Saints of the Day & More

St Sylvester, whom God appointed to govern his holy church in the first years of her temporal prosperity and triumph over her persecuting enemies, was a native of Rome and son to Rufinus and Justa. According to the general rule with those who are saints from their cradle, he received early and in his infancy the strongest sentiments of Christian piety from the example, instructions, and care of a virtuous mother, who for his education in the sound maxims and practice of religion, and in sacred literature, put him young into the hands of Charitius, or Carinus, a priest of an unexceptionable character and great abilities. Being formed under an excellent master, he entered among the clergy of Rome and was ordained priest by Pope Marcellinus, before the peace of the church was disturbed by Diocletian and his associate in the empire. His behaviour in those turbulent and dangerous times recommended him to the public esteem, and he saw the triumph of the cross by the victory which Constantine...

Felix was chosen as Pope on 5 January 269. Felix was the author of an important dogmatic letter on the unity of Christ's Person. He received the emperor Aurelian's aid in settling a theological dispute between the anti-Trinitarian Paul of Samosata, who had been deprived of the bishopric Antioch by a council of bishops for heresy and the orthodox Domnus, Paul's successor. Paul refused to give way, and in 272 the emperor Aurelian was asked to decide between the rivals. He ordered the church building to be given to the bishop who was "recognized by the bishops of Italy and of the city of Rome". The notice about Felix in the "Liber Pontificalis" ascribes to him a decree that Masses should be celebrated on the tombs of martyrs, The author of this entry was evidently alluding to the custom of celebrating Mass privately at the altars near or over the tombs of the martyrs in the crypts of the catacombs ,while the solemn celebration always took place in the basil...

Thomas Becket was born in London,England in 1118. He was a cleric of the diocese of Canterbury,he first became chancellor to the king and then in 1162 was chosen bishop. His tireless defense of rights of the Church against Henry the II prompted the king to exile Becket to France for six years. After returning to his homeland, he endured many trials and in 1170 was murdered by agents of the king, for not denouncing his faith. He was martyred by being decapitated. He was the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is recognized in the Catholic Church as a Bishop and Martyr. His Patron Saint of Independence of the Church against the State. His attributes are the palm of martyrdom and a sword stuck in his skull. He was canonized by Pope Alexander III. Prayer Almighty and eternal God may the life and martyrdom of your servant Thomas help us be born in you in heaven so we to can be saints. AMEN

In the second chapter of the Book of Matthew is recorded the story of the Massacre of the Holy Innocents, an event which recalls the Pharaoh's instructions to midwives during the time Israel was enslaved in Egypt: Exodus 1:15-16, 22: And the king of Egypt spoke to the midwives of the Hebrews: of whom one was called Sephora, the other Phua, Commanding them: When you shall do the office of midwives to the Hebrew women, and the time of delivery is come: if it be a man child, kill it: if a woman, keep it alive... ...Pharaoh therefore charged all his people, saying: Whatsoever shall be born of the male sex, ye shall cast into the river: whatsoever of the female, ye shall save alive. Since the sixth century, on December 28, the Church has celebrated the memory of those children killed because of Herod's rage against Christ (Mt 2:16-17). Liturgical tradition refers to them as the "Holy Innocents" and regards them as martyrs. Throughout the centuries Christian art, poetry and...

John son of Zebedee and Salome, brother of James, was able to capture images with exquisite literary sublime thoughts of God. Man of spiritual elevation, is considered the eagle that rises to the dizzy heights of the Trinitarian mystery, "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." It's the closest to Jesus and he is near at the most solemn of his life. It is with him at the Last Supper, during the process and, alone among the apostles, witnesses his death at the hand of the Virgin. At the foot of the cross John represented us when Jesus told him Mary was his mother. Making Mary our mother . But contrary to what may suggest the representations of art, John was not a fanciful and delicate man, and it would put the nickname Master him and his brother James - "sons of thunder" - to show us a lively temperament and impulsive, outside commitments and doubts, to seem intolerant. In the Gospel he presents himself as "the discipl...

