 Readings are
interpreted as prefiguring the Mother of God
The first lesson at Great Vespers (Genesis 28:10-17)
describes Jacob's
dream of a ladder reaching from earth to heaven, and the angels
ascending and descending upon it. The second lesson (Ezekiel
43:27-44:4) speaks of the gate of the sanctuary which faces east. God
enters through this gate, which is shut so that no one else can enter
by it. The third reading (Proverbs 9:1-11) talks about the house that
Wisdom has built.
These readings are interpreted as prefiguring the Mother of
God.
Sosthenes, Apollos,
Cephas, Tychikus, Epaphroditus, Caesarius und Onesiphorus
Orthodoxe Kirche: 8. Dezember Sosthenes, Apollos, Cephas,
Caesarius und
Epaphrodites: Orthodoxe Kirche: 30. März Caesarius: Katholische
Kirche: 10. Dezember Onesiphorus: Orthodoxe Kirche: 7.September /
Katholische Kirche: 6. September
Apollos wird mehrfach im Neuen Testament genannt (z. B. Apg.
18, 24).
Er wirkte zunächst längere Zeit in Korinth (vgl. 1. Kor. 3,
6), ging dann nach Kreta und wurde schließlich Bischof von
Caesarea oder von Smyrna.
Caesarius war Bischof von Dirracheia (Durazzo) im heutigen
Albanien. Er
starb vielleicht den Märtyrertod.
Cephas wird im Neuen Testament mehrfach genannt. Zum einen
ist Cephas
das aramäische Wort für Fels (griech. petros), also der
Beiname des Petrus (Joh. 1, 42). Andere Stellen, insbesondere im 1.
Korintherbrief (1, 11-13; 3, 21; 9, 5; 15,5), können sich aber
auch auf einen anderen Cephas beziehen. So berichten Clemens von
Alexandrien, Dorotheos und Eusebius von Cephas (von Antiochien), der
einer der siebzig Jünger war und den gleichen Namen wie Petrus
trug. Cephas soll später Bischof von Ikonium gewesen sein.
Epaphroditus war Mitarbeiter des Paulus (Phil. 2, 25 und 4,
18) und
später Bischof von Adriaka in Thrakien oder Adrianum in Italien.
Onesiphorus wurde wohl in Ikonium geboren. Er war
Mitarbeiter des
Paulus in Ephesus und suchte Paulus nach dessen Gefangennahme in Rom
(2. Tim. 1, 16). Er fand ihn auch und starb dann in Rom. Das Gebet des
Paulus (2. Tim. 1, 18) ist ein frühes Zeugnis der Fürbitte
für Verstorbene.
Sosthenes war Leiter der jüdischen Synagoge in Korinth
(Apg. 18,
17). Er wurde von Paulus bekehrt und arbeitete mit ihm zusammen (1.
Kor. 1,1,). Später wurde er Bischof von Kolophonium.
Tychikus stammte aus Kleinasien (Apg. 20, 4). Er war
Schüler von
Paulus und brachte während dessen erster Gefangenschaft die Briefe
zu den Ephesern und Kolossern (Eph. 6, 21; Kol. 4, 7; 2. Tim. 4, 12;
Tit. 3, 12). Er wurde nach Sosthenes Bischof von Kolophonium .
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 69
Evodius is a saint in the Christian church and one of the first
identifiable Christians.
Aureliánis, in Gállia, deposítio sancti
Evótii Epíscopi, qui, primo Románæ
Ecclésiæ Subdiáconus, dehinc divíno
múnere per colúmbam designátus est Póntifex
præfátæ urbis.
Evortius At Orleans in France, the departure from
this life of the holy bishop, who was first a subdeacon of the Roman
Church, and afterwards, through a divine favour, was designated by a
dove as bishop of that city.
Euodias Orthodoxe Kirche: 7.
September
His feast day in the Roman Catholic Church is May 6 and in
the orthodox
church September 7.
Very little is known of the life of Evodius. However, he was a pagan
who converted to Christianity due to the apostolic work of Saint Peter.
In the Book of Acts, one of the first communities to receive evangelism
was the Jews and pagans of Antioch. The city was opulent and
cosmopolitan, and there were both Hellenized Jews and pagans influenced
by monotheism. The term "Christian" was coined for these Gentile
(mainly Syrian and Greek) converts, and Peter became the bishop of
Antioch and led the church there. When Peter left Antioch for Rome, he
was succeeded as bishop of Antioch by a man named Evodius.
Evodius was bishop of Antioch until 69 AD, when Ignatius of Antioch
succeeded him. It is more likely that Evodius died of natural causes,
in office, than that he was martyred. As one of the first pagans to
come to the new church, he is venerated in both the Orthodox churches
of the east and Roman Catholic church as a saint.
The Holy Apostle Evodius of the Seventy was, after the holy Apostle
Peter, the first bishop in Syrian Antioch. His successor, the
Hieromartyr Ignatius the God-Bearer (December 20), disciple of the holy
Apostle John the Theologian, mentions him in his Letter to the
Antiochians: "Remember your blessed father Evodus, who was made your
first pastor by the Apostles."
St Evodius served as bishop for 27 years and died as a martyr under the
emperor Nero (54-68). St Evodus wrote several compositions. In one of
them he writes that the Most Holy Virgin Mary gave birth to the Savior
of the world at the age of fifteen.
Other writings of the saint have not survived. A book entitled THE STAR
is mentioned by the fourteenth century church historian Nicephorus
Callistus. St Evodus received the crown of martyrdom in the year 66.
Euodias Orthodoxe Kirche: 7. September
Euodias (Evodus) wurde nach Petrus Bischof von Antiochia (Syrien).
Eusebius nennt ihn als zweiten Bischof vor Ignatius während andere
Quellen Ignatius als direkten Nachfolger Petri nennen. Euodias wurde um
66 verhaftet, nach Rom gebracht und dort hingerichtet .
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St. Titus, the
Apostle Departure of born in Crete, and he was the nephew of the
governor of the island. He
learned the Greek language, its literature and wisdom, and he excelled
in it. he believed in the Lord Christ, and sent to his uncle telling
him all
that he had seen and heard. When the Lord chose the seventy apostles,
Titus was one of them.{COPTIC}
On this day, St. Titus, the Apostle, was martyred. He was born in
Crete, and he was the nephew of the governor of the island. He learned
the Greek language, its literature and wisdom, and he excelled in it.
He was meek and merciful. When the news of our Lord Jesus Christ spread
in all the land of Palestine and Syria, the governor of Crete, the
uncle of this saint, wanted to confirm what he had heard about the
magnificent signs, and eminent teachings of Christ. He sent Titus to
verify that and to bring him accurate information.
When Titus arrived in the land of Judah, he saw the signs and heard the
Divine words of the Lord Christ. He compared the words and miracles of
our Lord to the words and deeds of the Greeks, and he found a great and
clear difference between them. So he believed in the Lord Christ, and
sent to his uncle telling him all that he had seen and heard. When the
Lord chose the seventy apostles, Titus was one of them. After the
ascension of our Lord Christ, Titus received the grace of the Holy
Spirit along with the disciples. He accompanied the apostle Paul to
many countries.
When St. Paul went to Rome, St. Titus returned to Crete. He built a
church there, and ordained for it priests and deacons. Having finished
his apostolic strife, St. Titus departed in peace. May his
prayers be with us and Glory be to our God forever. Amen .
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St.
Regina was a virgin martyr
Apud Aléxiam véterem, in território
Augustodunénsi, sanctæ Regínæ,
Vírginis et Mártyris; quæ, sub Procónsule
Olybrio, cárceris et equúlei ac lampadárum
afflícta supplíciis, demum, cápite damnáta,
migrávit ad Sponsum.
In the diocese of Autun, under the proconsul
Olybrius, St. Regína, virgin and martyr. After having
suffered imprisonment, the rack, and burning with torches, she was
finally condemned to capital punishment, and so went to her spouse.
St Regina Or Reine, Virgin And Martyr
St Regina, mentioned in the Roman Martyrology as having been martyred
in the territory of Autun, the true history is not known. French
legends represent her as the daughter of Clement, a pagan citizen of
Alise, in Burgundy. Her mother died at the child's birth,
and Regina was handed over to the care of a Christian woman, who
brought her up in the faith. When Clement discovered this,
he refused to receive his daughter, and she went back to live with her
nurse, earning her bread as a shepherdess. She attracted the
desire of the prefect Olybrius who, when her good birth was told to
him, wanted to marry her. Regina refused him, nor would she listen to
the persuasions of her father who, now that his daughter had attracted
a distinguished suitor, was willing to own her. She was therefore
locked up in a dungeon, and when her spirit remained unbroken Olybrius
vented his rage by having her cruelly tortured. That night she was
consoled in her prison by a vision of the cross and a voice telling her
that her release was at hand. The next day Olybrius ordered her
to be tortured again and then that she should be beheaded; the
appearance of a shining dove hovering over her converted many of the
onlookers. This romance invites comparison with the story of St
Margaret on July 20.
Though no trust can be
placed in what purports to be the passio
of St Regina (printed in
the Acta Sanctorum, September, vol. iii), the cultus is certainly early, as is
vouched for by the fact of the inclusion of her name in the
"Hieronymianum ". The foundations of a basilica dedicated in her honour
at Alise have been discovered in comparatively recent times see e.g. J.
Toutain in Bulletin archiologique dii Comite des Travaux histonques,
1914, pp. 365-387. The legend has been set out at length, with
pictorial illustrations by F. Grignard, La Vie de Ste Reine d'Alise (1881);
and by Quiilot, Ste Reine d'Alise
She was an actual martyr at Autun, France.
Legend has her the daughter of a pagan, Clement, and tortured and
beheaded during the second century {3rd} when she refused to marry the
proconsul Olybrius (1881,). .
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Cæsaréæ,
in Cappadócia, sancti Eupsychii Mártyris, qui, sub
Hadriáno Imperatóre, accusátus quod
Christiánus esset, in cárcerem conjéctus est; et,
paulo post inde emíssus, patrimónium statim
véndidit, et prétium partim paupéribus, partim
accusatóribus, tamquam benefactóribus,
distríbuit. Sed, íterum comprehénsus, atque,
cum sacrificáre nollet idólis, sævíssime
dilaniátus et gládio confóssus, sub
Saprítio Júdice martyrium consummávit.
