A blood relative of Christ, he was martyred in early apostolic times. Succeeding the apostle James, Simeon, the son of Cleophas, was, it may be said, the first bishop of Jerusalem. Under the Emperor Trajan he was arraigned before Atticus, the governor, on charges of being a Christian and a relative of Jesus. For at a certain period, all descendants of David were apprehended. After enduring all types of torture, he was affixed to a cross, even as His Savior. Those present marveled how a man of such advanced age (he was 120 years old) could so steadfastly and joyously bear the excruciating pains of crucifixion. He died on the 18th of February, 106 A.D.The siege and the destruction of Jerusalem took place during his episcopacy. He accompanied the Christian community to Pella.
Saint Fintan was born in Leinster about 524. He received his religious formation in Terryglass, Co. Tipperary under the abbot Colum mac Crimthainn, and was deeply influenced by his penitential practices and the severity of the Rule. He was an Abbot and disciple of St. Columba. Fintan was a hermit in Clonenagh, Leix, Ireland. When disciples gathered around his hermitage he became their abbot. A wonder worker, Fintan was known for clairvoyance, prophecies, and miracles. Fintan spent his early years in Carlow before making his own foundation in Clonenagh, Co. Laois. His disciples included St Colmán of Oughaval, St. Comgall of Bangor, and St. Aengus the Culdee. He has been compared by the Irish annalists to St. Benedict, and is styled "Father of the Irish Monks". This tree, an acer pseudoplatanus, was planted in the late 18th or early 19th century at the site of the Early Christian monastic site of Clonenagh. The monastery was founded in the 6th century by Columba of Terryglass and then left to his disciple St. Fintan when St. Colum moved on to Terryglass. The tree is dedicated to St. Fintan and it became custom to insert coins into the tree from which the tree suffered and was believed to be dead until the tree started to recover with some new shoots. Martyrs, members of a noble family of Brescia; the elder brother, Faustinus, being a priest, the younger, a deacon. For their fearless preaching of the Gospel, they were arraigned before the Emperor Hadrian, who, first at Brescia, later at Rome and Naples, subjected them to frightful torments, after which they were beheaded at Bescia in the year 120, according to the Bollandists, though Allard (Histoire des Persécutions pendant les Deux Premiers Siècles, Paris, 1885) places the date as early as 118. Their feast is celebrated on 15 February, the traditional date of their martyrdom. The cities of Rome, Bologna and Verona share with Brescia possession of their relics. The Lesson is taken from a Sermon by St. Augustine the Bishop The illustrious day whereon the blessed Martyr Valentine conquered, doth this day come round to us again: and as the Church doth rejoice with him in his glory, so doth she set before us his footsteps to be followed. For if we suffer, we shall also reign with him. In his glorious battle we have two things chiefly to consider: the hardened cruelty of the tormentor, and the unconquered patience of the Martyr: the cruelty of the tormentor, that we may abhor it; the patience of the Martyr, that we may imitate it. Hear what the Psalmist saith, complaining against sin: Fret not thyself because of the ungodly, for they shall soon be cut down like the grass. But touching the patience which is to be shewn against the ungodly, hear the word wherewith the Apostle moveth us: Ye have need of patience, that ye may receive the promise. Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God: that we who observe the heavenly birthday of blessed Valentine thy Martyr, may by his intercession be delivered from all evils that beset us. Through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. R. Amen. Feastday: February 13 1522 - 1589 St. Catherine was born in Florence in 1522. Her baptismal name was Alexandrina, but she took the name of Catherine upon entering religion. From her earliest infancy she manifested a great love of prayer, and in her sixth year, her father placed her in the convent of Monticelli in Florence, where her aunt, Louisa de Ricci, was a nun. After a brief return home, she entered the convent of the Dominican nuns at Prat in Tuscany, in her fourteenth year. While very young, she was chosen Mistress of Novices, then subprioress, and at twenty-five years of age she became perpetual prioress. The reputation of her sanctity drew to her side many illustrious personages, among whom three later sat in the chair of Peter, namely Cerveni, Alexander de Medicis, and Aldo Brandini, and afterward Marcellus II, Clement VIII, and Leo XI respectively. She corresponded with St. Philip Neri and, while still living, she appeared to him in Rome in a miraculous manner.She is famous for the "Ecstacy of the Passion" which she experienced every Thursday from noon until Friday at 4:00 p.m. for twelve years. After a long illness she passed away in 1589. Her feast day is February 13. In the thirteenth century, when the more cultured parts of Italy were rent by the dread dissension of the Emperor Frederick the Second and by bloody civil wars, the mercy of God set forth divers men eminent for holiness, and among others raised up seven nobles of Florence, who were bound one to another in charity and have an illustrious example of brotherly love. Their names were Bonfiglio Monaldi, Bonagiunta Manetti, Manetto dell'Antella, Amadio