Stephen was born in the 1st Century in Jerusalem. Stephen is the very First Martyr in the Catholic Church, this is why he is referred to as a ProtoMartyr. Stephen's story is in Acts 6:5-15 and Acts 7:55-60. Stephen was chosen by the The Twelve (Peter, Andrew, John, James, James,Phillip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, Thaddeus, Simon and Barnabas.)to be another follower and proclaim the " good news " that was Christ. Since Peter was made the Bishop and later Pope by Christ, he and the Twelve decided to make St. Stephen a Deacon. Stephen is usually depicted in the Deacon's Dalmatic also with the stones at his head and with the Palm of the Martyr(as we see above). Later on in the Acts of the Apostles it mentions where St. Stephen had traveled to Acts 11:19-20. While they killed Stephen a young man named Saul of Tarsus who had approved of the killing later proclaimed a mass persicution of any Christians. To this many went into hiding but many were killed such as Stephen. T...

The Nativity of Our Lord is one of the world's most celebrated Christian Traditions. Christ was born in the manger in the town of Bethlehem. The Nativity was announced at the Annunciation and ended at the Nativity. Before that was the birth of Saint John the Baptist. While the Virgin Mary was pregnant Saint Joseph took her on a donkey to Bethlehem so the Child Jesus could be born among us. While Christ was being born the Three Wise Men went to King Herod's temple. They thought that the new born king was in the temple. They asked Herod where the new born King Of The Jews was. Herod got worried that Jesus was going to throw him of his throne. Herod told them when they found Jesus to tell him where he was so he could pay his salutations to Christ. The Three Wise Men followed a star to get to Jesus. While Mary and Joseph were looking for some place to stay they saw an inn but it was full. They went to the manger where people put their donkeys,horses,cows,and pigs. Once they went in...

Born in Barcelona, Spain, 1189. At 15, he suffers the death of his father and is ready to share their many blessings to sanctify what her mother nods. Years later, being of marriageable age, a pilgrimage to Montserrat. There, at the foot of the Virgin, could understand the emptiness of worldly vanities and the treasure of eternal life. He promised then to the Virgin kept pure and devoted to your service. Those were the times that Muslims had looted the coasts and Christians as slaves to Africa. The horrible condition of these victims was indescribable. So many were losing faith believing that God had abandoned them. Pedro Nolasco was a merchant. Decided to dedicate his fortune to the release of the greatest number of slaves. He remembered the words of the gospel: "Do not store their fortune in this land where thieves to steal and moth devours and rust to corrode. Store their wealth in heaven, where no thieves who steal, neither moth nor rust devour that the damage "Mt 6:20. I...

They were daughters of Dagobert II. Dagobert acceded to the throne of Austrasia at the age of seven, upon the death of Sigebert III, but was quickly deposed. Dagobert fled to Ireland and returned to Metz in 673 and claimed the throne. During exile, he married an Anglo-Saxon princess named Matilda and had five children, with saints Adela and Irmina among them. Both women were engaged to marriage to noblemen, but both became widows. Irmina was widowed before her marriage, and she founded a Benedictine convent at Horren in Trier. When a plague threatened her community, she gained the help of Saint Willibrord. When the pestilence passed by the convent, she gave Willibrord the lands for his abbey in Echternach. Adela was married and had a child by her husband, Alberic. Alberic died within a few years of the marriage. Despite multiple marriage offers, she chose to take up holy orders as well. She founded the convent of Palatiolum in lands that were then undeveloped outside of Trier. The site...

Born at Kenty, near Oswiecim, Diocese of Krakow, Poland, 1412 died at Krakow, 1473, and was buried there under the church of St. Anne; his feast is on 20 October. He was the son of Stanislaus and Anne who were pious country people; he received his primary education at his native town, and then being sent by his parents to the Academy of Krakow, he soon impressed his professors and colleagues with his pleasant and amiable disposition; always happy, but serious, humble, and godly, he won the hearts of all who came in contact with him. Having made excellent progress in the study of philosophical and theological sciences, he was graduated first as bachelor, then as master and doctor, was ordained priest and then appointed professor of theology at the Academy of Krakow, from where he was sent, after a short time, by his superiors to Olkusz, Diocese of Krakow, to be parish priest. Being afraid of the great responsibility of parish work, he very soon left the parish, and was again appointed p...

Bishop of Nilopolis, in Egypt. When the persecution was instituted by Emperor Trajanus Decius, Chaeromon was an elderly man. He and several companions fled into the Arabian desert and were never seen again. The bishop and his companions are listed as martyrs. There is hardly anything known about Saint Chaeromon other than the information written above. Prayer Lord, you led your humble servant Chaeromon into the land of Martyrs, let us follow his example and never fear death for the Faith. AMEN .