117-138 St. Eupsychius
At Caesarea in
Cappadocia, in the time of Emperor Adrian, martyr who was accused of
professing Christianity and who was cast into prison. Having been
released shortly after, he immediately sold his inheritance, and
distributed the price of it partly to his accusers, whom he regarded as
his benefactors. But being again arrested, under the judge
Sapritius, he was tortured, pierced through with a sword, and thus
completed his martyrdom
The Holy Martyr Eupsychius was born in Caesaria, Cappadocia. In one of
the Synaxaria he is called the son of a senator Dionysius. During a
time of a persecution against Christians under Hadrian, he was arrested
and tortured. After the torture they threw him into prison, where he
was healed of his wounds by an angel.
When they set the martyr free, he distributed all his property to the
poor. He gave away a certain portion even to his enemies, who had
reported him and given him over to torture. Under a new governor, St
Eupsychius was again arrested. They hung him up and cut his body with
iron hooks, and then they cut off his head with a sword. The martyr
died under the emperor Hadrian (117-138) .
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303 St.
John
of
Nicomedia A Christian of Nicomedia "when he saw the cruel decrees
against the Christians displayed in the forum he was fired with zeal
for the faith and pulled them down and tore them up with his own hands."
Nicomedíæ natális beáti Joánnis
Mártyris, qui, cum vidéret crudélia
advérsus Christiános edícta in foro
pendére, hinc fídei ardóre accénsus,
injécta manu, illa detráxit atque
discérpsit. Cumque hoc relátum esset
Diocletiáno et Maximiáno Augústis, in eádem
urbe constitútis, ómnia suppliciórum génera
in eum experíri jussérunt; quæ vir
nobilíssimus tanta vultus ac spíritus alacritáte
pértulit, ut ne tristis quidem pro his vidéri
potúerit.
At Nicomedia, the birthday of the blessed martyr
John, who upon seeing the cruel edicts against Christians, posted in
the public square, and being inflamed with an ardent faith, reached out
his hand, took them away and tore them up. This was related to
Emperors Diocletian and Maximian, then residing in the city, who gave
orders that he should be subjected to many kinds of torments. The
noble champion bore them with such cheerfulness of spirit as not to
shew on his countenance the least trace of pain or grief.
Called Euthis in the
Syrian Church. He tore
up an imperial Roman decree declaring the persecution of
Christians when it was put on display in the city forum. John was
burned alive as a result.
303 St John Of Nicomedia, Martyr
When the edict of the Emperor Diocletian against Christians was
published in Nicomedia a certain Christian, "a man of secular dignity",
at once tore it down and was punished by death. The name of
this man is not known, but his memory is venerated in the Western
church under the name of "John". The Roman Martyrology says that
"when he saw the cruel decrees against the Christians displayed in the
forum he was fired with zeal for the faith and pulled them down and
tore them up with his own hands. When this was told to the
emperors, Diocletian and Maxirnian, who were residing in the city, they
ordered that all kinds of sufferings should be inflicted on
him. This most noble man endured them with such readiness
both of demeanour and spirit that they seemed not at all to disturb
him." He was burnt alive, on February 24, 303, according to
Lactantius. he unknown man whom we call John has sometimes been
erroneously identified with St George, protector of England. The
Syrians called him Euhtis (Euetios) and put his feast on February 24.
Eusebius in his Ecclesiastical
History (bk viii, ch. 5), and also Lactantius, almost certainly
make reference to the fate of this martyr, though they do not actually
name him. The passages are quoted and commented on in the Acta Sanctorum, September, vol.
iii. We find the name of John given, and the commemoration
assigned to this day, in the so called "Parvum Romanum".
See Quentin, Martyrologes historiques,
p. 439 .
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 304 St.
Anastasius the
Fuller Martyr from Aquileia
Aquiléjæ
sancti
Anastásii Mártyris. At Aquileia, St.
Anastasius, martyr.
St
Anastasjus The Fuller, Martyr
The Roman Martyrology refers today to the passion "of the
holy Anastasius the martyr at Aquileia", though the martyr indicated
did not suffer on this date nor at Aquileia. It would appear that
vij Idus Septembris has been copied for vij Kalendas Septembris, i.e.
August 26, the day given in earlier martyrologies and on which his
feast is still kept at Split (Spalato). According to his more
than doubtful acta, Anastasius was born at Aquileia of a good family,
but remembering the word of the Apostle to the Thessalonians, "that
you do your own business and work with your own hands", he became a
fuller and practised his trade at Salona (Split) in Dalmatia.
During the persecution of Diocletian he would not conceal his faith,
but boldly painted up a cross on his door, wherefore he was arrested
and brought before the governor. He stood firm, and was therefore
thrown into the sea with a stone tied round his neck.
A matron of
the city, Asciepia, promised their liberty to any of her slaves who
should recover the body, and they eventually came upon it in the hands
of some Negroes who had found it in the water. They threatened
the Negroes that if they did not give it up they would be charged with
having murdered the man, and so brought the body back in triumph to
their
mistress. She buried it honourably in her garden, which later
became a Christian cemetery with a basilica.
St Anastasius, martyr at Salona, named in the Roman Martyrology
on August as is an invention of hagiographers, though attempts have
been made to identify him with St Anastasius the Fuller; he is made to
be the converted officer mentioned in the passio of St Agapitus (August
18).
That there has been
confusion is certain, and it is likely that
the acts (in Acta Sanctorum,
September, vol. iii) are altogether fictitious; but we have good
evidence that there was a real martyr Anastasius who was probably a
fuller and was honoured at Salona. His proper day, as the
"Hieronymianum" shows, is August 26. All that we can say is that
this one saint has had two different days and two different stories
assigned to him. See CMH., pp. 467-468, 492, and references
given.
Near modern Venice, Italy.
A
fuller or cloth merchant, Anastasius moved to Salona in Dalmatia, Yugoslavia. There he
painted a cross on the door of his shop and was speedily arrested and
drowned .
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 304 St. Sozon, a
native of
Lykaonia, was a shepherd read Holy Scriptures attentively, and
he loved
to share his knowledge about the One God with the shepherds who
gathered together with him; brought many to the faith in Christ and
Baptism destroyed idol; by his grave and at the place where he had the
vision, many of the sick were healed.
Pompejópoli, in
Cilícia, sancti Sozóntis Mártyris, qui, sub
Maximiáno Imperatóre, in ignem injéctus,
réddidit spíritum.
St.
Sozon, At Pompeiopolis in
Cilicia, in the time of
Emperor Maximian, a martyr who was thrown into the fire and yielded up
his spirit.
St Sozon, Martyr
The following is the legend
of this young shepherd of
Cilicia, who was originally called Tarasius and took the name of Sozon
at baptism. One day while sleeping under a tree our Lord appeared to
him, told him to leave his sheep, and to follow Him to death.
Sozon awoke and at once made his way to the nearest town, Pompeiopolis, Where he found a pagan
festival was being celebrated. He went straight into
the temple of the god and with a mighty blow of his crook knocked down
the golden image and broke off its hand. This hand he took and
broke into further small pieces, which he distributed as alms among the
poor. Several
innocent persons were arrested for this, Whereupon Sozon
marched into
court and gave himself up as the true culprit. He was
offered pardon and freedom if he would Worship the god whose statue he
had mutilated, but Sozon mocked at the idea of worshipping a god that
could be broken by a sheep-crook. Nails were then driven,
points upward, through the soles of his sandals and he was made thus to
walk around the arena. As Sozon passed before the magistrate he
pointed at his blood-stained feet and said, " I have finer red shoes
than you ". "You are a brave fellow ", said the magistrate. "Play
a tune on your pipe and I will let you go." But Sozon
refused, saying that be had often piped to his sheep but would now make
music only to God. So he was sentenced to be burned, and when night had
come the Christians of the place collected his charred bones and gave
them honourable burial.
Two Greek
texts preserve the alleged acts of this
martyr. One has been edited in the Acta Sanctorum, September, vol.
iii the other in vol. cxv of Migne, PG.
The Martyr Sozon, a native
of Lykaonia, was a shepherd. He
read the Holy Scriptures attentively, and he loved to share his
knowledge about the One God with the shepherds who gathered together
with him. He brought many to the faith in Christ and to Baptism. One
night, as he sat under an oak tree, he had a vision foretelling his
martyrdom for Christ. He went to the city of Cilician Pompeiopolis,
where a festal pagan celebration was being prepared for a golden idol,
standing in a pagan temple. Unseen by anyone, St Sozon went into the
pagan temple and broke off the idol's hand, then he smashed it and gave
the gold to the poor. The missing hand of the idol caused an uproar and
commotion in the city. Many were under suspicion, and were subjected to
interrogation and torture. Not wanting to be the cause of suffering for
other people, St Sozon went to the emperor Maximian (284-305) and
declared that it was he who broke the hand of the idol. "I did
this," he said, "so that you might see the lack of power of your god,
which offered me no resistance. It is not a god, but a deaf and dumb
idol. I wanted to smash it all into pieces, so that people would no
longer worship the work of men's hands."
The emperor in a fitful rage commanded that St Sozon be
tortured
mercilessly. They hung him up and struck him with iron claws, and then
they put iron boots in which there were nails on his feet and took him
through the city. After this they again suspended him and beat
him with iron rods until his bones broke. In these terrible torments St
Sozon gave up his spirit to God. By decree of the emperor, slaves lit a
fire to burn the body of the martyr, but suddenly lightning flashed, it
thundered loudly, and rain poured down over the fire.
Christians took the body of the martyr by night and buried
it. By his
grave and at the place where he had the vision, many of the sick were
healed. A church was built later in memory of the sufferings of the
holy martyr.
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340 Evortius of Orléans B abbey of
Saint-Euvert (Evortius) at Orléans was founded to enshrine his
relics, which have been translated three times (RM)
(also known as Enurchus, Evertius, Evurtius)
Nothing is known about Saint Evortius with certainty. It appears that
he was a Roman cleric, perhaps a subdeacon, during the reign of
Constantine the Great, who miraculously was chosen to become bishop of
Orléans, France. He may possibly be the Eortius who participated
in the council of Valencia in 374. The abbey of Saint-Euvert (Evortius)
at Orléans was founded to enshrine his relics, which have been
translated three times. In 1604, his name was added to the Anglican
Book of Common Prayer from the York Breviary to honor the birthday of
Queen Elizabeth I (Attwater, Benedictines, Farmer, Husenbeth).
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4th century
Enurchus or Evortius Bishop of Orleans
Aureliánis, in Gállia, deposítio sancti
Evótii Epíscopi, qui, primo Románæ
Ecclésiæ Subdiáconus, dehinc divíno
múnere per colúmbam designátus est Póntifex
præfátæ urbis.