Amidei, Uguccio Uguccioni, Sostegno Sostegni, and Alexis Falconieri. Upon the holiday of the Assumption of the Virgin into heaven in the year 1233 they were praying in the oratory of a guild called the Guild of Praise, when the same Mother of God appeared to each one of them, and bade them embrace a life of greater holiness and perfection. These seven men discussed the matter with the Bishop of Florence, and then, considering neither the nobility of their birth nor their wealth, and clad in haircloth under vile and worn-out garments, withdrew into a little house in the country upon the 8th day of September, that they might begin their holier life upon the same day whereon the Mother of God herself had by her birth begun her life of holiness upon earth. God shewed by a miracle how acceptable in his sight should be their manner of life, for a short while after, when these seven men were begging alms from door to door through the city of Florence, it came to pass that some children, among whom was holy Philip Beniti, who had then scarcely entered the fifth month of his age, called them blessed Mary's servants, by the which name they were called ever after. To avoid meeting people, and in the desire to be alone, they all withdrew together to the solitude of Monte Senario, and there began a kind of heavenly life. They lived in caves and upon herbs and water only, while they wore out their bodies with watching and other hardships, while they contemplated unweariedly the sufferings of Christ and the woes of his most sorrowful Mother. One Good Friday, when their thoughts were fixed thereon more than ever, the Blessed Virgin appeared to them twice, and shewed them her garments of mourning as those wherein they should clothe themselves. She bade them know that she would take it right well that they should raise up in the Church a new order to recall the memory of the sorrows which she bore beneath the Cross of the Lord. Holy Peter, the illustrious martyr of the Order of Friars Preachers, learnt this not only from his familiar converse with these holy men, but also from a special vision of the Mother of God, and it was on his incitement that they founded the regular Order called that of the Servites, or Servants of the Blessed Virgin, the which Order was afterward approved by the Supreme Pontiff Innocent IV. These holy men, when they had gathered to themselves some companions, began to go through the cities and towns of Italy, and especially of Tuscany, everywhere preaching Christ crucified, stilling contests among the citizens, and calling back almost countless backsliders into the path of grace. Neither did they make Italy only the field of their Gospel labours, but also France, Germany, and Poland. They passed away to be ever with the Lord when they had spread far and wide a sweet savour of Christ, and were famous also for the glory of signs and wonders. As one love of brotherhood and of the monastic life had joined them together upon earth, so one grave held their dead bodies, and one honour was paid them by the people. For this reason the Supreme Pontiffs Clement XI and Benedict XIII confirmed the honour which had for centuries been paid to them individually, and Leo XIII, after proof of their miracles which had been wrought by God on the common invocation of these saints, after their veneration had been sanctioned in the jubilee year of his priesthood, decreed to them the honours paid to Saints, and ordered that their memory should every year be kept throughout the universal Church with an Office and Mass. The worshipful Scholastica, the sister of our Father Benedict, was hallowed unto the Lord Almighty from a child. Her custom was to come to see her brother once every year. And when she came, the man of God went down unto her, not far from the gate, but, as it were, within the borders of the monastery. And there was a day when she came, as her custom was, and her worshipful brother went down to her, and his disciples with him. Then they passed the whole day together, praising God, and speaking one to the other of spiritual things. And when the night came, they brake bread together. And while they were yet at table, and conversed together on spiritual things, the hour was late. Then the holy woman his sister besought him, saying: Leave me not, I pray thee, this night, but let us speak even until morning of the gladness of the eternal life. He answered her: What is it that thou sayest, my sister? I can by no means remain out of my cell. Now the firmament was so clear that there were no clouds in the sky. Then the holy nun, when she had heard the words of her brother, that he would not abide with her, clasped her hands on the table, and laid her face on her hands, and besought the Lord Almighty. And it came to pass that when she lifted up her head from the table, there were great thunderings and lightnings, and a flood of rain, insomuch that neither the worshipful Benedict nor the brethren that were with him could move as much as a foot over the threshold of the place where they sat. Now when the holy woman laid her head in her hands upon the table, she wept bitterly, and as she wept, the clearness of the sky was turned to a tempest. As she prayed, immediately the flood followed. And the time was so, that she lifted up her head when it thundered, and when she had lifted up her head, the rain came. When the man of God saw that he could not return to his monastery, because of the lightnings, and thunderings, and the great rain, he