation le 4 mai. Pour le jour où nous sommes, c'est celui de son décès.
Il ne faut pas omettre que notre Saint avait une liaison particulière d'amitié avec le bienheureux Pierre Damien, et qu'il le retint 2 ans entiers à Pompose pour enseigner à ses moines l'Ecriture Sainte. C'est le bienheureux Pierre Damien qui nous apprend que le religieux abbé de Pompose fut mis au nombre des Saints, comme saint Romuald, peu de temps après sa mort.
Le convoi de bateaux qui abordent près de son monastère au moment où les vivres allaient manquer aux ouvriers occupés à construire son abbaye, est l'attribut iconographique de saint Gui de Pompose. - Il est un des patrons de Spire.
Les continuateurs de Bollandus nous ont donné 2 vies de saint Gui de Pompose : elles nous ont toutes 2 servi à composer celle-ci. -- Cfr Propre de Mayence, à ce jour.
434 Verulus, Secundinus, and Companions (RM)
Verulus, Secundinus, Siricius, Felix, Servulus, Saturninus, Fortunatus, and 19 companions were martyred in northern Africa at Hadrumetum. The Roman Martyrology lists them as suffering during the Vandal persecution but it is unclear that this is true (Benedictines).

446 Saint Hypatius Igumen of Rufinus in Chalcedon guided monastery for 40 years healer prophet
Born in Phrygia (Asia Minor) into the family of a lawyer and he received a fine education. Once, when he was eighteen years old, his father punished him, after which the youth left home and went to Thrace (Balkans). There he herded cattle for a time, and then he lived with a priest who taught him how to chant the Psalms. Soon the chosen one of God was tonsured in one of the monasteries.
 Struggling against the temptations of the flesh, the holy ascetic spent fifty days in a strict fast. One night, with the blessing of the igumen, he drank some wine and ate some bread in the presence of the brethren, and was healed of his passions.

In search of a new place for ascetic struggles, St Hypatius settled with two other monks in the neglected Rufinus monastery near Chalcedon (Asia Minor). The monastery was rebuilt and soon many monks gathered about the holy ascetic, and the monastery began to flourish spiritually once more.
At the age of forty, St Hypatius was chosen igumen and he guided the monastery for forty years. Many monks, imitating their guide, attained spiritual perfection. For his strict ascetic life and love for others, St Hypatius was granted the gifts of wonderworking and healing by the Lord. Through his holy prayers bread was multiplied at the monastery, those afflicted with demons, and the blind, the withered and the hemorrhaging, came to the monastery and were healed.

St Hypatius reposed in 446, at eighty years of age. On the eve of his death, he predicted misfortunes to come: a devastating hailstorm, an earthquake, and Attila the Hun's invasion of Thrace.

452 Severian  bishop of Scythiopolis in Galilee murdered by the Eutychian heretics BM (RM)
Severian was bishop of Scythiopolis in Galilee who, on his return from the Council of Chalcedon, which condemned the Eutychian heresy, was murdered by the Eutychian heretics with the connivance of Empress Eudoxia.
While the decrees of the council had been accepted by most of the monks of Palestine, the Eutychian monk Theodosius, a man with an explosive temper, did not. With the help of Eudoxia, Theodosius and his monks managed to have Patriarch Juvenal of Jerusalem exiled and himself consecrated as bishop. Thereafter, Theodosius began to persecute the orthodox Christians. Saint Severianus, like many other Christians before him and at that time, resisted Juvenal and received the crown of martyrdom. He was seized by soldiers, dragged from the city, and murdered. His vita was written by a monk named Cyril the monk (Benedictines, Husenbeth).

633 St. Renovatus Bishop of Merida 20 yrs Spain convert from Arianism
He entered a monastery and became abbot of Cauliana in Lusitania and then bishop of Merida.
He served his see for more than two decades. 

695 Valerius of Astorga monk abbot representative of the revival wrought by Saint Isidore OSB (AC)
Born in Astorga, Spain; Saint Valerius, monk and later abbot of San Pedro del Montes monastery, is the representative of the revival wrought by Saint Isidore (636). Several of his ascetical writings have survived (Benedictines).

8th v -end Blessed Aldo of Hasnon count monk second abbot OSB (AC)
Aldo, count of Ostrevant, became a monk at Hasnon Abbey in Belgium, which had been founded by his brother John. Aldo was chosen as its second abbot (Benedictines).

794 St. Stephen of Mar Saba hermit displayed uncanny skills with people a valued spiritual guide
A "do not disturb" sign helped today's saint find holiness and peace.

Stephen of Mar Saba was the nephew of St. John Damascene, who introduced the young boy to monastic life beginning at age 10. When he reached 24, Stephen served the community in a variety of ways, including guest master. After some time he asked permission to live a hermit's life. The answer from the abbot was yes and no: Stephen could follow his preferred lifestyle during the week, but on weekends he was to offer his skills as a counselor. Stephen placed a note on the door of his cell: "Forgive me, Fathers, in the name of the Lord, but please do not disturb me except on Saturdays and Sundays."

Despite his calling to prayer and quiet, Stephen displayed uncanny skills with people and was a valued spiritual guide.
His biographer and disciple wrote about Stephen: "Whatever help, spiritual or material, he was asked to give, he gave. He received and honored all with the same kindness. He possessed nothing and lacked nothing. In total poverty he possessed all things."  Stephen died in 794.

Stephanus der Sabait Orthodoxe Kirche: 13. Juli Katholische Kirche: 31. März
Stephanus wurde 725 geboren. Mit 10 Jahren trat er in das Sabakloster ein, das er bis zu seinem Tod 794 nicht mehr verließ. Er zog sich zeitweise in die Einöde zurück und wurde mit den Gaben der Heilung, Teufelsaustreibung und Prophetie beschenkt.