At Orleans in France, the departure from this life
of the holy bishop Evortius, who was first a subdeacon of the Roman
Church, and afterwards, through a divine favour, was designated by a
dove as bishop of that city.
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400
St. Pamphilus Bishop of Capua A Greek, he was consecrated bishop
by Pope Siricius. Pamphilus’ relics are in Benevento
Cápuæ
sancti
Pámphili Epíscopi. At Capua, St.
Pamphilus, bishop.
A
Greek, he was consecrated bishop by Pope
Siricius. Pamphilus’
relics are in Benevento.
|
451 St.
Memorius
Martyred deacon with companion
Trecis, in Gállia, sancti
Nemórii Diáconi, et Sociórum Mártyrum, quos
Attila, Rex Hunnórum, interfécit.
At Troyes,
St. Nemorius, deacon, and his companions, all martyrs, who were slain
by Attila, king of the Huns.
Put to death by Attila the Hun. Also called Mesmin or Nemorius, he was
a deacon of Troyes, France, sent by St. Lupus, the bishop of Trier,
with four companions to ask Attila to spare the town. Attila
beheaded Memorius and his fellow delegates. There is some doubt about
this account, but the relics of the martyrs are still venerated.
|
450 Augustalis as the first historical
bishop
of Gaul
Duchesne saya assisted at councils in 441 and 442 and signed in 449 and
450 the letters addressed to Pope Leo I from the province of Arles France.
|
5th
v. St.
Carissima hermitess and then a religious
Nun at Viants, France. She was born at Albi and became a hermitess and
then a religious. Carissima is venerated in Albi.
|
470 St. Gratus
Bishop and patron saint of Aosta Italy. He promoted
evangelization and charity
invoked against dangerous animals, fire, insects, hail, lightning,
rain, and storm
Gratus of Aosta B (AC)
Saint Gratus, former bishop of Aosta, is now its
patron saint (Benedictines). In art, Saint Gratus is depicted as a
bishop carrying the head of Saint John the Baptist and a bunch of
grapes. There may be lightning flashing near him (Roeder). He is the
protector of vineyards and is invoked against dangerous animals, fire,
insects, hail, lightning, rain, and storm (Roeder).
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 560
Saint Clodoald a hermit and a disciple of St. Severinus. He remained at
Nogent, near Paris, which became known as Saint-Cloud
In território
Parisiénsi sancti Clodoáldi,
Presbyteri et Confessóris.
In the
territory of Paris, St. Cloud, priest and
confessor.
Also Cloud, a
grandson of
King Clovis of the Franks and the youngest son of King Clodomir of
Orleans.
Clodoald was born in 524. He and his brothers were raised by their
grandmother St. Clotilda,
Queen of the Franks. Two of his brothers, Theodoald and Gunther, were
slain at the ages of ten and nine by their uncle Clotaire, king of the
Franks from 558-561. Clodoald survived by being sent to Provence,
France. There he became a hermit and a disciple of St. Severinus. He
remained at Nogent, near Paris, which became known as Saint-Cloud.
St Clodoald, Or Cloud
On the death of Clovis, King of the Franks, in
the year
511 his kingdom was divided between his four sons, of whom, the second
was Clodomir. Thirteen years later he was killed fighting against his
cousin, Gondomar, King of Burgundy (he had first murdered St Sigismund
of Burgundy, whom the Roman Martyrology calls a martyr), leaving three
sons to share his dominions. The youngest of these sons of
Clodomir was St Clodoald, a name more familiar to English people under
its French form of Cloud from the town of Saint-Cloud near
Versailles. The three boys were brought up by their grandmother
St Clotilda, widow of Clovis, who lavished much care and affection on
them in her home at Paris, while their kingdom was administered by
their uncle Childebert. When Cloud was eight years old,
Childebert entered into a plot with his brother, Clotaire of Soissons,
to get rid of these boys and partition their kingdom. A familiar
of Childebert was sent to Clotilda asking her to choose whether the
three boys should be put to death or forcibly tonsured and shut up in
monasteries. He so twisted the reply of the distracted queen that she
was made to appear to choose their death, whereupon Clotaire seized the
eldest boy, Theodoald, and stabbed him. The second,
Gunther, fled in terror to his uncle Childebert, whose heart was so
softened by fear and sickened at the brutal killing that he tried to
protect him. But Clotaire did not approve of such
faintheartedness, dragged Gunther from Childehert's arms and killed him
too. Cloud escaped, and was taken for safety into Provence or elsewhere.
Childebert and Clotaire shared the fruits of their
crime, and
Cloud made no attempt to recover his kingdom when he came of
age. He had seen quite enough of the politics of the
world, and voluntarily hid himself in a hermit's cell. After some
time he put himself under the discipline of St Severinus, a recluse who
lived near Paris, and he afterwards went to Nogent on the Seine and had
his hermitage where is now Saint-Cloud. St Cloud was
indefatigable in instructing the people of the neighbouring country,
and ended his days at Nogent about the year 560 when he was some
thirty-six years old. By a pun on his name St Cloud is venerated
in France as the patron of nail-makers.
Understandably
distressed by the monstrous brutality of
Merovingian politics as exemplified by the fate of the sons of
Clodomir, Alban Butler adds the following suitable reflection from the
fifteenth-century humanist Pico della Mirandola. Many think it a
man's greatest happiness in this life to enjoy dignity and power and to
live amid the riches and splendour of a court. Of these you know
I have had a share and I can assure you I could never find in my
soul true satisfaction in anything but retreat and contemplation.
I am persuaded that the Caesars, if they could speak from their
sepulchres, would declare Pico more happy in his solitude than they
were in the government of the world ; and if the dead could return,
they would choose the pangs of a second death rather than risk their
salvation again in public offices."
There is a life which has,
been critically edited by
B. Krusch
in MGH., Scnptores Merov.
vol. ii, pp. 350-357, as also at an earlier date by Mabillon and the
Bollandists. But as the life is pronounced to be not older than
the close of the ninth century, the data provided by St Gregory of
Tours and reproduced in the Acta
Sanctorum are more trustworthy. J. Legrand's St Cloud prince, moine, prétre
(1922) is an uncritical booklet.
560
St. Cloud discipline of St. Severinus
On the death of Clovis, King of the Franks, in the year 511
his
kingdom was divided between his four sons, of whom the second was
Clodomir. Thirteen years later he was killed fighting against his
cousin, Gondomar, leaving three sons to share his dominions. The
youngest of these sons of Clodomir was St. Clodoald, a name more
familiar to English people under its French form of Cloud from the town
of Saint-Cloud near Versailles. When Cloud was eight years old, his
uncle Childebert plotted with his brother, to get rid of the boys and
divide their kingdom. The eldest boy, Theodoald was stabbed to death.
The second, Gunther fled in terror, but was caught and also killed.
Cloud escaped and was taken for safety into Provence or elsewhere.
Childebert and his brother Clotaire shared the fruits of
their crime,
and Cloud made no attempt to recover his kingdom when he came of age.
He put himself under the discipline of St. Severinus, a recluse who
lived near Paris, and he afterwards went to Nogent on the Seine and had
his heritage where is now Saint-Cloud. St. Cloud was indefatigable in
instructing the people of the neighboring country, and ended his days
at Nogent about the year 560 when he was some thirty-six years old.
Saint Cloud was born in 520. When his father was killed in
battle in
524 he and his brothers were brought up by their grandmother St
Clotilde (June 3). His brothers were murdered by their uncles
Childebert and Clotaire to prevent them from succeeding to the Frankish
throne. St Cloud escaped and lived as a hermit, renouncing any claim to
the throne.
Later, St Cloud was ordained to the holy priesthood, and
lived a life
of virtue and good works. He died around 560 .
|
7th
century
St. Diuma Bishop of
Mercia and companion of St. Cedd An Irishman, Diuma was praised by St. Bede
|
706 St.
Madalberta
Benedictine abbess
Daughter of Sts. Vincent Madelgarus and Waldetrudis. St Aldegund
was her superior and aunt who founded. Maubeuge, where Madalberta took
the veil. She became abbess in 697. Her sister was St. Aldetrudis.
Madalberta of Maubeuge, OSB
V (AC)
feast day formerly on February 6. Saint Madalberta is a member of a
very holy family. Her parents were Saints Vincent Madelgarus and
Waldetrudis (Waudru), who also produced Saints Aldetrudis, Landericus,
and Dentlin. Madalberta and her sister were educated by their aunt,
Saint Aldegund, who founded the convent at Mauberge. When Aldegund died
in 684, Madalberta's elder sister succeeded the founder as abbess, but
Madalberta's turn came upon the death of Aldetrudis about 696. Her
relics were translated from Maubeuge to Liège by Saint Hubert
about 722. In art, Saint Madelberta is shown in prayer being tempted by
the devil (Roeder).
|
750 St.
Hilduard
Benedictine bishop and missionary
Also called Garibald or Hilward. He worked in Flanders, Belgium, then
founded St. Peter’s Abbey in Dickelvenne, near Ghent.
Hilduard (Hilward, Garibald) of Dickelvenne, OSB B (AC)
Saint Hilduard was a missionary bishop of Flanders, who founded Saint
Peter's abbey at Dickelvenne, between Ghent and Audenarde, in the
Schelde (Benedictines).
|
781
St. Alcmund Bishop and miracle worker
Ss. Alcmunid and Tilebrt, Bishops of Hexham (A.D. 781 And 789)
No details are known of the lives of these holy bishops, respectively
the seventh and eighth occupants of the see of Hexham. St Alemund
succeeded to St Frithebert in the year 767, and at his death was buried
beside St Acca in the cemetery outside the cathedral-church.
During the Danish raids all trace and memory of his grave were lost,
but about the year 1032 it is said that the saint appeared in a vision
to a man of Hexham, pointed out the place where his body lay, and asked
him to tell the sacristan of the church of Durham to have it translated
to a more honourable resting-place within the cathedral. This was
accordingly done. Tradition says that during the translation the
Durham monk, Alured, secretly abstracted one of Alcmund's bones to take
back to his own church; but the coffin became so weighty that it was
found impossible to move it-until Alured restored the stolen
relic. Alban Butler includes St Tilbert with St Alcmund on this
day, but the chronicler Simeon of Durham records the date of his death
as October 2. In 1154 the relics of all the six saints
among the twelve early bishops of Hexham, which then ceased to
exist as a bishopric, were collected into one shrine; they were
finally and completely scattered by the Scots when they raided Hexham
in 1296.
For historical details
consult the volumes of the younger James
Raine, The Priory of Hexham (1864-65). Here, as in the Acta Sanctorum, September, vol.
iii, extracts are given from Simeon of Durham. There seems to
have been no liturgical cultus.
