Saints of the Day & More

He was born near Normandy, France, where he was made a knight in the First Crusade. The stories given for his patronage of boaters vary. Some state that he was captured by Muslims in The Crusade, and escaped persecution by swimming. Additional legends state that it was in fact angels who freed him from his captors, and his association with the seas came when he calmed a whirlpool by throwing Holy water, and the chains of his captivity into it, and signing the cross. He returned to France and entered the abbey of Tiron. There he became a recluse, remaining recollected until his death of April 30.

San Pedro, Dominican martyr, born towards 1205, in Verona, the Italian city of Lombardy prey to the heresy of the Cathars, propagators of Manichaeism in the central and northern Italy. These heretics Puritans, of warlike spirit and sectarian. Peter is a very intelligent, sincere, friendly and firm in his decisions, it seems destined to be an apostle of the heretical world, his family has no problems that a child's education is headed by a Catholic teacher. Peter has grown. The University of Bologna is deservedly famous, but still enjoys greater influence Saint Dominic, the founder of the Dominicans and their followers that captivate both students and teachers. Many people join the newly founded Order of Preachers. Peter at 16, is fascinated by the burning words of Fray Domingo de Guzman and received the Dominican habit of his hands. Youth vehemently dedicated to the study, prayer and lives of austerity and penance in a radical, all is faithful follower of Dominic de Guzman. After t...

What a marvelous life of Saint Catherine of Siena is not unusual for both the role played in the history of his time, but how exquisitely feminine with what worked. The Pope, whom she called by the name of "sweet Christ on earth," he complained the little courage and invited him to leave Avignon and return to Rome, with most human words as these: "Courage, manfully, Father! I tell him not to be shaking. " A young man who sentenced to death and had accompanied her to the scaffold, he said at the last moment "to weddings, sweet my brother! soon you'll be in the long life. " But the voice of submissive women changed in tone and often resulted in that "I want" that brooked no misrepresentations when it came into play the good of the Church and harmony among citizens. Catherine was born in Siena (Italy) on March 25, 1347 and was the twenty-fourth daughter of James and Lapa Benincasa. At seven years held its mystical marriage with Christ. This was ...

Born poor. Studied in Paris, France, and ordained in 1700. While a seminarian he delighted in researching the writings of Church Fathers, Doctors and Saints as they related to the Blessed Virgin Mary, to whom he was singularly devoted. Under Mary’s inspiration, he founded the Congregation of the Daughters of Divine Wisdom, a religious institute of women devoted to the care of the desititute. During this work, he began his apostolate of preaching the Rosary and authentic Marian devotion. He preached so forcefully and effectively against the errors of Jansenism that he was expelled from several dioceses in France. In Rome Pope Clement XI conferred on him the title and authority of Missionary Apostolic, which enabled him to continue his apostolate after returning to France. He preached Mary everywhere and to everyone. A member of the Third Order of Saint Dominic, Saint Louis was one of the greatest apostles of the Rosary in his day, and by means his miraculously inspiring book, The Secret...

The Virgin of Montserrat was declared patron saint of Catalonia by Pope Leo XIII. Etymologically means "serrated mountain." It comes from French. Among a sea of natural beauty, rocks, peaks and shrines stands the shrine of the Virgin of Montserrat that appears in the ninth century. During the time of the abbots Oliva Ripoll and spread a lot .. The latter gave a huge boost to his cult. Practically, since it so far remains in place, and thousands and thousands of pilgrims from Catalonia, Spain and abroad spend days or hours praying before Moreneta of Serra. And from then until now is a great expansion of this Marian devotion. Pope Leo XIII granted the privilege to be the first Virgin crowned and named patroness of Catalonia. References: Catholic.Net The world of legend is no stranger to all these virgins. This, for example, is attributed to Luke. He says it was he who carved or carved. Virgin is a very beautiful Romanesque and Child on her knees in an attitude of blessing to al...

The story of how the miraculous fresco of Our Lady of Good Counsel left Albania and traveled to Italy is one that is marvelous and true. There is a little town, about 25 miles outside of Rome, called Genazzano. In pagan times it was a celebrated shrine for the worship of Venus, but in the fourth century a church was built there in honor of Our Lady and called the Church of the Virgin Mother of Good Counsel. Through the course of time the church was abandoned and almost fell into ruins. So it remained until the mid 15th century when a pious woman gave all she had for its restoration. This story is about that pious woman, who in many ways is a symbol for our times. Most of the time her name is lost in the marvel of the facts of the story. She is simply recorded as a pious widow, a tertiary of the Order of St. Augustine, and perhaps she would have it that way. But it seems to me that the story and the miracle of image of Our Lady of Good Counsel of Genazzano is in a special way her story,...