1046 St. Guy of Pomposa hermit abbot (1046) gave everything to the poor hermit abbot forty years he lived in silence, abstinence, fasting, and prayer devotions and austerities heightened during Lent. He spent three years, as a hermit, was born in Italy on the island of Po River. He become the abbot of St. Severus. He became a much sought after spiritual adviser. His feast day is March 31.

1046 ST GUY OF POMPOSA, ABBOT
St GUY, or Guido, who is also called Guion, Wido, Witen and Wit, was born near Ravenna, and his father and mother took great pride in him; and, mainly to please them, he was very careful of his appearance and dress. One day, however, he was smitten with compunction for this form of vanity, He went to Ravenna, where the patronal feast of St Apollinaris was being celebrated, and stripping off his fine clothes he gave them to the poor and donned the shabbiest garments he could find. To his parents’ mortification, he started off in that garb for Rome, and whilst he was there he received the tonsure. A divine inspiration led him to place himself under the guidance of a hermit called Martin, who lived on a little island in the river Po. For three years they remained together, and then the recluse sent him to the abbey of Pomposa, near Ferrara, to learn monastic life in a large community. That monastery and that of St Severus at Ravenna were actually under the ultimate direction of the hermit, who decided the appointment of the superiors.
St Guy’s outstanding merits were such that he rose to high office, becoming abbot first of St Severus and then of Pomposa upon the nomination of Martin, confirmed by the vote of the monks. His reputation drew so many (including his father and his brother) to join the community, that the number of monks was doubled, and it became necessary for St Guy to build another monastery to accommodate all. After a time he delegated to others the secular part of his office, and concentrated on the more purely spiritual side, especially on the direction of souls. At certain seasons of the year he was accustomed to withdraw to a cell about three miles from the abbey, where he lived in such unbroken abstinence and devotion that he seemed to be sustained by fasting and prayer. During Lent especially, he treated his body with a severity which tortures could hardly have surpassed, and yet he was extraordinarily tender to his monks and they were devoted to him. St Peter Damian, who at his request delivered lectures on the Sacred Scriptures in the abbey of Pomposa for two years, dedicated to St Guy his book De perfectione monachorum.

Holy as he was, St Guy did not escape persecution. For some reason, Heribert, Archbishop of Ravenna, conceived a bitter hatred against him and actually determined to destroy his monastery. Warned of the approaching attack, the abbot’s only measure of defence was a three days’ fast, which the whole community observed. When the archbishop and his soldiers arrived at the gates, Guy went out to meet them, and with the utmost deference and humility led him into the church. Heribert’s heart was touched: he begged the abbot’s pardon, and promised him his protection for the future.
Towards the close of his life, St Guy retired into solitude, but he was summoned to Piacenza by the Emperor Henry III, who had come to Italy and wished to consult the abbot, of whose sanctity and wisdom he had heard much. The aged man obeyed very unwillingly, and took a tender farewell of his brethren, telling them that he should see their faces no more. He had arrived at Borgo San Donnino near Parma, when he was attacked by a sudden illness, from which he died on the third day. A contest took place for the custody of his body between Pomposa and Parma; the emperor settled the matter by having the relics taken to the church of St John the Evangelist at Speyer, which was afterwards renamed St Guido-Stift.

There is a short Latin life which has been printed both by the Bollandists, Acta Sanctorum, March, vol. iii, and by Mabillon.

Guy of Pomposa, OSB Abbot M (AC) (also known as Guido, Guion, Wido, Witen, Wit) Born near Ravenna, Italy. San Guido's parents were proud of their son. He was extremely careful with his appearance and dress in order to please them, until the day he realized that it was a form of vanity. On the feast of Saint Apollinaris (Died c. 75), the first bishop of Ravenna, Guy went into town, stripped off his finery, and traded them for the rags of the poor. His horrified parents then watched as he left on a pilgrimage to Rome thus dressed.

In Rome, he was tonsured and placed himself under the direction of a hermit, named Martin, who lived on an island in the Po River. After three years, Martin sent him to the monastery of Pomposa (near Ferrara), which was under Martin's direction together with that of Ferrara, to learn the monastic life in a large community. Thus, Guy began monastic life and became a Benedictine monk at the abbey of Saint Severus.

Later Guy was nominated by Martin and was confirmed by vote of the community as abbot of Ravenna, then of Pomposa near Ferrara. He loved sacred learning and, at his request, Saint Peter Damian (d. 1072) delivered lectures on the Scriptures to his monks for two years. Saint Peter Damian later dedicated his book, De perfectione monachorum, to the holy abbot. During his forty years as abbot, Guy's reputation drew so many others to religious life, including his own father and brother, that the community doubled in size and another monastery had to be built to accommodate them all. Eventually, he delegated the administrative aspects of his office in order to concentrate on the spiritual, especially the direction of souls.

Three times annually he made a retreat in a hermitage three-miles from Ferrara, where he lived in silence, abstinence, fasting, and prayer. His devotions and austerities were heightened during Lent. Although he treated his own body severely, he was extraordinarily tender with his monks, who became devoted to him.

Towards the end of his life, Guy was fiercely, though unjustly, persecuted by Archbishop Heribert of Ravenna and retired again into solitude. His peace was broken, however, by an summons to Piacenza from Emperor Henry III, who had come to Italy and wished to consult the holy man whose reputation had reached the king's ears. Guy took leave of his brothers, saying that he would not see them again. He became ill at Borgo San Donnino (near Parma) and died within days. After his death, Parma and Pomposa vied for custody of his relics. The emperor settled the dispute by taking his remains to the Church of Saint John the Evangelist in Speyer, Germany, which was renamed Saint Guido-Stift. He is the patron of Speyer (Attwater2, Benedictines, Encyclopedia, Husenbeth, Walsh).
1072 Peter Damian brilliant teacher and writer uncompromising attitude toward worldliness denunciations of simony clerical marriage B Doctor (RM) SEE February 23 HERE
Born in Ravenna, Italy, 1001; died at Faenza, Italy, February 22, declared Doctor of the Church in 1828.

