Monday, October 20, 2014

SAINTS PROCULUS ,EPHEBUS AND APOLLONIUS

Proculus, Ephebus & Apollonius
 Died 273.
feast day: February 14
 Sts. Proculus, Ephebus, Apollonius, and the holy virgin Agape. In the time of Totila, the Bishop of Terni, St. Proculus, was killed at Bologna.Protectors of the body of Saint Valentine

According to his untrustworthy acta, martyred by decapitation. The Bollandists have identified this Proculus with the bishop Proculus of Terni .

BLESSED NICHOLAS PALEA

Blessed Nicholas Palea, 
feast day: february14
Also known as Nicholas the Prior
Born: Giovinazzo near Bari, Naples year unknown

Died: in Perugia, Italy, in 1255

 Beatified: Leo XII confirmed his cult in 1828


 Born of a noble Neapolitan family, Nicholas was named for the great wonder-worker who had once lived in the kingdom. At 8 he was already practicing austerities. He would not eat meat, even on 
feast days, because he had been favored by a vision of a young man of great majesty who told him to prepare for a lifetime of mortifications in an order that kept perpetual abstinence.  Sent to Bologna for his studies, he met Saint Dominic and was won by him to the new order. He was the companion of Saint Dominic on several of the founder's journeys to Italy, and warmed his heart at the very source of the new fire which was to mean resurrection to so many souls. 

 Saint Nicholas of Bari had been noted for his astounding miracles,and his young namesake began following in his footsteps while yet a novice. When on a journey with several companions, he 
met a woman with a withered arm. Making the Sign of the Cross over her, he cured her of the affliction.  At one time, as he entered his native Bari, he found a woman weeping beside the body of her child, who had been drowned in a well. He asked the woman the name of the child, and being told it was Andrew, he replied, "After this, it's Nicholas. Nicholas, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, arise!" The little one revived, alive and well. The child of his sister Colette, mute from birth, brought her famous uncle a basket of bread. "Who sent the bread, child?" Nicholas asked her. "My mother," she replied, and from then on she was cured. 

 As provincial of the Roman province, Nicholas was wise, prudent, and kind. He established priories in Perugia in 1233 and Trani in 1254. He received many novices and did much of his work among the young religious. Once he was called to the assistance of a novice who had been deceived by the devil and would not go to confession. He showed the young man the true state of his soul and undid the 
work of the evil one.  Nicholas earned great fame as a preacher. 

On one occasion, when he was preaching in the cathedral of Brescia, two irreverent young men began disturbing the congregation and soon made such a commotion that Nicholas could not make himself heard. Nicholas left the cathedral to a neighboring hill and there called to the birds to come to listen to him. Like the birds in the similar story of Saint Francis, flocks of feathered creatures fluttered down at his feet and listened attentively while he preached. At the end of the sermon they flew away singing. 

 After a lifetime of preaching and miracles, Nicholas, forewarned of is death by a visit from a brother who had been dead many years, went happily to receive the reward of the faithful. Miracles continued to occur at his tomb and through his intercession. Among these was the miracle by which life was given to a baby born dead. His parents had promised to name the baby Nicholas if the favor were granted, and to their great joy their child lived . 

SAINT LEONE OF POITIERS


Lienne (Leone) of Poitiers

Feast day: February 14
 4th century.
Died.308
Confidant of Saint Hilary .

SAINT JOHN BAPTIST OF THE CONCEPTION

John Baptist of the Conception,  Trinitarian
Also known as Saint John Garcia

Feast day: February 14


 Born in Almodovar, Toledo, Spain, 1561;
Died 1613;
Beatified in 1819.
John Garcia entered the Trinitarian Order at Toledo and 17 years later joined the party of reform in that order. As superior, he inaugurated such a revival at ValdepeƱas in 1597. The reform,
called the Discalced Trinitarians, was approved by Rome and John had to endure on that account the bitter opposition of the 'unreformed.' At the time of his death, 34 houses had adopted the reform .

The reform of the Trinitarian Order was the work of St. John Baptist of the Conception 1561-1613. In ValdepeƱas Ciudad Real - Spain he established the first community of the discalced Trinitarians. With the Brief Ad Militantes Ecclesiae, Pope Clement VIII gave ecclesial validity to the Congregation of the reformed and discalced brothers of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity, instituted to observe with all its vigor the Rule of St. John of Matha.