Patron of lawyers, notaries, stained glass artists, captives of Egypt, Venice, against impenitence and insect bites. St. Mark is a Jew from Jerusalem, accompanied St. Paul and St. Barnabas, his cousin, to Antioch in the first such mission trip (Acts 12, 25), also accompanied Paul to Rome. He left them at Perga and returned to his home. (Acts 13:13). We do not know the reasons for this separation but if we know that later caused a separation between St. Paul and St. Barnabas, when St. Paul refused to accept St. Mark. St. Barnabas was so angry that he broke his missionary association with St. Paul and went to Cyprus with Mark (Acts 15.36-39). Years later, St. Paul and St. Mark returned to join in a mission trip. He was a disciple of St. Peter and interpreter of it in his Gospel, the second canonical Gospel (the first written). St. Mark wrote in Greek in simple and strong. In their terminology is understood that his audience was Christian. His gospel contains history and theology. Debate ...

St. Fidelis was born in 1577, at Sigmaringen, Prussia. He was ordained a priest in 1612, and immediately afterwards was received into the Order of Friars Minor of the Capuchin Reform at Freiburg, taking the name of Fidelis. He has left an interesting memorial of his novitiate and of his spiritual development at that time in a book of spiritual exercises which he wrote for himself. This work was re-edited by Father Michael Hetzenauer, O.F.M. Cap., and republished in 1893 at Stuttgart under the title: "S. Fidelis a Sigmaringen exercitia seraphicae devotionis". From the beginning of his apostolic career he was untiring in his efforts to convert heretics nor did he confine his efforts in this direction to the pulpit, but also used his pen. He wrote many pamphlets against Calvinism and Zwinglianism though he would never put his name to his writings. Unfortunately these publications have long been lost. Fidelis was still guardian of the community at Feldkirch when in 1621 he was ap...

The life of St George is popular in Europe during the Middle Ages, thanks to a rather "sober" in their reporting. According to legend, the saint was a Christian knight who seriously injured a swamp dragon that terrorized the inhabitants of a small town. The people seized with fear was about to flee, when St. George said he had only to believe in Jesus Christ for the dragon died. The king and his subjects became the point and the monster died. By then broke the cruel persecution of Diocletian and Maximian, the saint then began to encourage those who hesitate in the faith, for which he received cruel punishment and torture, but all in vain. The emperor ordered the beheading of the saint, a sentence that was carried out without difficulty, but when Diocletian returned from the execution site was consumed by fire down from heaven. This popular version of the saint's life, which actually leads to St. George was truly a martyr Diospolis (ie Lydda) in Palestine, probably before ...

Saints Epipodius and Alexander, are venerated as Christian saints. Their feast day is 22 April. Epipodius was a native of Lyon; Alexander was said to be a native of Phrygia, and a physician by profession. They were both martyred during the reign of Marcus Aurelius. Epipodius and Alexander are said to have been close friends since childhood. Epipodius is said to have been a confirmed celibate bachelor, though he never joined a religious order. He devoted his time to Christian works and was betrayed to imperial authorities by a servant. Both men were subsequently imprisoned, tortured, and condemned to be devoured by wild beasts in the amphitheatre, and died "neither uttering a groan nor a syllable, but conversing in their heart with God."

The Holy Infant of Good Health is a statue of the Christ Child regarded by many to be miraculous, which was found in 1939, in Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico. The statue is eleven inches tall and has apparently been responsible for many healings. The veneration of the statue was approved by Luis M. Altamirano y Bulnes, Archbishop of Morelia, in 1944. That same year, the image was solemnly crowned by pontifical command. On January 5, 1959, a replica of the Infant was presented to Blessed Pope John XXIII. And on November 12, 1970, an Order of Religious sisters, the Missionaries of the Holy Infant of Good Health, were founded in Morelia. The Holy Infant of Good Health.The little statue is dressed "with symbols of the power of Christ, wearing a royal mantle, trimmed in ermine, a golden scepter in the left hand while the right is raised in blessing, and on the head an imperial crown of precious stones." The Holy Infant of Good Health's Feast Day is celebrated on April 21st. This is...