Saint Peter Kanijs born in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, in 1521, and may be defined as a hierrro placed between the anvil, ie white irritation raised his clear preaching in Protestant circles, and the malevolence that I tried envy among them fellow religion. Son of the mayor of Nijmegen, Pedro Kanijs, Latin Canicius, was able to attend excellent schools: canon law and civil law at Louvain in Cologne. In this city liked to spend free time in the monastery of the Carthusians. No one suspected that the young lawyer, whom the father had secured support in his profession, take a hair shirt under her dress. Reading the brief treatise on the Spiritual Exercises, had recently written to San Ignacio, determined the turning point of his life: the pious practice ended in Mainz under the direction of Father Faber, entered the Society of Jesus and was the eighth Jesuit in solemn vows. The young congregation was able to cultivate their favorite studies and their love of learning, to Him we owe the pub...

Benedictine abbot and defender of the faith. Born in Canas, Navarre, Spain, circa 1000, he entered the Benedictines at San Millan de Ia Cogolla. King Garcia III of Navarre challenged him when he became abbot of the monastery, and Dominic refused to surrender part of the Benedictine lands to the crown. For this he was exiled, going to King Ferdinand I of Castile and Leon, who made him abbot of St. Sebastian Abbey at Silos, now called St. Dominic’s. Dominic reformed the abbey, built the cloisters in Romanesque style, and started a scriptorium that became famous throughout the region. One of the most beloved saints in Spain, Dominic also rescued Christian slaves from the Moors. Dominic’s shrine is noted for its place in the birth of Dominic de Guzman, the founder of the Order of Preachers. Dominic de Guzman’s mother begged for a child there. Dominic was also noted for miracles of healing. Prayer Lord may the memory of St. Dominic of Silos be an example, so that we too may live a life of s...

Nation was Roman, his father was called Maximus. He was elected Pope Gratian prevail, and it happened in the Apostolic San Sericius in December 398. He had the high priesthood three years, ten months and twenty days. Was that priests were not seated, but standing and leaning when Evagelia read or sing in the church, and that no pilgrim was largely if Transmarine, was admitted into the clergy if he brought no witness who was sealed and signed by five bishops. This ordered by the Manichean, which then were much esteemed in Africa, and to corrupt Catholics sent many of their people to various parts where they could plant their heresies. Was also weak or crippled, or any others that lacked any member, were not clerics. Consecrated the church in the region called Crescentina second in via Mamertine. Held twice orders for the month of December, and ordered them to 8 priests, 5 deacons and 10 bishops, and having served the Lord faithfully (because the world was not worthy of enjoying long tim...

Celebrated on 18 December by nearly the entire Latin Church. Owing to the ancient law of the Church prohibiting the celebration of feasts during Lent (a law still in vigour at Milan ), the Spanish Church transferred the feast of the Annunciation from 25 March to the season of Advent, the Tenth Council of Toledo (656) assigning it definitely to 18 December. It was kept with a solemn octave. When the Latin Church ceased to observe the ancient custom regarding feasts in Lent, the Annunciation came to be celebrated twice in Spain, viz. 25 March and 18 December, in the calendars of both the Mozarabic and the Roman Rite (Missale Gothicum, ed. Migne, pp. 170, 734). The feast of 18 December was commonly called, even in the liturgical books , "S. Maria de la O", because on that day the clerics in the choir after Vespers used to utter a loud and protracted "O", to express the longing of the universe for the coming of the Redeemer (Tamayo, Mart. Hisp., VI, 485). The Roman ...

The first and main source of information we have is the Gospel of Lazarus. Bethany lives in a short distance from Jerusalem, as I like to call a residential area. His house is also home to Saint Martha and Saint Mary of Bethany her sisters. And until it feels the Gospel story is not he who calls the shots at the mansion. It seems to Marta who manages the day roost. Someone has been attributed to the poor health of Lazarus that fact certainly rare in a society in which women painted little or at least did not have much to say. Nor do I assert that this assumption is supported by the story, because it could be that the age difference between them is a figure for the prevalence of Martha that perhaps should take over the house after the death of his parents who On the other hand, we have not the slightest reference. The fact is that Jesus Christ often visited the house well when moved from side to side in his apostolic wanderings when I needed a shelter or rest to rest your tired body. He...