Also called Alchmund in some lists. He was the bishop of
Hexham in
Northumberland, England, in 767, succeeding to the see established by
St. Wilfrid. His tenure as
bishop lasted until his death on September 7, 781. He was buried near
St. Acca beside the Hexham church, but invasions by the Danes decimated
that area of England, and the grave was forgotten. In the eleventh
century, St. Alcmund appeared to a
parishioner, telling him to inform the sacrist of Durham, a man
named Alfred or Alured, to move the bones. Alfred agreed, but he took
one bone from the remains when the grave was opened. No one could move
the remains of St. Alemund until that one bone was placed among the
rest. In 1154, Hexham was again invaded, and the bodies of the Hexham
saints were gathered into one shrine. Remains destroyed in
1296, when Scottish Highlanders attacked the region .
|
789
St. Tilbert Bishop of Hexham
England, from 781. He was the eighth bishop of that see. Simeon of
Durham wrote of him.
|
St. Grimonia
virgin A chapel was built over her grave which became famous for
miracles, and around it grew up a town, called from its origin La
Chapelle
St Grimonia, Virgin and Martyr
A French legend relates that St Grimonia was the daughter of a pagan
Irish chief. When she was twelve she converted
to Christianity and made a vow of perpetual virginity. Her father
in defianèe of or not understanding such a vow, wished her to
marry, and when she refused shut her up.
Grimonia escaped and
fled to France, where she became a solitary in the forest of Thierache
- Picardy. Here the contemplation of the beauty of created
things would often bring her to the state of ecstasy. After a
prolonged search the messengers of her father traced her to her
retreat, where they put before her the alternatives of return and a
forced marriage or death. Grimonia remained firm and so she was
beheaded on April 20 in an unknown year. A chapel was built over her
grave which became famous for miracles, and around it grew up a town,
called from its origin La Chapelle. On September 7, 1231, her relics,
together with those of St Proba (Preuve), another Irishwoman, who is
supposed to have suffered with Grimonia, were enshrined at
Lesquielles. The facts about St Grimonia are hard to come by: she
may have been a solitary who lost her life in defending her chastity.
What little is known
concerning this saint and her cultus may be
read in the Acta Sanctorum,
September, vol. iii.
A French legend relates that St. Grimonia was the daughter of a pagan Irish chief,
and that when she was twelve years old, she was converted to
Christianity and made a vow of perpetual virginity. Her father, in
defiance of or not understanding such a vow, wished her to marry, and
when she refused, shut her up. Grimonia escaped and fled to France,
where she became a solitary in the forest of Thierache in Picardy. Here
the contemplation of the beauty of created things would often bring her
to the state of ecstacy. After a prolonged search, the messengers of
her father traced her to her retreat, where they before her the
alternatives of return in a forced marriage or death. Grimonia remained
firm and so she was beheaded on April 20th in an unknown year. A chapel
was built over her grave which became famous for miracles, and around
it, grew up a town called from its origin, LaChapelle. On September 7,
1231, her relics, together with those of Saint Proba (Preuve), another Irish woman,
who is supposed to have suffered with Grimonia, were enshrined at
LesQuielles. The facts about St. Grimonia are hard to come by; she may
have been a solitary who lost her life in defending her chastity .
|
950 Faciolus of Poitiers, OSB (AC) A
Benedictine monk of Saint Cyprian Abbey, Poitiers, France
(Benedictines).
|
10th v. St Luke
of
Prusa was the third holy igumen at the monastery of the Savior, in
Batheos Ryakos (near Triglia, Lykaonia). He died in peace.
The first holy igumen was St Basil, who died at the beginning of the
ninth century (July 1 on the Greek calendar); the second holy igumen
was St Ignatius (September 27).
The monastery was famed for the strictness of the ascetic life of its
residents. St Luke died at the end of the tenth century.
The Monk Luke was the third holy hegumen (from the year 975) at the
Saviour monastery, named "Deep Rivers" (near Constantinople in the
Cythian Gulf). The first holy hegumen was the Monk Basil (he died at
the beginning of the IX Century, and his memory in the Greek Church is
1 July); the second holy hegumen -- was the Monk Ignatios (c. 963-975,
Comm. 27 September). The monastery was famed for the especial
strictness of the ascetic life of its residents. The Monk Luke died at
the end of the X Century .
|
1106
St. John of Lodi Benedictine bishop of Gubbio authored a life of
St. Peter Damian.
Italy. Born in Lodi Vecchio, Italy,
he lived for some time as a hermit before becoming a bishop. He also
authored a life of St. Peter Damian.
|
1186
Saint John, Archbishop of Novgorod; establish monastery in honor
of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos; Just like other Russian
hierarchs, he calmed and soothed the
internecine strife in much-suffering Rus by his prayers and his virtue
 Saint John was born at Novgorod of the pious
parents Nicholas and
Christina. He passed his childhood in quiet and peaceful
surroundings. After the death of their parents, John and his
brother Gabriel decided to establish a small monastery in honor of the
Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos with their inheritance.
At first they built a wooden church, but a short time later they also
built a stone church. Their good intentions were not without
difficulties. Before they finished construction on the stone temple,
the brothers totally exhausted their means. Only their steadfast and
living faith inspired them to continue what they had started.
They turned for help with it to
the Queen of Heaven, on Whose account this God-pleasing matter was
begun.
Because of their
unflagging faith and zeal, She manifested Her mercy to
them. She told them in a dream that everything necessary for the
completion of the temple would be provided. On the following morning,
the brothers saw a splendid horse loaded with two sacks of gold. No one
came for it, and when the brothers removed the sacks, the horse
vanished. Thus did the Mother of God provide for the monastery.
Upon completion of the monastery construction, under the
protection of
the Mother of God, the brothers were clothed in the monastic schema. St
John took the name of Elias, and St Gabriel took the name Gregory.
The chronicles speak of St John being made bishop under the
entries for
the year 1162. His first archpastoral letter was addressed to the
clergy of his diocese. It was filled with an endearing concern about
his flock, written in a spirit of fatherly guidance: "It has pleased
God and the Most Holy Theotokos, through your prayers, that I, a mere
man, should not refuse this high office, of which I am unworthy. Since
you yourselves have encouraged me to this service, now listen to me..."
The saint spoke about the
vocation of the pastor. He is concerned about
his sheep, he not only chastizes, but also heals those who lead a
sinful life. "At the beginning of my discourse I ask you not to be too
much attached to this world, but rather be instructive to people. Look
first of all, that they not give themselves over to drunkenness. You
yourselves know, that through this vice most of all, not only do the
simple people perish, but we also. When your spiritual children come to
you in repentance, then question them with mildness. It is not seemly
to impose harsh penances.Do not scorn the reading of books, since if we
do not start doing this, then what will distinguish us from the simple
unschooled people?... Do not impose penances upon orphans...Let
everything be seemly, for the yoke of Christ ought to be light."
In the year 1165 St John was elevated to archbishop (from
that time the
Novgorod cathedra became an archbishopric).
The winter of 1170 was a very difficult time for Novgorod.
Suzdal
forces with their allies laid siege to the city for two days, since the
Novgorod people would not accept Prince Svyatoslav. They also took the
tribute-tax of the Dvina district which was not subject to them.
In grief the people of Novgorod prayed to God and the Most Holy
Theotokos for the salvation of the city. On the third night, while he
was praying before an icon of the Savior, St John heard a voice
ordering him to go to the church of the Savior on Il'ina street, to
take the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos and carry it out to the walls
of the city.
In the morning the saint told the people about the command
and sent his
deacon with clergy to the church of the Savior for the icon. Going into
the church, the archdeacon bowed down before the icon and wanted to
take it, but the icon would not budge. The archdeacon returned to the
archbishop and told him what had happened.
Then the saint with all the assembly went to the Il'ina
church and on
their knees began to pray before the icon. They began to sing a
Molieben, and after the Sixth Ode at the kontakion "Protectress of
Christians," the icon itself moved from the place. The people with
tears cried out: "Lord, have mercy!"
Then St John took the icon and together with two deacons
carried it to
the city walls. The Novgorodian people saw their doom, for the Suzdal
forces and their allies were ready for pillage. In the sixth hour the
assault began, and the arrows fell like rain. Then the icon turned its
visage towards the city, and tears trickled down from the eyes of the
Most Holy Theotokos, which the saint gathered on his phelonion.
A darkness covered the Suzdal forces, they became unable to
see and
they fell back in terror. This occurred on February 25, 1170. St John
established a solemn feastday for Novgorod, the Sign of the Most Holy
Theotokos (November 27).
The Suzdal army inflicted
great harm on the Novgorod region. Here also
the archpastor did not remain on the sidelines. He showed fatherly
concern for devastated households suffering hunger, and he distributed
aid to orphans. Just like other Russian hierarchs, he calmed and
soothed the internecine strife in much-suffering Rus by his prayers and
his virtue. In 1172, the archpastor journeyed to Vladimir to reconcile
Prince Andrew Bogoliubsky with the Novgorod people.
The saint not only shared in the adversity of his people,
but most of
all he concerned himself with their spiritual enlightenment. St John
devoted much attention to spiritual conversations, which often occurred
in the circle of the clergy and the laypeople. There are preserved
about 30 of his instructions concerning Baptism, Confession, the Holy
Eucharist.
His Guidance for Monks is filled with spiritual grandeur:
"Once having
followed after Christ, monks as actualisers of spiritual life by the
Cross ought to live in solitary places, separate from worldly folk. Let
them steal nothing for themselves, and let them be wholly dedicated to
God. A monk ought always to be a monk, at every time and at every
place, both in asleep and awake he should preserve the memory of death,
and be fleshless in the flesh."
"Not for everyone does the monastery serve as a therapy for
sensual
love, just as silence is for anger, and non-acquisitiveness is for
money, and the tomb is for avarice. Monastic life and worldly life are
incompatible, just as one would not harness a camel and horse together.
The monk bends his neck beneath the yoke of the Creator and ought to
pull the plow in the valley of humility, in order to multiply the fine
wheat by the warmth of the Life-giving Spirit and to sow the seeds of
the reason of God. The black-robed is not his own master; being like
gods, take care not to rot in likeness to people, nor fall from the
heights like Lucifer...for haughty pride comes from human glory."
The saint's spiritual powers of grace were unusual. For his
simplicity
of soul and purity of heart God gave him power against demons. Once,
when the saint prayed by night, as was his custom, he heard something
splashing the water in the washbasin. Seeing that there was no one
beside him, the saint realized that this was a demon trying to scare
him.