Agnes was born into a noble family in Gracciano, a small village near Montepulciano in Tuscany, Italy where, at the age of nine, she entered the monastery (or convent). in 1281, the administration of the castle of Proceno, a fief of Orvieto, invited the nuns of Montepulciano to send some of their sisters to Proceno to found a new convent. Agnes was among the sisters at the new convent. In 1288 Agnes, despite her youth at 20 years of age, was selected as prioress. There she gained a reputation for performing miracles: people suffering from mental and physical ailments seemed cured by her presence. She was reported to have "multiplied loaves", creating many from a few on numerous occasions, recalling the Gospel miracle of the loaves and fishes. Later about 1306, Agnes established a convent of Dominican nuns in Gracciano. She presided over this convent until her death. After her death, her body was said to remain incorrupt rather than decomposing. It was reported that a perfumed...

St. Expeditus was commander of a Roman legion and as such defended the Empire against the invasions of the barbarians. By becoming a Christian was martyred (possibly by the Emperor Diocletian) in Melitene, Armenia (now Malatya, Turkey). Along with him died his comrades in arms: Caio, Galatians, Hermogenes, and Rufus Aristonicus. Many other martyrs gave glory to God in his time, including St. Philomena and St. George. According to tradition, at the time of conversion, the devil came to him in the form of a crow shouted "cras, cras cras" (in Latin means "Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Tomorrow"). So trying to persuade him to leave his decision later as the devil knows that what is left for tomorrow is much chance of that is undone. But the raven tempting crushed Expedito promptly saying "Hodi, Hodi, Hodi!" (TODAY, TODAY, TODAY). Do not leave anything for tomorrow, from today I will be Christian. "Thus he became a soldier of Christ, since that time using his courag...

Perfectus was born in Córdoba when the area was under the control of the Moors (the Umayyad Caliphate). Perfecto was a monk and ordained priest. He served at the basilica of St. Acisclus in Córdoba. Christians were tolerated in the area, but not uniformly. According to his legend, in 850, Perfecto was challenged by two Muslim men to say who was the greater prophet: Jesus or Mohammed. At first he refrained from responding, so as not to provoke them; but they insisted that he give them an answer, promising to protect him from reprisals. He then told them in Arabic that Muhammed was a false prophet and that he was an immoral man for supposedly seducing his adopted son's wife. The Muslims kept their promise and let him go, but several days later some of them changed their mind and had him arrested. They had friends seize Perfecto (so as to not be forsworn) and tried. Perfecto was found guilty of blasphemy by the Islamic court and was executed. The legend says that Perfecto's final ...

The information we have about his life are few. It is the tenth successor of St. Peter was pope from St. Pius I and Saint Sotero, ruled the Church by the time they last eleven years from 155 to 166 - and was a native of Emesa in Syria. The circumstances under which worked are given by the social, political, economic and cultural life of the time. In the second century Greek was used as the language worship, the Popes are usually from poor families of the people elected for that service choice for martyrdom was (until the fourth century all popes gave their lives for the faith). The care or service to the brothers had to be intense, self-sacrificing, courageous, generous and very demanding but full of goodness. The disciples of Jesus had increased every day still a precarious existence even in periods of peace. Even with the Antonines, death to the Christian could be behind any allegations or event, to the Stoic Marcus Aurelius believed that the patience of the Christian martyrs was fan...

Benedict Joseph Labre was the oldest of fifteen children in a prosperous middle class family. Educated by his uncle, a parish priest. Following his uncle’s death, he tried to join the Trappists, Carthusians, and Cistercians, but was rejected by them all. He spent years wandering Europe, especially Rome, Italy, in complete poverty, spending his days in perpetual adoration in the cathedrals. Given to religious ecstacies when contemplating the crown of thorns; reputed to float, soar, and bilocate when in these swoons. He begged in the streets, and if he was given more than he needed for the day, he would give the remainder to some one he considered more in need than he was. Benedict healed some of his fellow homeless, and was reported to have multiplied bread for them. Noted counselor to people of all walks in Rome. He died in a hospice, exhausted from his life of austerity. His biography, written by his confessor Marconi, describes 136 miraculous cures attributed to him within three mont...