was sorrowful and grieved, saying: Almighty God forgive thee, my sister; what is this that thou hast done? She answered him: Behold, I besought thee, and thou wouldest not hear; I besought my God, and he hath heard me; if, therefore, thou wilt, go forth, leave me alone, and go thy way to thy monastery. But he could not, and so he tarried in the same place, not willingly, but of necessity. And so it came to pass that they slept not all that night, but fed one another with discourse on spiritual things. And when the morning was come, the worshipful woman arose, and went unto her own cell, and the man of God went back to his monastery. And, behold, after three days he was sitting in his cell, and he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and saw the soul of his sister, delivered from the body, fly to heaven in a bodily shape like a dove. Wherefore he rejoiced because of the glory that was revealed in her, and gave thanks to Almighty God in hymns and praises, and made known to the brethren that she was dead. He commanded them also to go and take up her body, and bring it to his monastery, and lay it in the grave which he had made ready for himself. Whereby it came to pass that they twain who had ever been of one mind in the Lord, even in death were not divided. The praises of Cyril of Alexandria have been celebrated not only by one writer or another, but have even been registered in the acts of the Ecumenical Councils of Ephesus and Chalcedon. He was born of distinguished parents, and was the nephew of Theophilus, Bishop of Alexandria. While he was still young, he gave clear proof of his excellent understanding. After giving a deep study to letters and science he betook himself to John, Bishop of Jerusalem, to be perfected in the Christian faith. After his return to Alexandria, and the death of Theophilus, he was raised to that see. In this office he kept ever before his eyes the type of the Shepherd of souls described by the Apostle; and by ever adhering thereto deservedly earned the glory of a holy Bishop. He burned with zeal for the salvation of souls, and took all care to keep the flock entrusted to him in purity of faith and life, and to guard them from the poisonous pastures of heresy and infidelity. Hence, in accordance with law, he caused the followers of Novatus to be expelled from the city, and procured the punishment of the Jews, whose rage had led them to plan a massacre of the Christians. Cyril's singular care for the preservation of the Catholic faith shone forth especially in his conflict with Nestorius, bishop of Constantinople, who declared that Jesus Christ had been born of the Virgin Mary as man only and not as God, and that the divinity had been bestowed upon Him because of His merits. Cyril in vain attempted to convert Nestorius, and then denounced him to Pope St. Celestine. A delegate of Pope Celestine, Cyril presided at the Council of Ephesus where the Nestorian heresy was absolutely proscribed; Nestorius was condemned and deprived of his see; and the Catholic doctrine as to the unity of Person in Christ and the divine Motherhood of the glorious Virgin Mary was laid down amid the rejoicings of all the people, who escorted the bishops to their lodgings with a torch-light procession. For this reason Nestorius and his followers made Cyril the object of slanders, insults, and persecutions which he bore with profound patience, for he cared only for the faith, and paid no attention to what the heretics might do or say against him. At length he died a holy death, in the year of salvation 444, the thirty-second of his episcopacy, after having performed great labors for the Church of God, and having composed numerous works, both in refutation of paganism and heresy, in exposition of sacred Scripture, and in explanation of Catholic dogmas. Saint Apollonia, Virgin and Martyr The holy Virgin who this day claims the homage of our devotion and praise, is offered to us by the Church of Alexandria. Apollonia is a Martyr of Christ; her name is celebrated and honoured throughout the whole world; and she comes to us on this ninth day of February, to add her own example to that which we have so recently had from her Sister Saints, Agathy and Dorothy; like them, she bids us fight courageously for heaven. To her, this present life was a thing of little value, and no sooner does she receive God's inspiration to sacrifice it, than she does what her would-be executioners intended doing,--she throws herself into the flames prepared for her. It is no unusual thing, now-a-days, for men that are wearied of the trials, or afraid of the humiliations, of this world, to take away their own lives, and prefer suicide to the courageous performance of duty: but Apollonia's motive for hastening her death by a moment's anticipation was, to testify her horror of the apostasy that was proposed to her. This is not the only instance we meet with, during times of Persecution, of the Holy Spirit's inspiring this lavish sacrifice, to saintly Virgins, who trembled for their faith or their virtue. It is true, such examples are rare; but they teach us, among other things, that our lives belong to God alone, and that we should be in a readiness of mind to give them to him, when and as He pleases to demand them of us. There is one very striking circumstance in the martyrdom of St. Apollonia. Her executioners, to punish the boldness wherewith she confessed our Lord Jesus Christ, beat out her teeth. This has suggested to the Faithful, when suffering