"Here they live in endless being: Passingness hath passed away:
Here they bloom, they thrive, they flourish, For decayed is all decay."
--Saint Peter Damian from his Hymn on the Glory of Paradise.
1072 St. Peter Damian stern figure to recall men in a lax age from the error of their ways
Favéntiæ, in Æmília, natális sancti Petri Damiáni, Cardinális atque Epíscopi Ostiénsis et Confessóris, ex Ordine Camaldulénsi, doctrína et sanctitáte célebris, quem Leo Papa Duodécimus Doctórem universális Ecclésiæ declarávit.  Ipsíus autem festum sequénti die celebrátur.
 Sancti Petri Damiáni, ex Ordine Camaldulénsi, Cardinális et Epíscopi  Ostiénsis, Confessóris et Ecclésiæ Doctóris, qui evolávit in cælum prídie hujus diéi.       St. Peter Damian, a Camaldolese monk, cardinal bishop of Ostia, confessor and doctor of the Church, who died on the 22nd of February.


The parents of this brilliant teacher and writer died shortly after his birth. Peter's elder brother used the young lad as an unpaid servant until another brother, Damian, found Peter tending pigs and rescued him, sending him to be educated at Faenza and Parma. This brother was a priest and Peter took his Christian name--Damian--as his own surname.
Peter Damian responded readily to his teachers and became proficient enough in grammar, rhetoric, and law that he later taught at Ravenna. He began to practice austerities by himself, gave liberal alms, seldom went without some poor persons at his table, and took pleasure in serving them with his own hands. But he longed to do more for his Lord. The Lord answered his prayer by sending two religious of Fonte Avellana to visit his home. They told him much about their way of life. So, at age 34 (1035) he became a Benedictine monk at Fonte Avellana, a monastery founded 20 years earlier by Blessed Rudolph.

The brothers of Fonte Avellana lived as hermits in bare cells, utterly disciplined and given to constant study of the Bible. Their regimen was so austere that, for a time, Peter's health broke down. Nevertheless, Peter became a model monk who occupied himself by studying Scripture and patristic theology, and transcribing manuscripts. He was elected prior of this small, poor community in 1043. Others were attracted to imitate his life, and Peter founded five more religious houses for them. He became famous for his uncompromising attitude toward worldliness and denunciations of simony and clerical marriage.

In 1057, Peter was named cardinal-bishop of Ostia by Pope Stephen IX. His fame spread as he took a leading role in the Gregorian Reform. In 1059, he participated in the Lateran synod that proclaimed the right of the cardinals alone to elect future bishops of Rome. After a brief time as bishop, with the permission of Pope Alexander II (which previously had been denied by Nicholas II) and under the condition that he continue to serve the Holy See as needed, Peter returned to his cell.
There he wrote unceasingly, on purgatory, the Eucharist, and other theological and ascetical topics, but he also wrote poetry. While his Latin verse is among the very best of the Middle Ages, especially that in honor of
Pope Saint Gregory (died 604), which begins "Anglorum iam Apostolus," Peter Damian never considered his learning something of which to boast. What counted, he said, was to worship God, not to write about Him. What use was it to construct a grammatically correct sentence containing the word 'God,' if you could not pray to him properly.


In his ideas about monasticism, the saint always looked back to the example of the early desert monks. Although he regarded the monastic life as inferior to eremitic life, he advocated regular canoical life for cathedral clergy, and was a precursor of the devotional development to the Passion of Christ. In some respects he was not unlike the highly-critical Saint Jerome ( 604) in character, fervor, and impatience. Although he was kind to his monks and indulgent to penitents, his writings reveal his severity. It may seem odd to us that Peter Damian reproved the bishop of Florence for playing a single game of chess, or objected strenuously to monks seating themselves as they chanted the Divine Office. His onslaught on clerical misconduct is called The Gomorrah Book. But the austerities he prescribed for others, he practiced himself. When not employed in prayer or work, he made wooden spoons and other utensils to get his hands from idleness.

Peter also continued the work of ecclesiastical reform. He opposed the antipopes, especially Honorius II. And he went on missions for the pope--once even managing to persuade the king of Germany not to divorce his wife, Bertha. When Henry, archbishop of Ravenna, had been excommunicated for grievous enormities, Peter was sent by Alexander II as legate to settle the troubles. When he arrived at Ravenna, he found the bishop had died and brought his accomplices to repentance.

 Peter died at Faenza on route back to from Ravenna, which he had just reconciled with the Holy See. His vita was written by his disciple
John of Lodi. Although he was never formally canonized, local cults arose at his death, and, in 1828, Pope Leo XII extended his feast to the Universal Church (Attwater, Benedictines, Bentley, Blum, Delaney, Encyclopedia, Farmer, Gill, Walsh, White).