Saint Paternus of Avranches in Normandy (c. 482-565) was born around the year 482, although the exact year is unknown, in Poitiers, Poitou. He was born into a Christian family. His father Patranus went to Ireland to spend his days as a hermit in holy solitude. Because of this, Paternus embraced religious life. He became a monk at the Abbey of Marnes in France. Later on, St Paternus went to Wales where he built a monastery called Llanpatenvaur.Before long, he wished to attain the perfection of Christian virtue by a life of penance in solitude. He went into solitude with his fellow monk, Saint Scubilion. The forest of Seicy in the diocese of Coutances was the place he became a hermit. At a later date, the abbot of the region who knew Paternus recommended him to the Bishop of Coutances and the bishop made him a priest in 512. Together with St Scubilion he evangelized the western coasts and established several monasteries of which he was made the abbot general. Prayer Father may we follow ...

Peter Gonzales, also known as St. Elmo or St. Telmo, was born to a Castilian family of nobility. He was educated by his uncle, the Bishop of Astorga, named canon of the local cathedral, famous for his penances and mortifications, joined the Dominican Order, preached and made chaplain of the court of King St. Ferdinand III. He converted and influenced the soldiers of his country, evangelized, and died on Easter Sunday. He was canonized by Pope Benedict XIV in 1741. Peter evangelized throughout his country and all along the coast. He had a special fondness for sailors. He used to visit them aboard their ships, preaching the Gospel and praying for their needs.

A native of Todi and deacon of the Roman Church, Martin was elected pope to succeed Pope Theodore, who died on May 13, 649. Immediately demonstrated very strongly in the conduct of the Church. Indeed, no consent asked or hoped for election by the emperor Constans II had issued a year before the type, a document in defense of the thesis of the Monothelites heretical. To stop the spread of this heresy, three months after his election, Pope Martin convened at the Lateran Basilica a great council, to which were invited all the bishops of the West. The condemnation of all pleadings Monothelites, solemnly declared in the five sessions the council, raised the furious reaction of the Byzantine court. The emperor ordered the Exarch of Ravenna, Olimpio, who was arrested in Rome and the Pope. Olimpio proposed not only meet the imperial orders, but tried to assassinate the Pope by a gunman during the celebration of Mass at Santa Maria Maggiore. At the time of receiving the Host in the hands of the...

From his life, compiled from his writings And other monuments, by Peter and Jerome Ballerini, two learned priests of Verona, and brothers, in their third dissertation in the excellent edition they gave of this father's works, p. 109. See also the marquis Scipio Maffei, Historia Diplomaticae Monumenta, at the end, p. 329. Also the same author, Veronae Illustratae, par. II. The history of the translation of his relics by an anonymous monk; and Serie Chronologica dei Vescovi di Verona, par Biancolini, a Verona, 1761, 4to. This holy prelate is styled a martyr by St. Gregory the Great, and in several martyrologies. But was honored only with the title of confessor, in the ancient missal of Verona, before the time of Lewis Lippoman, bishop of that city, in 1548:. and it appears, from the manner in which St. Ambrose, who was his contemporary, writing to Syagrius, our saint's successor, speaks of his happy death, and extols his eminent sanctity, that he did not die by the sword. Living ...

The history of this holy, so close to us by the time (1878-1903) and the customs of everyday life, is incredible things for the mystical phenomena which he starred. In certain periods of his tormented life endured harassment of any kind. The devil appeared to her to under the figure of the confessor to suggest obscenities. Other times he appeared as a bright angel, when she was unmasked, disappeared into a red flame on the ground leaving a trail of ashes. Sometimes he beat her and left her lifeless on the floor, where their faces were swollen and dislocated bones. But often encouraged the company of Christ, the Virgin and her guardian angel. So she narrated, for obedience, the events preceding the mysterious phenomenon of stigmata: "It was the night of June 8, 1899, when suddenly I feel a pain inside of my sins ... Jesus appeared with all the open wounds, but could not get those wounds and blood, but that came about as flames of fire, which came to touch my hands, my feet and my h...

Michael decided at age six that he wanted to be a monk. Imposed such austerities on himself as a child that he had to be restrained. Orphaned, he became the apprentice of a merchant. Tried to join the Trinitarian monastery at Barcelona at age 12. Took his vows at age 15 at the monastery of Saint Lambert at Saragossa on 5 September 1607. Later felt drawn to the more austere Discalced Trinitarians; began his novitiate at Madrid, studied in Seville and Salamanca and took vows at Alcalá. Priest. Twice elected superior of the monastery at Valladolid. Lived a life of prayer and great mortification; especially devout towards the Holy Eucharist, and is said to have been rapt in ecstasy several times during Consecration. He was considered by his brothers to be a saint in life.