John Baptist of the Conception founded 18 convents of religious and one of cloistered Sisters. He lived and transmitted to his sons an intense spirit of charity, prayer, recollection, humility and penance, placing special interest in keeping alive the solidarity delivery to the captives and to the poor. The relation of the Trinitarians with the Trinity, as a vital center and source of redemptive charity, is a central theme in his life and teachings.

SAINTS CYRION ,BASSIAN,AGATHO AND MOSES

Cyrion, Bassian, Agatho, and Moses

Date unknown.
Feast day: February 14

These Alexandrian martyrs are listed together because all perished at the stake. Cyrion was a priest, Bassian a lector, Agatho an exorcist, and Moses a layman .... martyr by burning

SAINTS BASSUS ,ANTONY AND PROTOLICUS



Bassus, Antony, & Protolicus
 Feast day: February 14
Date unknown.
These martyrs were cast into the sea at Alexandria, Egypt. Some ancient accounts add nine fellow-sufferers to this group .

SAINT NOSTRIANUS

St. Nostrianus

Nostrianus of Naples
Feast day: February 14

Died . 450


Bishop Nostrianus of Naples valiantly opposed Arianism and Pelagianism

SAINTS DIONYSIUS AND AMMONIUS

Sts.Dionysius and Ammonius

Feast day: February 14

Death: unknown



Martyrsof Egypt Dionysius and Ammonius were beheaded, probably at  Alexandria, Egypt

SAINT THEODOSIUS


St. Theodosius
Theodosius of Vaison
Feast day: February 14
 Died 554. Bishop of Vaison in France and predecessor of Saint Quinidius . 

SAINT ANTONINUS OF SORRENTO


St. Antoninus of Sorrento

Feast day: February 14


Birth: 555

Death: 625



Antonius was a Benedictine monk in one of the daughter houses of Monte Cassino. When he was forced to leave his monastery because of the wars raging in the country around him, he became a
hermit until he was invited by the people of Sorrento to live among them. He did so as an abbot of Saint Agrippinus.

Benedictine abbot and patron of Sorrento, Italy. While serving as a monk, Antoninus had to leave his monastery when local wars threatened. He became a hermit recognized by the local people as a man of holiness. The people of Sorrento invited him to become the abbot of St. Agrippinus Monastery. While on Monte Angelo as a hermit, he lived with St. Catellus, former bishop of Castellamare. St. Michael the Archangel visited him on the mountain. He repelled an attack by the Saracens on Sorrento by a miracle after his death.

SAINT MARO


Maro of Beit-Marun, Abbot
Also known as Maron
St. Maro

Feastday: February 14

Death: 410 OR 435

 Saint Maro was a hermit on a mountain in Syria near the Orontes River, where he had a little hut covered with sheep skins to shelter him from the weather, but lived in a spirit of mortification in the open air most of the time. When he found a pagan temple nearby, he dedicated it to God and made it his  oratory. In 405 Maro was ordained to the priesthood.


St. Maro chose a solitary abode not far from the city of Cyrrhus in Syria, and there in a spirit of mortification, he lived mainly in the open air. He had indeed a little hut covered with goatskins to shelter him in case of need, but he very seldom made use of it. Finding the ruins of the heathen temple, he dedicated it to the true God, and made it his house of prayer. St. John Chrysostom, who had a great regard for him, wrote to him from Cucusus, the place of his banishment, and, recommending himself to his prayers, begged to hear from him as often as possible. Maro was a disciple of St. Zebinus. He drew great crowds by his spiritual wisdom. He trained many hermits and monks and founded three monasteries. It is believed the Maronites take their name from Bait-Marun monastery near the source of the Orantes river, where a church was erected over his tomb.
 Saint John Chrysostom had a singular regard for Maro. During one of his banishments, John wrote from Cucusus and commended himself to Maro's prayers and begged to hear from him at every opportunity Chrysostom's epistle 36.

 Under the direction of Saint Zebinus, Maro learned to pray without ceasing. Zebinus surpassed all the solitaries of his time in his assiduity to prayer to which he devoted whole days and nights
without any weariness or fatigue. His ardor for prayer seemed to increase, rather than slacken with time. Zebinus gave advice to those who sought it in as few words as possible in order to spend
more time in heavenly contemplation.