In art, Saint Peter is portrayed as a cardinal archbishop holding a birch and a book. Sometimes he may be shown (1) as a bishop with the cardinal's hat above his head or by his side, (2) as an old hermit, dead in a cave, lying on a stone slab with a crucifix on his breast; books, miter, cardinal's hat, and angels near him (Roeder), or (3) praying before a cross with a miter and cardinal's hat on the ground (White).
1134 Le Vénérable Guigues, prieur de la Grande-Chartreuse (1134)Post-Schisme romain
Guigues avait reçu le jour dans un village du diocèse de Valence, nommé Saint-Romain-du-Château. Son père, qui en était seigneur, occupait un rang distingué dans la noblesse du pays; il le fit élever avec beaucoup de soin et le destina de bonne heure aux dignités ecclésiastiques : un avenir brillant s'ouvrait devant le jeune homme. Mais Guiges avait autant de vertus que de talents. Il renonàa aux honneurs et entra dans l'Ordre de Saint-Bruon. Guigues n'avait que 26 ans, lorsque les suffrages de ses frères lui confièrent le gouvernement de la Grande-Chartreuse. Sa renommée de sainteté lui attira des disciples si nombreux que l'étroite enceinte du monastère ne put les recevoir tous. C'est alors qu'on vit s'établir les Chartreuses de Portes, dans le diocèse de Belley; d'Escouges ou de Hivesli, en Dauphiné; de Durbon, dans le diocèse de Gap; de Silve-Bénite, dans le diocèse de Vienne; de Majoreve, dans le diocèse de Lyon; de Mont-Dieu, dans celui de Reims, etc.
La conduite de ces diverses fondations ne l'empêcha pas de veiller aux intérêts spitituels et temporels de la Grande-Chartreuse. Saint Bruno n'avait donné sa règle que verbalement; Guigues prit soin de la régider en forme de statuts. Il fit aussi reconstruire les bâtiments claustraux qui avaient été presque entièrement engloutis par une avalanche.
Le monastère, qui était au lieu où est maintenant la chapelle de la Vierge, fut réédifié par les soins du zélé prieur, sur l'emplacement qu'il occupe encore aujourd'hui.
Guiges s'attira non seulement l'admiration de ses nombreux religieux, mais encore celle de tous les saints personnages de son siècle.
Saint Bernard, entre autres, professait pour lui une grande vénération. Pierre le Vénérable, abbé de Cluny, partageait les sentiments de saint Bernard pour leur commun ami. Mais personne ne fut aussi étroitement lié avec lui que saint Hugues, évêque de Grenoble.
Guigues écrivit l'histoire de l'évêque par ordre du pape romain Innocent II. On a aussi de lui des méditations très-estimées. Enfin, après une vie pleine de mérites et de bonnes oeuvres, ce bienheureux Prieur mourut à l'âge de 50 ans.
Hagiographie de Valence.

[Concernant ce saint du "désert de la Chartreuse", j'ai ici le receuil "Méditations" de Guigues 1er, en Sources Chrétiennes n°308, il y a 5 pages sur sa vie. Je n'ai pas le temps ce soir de les placer en ligne, mais un de ces jours, ça le sera. C'est triste de voir une Eglise dont un des grands saints, saint Bernard en l'occurence, vénérait déjà de son vivant le saint chartreux, et cette Eglise, elle, a carrément abandonné un tel héritage.. quelle tristesse! Et d'autres Eglises refusent sous prétexte que ça ne viendrait pas de chez elles, aveugles au point de ne pas savoir discerner Dieu dans Ses oeuvres. Incapables de faire la distinction entre ce qui est Bon, Beau, Vrai, de Dieu, parce qu'inspiré par Son Très Saint-Esprit (qui souffle où Il veut!), et ce qui est trop humain et rejetable, elles méprisent en vérité des pans entiers de l'Oeuvre de Dieu. Quelle folie! Dieu merci, comme dit saint Alexandre Men, prophète et martyr moscovite moderne, "le christianisme n'en est qu'à ses débuts!
Kyrie eleison! JMD]
1147 Blessed Guy of Vicogne founded the Premonstratensian abbey of Vicogne O Praem. (AC)
Guy founded the Premonstratensian abbey of Vicogne in the diocese of Arras, where he retired and was superior of the community (Benedictines).

1174 St. Machabeo Irish abbot of Armagh 40 years
Ireland, for four decades. He is also listed as Gilda-Marchaibeo. He governed the monastery of Sts. Peter and Paul.
Machabeo of Armagh, Abbot (AC) (also known as Gilda-Marchaibeo) Born in Ireland, 1104;.
 Saint Machabeo was abbot of the monastery of SS. Peter and Paul in Armagh from 1134 until his death 40 years later (Benedictines).

14th c Saint Hypatius the Healer of the Kiev Caves
Saint Hypatius the Healer of the Caves, attained glory through his severe fasting and prayerful vigilance. By night he stood at prayer, slept very little, and ate only bread and water.

St Hypatius devoted himself entirely to the service of the sick, and received from God the gift of healing. Those sick with various illnesses often hastened to his prayerful intercession.

The memory of St Hypatius is celebrated also on August 28, on the Synaxis of the Saints of the Far Caves.

The Monk Ipatii, Healer of Pechersk, attained glory in the exploit of severe fasting and constant prayerful vigilance. By night he stood at prayer, slept very little, and ate only bread and water. The monk Ipatii devoted himself entirely to the service of the sick and for his self-denying act received from God the graced gift of miraculous healings. Those sick with various illnesses often hastened to his prayerful intercession.

Memory of the monk Ipatii is celebrated also on 28 August, on the Sobor / Assemblage of the Saints of the Farther Caves.

14th v.  BD JOAN OF TOULOUSE, VIRGIN a recluse.
As early as the year 1240 the Carmelite brothers from Palestine made a settlement at Toulouse. Twenty-five years later, when St Simon Stock was passing through Toulouse on his way to Bordeaux, he was approached by a woman called Joan, who begged him to affiliate her to his order, although she was living in her own home. The prior general consented, clothed her with the Carmelite habit, and allowed her to take a vow of perpetual chastity.
As far as it was possible Joan followed strictly the rule of St Albert of Jerusalem, and she was venerated not only as the first Carmelite tertiary, but as the founder of the Carmelite tertiary order. She daily frequented the fathers’ church, and combined penance with love, depriving herself almost of the necessaries of life to relieve the sick and poor. She used also to train young boys in the practices of holiness, with a view to preparing them to enter the Carmelite Order. It was her custom to carry about with her a picture of the crucified Redeemer, which she studied as though it had been a book.