The saint made the Sign of the Cross over the washbasin and
restrained
the devil. Soon the evil spirit could no longer bear the prayer of the
saint, which scorched it like fire, and it began to beg to be released
from the washbasin. The saint was agreeable, but ordered the demon to
carry him from Novgorod to Jerusalem to the Sepulchre of the Lord and
back, all in one night. The demon fulfilled the saint's command, but
asked him to tell no one about his shame.
In one of his
conversations, the saint told his flock that he knew a
man who visited the Holy Land in one night. The revenge of the evil
spirit was not slow in coming. It began to scatter women's things in
his cell. Once, when people had gathered in St John's cell, the devil
transformed himself into a woman who ran in front of them as if fleeing
from the cell.
The saint heard the racket and gently asked, "What has
happened, my
children, what is the noise all about?" The unruly crowd, shouting
various charges of perverse life against the saint, dragged him to the
River Volkhov. They put the saint on a raft and released it down along
the current of the river. But the raft, contrary to expectation, sailed
against the current straight to the St George men's monastery, three
versts from Novgorod.
Seeing this, people were ashamed and with weeping and shouts
they went
along the riverbank after the raft, beseeching the saint to forgive
them and to return to the city. The heart of the simple archpastor was
filled with joy, not only for himself, but for his flock: "Lord, do not
hold this sin against them!" he prayed, and granted pardon to all.
This happened not long before the death of the saint.
Sensing its
approach, he put off the hierarch's omophor and took the schema with
the name John, the same name he had in his youth. He appointed his
brother, St Gregory (May 24) as his successor. The saint died on
September 7, 1186 and was buried in the church of Holy Wisdom.
In 1439, repairs were being made at the cathedral of Holy
Wisdom (Hagia
Sophia) through the zeal of St Euthymius; in the portico chapel of St
John the Forerunner, a stone suddenly came loose and cracked the lid of
the tomb standing there. St Euthymius gave orders to lift off the
boards broken by the stone, and the temple was filled with fragrance.
In the tomb they beheld the incorrupt relics of the saint,
but no one
was able to identify who this archpastor was. In his cell, St Euthymius
fervently began to pray for God to reveal to him the name of this saint.
That night a man appeared before him, clothed in the
vestments of a
hierarch, and said that he was Archbishop John, who was found worthy to
serve the miracle of the Most Holy Theotokos in honor of Her Sign.
"I proclaim to you the will of God," continued the saint,
"to celebrate
the memory of the archbishops and princes lying here, on October 4, and
I shall pray Christ for all Christians." His memory is also celebrated
at the Synaxis of Novgorod hierarchs on February 10. In 1630, a
feastday was also established for December 1 .
|
1211 Eustace of Flay, OSB Cist. Abbot
apostolic legate of Pope Innocent III to England and represented the
holy father against the Albigensians (PC)
Born in Beauvais, France. Saint Eustace was a priest of the diocese of
Beauvais in Picardy. He later entered the Cistercian abbey of Flay
(later Saint-Germer) and later became its abbot. He also served as the
apostolic legate of Pope Innocent III to England and represented the
holy father against the Albigensians. He is highly honored among the
Cistercians even though he cultus has never been formally confirmed
(Benedictines).
|
1480
Saint Serapion of
Pskov; dwelt constantly with St Euphrosynus for 55 years; zealously
fulfilled everything commanded of him and was a role model for monks;
Saint Serapion was born at Yuriev (now Tartu), which then was under the
rule of Germans, who sought to stamp out Orthodoxy. His parents were
parishioners of a Russian church in the name of St Nicholas.
St Serapion was well versed in the Holy Scripture, and more than once
he entered into the defense of Orthodoxy. When they wanted to convert
him by force to the foreign faith, he departed to the Tolvsk
wilderness, not far from Pskov, where the Pskov ascetic monk
Euphrosynus (May 15) began his prayerful work.
Under his nurturing, St Serapion began to acquire the wisdom of
wilderness life. But soon he happened to undergo temptations. Without a
blessing, he wanted to leave his guide and to live an ascetic life in
complete solitude. But the Lord brought the inexperienced novice to his
senses: after he seriously hurt his leg, he repented of his self-will
and disobedience and returned to the Elder.
After he received the Great Schema, he dwelt constantly with St
Euphrosynus for 55 years, strictly keeping the vow of silence. Brethren
began gradually to gather around St Euphrosynus, for which the Elder
built a temple in the name of the Three Hierarchs and gave a skete rule.
St Serapion zealously fulfilled everything commanded of him and was a
role model for the monks. The monk so strictly fulfilled the monastic
vow of uncovetousness, that a copyist of his life called him "an
unburied corpse." He bore every insult with extraordinary humility,
always blaming himself alone, and he himself asked forgiveness of his
insulter. The monk deeply sensed the power of communal prayers and he
said that "the order of the twelve Psalms" sung alone in the cell
cannot equal one "Lord, have mercy" sung in church.
St Serapion died on September 8, 1480, on the Feast of the Nativity of
the Most Holy Theotokos. Since the day of repose of St Serapion
coincides with one of the twelve Great Feasts, his commemoration is on
September 7. A Troparion and Kontakion were composed for the saint.
St Euphrosynus himself committed the body of his disciple to the earth.
By his fervent deeds he had transformed himself into mere "bones,
covered by skin." St Serapion was not separated from his spiritual
Father even after death: their holy relics were placed beside each
other. A common service was composed to Sts Euphrosynus and Serapion
(15 May), wherein St Serapion is glorified as the first co-ascetic,
"companion and friend" of St Euphrosynus .
|
St.
Eustace
abbot,
was apostolic legate to England
St. Eustace was born at Beauvais, France. He was ordained and served as
a priest in his native diocese until he joined the Cistercians at Flay (St. Germer).
He later was elected abbot, was apostolic legate to England for Pope Innocent III {1161
1216}, and was later sent by Innocent as his legate to combat
Albigensianism in southern France.
|
1534
Lazarus Spengler
Evangelische Kirche: Sein engagiertes Eintreten für die
Reformation war von entscheidender Bedeutung.
Lazarus Spengler wurde am 13.3.1479 in Nürnberg geboren. Er war
kein Theologe, bei Theologen und Juristen wegen seines
Verhandlungsgeschicks aber hoch angesehen. Er vertrat die Reichsstadt
Nürnberg auf den Reichstagen und bei anderen
Vertragsverhandlungen. Sein engagiertes Eintreten für die
Reformation war von entscheidender Bedeutung. Auch in Nürnberg
führte er die Reformation ein und sein Einsatz wirkte noch
über seinen Tod hinaus. Er arbeitete auch an der deutschen
Bibelübersetzung Luthers mit und dichtete Lieder (Durch Adams Fall
ist ganz verderbt). Spengler starb am 7.9.1534.
|
1619
Bb. Mark, Stephen
And Melchior, Martyrs at the instigation of the Calvinists
Canon Mark Crisin (Korosy) belonged to a distinguished
Croat family. Having made his studies at the Germanicum in Rome,
he returned to labour in his own country, and under the primate of
Hungary, Archbishop Pazmany, he was entrusted with important duties in
the archdiocese of Esztergom. The two other martyrs were Jesuits,
Stephen Pongracz, a Hungarian by birth, and Meichior Grodecz, who was a
Czech.
In 1619, when these priests were all engaged in
apostolic and educational work in the neighbourhood of Kaschau or Kassa
(now Kosice in Slovakia), an army under George Racoczy invaded the
district, acting at the instigation of the Calvinist leader, Bethien
Gabor. The troops seized these three influential priests,
tortured them for the greater part of the night, and then put them to
death under conditions of great barbarity. These martyrs were
beatified in 1905.
See Schmidl, Historia
Provinciae Bohemicac S.J., vol. iii, pp. 193 seq. Etudes, vol. civ (1905), pp. 5-27;
N. Angejini, I beati Ganonico Marco
Stefano Crisino ... (1904); and H. Leclercq, Les Martyrs, t. viii, pp. 338-352.
1619 St. Marek
Krizin Martyr of Hungary
sometimes called Mark Crisin. He was born into a famed Croat family and
studied at the Germanicum in Rome. Ordained, he returned to Hungary and
became a canon at Esztergom. He was assigned to missionary work near
Kosice, Slovakia, with two Jesuits - Hungarian Stephen Pongracz and
Melchior Grodecz, a Czech. In 1619 they were taken prisoner by
invading Calvinist troops
under George Racoczk. Tortured, Marek and his companions were martyred.
They were canonized in 1995 as the Martyrs of Kosice by Pope John Paul
II.
|
1627
Bl. John Maki Martyr of Japan
The adopted son of Blessed Louis Maki. A Christian, he
refused to abjure the faith when arrested and was burned alive at
Nagasaki. Pope Pius IX beatified him in 1867.
|
1627
Bl. Louis Maki Martyr of Japan layman
He was a Japanese layman who allowed Blessed Thomas Tsughi to celebrate Mass in his
home. Arrested, Louis was burned alive at Nagasaki, Japan. He was
beatified in 1867.
|
1644 Bl. John Duckett And Ralph Corby, Martyrs of England
The
north country family of Duckett had already
given one martyr to the Church in the person of Bd James Duckett (April
19). He had a son who became prior of the English Carthusians at
Nieuport in Flanders. Whether James Duckett who fathered Bd
John was another son is not certain; but Bd John was related to Bd
James in some way. He was born at Underwinter in the parish of Sedbergh
in the west riding of Yorkshire in 1613, went to the English College at
Douay, and was made priest there in 1639. He then studied for
three years at Paris, where the long periods he passed in prayer were
commented on and he was rumoured to have gifts of contemplation of a
high order.
When he was at length sent to the English
mission he passed two months of preparatory retreat with Carthusians at
Nieuport, under the direction of Father Duckett, whom
Bishop Challoner refers to as his kinsman but does not specify to have
been his uncle. When he had ministered in the county
palatine of Durham for about twelve months he was arrested while on his
way to baptize two children, on July 2, 1644, the day on which the
battle of Marston Moor was fought, together with two laymen. Mr
Duckett was examined before a parliamentary committee of sequestrators
at Sunderland, and refused to admit that he was a priest, demanding to
see their proofs. The holy oils and Rituale found on him were pretty
clear evidence, but the examiners wanted a personal admission, so they
put him in irons and threatened to torture him. When he heard that the
two laymen were being questioned and that inquiries were to be made
among his friends and associates, he decided he must save them from the
possibility of their implicating themselves; and therefore confessed
his priesthood. Thereupon he was sent up to London, together with a
Jesuit, Father Corby, who had been seized when celebrating Mass at
Hamsterley Hall, near Newcastle.