 Maro imitated Zebinus's constancy in prayer, yet he not only received all visitors with great tenderness but also encourage them to stay with him. Few, however, were willing to pass the night
standing in prayer. God rewarded Maro's charity and constancy with abundant graces including the gift of healing. He prescribed admirable remedies against all vices, which drew crowds to him.
 So great were the number of people drawn to God by Maro's words and

 Upon Maro's death, a pious contest ensued among the neighboring provinces about his burial. A spacious church was built over his tomb adjoining the monastery of Saint Maro in the diocese of Apamea between Apamea and Emesa /Homs. The people in Lebanon and Syria called Maronites A rite united to the Universal Church are said to derive their name from this monastery, Bait-Marun, and look on

Saint Maro as their patriarch and patron saint .

Sunday, October 19, 2014

BLESSED VICENTE VILAR DAVID

Bl. Vicente Vilar David
Blessed Vincenzo David Vilar
Feast day: February 14
Born: 28 June 1889 at Manises, Valencia, Spain

Died : shot on 14 February 1937 in Manises, Valencia, Spain

Venerated: 6 July 1993 by Pope John Paul II decree of martyrdom

Beatified: 1 October 1995 by Pope John Paul II


Blessed Vincenzo David Vilar, secular, during religious persecution housed the priests and religious in his home , and preferred to die rather than renounce the faith of Christ. John Paul II beatified him on October 1, 1995.
Youngest of eight children. Educated by the Piarists, and studied engineering in Valencia, Spain. Married to Isabel Rodes Reig, the main witness to his life and martyrdom, and who died in 1993. Spread a Christian outlook and morality among his peers, and known for charity to the poor. He worked as an industrial engineer in the family ceramics firm, and held several important municipal posts in which he put the Church‘s social teaching into practice. Always involved in parish activities and Catholic youth groups. Against the anti-religious sentiment of 1930’s Spain, he worked to save persecuted priests and religious. As he was taken away to his martyrdom for supporting his faith, his wife said, “See you tomorrow!”, and he answered, “Until tomorrow or in heaven!”. Those who’ve studied his case believe he had a cause for canonization based solely on his life, not just his martyrdom.

Roman Martyrology: At Valencia in Spain, blessed Vilar David Vincent, martyr, during the persecution of religion in his house welcomed the priests and religious and preferred to die rather than renounce his faith.

Even businessmen go to heaven. Especially if the conduct of their business and relationship with the workers manages to embody the social doctrine of the Church; they know and put in first place solidarity, justice and cooperation. A businessman came to the glory of the altars on October 1, 1995 is Vincenzo David Vilar.

Born June 28, 1889 in Spain, in the province of Valencia, the last of eight children of a deeply Christian family, owner of a ceramics factory that has now acquired international fame. Cheerful, outgoing, with a strong faith that is reflected in concrete works of charity, Vincent graduated in Industrial Engineering and after the premature death of his parents, along with three of his brothers in the conduct of the family and now stands out for the way in which the original heads. In this factory, relations were guided by a sense of justice and solidarity that can overcome conflict and division. Employees were treated as true friends, helping them when possible andandoli to find when they were sick.

After all, Vincent was not that other sow love at work as always is doing in the group of his friends and among the poor of the parish. What was going against it demonstrates the disputes and difficulties he would meet on his path, but could not back off one inch from his convictions and his commitment remained firm and clear, despite all the measures to taken for his workers In his commitment to the parish catechesis of young people in the various clubs and associations he directed. He did not pull back even before the administrative obligations that were proposed for seven years and was vice president of the Municipal Corporation of the city, leaving the example of a person of integrity who seeks the true good of his people.

For 33 years he was married to Isabella Rodes Reig, a woman who shared his ideals and his commitment and from that moment became the most valuable collaborator of his activities in the parish and his works of charity. On a cultural level he was involved in the foundation of the Patronato Parish Social Action for Catholic education of children is the way to challenge and counter the anti-action that the early thirties to the Spanish Government was implementing. At the outbreak of the revolution of 1936 anti-Vincent was a person too with a view and too involved to go unnoticed. And he was too bold.

He became the shadow of his pastor, to help and defend him until they will be murdered, in his house were welcomed priests and religious seeking to save their lives, continuing undeterred in his actions as ever despite the threats and the more or less explicit warnings. It was inevitable, therefore, that this very committed Christian and inconvenient man would be arrested. Before the Court, where he could deny his religious beliefs to save lives, he showed everything in one piece, happy and peaceful for how he lived so far and what has worked. He forgave his persecutors just a few moments before they shot him, February 14, 1937.

