At Thessalonica, the virgin St. Irene, who was imprisoned for hiding the sacred books, contrary to the order of Diocletian. She was pierced with an arrow, then burned to death by order of the governor Dulcetius, under whom her sisters Agape and Chionia had previously suffered.
In the monastery at Palma, in the diocese of Majorca, the birthday of St. Catalina Tomas, Canoness Regular of the Order of St. Augustine, whom Pope Pius XI, in the fiftieth year of his priesthood, placed among the number of virgin saints. (on left) (on right)
At Thessalonica, the virgin St. Irene, who was imprisoned for hiding the sacred books, contrary to the order of Diocletian. She was pierced with an arrow, then burned to death by order of the governor Dulcetius, under whom her sisters Agape and Chionia had previously suffered. ![]() St Dionysius, also called St Denis, was the first Bishop of Paris. He was sent to Lutetia in the 3rd century, accompanied by the priest Rusticus and the deacon Eleutherius. After carrying out his mission there for several years, he was beheaded with his companions (which is why he is represented bearing his head in his hands) at Catulliacum, now St Denis, where they erected over his tomb a basilica; here the kings of France are buried. St. Denis is one of the 14 "Auxiliary Saints" The Collect and Gospel show forth the Christian heroism of these three Martyrs who fearlessly confessed the name of Christ before men and remained firm in the midst of their sufferings. In the ninth century St Dionysius was erroneously identified with Dionysius the Areopagite, whence the Epistle in the Mass relating the conversion of the latter saint which happened when St Paul passed through Greece on his second journey. ![]()
![]() In Palestine, St. Timothy, a martyr in the persecution of Diocletian, under the governor Urbanus. After overcoming many torments, he was consumed with a slow fire. In the same country there suffered also Thecla and Agapius. The former, being exposed to the beasts, was torn to pieces by their teeth, and went to her Spouse; but Agapius, after enduring many torments, was reserved for greater trials. In Cilicia, the birthday of St. Andrew, tribune, and his military companions, who were converted to Christianity through a miraculous victory they had gained over the Persians. Being accused on this account, they were massacred in the Mount Taurus pass, by the army of the governor Seleucus, under Emperor Maximian. At Rome, St. Julius, senator and martyr, who was delivered up to the judge Vitellius, and thrown into prison by him. By order of Emperor Commodus, he was beaten with rods until he expired. His body was buried in the cemetery of Caleposius on the Aurelian Way. In the neighbourhood of Sisteron in France, blessed Donatus, priest and confessor. Being from his very infancy endowed with the grace of God in an extraordinary manner, he lived the life of an anchoret for many years, and after having been renowned for glorious miracles, went to Christ.
At Rome, on the Via Lavicana, St. Helena, mother of the religious emperor Constantine the Great, who was the first to set the example to other princes of protecting and extending the Church.
At Carthage in Africa, the holy martyrs Liberatus, abbot, Boniface, a deacon, Servus and Rusticus, subdeacons, Rogatus and Septimus, monks, and Maximus, a young child. In the persecution of the Vandals, under King Hunneric, they were subjected to various and unheard-of torments for the confession of the Catholic faith and the defence of one baptism. Finally, being nailed to the wood with which they were to be burned, as the fire was always miraculously extinguished whenever kindled, they were struck with iron bars by order of the tyrant until their brains were dashed out. Thus they ended the glorious series of their combats, and were crowned by our Lord.
In Achaia, St. Myron, priest and martyr, who was beheaded at Cyzicum after undergoing many torments, in the time of Emperor Decius and the governor Antipater. ![]() Patron Saint of First Communicants At Rome, on the Appian Way, St. Tarsicius, acolyte. The pagans accosted him as he was carrying the Sacrament of Christ's Body, and began to inquire what it was. But he judged it an unworthy thing to cast pearls before swine. They therefore beat him with sticks and stones until he expired. The sacrilegious searchers examined his body, but found no vestige of the Sacrament of Christ, either in his hands or in his clothes. The Christians took up the body of the martyr, and buried it reverently in the cemetery of Callistus. ![]() At Constantinople, St. Maximus, a monk distinguished for learning and for zeal for Catholic truth. Valiantly disputing the Monothelites, he had his hands and tongue torn from him by the heretical emperor Constans, and was banished to Chersonesus, where he breathed his last. At this time, two of his disciples, both named Anastasius, and many others endured divers torments and the hardships of exile. |
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