Bd Joan was buried in the Carmelite church of Toulouse and her tomb was thronged by those who sought her aid. For 600 years she was honoured, and her body was re-enshrined several times—notably in 1805, when a little book of manuscript prayers was found beside her.
The above is a summary of the story of Bd Joan (whose cultus was confirmed in 1895) as it is related in the lessons for her feast in the Carmelite supplement to the Breviary, but there has apparently been considerable confusion. It seems clear that she in fact lived at Toulouse towards the end of the fourteenth, not the thirteenth, century, and that she was not a tertiary but a recluse.

See the Breviary lessons referred to above, and Fr Bonifatius, Die sel. Johanna von Toulouse (1897) ; and Fr B. Zimmerman’s Monumenta historica Carmelitana, p. 369, and Let saints deserts des Cannes déchaussés (1927), pp. 17—18, where the problem is examined.
1411 St. Daniel Camaldolese hermit originally a German merchant slain by robbers
originally a German merchant. He was traveling on business and stopped at Murano, Italy, where he became a Camaldolese.

1461 Saint Jonah Metropolitan of Moscow Wonderworker of All Russia miraculous healings at his grave  incorrupt relics first Metropolitan consecrated by Russian bishops Isidore the Bulgarian was Metropolitan but became Catholic after attending the Council of Florence (1438) and ousted by Russian heirarchs.
Born in the city of Galich into a pious Christian family. The father of the future saint was named Theodore. The youth received monastic tonsure in one of the Galich monasteries when he was only twelve years old. From there, he transferred to the Moscow Simonov monastery, where he fulfilled various obediences for many years.

Once, St Photius, Metropolitan of Moscow (May 27 and July 2), visited the Simonov monastery. After the Molieben

[Molieben (from Church Slavonic Mol'ba - prayer, supplication) is a short liturgical service usually centered on a particular need or occasion: the new year, a journey, an illness, an act of thanksgiving, etc. It may be addressed to Christ, the Mother of God, or to saints. Its general structure is that of Matins, and it can be served either by request of the faithful or by decision of the parish Priest.

The Church asks us to "pray without ceasing" - Prayer is the life of the Church and the life of each one of us, members of the Church. And because Christ came to redeem and to sanctify the totality of our life, no part of that life, no human need, no occasion is excluded from the Church's prayer. The Molieben, thus, is the extension of the Church's prayer, of Christ's redeeming grace to all aspects and realities of our life. "...knock and it will be opened to you." --we are called constantly to knock at the doors of God's mercy and our faith assures us that God hears us and is with us.]
, he blessed the archimandrite and brethren, and also wished to bless those monks who were fulfilling their obediences in the monastery.


When he came to the bakery, he saw St Jonah sleeping, exhausted from his work. The fingers of the saint's right hand were positioned in a gesture of blessing. St Photius said not to wake him. He blessed the sleeping monk and predicted to those present that this monk would be a great hierarch of the Russian Church, and would guide many on the way to salvation.
The prediction of St Photius was fulfilled. Several years later, St Jonah was made Bishop of Ryazan and Murom.
St Photius died in 1431.
Five years after his death, St Jonah was chosen Metropolitan of All Russia for his virtuous and holy life. The newly-elected Metropolitan journeyed to Constantinople in order to be confirmed as Metropolitan by Patriarch Joseph II (1416-1439). Shortly before this the nefarious Isidore, a Bulgarian, had already been established as Metropolitan. Spending a short time at Kiev and Moscow, Isidore journeyed to the Council of Florence (1438), where he embraced Catholicism.

A Council of Russian hierarchs and clergy deposed Metropolitan Isidore, and he was compelled to flee secretly to Rome (where he died in 1462). St Jonah was unanimously chosen Metropolitan of All Russia. He was consecrated by Russian hierarchs in Moscow, with the blessing of Patriarch Gregory III (1445-1450) of Constantinople.
This was the first time that Russian bishops consecrated their own Metropolitan.
St Jonah became Metropolitan on December 15, 1448. With archpastoral zeal he led his flock to virtue and piety, spreading the Orthodox Faith by word and by deed. Despite his lofty position, he continued with his monastic struggles as before.

In 1451 the Tatars unexpectedly advanced on Moscow; they burned the surrounding area and prepared for an assault on the city. Metropolitan Jonah led a procession along the walls of the city, tearfully entreating God to save the city and the people. Seeing the dying monk Anthony of the Chudov monastery, who was noted for his virtuous life, St Jonah said, "My son and brother Anthony! Pray to the Merciful God and the All-Pure Mother of God for the deliverance of the city and for all Orthodox Christians."
The humble Anthony replied, "Great hierarch! We give thanks to God and to His All-Pure Mother. She has heard your prayer and has prayed to Her Son. The city and all Orthodox Christians will be saved through your prayers. The enemy will soon take flight. The Lord has ordained that I alone am to be killed by the enemy." Just as the Elder said this, an enemy arrow struck him.
The prediction of Elder Anthony was made on July 2, on the Feast of the Placing of the Robe of the Most Holy Theotokos. Confusion broke out among the Tatars, and they fled in fear and terror. In his courtyard, St Jonah built a church in honor of the Placing of the Robe of the Most Holy Theotokos, to commemorate the deliverance of Moscow from the enemy.