His employees closed the factory for three days as a sign of mourning and resisted all pressures of the authorities who wanted an immediate re-opening, because, they said, Vincent was not only a manager but a father to each of them. His beatification has raised a holy impresario, who probably would have earned the glory of the altars without martyrdom, however, that was the culmination of a life steeped in all justice, charity and faith courageously lived
As he was taken away, his wife said to him: "See you tomorrow!", and he answered, "Until tomorrow or in heaven!". A few minutes later shots were heard. He was an exemplary Christian and, had he not been martyred, his cause for beatification could have begun with the canonical process to recognize the heroism of his virtues.

SAINT ELEUCHADIUS

St. Eleuchadius
Eleuchadius of Ravenna
Feast day: February 14

Death: 112

    A Greek, Eleuchadius succeeded St. Adheritus as bishop about 100. Born in Greece. Saint Eleuchadius was converted by Saint Apollinaris, first bishop of Ravenna. In his absence Eleuchadius
governed the church there. He succeeded Saint Adheritus as the third bishop of Ravenna .

SAINT CONRAN

St. Conran

Feast day: February 14

Died 7th century.

     A traditional figure, believed to have served as bishop of the Orkney Islands, Scotland. No details of his life have survived.The legend of an apostle and holy bishop of the Orkney Islands especially of Kirkwall by this name lacks any historical basis. There are no place names or church dedications connected with him there, although there are several to Saint Columba.His legend still connects him with Saints Palladius and Sylvester .

SAINT AUXENTIUS OF BITHYNIA

St. Auxentius of Bithynia

Feast day: February 14
St. Auxentius, Hermit


Born in Syria;
Died on Mount Skopa on February 14, 473. Auxentius,
Career soldier and equestrian guard of Emperor Theodosius the Younger, he was known to preach to his fellow guards. He eventually left the service to become a hermit on Mount Oxia near Constantinople. Accused and cleared of Eutychianistic heresy. Archimandrite in Bithynia. Active in the Council of Chalcedon. Hermit on Mount Sinope  near Chalcedon.


Hermit and founder. The son of a Persian named Addas, Auxentius was a member of the entourage of Emperor Theodosius II in Constantinople. He retired from military service to become a hermit at Mount Oxia near Constantinople. He was accused of heresy by the Council of Chalcedon but cleared himself. He then went to Mount Skopa, near Chalcedon and attracted many disciples to his hermitage. Auxentius also formed a congregation of women on Mount Skopa.



HE was a holy hermit in Bithynia, in the fifth age. In his youth he was one of the equestrian guards of Theodosius the Younger; but this state of life, which he discharged with the utmost fidelity to his prince, did not hinder him from making the service of God his main concern. All his spare time was spent in solitude and prayer; and he often visited holy hermits, to spend the nights with them in tears and singing the divine praises, prostrate on the ground. The fear of vain-glory moved him to retire to the desert mountain of Oxea, in Bithynia, eight miles from Constantinople. After the council of Chalcedon, where he appeared upon summons by order of the emperor Marcian, against Eutyches, he chose a cell on the mountain of Siope, near Chalcedon, in which he contributed to the sanctification of many who resorted to him for advice; he finished his martyrdom of penance, together with his life, about 470. Sozomen commended exceedingly his sanctity whilst he was yet living.  St. Stephen the Younger caused the church of his monastery to be dedicated to God, under the invocation of our saint; and mount Siope is called to this day Mount St. Auxentius. See his life, written from the relation of his disciple Vendimian, with the remarks of Henschenius.

Saturday, October 11, 2014

SAINT ABRAHAM OF CARRHAE

St. Abraham of Carrhae

Feast day: February 14

Death: 422


Also known as Abraham of Charres
Hermit, bishop, and missionary who was born in Cyrrhus, Syria. He became a recluse in the desert near Mount Lebanon and tried to convert the local people. Reviled for his efforts, Abraham continued his apostolate, eventually winning over his neighbors to the faith. Unable to pay their taxes, the locals were saved by Abraham, who used his own funds to settle their debts. He was named the bishop of Carrhae, in Mesopotamia, where he again converted the local people. While visiting Emperor Theodosius II in Constantinople, now Istanbul, Turkey, Abraham died.