the cruel pain of tooth-ache, to have recourse to St. Apollonia; and their confidence is often rewarded, for God would have us seek the protection of his Saints, not only in our spiritual, but even in our bodily, sufferings and necessities. Apollonia was a Virgin of Alexandria. In the persecution under the Emperor Decius, when she was far advanced in years, she was brought up to trial, and ordered to pay adoration to idols. She turned from them with contempt, and declared that worship ought to be given to Jesus Christ, the true God. Whereupon, the impious executioners broke and pulled out her teeth; then lighting a pile of wood, they threatened to burn her alive, unless she would hate Christ, and adore their gods. She replied, that she was ready to suffer every kind of death for the faith of Jesus Christ. Upon this, they seized her, intending to do as they said. She stood for a moment, as though hesitating what she should do; then, snatching herself from their hold, she suddenly threw herself into the fire, for there was within her the flame of the Holy Ghost. Her body was soon consumed, and her most pure soul took its flight, and was graced with the everlasting crown of martyrdom. Source St. John of Matha, the founder of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity for the Ransom of Prisoners, was born at Faucon, in Provence, and was the child of parents equally distinguished for their rank and their godly life. He went for his education first to Aix and then to Paris. At the University of Paris, where he went through the course of Divinity and took the degree of Doctor, he became eminent for learning and virtue. For this reason the Bishop of Paris ordained him Priest, an honour from which his lowliness caused him to shrink, in the hope that he should induce him to remain at Paris, and be a bright example of wisdom and manners to the students who resorted thither. He offered up the Holy Sacrifice to God for the first time in the private Chapel of the Bishop, and in the presence of that Prelate and divers other persons. In the midst of the ceremony, a vision from God appeared to John. There appeared to him an angel, clad in raiment white and glistering; having sewn on his breast a cross of red and blue. His arms were crossed before him, and his hands were upon the heads of two slaves, one a Christian and the other a Moor. And immediately the man of God was in the spirit, and knew that he was called to the work of ransoming bondsmen from the power of the unbelievers. That he might set himself with due forethought to the carrying out of his work, he withdrew into a certain desert, and there, by the will of God, he found Felix of Valois, who had already spent many years in that place. With him he joined company, and they passed three years together in continual prayer, meditation, and all spiritual exercises. It came to pass, one day, when they were sitting on the bank of a spring, that there came to them a stag having between his horns a cross of red and blue. Felix cried out in wonder at that sight, and John then told him of the vision that had appeared to him when he was saying his first Mass. Thenceforth they gave themselves with redoubled fervour to prayer, and, being three times warned in sleep, they determined to go to Rome, and pray the Pope to institute an Order for the ransom of captives. They arrived at the time of the election of Innocent III, who received them courteously, and entertained in his mind their petition. While he was in consideration, he went to the Lateran Cathedral, on the second Feast of St. Agnes, and there, while Mass was being solemnly sung, at the moment of the elevation of the Sacred Host, there appeared to him an angel, clad in raiment white and glistering, having sewn on his breast a cross of red and blue, and making as though he would free prisoners. Thereupon the Pope founded the Order, commanding that it should be called the Order of the Most Holy Trinity for the Ransom of Captives, and that they who professed in it should be clad in white raiment, having sewn on their breasts a cross of red and blue. The Order being thus established, the holy Founders returned into France, and built their first Convent at Cerfroid, in the diocese of Meaux. Felix remained in charge of this house, and John went back to Rome with several companions. To them Innocent gave the house, church, and hospital of St. Thomas in Formis on the Caelian Hill, with great endowments and property. Moreover he gave them a letter of introduction to Miramolin, King of Morocco, and they began with bright hopes the work of ransoming captives. John next betook himself to Spain, great part of which was then in the hands of the Saracens, and stirred up the hearts of the kings, princes, and all the faithful to have pity on slaves and the poor. He built convents, founded hospitals, and ransomed many bondsmen, to the great gain of souls. At last he returned to Rome, still busied in good works, but worn out by unceasing toil, and weakened by sickness. As he drew near the end of his earthly pilgrimage, his burning love for God and for his neighbour suffered no diminution. He called together his brethren, and earnestly exhorted them to go on with that work of ransom which had been pointed out to them from heaven, and then fell asleep in the Lord, on the 21st day of December in the year of salvation 1213. His body was buried with due honour in the Church of St. Thomas in Formis. |
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