In old age, he desired to experience such illness that he would suffer greatly, and would by his sufferings be completely purified before his departure to the other world. At his prayer, God gave him wounds in his feet, which were foreseen in a vision by a priest, James. The saint died of these wounds and went to join the citizens of heaven on March 31st, 1461. Many miracles were performed through his relics. A dumb man, John, was brought to the saint's relics. John kissed Jonah's hand and, as he related afterwards, the hand grabbed hold of his tongue and he felt a sharp pain. When it let his tongue go, he went back to his friends - and spoke as if he had never been dumb.
St Jonah reposed in the year 1461, and miraculous healings began to take place at his grave.
In 1472 the incorrupt relics of Metropolitan Jonah were uncovered and placed in the Dormition Cathedral of the Kremlin (Transfer of the holy Relics celebrated May 27). A Council of the Russian Church in 1547 established the commemoration of St Jonah, Metropolitan of Moscow.
In 1596, Patriarch Job added St Jonah to the Synaxis of the Moscow Hierarchs (October 5).
1491 BD BONAVENTURE OF FORLI His relics were ultimately conveyed to Venice, where a cultus grew up marked by many miraculous cures.
BD Bonaventure TORNIELLI was born at Forli and was a man of good family. He does not seem to have entered the Order of Servites until 1448, when he was thirty-seven years old, but his fervour and austerity of life rapidly enabled him to make up for lost time.
After his ordination he prepared himself for apostolic work by a year of retirement, and then began to preach with wonderful eloquence and success. He was especially commissioned by Pope Sixtus IV to undertake this apostolic mission, and throughout the papal states, Tuscany and the Venetian province his sermons were productive of a notable reformation of life. Towards the close of 1488 he was elected vicar general of his order, an office in which he gave proof of great administrative ability and charity. But he still continued his missionary work, and he had just finished preaching the Lent at Udine when on Maundy Thursday 1491 God called him to Himself, worn out by age and the hardships of the life he had been leading. His relics were ultimately conveyed to Venice, where a cultus grew up marked by many miraculous cures. This cultus was confirmed in 1911.

See the decree of confirmation printed in the Acta Apostolicae Sedis, vol. iii (191 s), pp. 659—660; and F. Cornelius, Ecclesiae Venetae, vol. ii, pp. 34—51.
1595 Robert Southwell Fire, sweetness, purity, and gentleness were features poet Jesuit priest suffered for the faith SJ M (RM)
Born at Horsham Saint Faith's, Norfolk, England, in 1561 or 1562; died at Tyburn, London, England, February 21, 1595; beatified in 1929; canonized on October 25, 1970, by Pope Paul VI as one of the 40 representative martyrs of England and Wales.
The Church has been built on the blood of martyrs--the living stones. Before there were cathedrals, there were the catacombs; since then objects of value have been piled about our altars, but the most precious is contained beneath each altar in the mandatory "tomb"--the shrine with the relics of a martyr--and upon the tomb the chalice with the precious Blood of Christ. We would do well to recall the many previous Masses that were celebrated in haste and secrecy--for us, like the martyrs, each Mass might be the viaticum. Receive the Source of Life with joy, attention, and thanksgiving.

When King Henry VIII could not induce his wife, Catherine of Aragon, to allow their marriage to be declared invalid because she was his brother's widow, Henry declared himself head of the Church in England. He persuaded the Parliament to declare that it was high treason for anyone to deny Henry's right to this title. On this account monasteries were closed and Church property confiscated--both real and monetary, including the innumerable foundations designed to maintain schools for the people, who were largely illiterate. A long procession of saints and beati were executed under Henry VIII.

(Of course, we should always remember that Roman Catholics are not alone in being persecuted. While the English kings and queens hanged and quartered Catholics, Protestants were burned in France and Spain. There was the difference that Protestants in Spain and France were trying to destroy the ancient traditions of the people, while Catholicism in England did not show itself incompatible with the order of society.)

Robert Southwell's lineage included most of the country gentry of Suffolk and Norfolk, but his father Richard was born on the wrong side of the sheets though his grandfather, also Richard, did eventually marry Robert's grandmother, a poor relation of his first wife.

Richard Southwell, Sr., had been a courtier to Henry VIII and received his share of the booty from the pillaging of monasteries, including the ancient Benedictine priory of Horsham Saint Faith. Richard changed his political and religious affiliations a few times during the reigns of Edward and Mary of Scotland. The saint's father had married Queen Elizabeth's governess; thus, Richard Senior's grandson Robert was born in the old Benedictine priory.

Robert is the mystic among the English martyrs, though circumstances made him a man of action and bold adventure. Fire, sweetness, purity, and gentleness were features of Robert Southwell's nature.

Once as a child, he was stolen by gypsies, who were numerous in the great woods surrounding Saint Faith's. His nurse found him again. Robert referred to this misadventure often. "What had I remained with the gipsy? How abject, how void of all knowledge and reverence of God! In what shameful vices, in how great danger of infamy, in how certain danger of an unhappy death and eternal punishment!" On his return to England as a missionary, the first person he visited was his old nurse, whom he tried to lead back to the Roman Catholic Church.

His father sent him to Douai to be educated by the Jesuits, either because he was a Catholic at that time or because of the reputation of the order's schools. There Robert met John Cotton, who later operated a safehouse in London.

Robert was inspired with intense enthusiasm for the Society of Jesus and begged entry at once, though he was too young. He was bitterly disappointed, but on the feast of Saint Faith (fortuitously on October 17, 1578) he was received into the order in Rome as a novice. He spent his novitiate in Tournai, but took his vows and, in 1584, was ordained to the priesthood in Rome, where for a time he was prefect in the English College.

At this time he began to attract a good deal of attention by his poems. He corresponded with Mr. Parsons, the leader of the Jesuit mission in England. He was worried that many who had been faithful Catholics were now sliding into the Church of England to avoid the fine for every service from which they absented themselves. Many families held out until they were financially ruined; then they would attempt to make their way to the continent and live on alms.

Though Robert Southwell knew how his journey to England would end, with Father Henry Garnet, he returned in 1586 to serve among those Catholics who were still willing to venture life and welfare by hearing a Mass and receiving the Sacraments. Before his departure he wrote to the general of hte Jesuits, Claudius Acquaviva, "I address you, my Father, from the threshold of death, imploring the aid of your prayers . . . that I may either escape the death of the body for further use, or endure it with courage."

Most of the remaining Catholics were to be found in the countryside. Most were content to long for better days and hope that a priest could be smuggled into their sickroom before their deaths. On the other hand, among the actively militant there was a wonderful cohesion and a mutual helpfulness and affection that recalled the days of the primitive Church. But these little congregations that assembled before dawn in a secret room of some remote manor house never knew if a traitor might be in their midst.