Abraham of Charres was a Syrian hermit and bishop of Harran. He was born and educated at Carrhae modern Harran in Syria, and preached the Gospel in the valley of Mount Lebanon, where he lived as a hermit. He was later elected bishop of Harran, where he worked vigorously to reduce the existing abuses. He died in Constantinople in 422 after going there to consult with Theodosius II, although some argue that it may have instead occurred in 390 under Theodosius II's predecessor, Theodosius I. His body was transferred back to Harran. 

SAINTS CYRIL AND METHODIUS

Saints. Cyril and Methodius
Bishops and Confessors; Equals to the Apostles; Patrons of Europe; Apostles to the Slavs
Born 826 or 827 and 815 Thessalonica, Byzantine Empire present-day Greece
Died 14 February 869 and 6 April 885


Feast day: February 14

Saints Cyril and Methodius were brothers who brought Orthodoxy to the Slavic peoples of central Europe in the ninth century. In preparation for their mission to the Slavs they devised the Glagolitic alphabet to translate the Holy Scriptures and other Christian writings into what is now called Old Church Slavonic. Glagolitic later developed into the Cyrillic alphabet which is now used in a number of Slavic languages. The two brothers have been recognized as saints, equals to the apostles, for their missionary work. Many details of their lives have been obscured by the legends that have arisen about them.
Constantine later Cyril and Michael later Methodius were born early in the 9th century in Thessalonika into a senatorial family. The years of their birth are uncertain. Constantine, the elder of the two, may have been born in 826, while Methodius is believed to have been born in 827. Their father, Leon, was Drungarios of the Byzantine Roman Thema of Thessalonika, whose jurisdiction included the Slavs of Macedonia. Their mother is believed to have been Slavic. Being raised in an area with both Greek and Slavic speakers endowed the brothers with a good knowledge of the two languages. As befitting their family's position, they were well educated.

At a young age the brothers lost their father and they were raised under the protection of their uncle Theoctistos, who was a powerful official in the Byzantine government, responsible for postal services and the diplomatic relations of the empire. In 843, he invited Constantine to Constantinople to continue his studies at the university there. He was ordained a deacon in Constantinopole. As Constantine was knowledgeable in theology and had a good command of the Arabic and Hebrew languages, his first state mission to the Abbasid Caliph Al-Mutawakkil was to discuss the principle of the Holy Trinity with Arab theologians and thus improve the Empire's diplomatic relations with the Abbasid Caliphate.

Theoctistos also arranged a position as an official in the Slavic administration of the empire for Michael. He soon went to the monastery at Mount Olympus where he was tonsured with the name Methodius.

In 860, Emperor Michael III and Photius, Patriarch of Constantinople, sent the brothers to the Khagan of the Khazars on a missionary expedition in an attempt to forestall the Khagan from embracing Judaism. The mission was unsuccessful as the Khagan chose Judaism for his people, but many people embraced Christianity. Upon their return, Constantine was appointed professor of philosophy in the university.

Then in 862 the two brothers were invited by Prince Rastislav of Great Moravia to preach Christianity in his domains. This request was a fallout of the efforts of the Slavic princes in central Europe attempting to maintain their independence from their Germanic neighbors. Rastislav was looking for Christian missionaries to replace those from the Germans. In the end this mission would continue for the rest of the brothers' lives, as the brothers were dedicated to the idea that Christianity should be presented to the people in their native languages as was the practice in the East. To accomplish their work they developed the Glagolitic alphabet, the precursor of the Cyrillic alphabet, and began the translation of the Scriptures and Christian literature into the Slavic language.

The German clergy had used their liturgical language, Latin, as a measure to maintain their influence in Moravia and therefore were unhappy with the work of Constantine and Methodius, and they used this difference to attack the brothers. After laboring for about four years, the brothers were called by Nicholas I to appear in Rome to defend their work. The area in which they worked was within the jurisdiction of Rome. However, before their arrival, in 869 Nicholas died and was succeeded by Adrian II. After Adrian was convinced of the orthodoxy of the brothers, he approved their use of Slavonic in their church services and commended their work. He then consecrated Methodius bishop. Constantine took monastic vows in a Greek monastery in Rome. He was given the name Cyril, the name by which he is now commonly known. Cyril was not to return to Moravia as he died shortly thereafter. The date of Cyril's death is uncertain, but appears to have been shortly after his consecration, both perhaps in February 869, with his death most probably on February 1

Cyril and Methodius must have often wondered, as we do today, how God could bring spiritual meaning out of worldly concerns. Every mission they went on, every struggle they fought was a result of political battles, not spiritual, and yet the political battles are forgotten and their work lives on in the Slavic peoples and their literature.