Ralph Corby (or Corbington) came of a Durham family,
but was
born at Maynooth, in 1598. When Ralph was five his parents
returned to England, and after years of persecution every member of the
family entered religion. The father, Gerard Corbington,
became a temporal coadjutor with the Jesuits and reconciled to the
Church his own father when he was a hundred years old. The
mother, Isabel Richardson, died a Benedictine at Ghent, and two
surviving daughters joined the same order at Brussels, while Ralph's
elder and
younger brothers also were Jesuits. He himself joined the Society
of Jesus at Watten in Flanders, and came on the mission in 1632,
ministering for twelve years thereafter with unquenchable zeal among
the widely scattered faithful of county Durham. Challoner tells
us that "they loved him as their father and reverenced him as an
apostle".
On their arrival in
London the two confessors were committed to
Newgate to await the September sessions. There was no doubt what
the upshot would be, and the English Jesuits abroad were making
feverish efforts in concert with the imperial chargé d'affaires
in London to get Father Corby exchanged for a Scots colonel who was
held prisoner in Germany by the emperor. When it seemed as if
this would be successful, Father Corby offered the reprieve to Mr
Duckett. To which he replied, "This thing is being procured and
arranged by your friends. Be you therefore pleased to accept it." Corby
disclaimed it-Mr Duckett was younger and better qualified for
service on the mission than himself. And thus it was
"handed to and fro between them, neither being willing to accept of
it, till an expedient was proposed to save them both; but it succeeded
not, for the Parliament, it seems, was resolved they both should
suffer". At the trial they both pleaded guilty to being priests, but
Father
Corby claimed that as he was born in Ireland he did not come within the
statute. This plea was overruled (quite properly) and
sentence of death pronounced. While he was celebrating his
last Mass in their Newgate lodging, Father Corby "appeared to be as it
were in an agony of sadness and fear", but the trial passed, and at
ten o'clock in the morning of September 7, 1644, they both set out on
the journey to Tyburn, with their crowns shaved, in their cassocks, and
with a smiling look". Mr Duckett spoke little but to give his
blessing to the many who asked it and to say to the Protestant minister
that would address him, "Sir, I come not hither to be taught my faith
but to die for the profession of it". Bd Ralph made a short
speech, they lovingly embraced one another, and the cart was drawn
away: nor would the sheriff allow them to be cut down and disembowelled
before they were both dead. He took extraordinary precautions to
prevent any relics escaping the flames, nevertheless a hand of Bd John
and some pieces of their cassocks were saved; and in the archives of
the diocese of Westminster there is treasured a letter written by Bd
John on the eve of his passion to Dr Richard Smith, titular Bishop of
Chalcedon and vicar apostolic of England, who was then living in
Paris. "I fear not death", he writes, "nor I contemn not life.
If life were my lot, I would endure it patiently; but if death, I
shall receive it joyfully, for that Christ is my life and death is my
gain."
Ralph Corby is included in
his brother's Certamen Triplex
(see biography of
Bd Henry Morse on February 1). See also MMP., pp. 457-466 ; REPSJ.,
vol. iii, pp. 68-96; and J. Brodrick, Procession
of Saints
(1949), pp. 111-130.
Born in Underwinder, Yorkshire,
John was ordained in 1639 at
Douai. He studied three years in Paris and then returned to the English
mission at Durham, where he worked until his arrest and martyrdom on
September 7 at Tyburn with Blessed Ralph Corby. They were hanged,
drawn, and quartered. Both were beatified in 1929.
|
1644 Bl.
Ralph
Corby Jesuit martyr of England
Also known as Ralph Corbington. Born in Maynooth Ireland, on March 25,
1598, he was trained at St. Omer, France, Seville, and Valladolid,
Spain, before receiving ordination. He entered the Jesuits in 1631, and volunteered in
1632 for the dangerous mission in England He was given responsibility
for the area around Durham Ralph worked for twelve years before he was
arrested near Newcastle with Blessed John Duckett. He was martyred by
being hanged, drawn, and quartered at Tybum on September 7. Ralph was
beatified in 1929.
|
1678
The Hieromartyr Macarius of Kanev lived in the seventeenth century.
This was a most terrible time for Orthodox Christians in western Rus.
The constant struggles of the Hieromartyr, were an attempt to defend
the Orthodox Faith under difficult conditions, when it was possible
only to defend the future of the Russian Orthodox Church, which was
preserved from the brusque passing of the hurricane of the Unia,
endured together with Tatar incursions.
The holy Hieromartyr Macarius was born in 1605 in the city
of Ovruch in
Volhynia into the illustrious Tokarevsky family, renowned adherents of
Orthodoxy. In the years between 1614-1620 the saint studied at the
Ovruch Dormition monastery, and upon the death of his parents he became
a monk at this monastery, having begun his service as a novice.
 In 1625 St Macarius, with the blessing of the
archimandrite, left the
Dormition monastery and was sent to the Pinsk bishop, Avramii, who
assigned him to the Pinsk Kupyatichsk monastery. In 1630 he was
ordained as hierodeacon, and in 1632 as hieromonk.
Fame about the excellence of the monastic life of the
hieromonk
Macarius spread beyond the bounds of the Kupyatichsk monastery, and in
1637 the brethren of the Bretsk Symonov monastery turned with a request
to the igumen of the Kupyatichsk monastery, Hilarion (Denisevich), to
send them St Macarius to be their head. But the Kupyatichsk igumen also
had need of the hieromonk Macarius.
In 1637 the head of the Kupyatichsk monastery sent him to
Metropolitan
Peter Moghila of Kiev to hand over money collected by the brethren for
the rebuilding of Kiev's church of the Holy Wisdom, and for the
solicitation of help for the construction and repair of damaged
monastery churches. Seeing in the hieromonk Macarius a talented son of
God's Church, the Metropolitan issued him a certificate to collect
offerings, and in 1638 appointed him head of the Kamenetsk Resurrection
monastery (in Grodnensk district).
Until the pillaging and seizing of the monastery by the
Uniates in
1642, St Macarius guided the brethren of the Resurrection monastery. In
these harsh times the brethren of the Kupyatichsk monastery elected St
Macarius as igumen, who led the monastery until 1656. From 1656 through
1659, St Macarius headed the Pinsk monastery, and from 1660 as
archimandrite St Macarius guided the brethren of his original Ovruch
Dormition monastery.
More than ten years passed
in constant struggle with the Latin Poles in
Ovruch. Nothing could compel the brethren to quit the monastery,
neither the seizure of the farm lands belonging to the monastery by the
Dominicans, nor the rapacious pillaging of moveable property, nor
beatings. Only in the year 1671, after the devastation of Ovruch by the
Tatars, did the holy archimandrite Macarius leave the monastery, in
which there remained not a single monk, and he went to the Kiev Caves
Lavra.
But the defenders of Orthodoxy, like St Macarius, were
needed not only
at Kiev, but even more outside of Kiev. Metropolitan Joseph
(Neliubovich-Tukal'sky) assigned Archimandrite Macarius as head of the
Kanev monastery. Thus, after thirty years of struggle with the Uniates,
St Macarius was again on the front lines of battle for the Orthodox
Faith.
In 1672 Yuri, the son of Bogdan Khmel'nitsky, sought shelter
at the
Kanev monastery. The hetman Doroshenko, petitioned Metropolitan Joseph
for the assignment of St Macarius, and repeatedly visited Kanev
monastery. In 1675, he switched his allegiance to Russia, after he
renounced allegiance to the Turks, evidently, not without counsel from
St Macarius.
In response the Turkish powers dispatched an army to Little
Russia. On
September 4, 1678, the aggressors rushed on the monastery. St Macarius
met the enemy with cross in hand at the entrance to the church. The
Turks demanded that the monk hand over to them the monastery treasury.
Hearing the answer of the monk, that his treasure was in Heaven, the
furious robbers hung the saint hand and foot between two posts.
After two days they beheaded the Hieromartyr on September 7,
1678.
Witnesses to the martyric death of Archimandrite Macarius carried his
body to the monastery church, in which they were hidden for safety. But
the returning Turks placed firewood around the church and burned
everything in the temple. When the surviving citizens of Kanev began
removing the bodies of those who perished, then only one body was found
whole and as though alive. This was the body of the Hieromartyr
Macarius, attired in hairshirt, with a cross on his breast and another
cross in his hand. The holy body was buried in this temple beneath the
altar on September 8, 1678.
The holy Hieromartyr
Macarius was a man of highly righteous and
spiritual life, glorified while still alive by miracles and the gift of
clairvoyance. At Kanev, he healed the blind and the dying.
In 1688, during
renovation of the temple, the grave of the
Hieromartyr
was opened, and the incorrupt body of the saint was found. In
connection with the danger of invasion for the Kanev monastery, on May
13, 1688 the holy relics were solemnly transferred to the Pereyaslavl
regimental Resurrection church. There also they transferred the beloved
book of the Hieromartyr, "Discourse of John Chrysostom on the 14
Epistles of the holy Apostle Paul" (Kiev edition 1621-23) with his
signature on one of the pageleafs. Under Bishop Zachariah (Cornelovich)
the relics were transferred in 1713 to a new-built temple of the
Pereyaslavl Mikhailovsk monastery, and after its closing the relics
rested at the Pereyaslavl Resurrection monastery from August 4, 1786.
In 1942, the relics were transferred to the Trinity church
in the city
of Cherkassa, and from 1965 they have been in the church of the
Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos in that same city.
The commemoration of the Hieromartyr Macarius is made twice:
September
7, the day of his repose, and on May 13, the transfer of his holy
relics .
|
1853 Blessed
Frederick
Ozanam served poor of Paris
A man convinced of the inestimable worth of each human
being, Frederick
served the poor of Paris well and drew others into serving the poor of
the world. Through the St. Vincent de Paul Society, his work continues
to the present day.
Frederick was born 1813 the fifth of Jean and Marie Ozanam’s
14
children, one of
only three to reach adulthood. As a teenager he began having doubts
about his religion. Reading and prayer did not seem to help, but long
walking discussions with Father Noirot of the Lyons College clarified
matters a great deal.
Frederick wanted to study literature, although his father, a
doctor,
wanted him to become a lawyer. Frederick yielded to his father’s wishes
and in 1831 arrived in Paris to study law at the University of the
Sorbonne. When certain professors there mocked Catholic teachings in
their lectures, Frederick defended the Church.