Southwell rode about the countryside in disguise, saying Mass, hearing confessions, celebrating marriages, baptizing, re-admitting apostates, giving the Sacraments to the dying. He even managed to visit Catholics in prison and say Mass there. Time after time he miraculously managed to elude his pursuers.

Much of Southwell's correspondence during this period has been preserved and provides many insights into the events and attitudes of hte period. These were hard times. In one letter he requests permission to consecrate chalices and altar slabs (usually reserved to the bishop)--so much had been taken away in the constant searching of the homes of Catholics that such things were becoming scarce.

His letters home also reveal Robert's anxiety about the salvation of his father and one of his brothers, Thomas. The soul of the poet is evident when he writes his brother: "Shrine not any longer a dead soul in a living body: bail reason out of senses' prison, that after so long a bondage in sin, you may enjoy your former liberty in God's Church, and free your thought from servile awe of uncertain perils. . . . Weigh with yourself at how easy a price you rate God, Whom you are content to sell for hte use of your substance. . . . Look if you can upon a crucifix without blushing; do not but count the five wounds of Christ once over without a bleeding conscience."

Thomas was won back to the faith and died in exile in the Netherlands. His father died in prison after Robert's martyrdom, but it is unknown whether he, too, suffered for the faith.

As chronicled in Robert's letters, the persecution intensified after the defeat of the Spanish Armada. Captured Catholics used their trials in defense of the faith. Robert tried to remain at large for as long as possible by adopting disguises and using the alias of Mr. Cotton--a poor, unkempt, and socially awkward young man.

Robert was a priest in London from 1584 to 1592. About 1590, Robert Southwell became chaplain to Anne, countess of Arundel, wife of the imprisoned Saint Philip Howard, who was being told lies about her now-faithful husband. To Southwell, Earl Philip wrote from prison that his greatest sorrow was that he would never see his wife again. "I call Our Lord to witness that as no sin grieves me so much as my offenses to that party [Anne], so no worldly things makes me loather to depart hence than that I cannot live to make that party satisfaction, according to my most ardent and affectionate desire. Afflictio dat intellectum (affliction gives understanding)."

During the time that Fr. Southwell was concealed in Arundel House in London, he corresponded with Philip Howard because of their mutual affection for Anne Dacre and because of their shared faith and shared interest in poetry. Southwell holds a place in English literature as a religious poet. Ben Jonson remarked to Drummond that "Southwell was hanged, yet so he [Jonson] had written that piece of his 'The Burning Babe' he would have been content to destroy many of his." Many of Southwell's poems, apologetic tracts, and devotional books were published on a private printing press installed at Arundel House.

At Arundel House, the soon-to-be martyr also found himself often lost in mystical experiences that are later revealed in his poetry. There is an unforgettable power in his poetic image of Christ as the unwearied God throughout eternity supporting the earth on His fingertip and enclosing all creation in the hollow of His hand, but Who, in His humanity, breaks down and falls beneath the weight of a single person's sin.

Robert Southwell was betrayed by Anne Bellamy. After giving her absolution during her confinement with a family in Holborn, he told her that he would offer Mass in the secret room in her father Richard's home in Harrow on June 20, 1592. She reported this to Richard Topcliffe, one of the most notorious for hunting down priests. Robert Southwell was arrested while still wearing his vestments. Southwell was immediately tortured upon arrival at Topcliffe's Westminster home--for two days he was hung up by the wrists against a wall, so that he could barely touch the floor with the tips of his toes.

When he was at the point of death, his tormentors revived him, hung him up again, and prodded him to reveal the names of other priests and for information to condemn Lady Arundel. All he would confess was that he was a Jesuit priest. He gave no information, not even the color of the horse on which he had riden, that would allow them to find other Catholics. Southwell's steadfastness led several of the witnesses, including the Treasurer Sir Robert Cecil, to whisper that he must indeed be a saint.

He was taken from Topcliffe's house to a filthy cell in the Gatehouse and left for a month. His father, seeing him covered with lice, begged the queen to treat his son as the gentleman he was. She obliged by having Southwell moved to a cleaner cell and permitting his father to send him clean clothes and other necessities, including a Bible and the writings of Saint Bernard.

Robert Southwell was moved to the Tower of London, where he was imprisoned for three years and tortured 13 times (according to Cecil). Many of his poems on death, including "Saint Peter's Complaint," were written in the Tower. Not once was he given the opportunity to confess his sins or say Mass.

He was allowed only one visit--from his sister. Communication with was limited to notes smuggled between their cells. Because Arundel's dog would sometimes follow the warder into Southwell's cell, the lieutenant of the Tower mocked that he supposed the dog had gone to get the priest's blessing. Howard replied, "Marry! it is no news for irrational creatures to seek blessings at the hands of holy men. Saint Philip Howard Saint Jerome (d. 420) writes how those lions which had digged with their paws (died c. 342) grave stood after waiting with their eyes upon Saint Paul the Hermit's Saint Antony (d. 356) expecting his blessing."

Finally, Southwell entreated Cecil to bring him to trial or permit him visitors. To which Cecil answered, "if he was in so much haste to be hanged, he should quickly have his desire." Shortly thereafter he was taken to Newgate Prison and placed in the underground dungeon called Limbo before being brought to trial at Westminster on February 20, 1595. He was condemned for being a priest. When the Lord Chief Justice Popham offered the services of an Anglican priest to prepare him for death, he declined saying that the grace ofGod would be more than sufficient for him.

Like many martyrs before him, Southwell drew the admiration of the crowds because he walked as though he whole being were filled with happiness at the prospect of being executed the next day. On the morrow, the tall, slight man of light brown hair and beard was taken to the "Tyburn Tree," a gallows, where the custom was for the condemned to be drive underneath the gallows in a cart, a rope secured around his neck, and the cart driven from under him. According to the sentence, the culprit would hang until he was dead or cut down before reaching that point.