Tradition tells us that the brothers Methodius and Constantine (he did not take the name Cyril until just before his death) grew up in Thessalonica as sons of a prominent Christian family. Because many Slavic people settled in Thessalonica, it is assumed Constantine and Methodius were familiar with the Slavic language. Methodius, the older of the two brothers, became an important civil official who would have needed to know Slavonic. He grew tired of worldly affairs and retired to a monastery. Constantine became a scholar and a professor known as "the Philosopher" in Constantinople. In 860 Constantine and Methodius went as missionaries to what is today the Ukraine.

When the Byzantine emperor decided to honor a request for missionaries by the Moravian prince Rastislav, Methodius and Constantine were the natural choices; they knew the language, they were able administrators, and had already proven themselves successful missionaries.

But there was far more behind this request and the response than a desire for Christianity. Rastislav, like the rest of the Slav princes, was struggling for independence from German influence and invasion. Christian missionaries from the East, to replace missionaries from Germany, would help Rastislav consolidate power in his own country, especially if they spoke the Slavonic language.

Constantine and Methodius were dedicated to the ideal of expression in a people's native language. Throughout their lives they would battle against those who saw value only in Greek or Latin. Before they even left on their mission, tradition says, Constantine constructed a script for Slavonic  a script that is known today as glagolithic. Glagolithic is considered by some as the precursor of cyrillic which named after him.

Arriving in 863 in Moravia, Constantine began translating the liturgy into Slavonic. In the East, it was a normal procedure to translate liturgy into the vernacular. As we know, in the West the custom was to use Greek and later Latin, until Vatican II. The German hierarchy, which had power over Moravia, used this difference to combat the brothers' influence. The German priests didn't like losing their control and knew that language has a great deal to do with independence.

So when Constantine and Methodius went to Rome to have the Slav priesthood candidates ordained (neither was a bishop at the time), they had to face the criticism the Germans had leveled against them. But if the Germans had motives that differed from spiritual concerns, so did the pope. He was concerned about the Eastern church gaining too much influence in the Slavic provinces. Helping Constantine and Methodius would give the Roman Catholic church more power in the area. So after speaking the brothers, the pope approved the use of Slavonic in services and ordained their pupils.

Constantine never returned to Moravia. He died in Rome after assuming the monastic robes and the name Cyril on February 14, 869. Legend tells us that his older brother was so griefstricken, and perhaps upset by the political turmoil, that he intended to withdraw to a monastery in Constantinople. Cyril's dying wish, however, was that Methodius return to the missionary work they had begun.

He couldn't return to Moravia because of political problems there, but another Slavic prince, Kocel, asked for him, having admired the brothers' work in translating so much text into Slavonic. Methodius was allowed by the pope to continue saying Mass and administering baptism in the Slavonic tongue. Methodius was finally consecrated bishop, once again because of politics -- Kocel knew that having a Slavonic bishop would destroy the power of the Salzburg hierarchy over his land. Methodius became bishop of Sirmium, an ancient see near Belgrade and given power over Serbo-Croatian, Slovene, and Moravian territory.

The German bishops accused him of infringing on their power and imprisoned him in a monastery. This lasted until Germany suffered military defeats in Moravia. At that time the pope intervened and Methodius returned to his diocese in triumph at the same time the Germans were forced to recognize Moravian independence. There was a loss involved to appease the Germans a little, the pope told Methodius he could no longer celebrate liturgy in the vernacular.

In 879 Methodius was summoned to Rome to answer German charges he had not obeyed this restriction. This worked against the Germans because it gave Methodius a chance to explain how important it was to celebrate the liturgy in the tongue people understood. Instead of condemning him, the pope gave him permission to use Slavonic in the Mass, in Scripture reading, and in the office. He also made him head of the hierarchy in Moravia.

The criticism never went away, but it never stopped Methodius either. It is said that he translated almost all the Bible and the works of the Fathers of the Church into Slavonic before he died on April 6 in 884.