A discussion club which Frederick organized sparked the
turning point
in his life. In this club Catholics, atheists and agnostics debated the
issues of the day. Once, after Frederick spoke on Christianity’s role
in civilization, a club member said: "Let us be frank, Mr. Ozanam; let
us also be very particular. What do you do besides talk to prove the
faith you claim is in you?"
Frederick was stung by the question. He soon decided that
his words
needed a grounding in action. He and a friend began visiting Paris
tenements and offering assistance as best they could. Soon a group
dedicated to helping individuals in need under the patronage of St.
Vincent de Paul formed around Frederick.
Feeling that the Catholic faith needed an excellent speaker
to explain
its teachings, Frederick convinced the Archbishop of Paris to appoint
Father Lacordaire, the greatest preacher then in France, to preach a
Lenten series in Notre Dame Cathedral. It was well attended and became
an annual tradition in Paris.
After Frederick earned his law degree at the Sorbonne, he
taught law at
the University of Lyons. He also earned a doctorate in literature. Soon
after marrying Amelie Soulacroix on June 23, 1841, he returned to the
Sorbonne to teach literature. A well-respected lecturer, Frederick
worked to bring out the best in each student. Meanwhile, the St.
Vincent de Paul Society was growing throughout Europe. Paris alone
counted 25 conferences.
In 1846, Frederick, Amelie and their daughter Marie went to
Italy;
there Frederick hoped to restore his poor health. They returned the
next year. The revolution of 1848 left many Parisians in need of the
services of the St. Vincent de Paul conferences. The unemployed
numbered 275,000. The government asked Frederick and his co-workers to
supervise the government aid to the poor. Vincentians throughout Europe
came to the aid of Paris.
Frederick then started a newspaper, The New Era, dedicated
to securing
justice for the poor and the working classes. Fellow Catholics were
often unhappy with what Frederick wrote. Referring to the poor man as
"the nation’s priest," Frederick said that the hunger and sweat of the
poor formed a sacrifice that could redeem the people’s humanity
In 1852 poor health again forced Frederick to return to
Italy with his
wife and daughter. He died on September 8, 1853. In his sermon at
Frederick’s funeral, Lacordaire described his friend as "one of those
privileged creatures who came direct from the hand of God in whom God
joins tenderness to genius in order to enkindle the world."
Frederick was beatified in 1997. Since Frederick wrote an
excellent
book entitled Franciscan Poets of the Thirteenth Century and since
Frederick’s sense of the dignity of each poor person was so close to
the thinking of St. Francis, it seemed appropriate to include him among
Franciscan "greats."
Comment:
"Those who mock the poor insult their Maker"
(Proverbs 17:5). Frederick Ozanam never demeaned the poor in offering
whatever service he could. Each man, woman and child was too precious
for that. Serving the poor taught Frederick something about God that he
could learn only there.
Quote: Professor Bailly, the spiritual
leader of the
first
St. Vincent de Paul conference, told Frederick and his first companions
in charity, "Like St. Vincent, you, too, will find the poor will do
more for you than you will do for them."
|
1860 The
future St
Macarius was born in 1788 into the noble Ivanov family, and was
baptized with the name Michael in honor of St Michael of Tver (November
22). His parents Nicholas and Elizabeth had an estate
in the
village of Shepyatino in the Dimitrov district in the Orel province.
They also owned property in other provinces, including the village of
Zhelezniki in Orel Province where they lived. The Ivanovs moved to
Moscow in 1794 so Elizabeth could receive medical treatment for
tuberculosis.
Michael's beloved mother died on January 21, 1797, and was
buried in
the St Andronicus monastery. The nine-year-old Michael moved to the
village of Karachev to live with his sister Daria and her husband
Simeon Peredelsky, who had been elected to the District Court of
Karachev. Michael received his primary education there in the local
parish school.
Around 1801, Michael and his two brothers moved into the
house of his
aunt Anna M. Verevkina, where they were educated along with her own
son. In 1802, when he was fourteen, Michael and his brother Alexis were
hired as assistant bookkeepers in the District Treasury of Lgov.
Although the job was difficult, Michael carried out his duties with
precision and care that he attracted the attention of the provincial
authorities.
In 1805 Michael was appointed as head of the Financial Board
(Treasury)
in Kursk. When he was not working, he liked to spend his time reading
or playing the violin. Michael's father died on March 17, 1806 after a
long illness, and was buried near the parish church at Turischev.
Michael visited the Ploschansk Hermitage, twenty-four miles
from his
family's estate in Schepyatino, in October of 1810. From there he wrote
to his brothers saying that he was leaving the estate to them, for he
intended to remain at the hermitage. His only condition was that they
donate 1000 rubles to build a stone church at Turischev where their
father was buried.
Those closest to Michael never knew whether his visit to
Ploschansk was
accidental or premeditated. He did seem inclined to the monastic life,
but perhaps he did not make a final decision to become a monk until he
had observed the monastic life at Ploschansk.
Michael entered the Ploscansk Hermitage of the Theotokos at
the age of
twenty-two. It had no large buildings, no great wealth, and was far
from populated areas. Perhaps he was attracted by the unpretentiously
humble circumstances of the place. There were fifty monks at the
Hermitage, led by Hieromonk Joannicus.
Michael was enrolled as a novice a month after arriving at
Ploschansk,
and was tonsured as a rassophore on December 24, 1810 with the name
Melchizedek. He did not mind the privation and hard work at the
Hermitage, but there were no Elders there capable of offering spiritual
guidance.
Hearing that Elders of lofty spiritual life were living in
the forests
of Bryansk, and in the monasteries of the Orel and Kursk dioceses, Fr
Melchizedek longed to meet them and profit from their teaching.
However, the opportunity did not arise for some time.
In 1814, he went on pilgrimage to Kiev, where he venerated
the relics
of various saints. On the way back, he met some experienced Elders and
was able to converse with them.
Father Paul, who came from
a family of Rostov merchants, and who was
tonsured on Mount Athos, became the new Superior of Ploschansk in 1815.
He noticed Fr Melchizedek's zeal for the monastic life, and for
fulfilling his obediences. On March 7, 1815 Fr Paul tonsured him as a
monk with the new name Macarius. A few days later, on March 12, Bishop
Dositheus of Orel and Sevsk ordained Fr Macarius as a hierodeacon.
Schemamonk Athanasius (Zakharov), a disciple of St Paisius
Velichkovsky
(November 15) was visiting Ploschansk in 1815. He had lived at White
Bluff Monastery and Florischev Hermitage in the Vladimir Province.
While at Ploschansk, Fr Athanasius fell off a bench and dislocated a
joint in his leg. He went to Cholnsk Monastery in 1816 and partially
recovered, but he could no longer walk without a crutch. In 1817 he
returned to Ploschansk, and Fr Macarius moved to his cell to take care
of him.
Elder Athanasius had a great influence on the spiritual
development of
Fr Macarius, who revered him as his Father and teacher. For seven years
he had lived in the Neamts Monastery, where he was tonsured by St
Paisius Velichkovsky. Fr Athanasius finished the course of his earthly
life on October 17, 1825, and died in the arms of Fr Macarius. He had
lived at Ploschansk for ten years, and Fr Macarius derived much benefit
from his Elder's example.
Fr Athanasius had copies of the translations of the
ascetical Fathers
made by St Paisius, and he himself had translated the Life of St
Gregory of Sinai, the Catechetical Homilies of St Theodore the Studite,
the homilies of St Gregory Palamas, and many other profitable writings.
Not only did Fr Macarius read and copy these translations and absorb
the wisdom contained in them, he later published them for the benefit
of others.
Fr Macarius was ordained to the holy priesthood by Bishop
Dositheus of
Orel and Sevsk on May 27, 1817. When Igumen Paul retired to the
bishop's residence at Kaluga in 1818, he was replaced by Hieromonk
Seraphim, a disciple of Fr Basil (Kishkin), the Superior of White Bluff
Hermitage. Fr Seraphim brought good order to Ploschansk, instructing
the monks in the spiritual life.
With Fr Seraphim's blessing, Fr Macarius made a pilgrimage
to Kiev in
1819 with Hierodeacon Palladius. There they met Archimandrite Anthony,
who later became Archbishop of Voronezh and Zadonsk. On the way back to
Ploschansk, the two visited Glinsk Hermitage. Fr Macarius became
acquainted with Hierodeacon Samuel, who was experienced in mental
prayer. Since Fr Athanasius had never spoken to him of this activity,
Fr Macarius was gratified to meet someone who could speak about it from
personal experience.
In 1824, Fr Macarius went to Rostov to venerate the relics
of St
Demetrius (September 21 and October 28). On that same trip he visited
Optina Monastery and its new Skete for the first time.
Two of Fr Macarius's spiritual guides passed away within a
short time:
Elder Athanasius in 1825, and Igumen Seraphim in 1826. Hieromonk
Marcellinus was appointed as Superior of Ploschansk in addition to his
duties as Bishop Gabriel's steward. He continued to live at Orel for
two years, while the Ploschansk Hermitage was administered by Fr
Anatole, the treasurer.
Fr Macarius was made dean of the Hermitage on June 10, 1826.
In January
of 1827, he was assigned as confessor at the Holy Trinity Convent of
Sevsk. This began his period of spiritual direction and spiritual
correspondence which lasted until his death. He did not assume such a
role on his own, but only in obedience to the will of the bishop.
In 1828 Fr Leonid
(Nagolkin) came to Ploschansk from the St Alexander
of Svir Monastery with several disciples. Fr Macarius thought that the
arrival of Fr Leonid was the answer to his prayers, for Fr Leonid was a
man of great spiritual wisdom. This holy Elder, who had struggled
against many visible and invisible foes, was able to give useful advice
to those who were experiencing temptations. He understood from personal
experience that those who wish to serve the Lord must prepare their
souls for temptation (Sirach 2:1). He agreed to Fr Macarius's repeated
requests to accept him as a spiritual son and disciple. When Fr Leonid
moved to Optina in 1829, Fr Macarius kept in touch with him through
letters.
Fr Macarius visited Optina and Fr Leonid in 1831 on his way
to
Petersburg, where Bishop Nicodemus of Orel was serving his term in the
Holy Synod. He appointed Fr Macarius as treasurer and steward, much to
the latter's chagrin. Fr Macarius did not care for the bustle of the
city, and longed to return to the tranquility of the monastery, yet he
remained in his position out of obedience to the bishop.