Saint Mary (Paula) Di Rosa December 15 The pounding on the barricaded door of the military hospital sent every heart thudding in terror. In the middle of the war in Brescia (Italy) in 1848, the wounded, sick, and those who cared for them knew what that pounding meant. The shouts from beyond the door came from soldiers, not obeying any command but their inner desire to destroy and plunder. Who could do anything to stop them? The only people here were some Sisters, the Handmaids of Charity, who devoted themselves to helping the sick. The doctors had not even wanted them there. The doctors wanted medical people who were secular and military, not nuns. And in the face of this new danger they were even more useless! Worse than useless -- because that Paula (as she was known) di Rosa was actually moving to open the door! When the door swung wide, the soldiers saw their way blocked with a great crucifix held by Paula di Rosa and two candles held by two of the six sisters who stood by her. Sud...

Virginia Centurione, Bracelli widow, was born on April 2, 1587 in Genoa (Italy). She was the daughter of George Centurione, Doge of the Republic in the year 1621-1622, and Lelia Spinola, both descendants of ancient noble families. Baptized two days later, received her first religious and literary formation of his mother and a tutor. Although since his teens expressed an inclination to the life of the cloister, had to accept the decision of his father, who wanted to marry, on 10 December 1602, with Grimaldi Bracelli Gaspar, a young wealthy heir of an illustrious family, but inclined to a disorderly life and gambling addiction. She gave birth to two daughters: Lelia and Isabella. Virginia married life was short lived. Gaspar Bracelli, however the marriage and parenthood, did not abandon his dissipated lifestyle, to the point of endangering its own existence. Virginia, with her great patience, prayer and affection, tried to convince her husband to undertake a modest life. Unfortunately, G...

Born in Spain in 1542, John learned the importance of self-sacrificing love from his parents. His father gave up wealth, status, and comfort when he married a weaver's daughter and was disowned by his noble family. After his father died, his mother kept the destitute family together as they wandered homeless in search of work. These were the examples of sacrifice that John followed with his own great love -- God. When the family finally found work, John still went hungry in the middle of the wealthiest city in Spain. At fourteen, John took a job caring for hospital patients who suffered from incurable diseases and madness. It was out of this poverty and suffering, that John learned to search for beauty and happiness not in the world, but in God. After John joined the Carmelite order, Saint Teresa of Avila asked him to help her reform movement. John supported her belief that the order should return to its life of prayer. But many Carmelites felt threatened by this reform, and some m...

St.Lucy was born in Sicily 283 AD.Lucy was a beautiful rich virgin.Lucy had a many young men who wanted to marry her.Lucy denied them because she took the vows of virginity.One day one young man saw her and asked to marry him.She denied him.He got frustrated at her and accused her of being Catholic.In 304 the emperor tried to make her denounce her faith.But she would always say "Long Live Christ the King and the Holy Spirit." So he asked her "Is the holy spirit in you?" She responded "Those who's hearts are pure are the temples of the Holy Spirit." The emperor was furious and told her furiously "Well I will make you fall in to the hands of sin and the Holy Spirit will abandon you." She responded again saying "I will never happen because the Holy Spirit will protect me." But nothing could make her sin. She said to them "Do you not see I am the temple of the Holy Spirit and that he protects me?" The emperor had her eyes take...

On the morning of that cold 12th day of December, on the hill of Tepeyac a Miracle occurred which lead to conversion of many Natives of the Mexico. The Blessed Mother of Christ had appeared for the very first time in the Americas, and not to a wise man, nor king, nor priest, Our Blessed Mother appeared to the humble Indian of Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin. As he walked the 4 miles to get to the nearby church to attend to mass and catechism, Juan Diego was amazed at what he heard; he was hearing the sweetest songs from the sweetest birds, but before him stood the Ever Virgin Mary. At first he was startled and took precautions, but then the Virgin said to him "Juan Diego, my beloved little boy where are you off to?" To this Juan Diego shied away but then replied with "My little lady, my beloved I am off to church so I can learn about the Glorious teachings of God." Our Lady told Juan Diego to go to the Bishop and tell him that she wanted them to build a church on that gr...

Born in Madrid on 4 November 1891. From his childhood he wished to devote himself to God and devoted his youth to help the needy. Attracted by the spirituality of St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross, and moved by his love for the Virgin Mary, entered the Caramel of El Escorial on October 12, 1919. In 1924 he founded a monastery of Carmelite nuns in El Cerro de los Angeles, the geographical center of the peninsula, near the monument of the Sacred Heart, as a place of prayer and sacrifice for the Church and Spain. During the religious persecution Mother Maravillas was noted for its spirit of reparation, strength, serenity and trust in the Lord. Under the sign of fidelity to Santa Teresa founded ten places Carmels recovering Teresa and John of the Cross tradition. Prioress for many years, taught his sisters testified about their virtues and distinguished himself by his mystical life, apostolic zeal and kindness combined with firmness against those who had the real mother. He die...