Standing in the cart, Father Southwell began preaching on Romans 14: "Whether we live, we live unto the Lord: or whether we die, we die unto the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. . . . I am brought hither to perform the last act of this miserable life, and . . . I do most humbly desire at the hands of Almighty God for our Savior Jesus' sake, that He would vouchsafe to pardon and forgive all my sins. . . ." He acknowledged that he was a Catholic priest and declared that he never intended harm or evil against the queen, but always prayed for her. He end with "In manus tuas, Domine (into Your hands, Lord), I commend my spirit." Contrary to the sentence, he was dead before he was cut down and quartered (Benedictines, Delaney, Undset).
1631 John Donne 1601 das religiöse Gedicht "The Progresse of the Soule" verfaßte die "Divine Poems" (1607). Im "Pseudo-Martyr" (1610) 1631 Zwei Monate vor seinem Tod Predigten unter dem Titel "Death's Duel".
Anglikanische Kirche: 31. März John Donne wurde am 22.1. (oder 2.) 1572 in London geboren. Er begann mit 11 Jahren in Oxford zu studieren ohne einen Abschluß zu machen. Vielleicht studierte er anschließend in Cambridge. 1592 begann er in London Jura zu studieren. Hier schrieb er seine Gedichtbände "Satires" und "Songs and Sonnets", die zunächst nicht gedruckt wurden, aber dennoch als Manuskripte eine weite Verbreitung fanden. 1596 nahm er an der Azorenexpedition teil und 1598 wurde er Privatsekretär des Lordsiegelbewahrers Sir Thomas Egerton. 1601 heiratete er heimlich Egertons Nichte. Er wurde deshalb entlassen und sogar einige Zeit gefangengesetzt. Donne zog mit seiner Frau nach Pyrford (Surrey), wo er 1601 das religiöse Gedicht "The Progresse of the Soule" verfaßte, das in ironischer Weise die Seelenwanderung von Evas Apfel darstellt. Donne arbeitete als Anwalt und war wohl auch Verfasser der Flugschriften von Thomas Morton, in denen dieser gegen die Katholiken polemisierte. 1507 schrieb Donne sein Hauptwerk, die "Divine Poems" (1607). Im "Pseudo-Martyr" (1610) legte Donne dar, daß auch englische Katholiken dem anglikanischen König Jakob I. den Treueeid schwören könnten, ohne gegen ihre religiösen Grundsätze zu verstoßen. Dieses Werk brachte ihm die Gunst des Königs ein: 1615 trat Donne aus der katholischen Kirche aus und wurde Priester der anglikanischen Kirche und noch im gleichen Jahr königlicher Kaplan. Besonders seine Predigten waren berühmt, und er verfaßte auch weiterhin geistliche Gedichte. 1621 wurde Donne zum Dekan der Saint Paul's Cathedral in London ernannt. Er starb am 31.3.1631 in London.
Zwei Monate vor seinem Tod hielt er eine seiner wichtigsten Predigten unter dem Titel "Death's Duel".
1879 St Innocent (Veniaminov), Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomensk proclaimed Gospel in the Aleutian islands in 6 dialects of tribes on island of Sitka among the Kolosh (Tlingit) remote Kamchatka diocese among Koryak, Chukchei, Tungus in the Yakutsk region and North America; in Amur and the Usuriisk region.

(August 26, 1797 - March 31, 1879), Glorified by the Russian Orthodox Church on October 6, 1977.

He was born in the village of Anginsk in the Irkutsk diocese. The Apostle of America and Siberia proclaimed the Gospel "even to the ends of the earth": in the Aleutian islands (from 1823), in the six dialects of the local tribes on the island of Sitka (from 1834), among the Kolosh (Tlingit); in the remotest settlements of the extensive Kamchatka diocese (from 1853); among the Koryak, Chukchei, Tungus in the Yakutsk region (from 1853) and North America (in 1857); in the Amur and the Usuriisk region (from 1860).

Having spent a large part of his life in journeys, St Innocent translated a Catechism and the Gospel into the Aleut language. In 1833, he wrote in this language one of the finest works of Orthodox missionary activity
INDICATION OF THE WAY TO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.
In 1859, the Yakut first heard the Word of God and divine services in their native language. Twice (in 1860 and 1861) St Innocent met with St Nicholas the Apostle to Japan (February 3), sharing with him his spiritual experience.

A remarkable preacher, St Innocent said,
"Whoever abounds in faith and love, can have mouth and wisdom, and the heart cannot resist their serving it."
Having begun his apostolic work as a parish priest, St Innocent completed it as Metropolitan of Moscow (January 5, 1868 - March 31, 1879). He obeyed the will of God all his life, and he left behind a theme for the sermon to be preached at his funeral: "The steps of a man are rightly ordered by the Lord" (Ps 36/37:23).
St Innocent is also commemorated on October 5 (Synaxis of the Moscow Hierarchs) and on October 6 (his glorification).

For further information on St Innocent, Apostle to America, see the: Celebration of the Year of St Innocent (1997) in the special features section.


THE PSALTER OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY PSALM 301

Blessed is the man who feareth the Lady: and blessed is the heart that loves her.

Happy the man who is never satiated with thy praise: and grows not weary of the narration of thy virtues.

In his heart has arisen the light of God: the Holy Spirit enlightens his understanding.

Bestow, O Lady, thy grace upon thy poor: revive the hungry and the needy.

By thee names shall be in eternal remembrance: our heart shall not fear the evil hearing.

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 heavenonly 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 htmIndulgences 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 2000Quang 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  UniateChalcedon

Mary the Mother of Jesus Miracles_BLay Saints  Miraculous_IconMiraculous_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 Nizamuddin 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
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 Indulgence 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}.
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 301 2023