After serving for almost a year in Petersburg, Fr Macarius
returned to
Ploschansk Hermitage. On the way back, he visited Fr Leonid again at
Optina. He also submitted a request to Fr Moses to be admitted to the
Skete at Optina as soon as this might be arranged. The desired transfer
from Ploschansk to Optina did not take place until January 14, 1834.
Fr Macarius had lived at Ploschansk for twenty-three years,
and always
retained a certain fondness for the place for the rest of his life. Fr
Macarius finally arrived at Optina on February 5, 1834.
At the age of forty-six, Fr Macarius placed himself at the
feet of Fr
Leonid, humbling himself and demonstrating complete obedience. At
first, he helped the Elder with his correspondence, but later his
responsibilities increased. In October of 1836 he was appointed as
confessor for the monastery. After Fr Anthony was assigned to St
Nicholas Monastery in Maloyaroslavets as abbot, Fr Macarius succeeded
him as Superior of the Skete on December 1, 1839. Fr Macarius's
relationship with Fr Leonid did not change because of his new position.
He never did anything without consulting Fr Leonid, and always
attributed any success he achieved to the blessing and prayers of his
Elder.
Fr Macarius remained humble and obedient to Fr Leonid until
the Elder's
death on October 11, 1841. Even when Fr Leonid was transferred from the
Skete to the Monastery in 1836, Fr Macarius visited him every day to
ask his advice on various matters.
During his final illness, Fr Leonid told his spiritual
children to go
to Fr Macarius for spiritual counsel. Seeing in Fr Macarius the same
spiritual gifts possessed by Fr Leonid, people recommended him to their
friends and acquaintances. As a result, the number of Fr Macarius's
disciples grew larger every year. He was also assigned as instructor of
the new novices, and of those who were about to be tonsured.
Fr Macarius received visitors from morning until night, and
also kept
up an extensive spiritual correspondence. Sometimes he was exhausted by
the crowds of people, and by the number of letters he had to write. His
humility and love for people who were afflicted in body and in spirit
would not permit him to curtail his activities, however.
Fr Macarius had always
loved reading and studying patristic literature.
At Ploschansk, he had copied many translations done by St Paisius
Velichkovsky which were in the possession of Schemamonk Athanasius. His
knowledge and understanding of the Fathers increased at Optina under
the guidance of Fr Leonid, a disciple of Fr Theodore of Svir, who was
himself a disciple of St Paisius. Fr Anthony, abbot of the Skete and Fr
Moses, abbot of the Monastery, both encouraged the study of patristic
books. Conditions for the publication of these manuscripts, translated
and corrected by St Paisius, were quite favorable, for Optina possessed
the best copies of these writings.
In 1845, Ivan V. Kireyevsky, the editor of The Muscovite,
asked Fr
Macarius to write a biography of St Paisius for his magazine. In 1846,
Fr Macarius was visiting the Kireyevskys at their estate, and the
discussion turned to the lack of spiritual books offering instruction
in the Christian life. Natalia Kireyevsky, the spiritual daughter of Fr
Macarius since 1838, happened to have some manuscripts of ascetical
literature. They both asked Fr Macarius, "What prevents us from
offering these spiritual treasures to the world?"
At the beginning of 1847 a biography of Fr Pasius
Velichkovsky, with
extracts from his writings, was published. Over the course of time,
sixteen books of patristic literature were published under the Elder's
supervision, including works by St Nilus of Sora, Sts Barsanuphius and
John, St Simeon the New Theologian, and St Isaac of Syria.
In 1853, Fr Macarius resigned as Superior of the Skete of St
John the
Baptist, and was succeeded by Fr Paphnutius. This took place on
November 30, exactly fourteen years from the time Fr Macarius had first
assumed the office.
In 1859, one of Fr Macarius's spiritual daughters, was at
the point of
death. Maria asked Fr Macarius to pray that God would spare her life so
that she could see her son again. The Elder told her that she would
recover, and that they would both die around the same time. The old
woman told her friends of this prediction, saying, "Beware my death,
for it is connected with the Elder's death. Maria died on August 23,
1860 in the presence of Fr Macarius and Fr Leonid Kavelin.
On August 26, the Elder became ill with ischuria. A doctor
who happened
to be at Optina saw him and treated him with drugs. Fr Macarius felt
worse that evening, and so they sent for a certain nobleman's personal
physician. That doctor was not available, so Fr Kavelin went to another
doctor to ask for advice. Fr Macarius showed no improvement, so he
received Holy Unction and the life-giving Mysteries of Christ. On
September 2, he received two gifts which delighted him. One was an
enamel icon of the Vladimir Mother of God from Metropolitan Philaret of
Moscow, which wore on his breast. The other was a cross containing a
relic of the Cross of Christ.
The Elder felt weaker on
September 4, and received Holy Communion after
Vespers. During his illness the brethren who cared for him read the
daily rule of prayer for him at the proper times. He also asked them to
read certain portions of the writings of the holy Fathers.
On September 5, Fr Macarius was moved from his small bedroom
into the
larger reception room where the air was fresher. During the night the
ninety-year-old Schemamonk Hilarion reposed, and the church bell was
rung three times according to the custom of the Monastery, indicating
that one of the brethren had departed. Many of Fr Macarius's disciples
and some visitors in the guesthouse thought that the bell tolled for
him. They became alarmed until it was announced that Fr Hilarion had
passed away.
The Elder experienced shortness of breath on September 6. He
received
Communion, and was visited by two doctors, but there was nothing they
could do for him. Fr Macarius felt worse that evening, and received
Holy Communion a second time around 8:00 P.M. Around midnight he talked
with his confessor for about half an hour, receiving absolution and
forgiveness of his sins.
Fr Macarius asked to have the prayer for the dying read,
which he heard
while sitting in a chair. The Canon and Akathist to the Most Holy
Theotokos were also read, and the Canon to the Sweetest Lord Jesus
Christ was read during Matins. During these readings it appeared that
the Elder's sufferings were alleviated.
During the night Fr Macarius asked to be moved several times
from the
bed to the chair. He was calm and peaceful, and thanked those around
him for caring for him. At 6:00 the next morning he received Holy
Communion for the last time.
At 7:00 on the morning of September 7, 1860, Fr Macarius
departed to
the Lord while the Ninth Ode of the Canon for the Departure of the Soul
from the Body was being read. Two years before his death, he was
secretly tonsured into the Great Schema. Therefore, a schema which had
been blessed on the Lord's Sepulchre was placed on his body. Several
Panikhidas were offered for his soul throughout the day.
Fr Macarius was laid to rest on September 10, in a grave
prepared for
him opposite the altar of the St Nicholas chapel in the main church. He
was buried to the right of the grave of Fr Leonid, his friend and
fellow ascetic.
The Moscow Patriarchate
authorized local veneration of the Optina
Elders on June 13,1996. The work of uncovering the relics of Sts
Leonid, Macarius, Hilarion, Ambrose, Anatole I, Barsanuphius and
Anatole II began on June 24/July 7, 1998 and was concluded the next
day. However, because of the church Feasts (Nativity of St John the
Baptist, etc.) associated with the actual dates of the uncovering of
the relics, Patriarch Alexey II designated June 27/July 10 as the date
for commemorating this event. The relics of the holy Elders now rest in
the new church of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God.
The Optina Elders were glorified by the Moscow Patriarchate
for
universal veneration on August 7, 2000.
|
1912
Martin
Kähler distinction between the "Christ of faith" and the Jesus of
history is often traced to Martin Kahler (1835-1912), though he
probably did not mean by the term what most contemporary critics do
Evangelische Kirche: 7. September
Martin Kähler, in The So-Called Historical Jesus and the Historic
Biblical Christ, 1896, argued that the Jesus of history was inseparable
from the Christ of faith and yet since the New Testament mainly
concerns itself with the latter as does the church - and it is this
Christ that has influenced history, so scholars should only be
interested in the Christ of faith.
The distinction between the "Christ of faith" and the Jesus of history
is often traced to Martin Kahler (1835-1912), though he probably did
not mean by the term what most contemporary critics do.
Martin Kähler wurde am 6.1.1835 in Neuhausen b. Königsberg
geboren. Er unterbrach sein Jurastudium nach einer schweren
Typhus-Erkrankung und studierte Theologie. Geprägt wurde er
insbesondere von Friedrich A. Tholuck. 1867 wurde er
außerordentlicher Professor in Halle und wirkte hier als Erzieher
und Seelsorger der Studenten des sächsischen Konvikts. Er war kaum
wissenschaftlich tätig, da ihm die Seelsorge wichtiger war und
erhielt deshalb lange keinen Lehrstuhl. 1877 stellte er sein Buch "Das
Gewissen" fertig. Dieses Werk brachte ihm 1879 den Lehrstuhl für
systematische Theologie ein, den er bis zu seinem Tod am 7.9.1912
innehatte. Er sah sich selbst mehr als Lehrer und Seelsorger denn als
Wissenschaftler und rechnete sich den biblischen Theologen zu. In
seinem wohl wichtigsten Werk "Der sogenannte historische Jesus und der
geschichtliche, biblische Christus" stellte er den biblischen Christus
in den Mittelpunkt und sah die Forschung nach dem historischen Jesus
als unnütz an. Die meisten älteren Mitglieder der
Bekenntnissynode in Barmen 1934 waren Schüler Kählers und
seine Theologie hatte so auch Einfluß auf den Kirchenkampf.
|
Mary Mother of GOD 
1198 - 1216 Pope Innocent
III; One of the greatest
popes of the Middle Ages; a
learned theologian; one of the greatest jurists of his time; held various ecclesiastical offices during
short reigns of Lucius III, Urban III, Gregory VIII, and Clement III; re-established papal authority in Rome; scarcely a country in Europe over which
Innocent III did not in
some way or other assert supremacy he claimed for the papacy; During his reign two great founders of the
mendicant orders,
St. Dominic and St. Francis, laid before him their scheme of reforming
the world. Innocent was not blind to the vices of luxury and indolence
which had infected many of the clergy and part of the laity. In Dominic
and Francis he recognized two mighty adversaries of these vices and he
sanctioned their projects with words of encouragement. He wrote "De quadripartita specie
nuptiarum" (P. L., CCXVII,
923-968), an exposition of the fourfold marriage bond, namely, between
man and wife, between Christ and the Church, between God and the just
soul, between the Word and human nature - - entirely based on passages
from Holy Scripture.
Saints of this Day September
07 Séptimo Idus Septémbris
Meeting of the
Saints walis (saints of Allah)
Colombia was among the
countries Mother
Angelica visited. 
Monsignor
Reardon Protonotarius
Apostolicus Pastor 42 years BASILICA OF SAINT MARY Minneapolis
MN
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.