St. Eulalia and Julia of Merida, Virgins and Martyrs. Eulalia and Julia of Merida were born in Spain in the last decade of the third century. It is almost universally accepted that she and her sister suffered martyrdom for the Faith. What little else is known of her to date is based mostly on legend. It is believed that Eulalia, as a twelve year old girl, tried to remonstrate with Judge Dacian of Merida for forcing Christians to worship false gods in accord with the edict of Diocletian. Even though Dacian was at first amused and tried to flatter her, Eulalia would not deny Christ. St. Eulalia shouted out "Isis Apollo Venus nihil est,Maximianus et ipse nihil:illa nihil, quia facta manu;hic, manuum quia facta colit" which translates to "Isis, Apollo and Venus are naught,Nor is Maximian anything more;Nothing are they, for by hand they were wrought,He, for of hands he the work doth adore." Finally, Dacian ordered that her body be torn by iron hooks. Fire was applied to ...

Juan Diego was born July 12, 1474,Calpulli of Tlayacac,Cuauhtitlan, Mexico. He was a humble Indian, an ethnic Indian Chichimecs, born around the year 1474, in Cuautitlan, which at that time belonged to the kingdom of Texcoco. Juan Diego was baptized by the first Franciscans, about 1524. In 1531, Juan Diego was a mature man, as about 57 years old, built others with his testimony and his word, in fact, approached him to intercede for the needs, demands and pleas from his people; and "asked and begged that the Lady of the sky, all was granted." Juan Diego was a righteous man, the seeds of those virtues were inculcated, cared for and protected by their ancient culture and education, but were full when Juan Diego had the great privilege of meeting with the Mother of God, Holy Mary of Guadalupe, where instructed to wear at the head of the Church and the whole world the message of unity, peace and love for all men, it was this meeting and this wonderful mission that gave fullness to...

In the eighth century it became a feast of the Roman Catholic Church. It is the only one of Mary's feasts that came to the Western Church not by way of Rome, but instead spread from the Byzantine area to Naples and then to Normandy during their period of dominance over southern Italy. From there it spread into England, France, Germany, and eventually Rome. Prior to Pope Pius IX's definition of the Immaculate Conception as a Roman Catholic dogma in 1854, most missals referred to it as the Feast of the Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The festal texts of this period focused more on the action of her conception than on the theological question of her preservation from original sin. A missal published in England in 1806 indicates the same collect for the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary was used for this feast as well. The first move towards describing Mary's conception as "immaculate" came in the eleventh century. In the fifteenth century Pope S...

The young prefect of Liguria and Emilia Ambrosio was born in Trier about the year 340, a Roman family. It was still a catechumen, by acclamation when he was elected to the see of Milan, December 7, 374. Within Christian religion had to learn almost everything, and were devoted primarily to studying the Bible so hard that soon learned thoroughly. But Ambrose was not a pure intellectual: it was above all an excellent administrator of the Christian community. It was a real spiritual father of the young emperors Gratian and Valentinian II and Theodosius I dreaded, who did not hesitate to criticize harshly, demanding a public penance in atonement for having murdered the people of Thessalonica to end a revolt. Ambrose is the symbol of the church reborn after the hard years of hiding and persecution. Through him the Church of Rome tried without any servility to political power. His personal qualities were what attracted her devoted attention. Ambrose daily activity was devoted to conducting t...

St. Nicholas, called "of Bari", Bishop of Myra (Fourth Century) 6 Dec. Feast day. The great veneration with which this saint has been honored for many ages and the number of altars and churches which have been everywhere dedicated in his memory are testimonials to his holiness and of the glory which he enjoys with God. He is said to have been born at Patara in Lycia, a province of Asia Minor. Myra, the capital, not far from the sea, was an episcopal see, and this church falling vacant, the holy Nicholas was chosen bishop, and in that station became famous by his extraordinary piety and zeal and many astonishing miracles. The Greek histories of his life agree that he suffered imprisonment of the faith and made a glorious confession in the latter part of the persecution raised by Dioletian, and that he was present at the Council of Nicaea and there condemned Arianism. The silence of other authors makes many justly suspect these circumstances. He died at Myra, and was buried in ...