Within twenty years after his death, it would seem like all the work of Cyril and Methodius was destroyed. Magyar invasions devastated Moravia. And without the brothers to explain their position, use of the vernacular in liturgy was banned. But politics could never prevail over God's will. The disciples of Cyril and Methodius who were driven out of Moravia didn't hide in a locked room. The invasion and the ban gave them a chance to go to other Slavic countries. The brothers' work of spreading Christ's word and translating it into Slavonic continued and laid the foundation for Christianity in the region.

SAINT STEPHEN OF RIETI


Saint Stephen of Rieti
Feast day :13 February
Died . 590.
HE was abbot of a monastery near the walls of Rieti in Italy, and a man of admirable sanctity. Pope Saint Gregory the Great describes him as “rude of speech, but cultured of life”. Stephen devoted himself almost wholly to prayer, and was known for his concern with the spiritual lives even of those who wronged him.


 who despised all things for the love of heaven. He shunned all company to employ himself wholly in prayer. So wonderful was his patience, that he looked upon them as his greatest friends and benefactors, who did him the greatest injuries, and regarded insults as his greatest gain. He lived in extreme poverty, and a privation of all the conveniences of life. His barns, with all the corn in them, the whole subsistence of his family, were burned down by wicked men. He received the news with cheerfulness, grieving only for their sin by which God was offended. In his agony angels were seen surrounding him to conduct his happy soul to bliss .

BLESSED STEPHEN OF LYONS

Stephen of Lyons
Feast day :13 February
 Died 512.
Bishop of Lyons in France, was active in converting the Arian Burgundians to the Catholic faith .

BLESSED PAUL LOC

Blessed Paul Loc
Feast day : 13 February

Born in An Hon, Vietnam., in 1831;
Died in Saigon, 1859;
Beatified 1909.
          Shortly after his ordination to the priesthood, Paul was beheaded for the faith . Vietnamese martyr. He converted to the Catholic faith and was later ordained a priest. Soon after his ordination he was seized and beheaded in Saigon . He was canonized in 1988 by Pope John Paul

Thursday, October 9, 2014

BLESSED PAUL LIEOU


Blessed Paul Lieou
Feastday: Februry 13

Death: 1818

Canonized By: Pope John Paul II

Beatified in 1900. A Chinese layman, Paul was martyred by strangulation for his faith .
Chinese martyr. He was put to death by strangulation by government officials, enemies of the Church. He was beatified in 1900.

SAINT GILBERT OF MEAUX


Saint Gilbert of Meaux
Feast day :13 February
Born Vermandois, France
Died 1009.  Meaux, France of natural causes
Relics enshrined in the cathedral of Meaux in 1491
Relics enshrined in the cathedral of Meaux in 1545
Relics destroyed by Huguenots in 1562

Studied at Saint Quentin. Archdeacon and then bishop of Meaux, France in 995.
Gilbert of Meaux died 13 February 1015, later known as Saint Gilbert of Meaux, was originally from Vermandois. He was the first canon in Saint-Quentin and then became bishop of Meaux.

He subscribed to a charter for the abbey of Saint-Denis. He gave donations to several other monasteries in Ile de France.

Gilbert was appointed bishop in 995 on the death of Archanrad who had appointed him archdeacon of the church. He appended his seal on a charter for the Abbey of St. Denis 998 and 1008, on a charter from King Robert in favor of the abbey of St. Peter of Melun 1005 and shared the property of the Church of Meaux between the bishop and his chapter.

 Several miracles were purported to have taken place at his tomb he was buried in front of the high altar of Meaux Cathedral. His relics were desanctified by the Huguenots in 1562.

SAINT FULCRAN OF LODEVE

The Miracle of Saint Fulcran, by Francois Matet 1805

Saint Fulcran of Lodeve

Feast day :13 February
Died 1006.
Penitent bishop of Lodeve, Languedoc, Fulcran was famous for his energetic rule. He was consecrated in 949 and ruled his diocese for more than a half century .

Pious youth who early decided on a life in the Church. Priest. Bishop of Lodeve, France for 57 years, consecrated on 4 February 949. Rebuilt many churches and convents. Founded the monastery of Saint Sauveur, and several hospitals for the poor. Untiring reformer and supporter of the spiritual life of his clergy, known for his personal asceticism.


The Body of Saint Fulcran Desecrated by Protestants
After his death he was buried in Lodeve Cathedral and honoured as a saint. His body, which had been preserved intact, was burned by the Huguenots in 1572, and only a few particles of his remains were saved.