Saint Waltrude is the patron saint of Mons, Belgium, where she is known in French as Sainte Waudru, and of Herentals, Belgium, where she is known in Dutch as Sint-. Both cities boast a large medieval church that bears her name. Married to the Count of Hainault, she raised four children. After her husband retired to an abbey, she herself became a nun in 656. She founded her own convent and the city of Mons grew around it. The shrine of Saint Waltrude is kept in the collegiate church dedicated to her in Mons. Each year as part of the Ducasse de Mons festival, the shrine is placed on the car d'or, a gilded cart, and drawn by horses through the city streets. She died April 9, c. 688 AD. This is all that is known ab out this Saint. Prayer Father may the life of St. Waldetrudishelp us become better Christians so we can love Christ,Virgin Mary,abd the Blessed Sacrament more each and every day. AMEN References: Wikipedia.Org

Saint Perpetuus was the eighth Bishop of Tours, who governed that see for more than thirty years, from 461 to 494. During all that time he labored by zealous sermons, many synods and wholesome regulations, to lead souls to virtue. Saint Perpetuus had great veneration for the Saints and respect for their relics; he adorned their shrines and enriched their churches. As there was a continual succession of miracles at the tomb of Saint Martin, Perpetuus, finding the church built by Saint Bricius too small for the concourse of people coming there, directed its enlargement. When the building was finished, the good bishop solemnized the dedication of this large new church, which a writer of that time said was one of the marvels of the world and worthy to be compared with the temple of Solomon. The translation of the body of Saint Martin was carried out on the 4th of July in 491. It is believed that either Saint Martin or his Angel assisted on this occasion, for the coffin was so heavy that no...

John was born into a world very different from ours. It was the first son of wealthy parents living in France 300 years ago. John Baptist de La Salle was born in Reims, received the tonsure at the age of 11 years and was appointed canon of the Cathedral of Reims in the 16th. When they died their parents had to deal with the management of family assets. , He completed his theological studies and was ordained priest on April 9, 1678. Two years later, he obtained a doctorate degree in theology. In that period of his life, tentatively involved with a group of rough and barely literate young people, to establish schools for poor children. At that time a few people lived in luxury, while the great majority lived in extreme poverty: peasants in the villages and slum dwellers in cities. Only a few could send their children to school. Most children had little hope for the future. Moved by the plight of the poor who seemed so "far from salvation" in one situation or another, made the d...

Pope St. Sixtus I (in the oldest documents, Xystus is the spelling used for the first three popes of that name), succeeded St. Alexander and was followed by St. Telesphorus. According to the "Liberian Catalogue" of popes, he ruled the Church during the reign of Adrian "a conulatu Nigri et Aproniani usque Vero III et Ambibulo", that is, from 117 to 126. Eusebius, who in his "Chronicon" made use of a catalogue of popes different from the one he used in his "Historia ecclesiastica", states in his "Chronicon" that Sixtus I was pope from 114 to 124, while in his "History" he makes him rule from 114 to 128. All authorities agree that he reigned about ten years. He was a Roman by birth, and his father's name was Pastor. According to the "Liber Pontificalis" (ed. Duchesne, I, 128), he passed the following three ordinances: (1) that none but sacred ministers are allowed to touch the sacred vessels ; (2) that bishops who h...

Vincent was born in Valencia (Spain) in 1350. At 17 he had already so successfully completed his studies in philosophy and theology that included teachers as faculty immediately. He entered the Dominican convent of Valencia and was ordained priest in 1375, a date in the history of the Church is remembered as the beginning of the Great Western Schism (1378-1417). The great confusion divided Christians into two obedience to Rome and Avignon. It was inevitable that even straight spirits, as Vincent Ferrer, of the pope were illegitimate. The good faith of Vincent Ferrer is tested with the fact that he has done everything possible to solve the great conflict and restore the unity of the Church. He traveled throughout Europe, warming to his great speaking to crowds of faithful, attracted also by a special phenomenon: the Dominican preacher, who only knew the Castilian, Latin and some Hebrew, "I understand all the faithful of the various nations where he went, each in their own language,...

Easter is the time when we celebrate the Glorious Resurrection of Christ. As we look in the Gospel of Matthew we read, " After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you." So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Sudd...

Isidore was literally born into a family of saints in sixth century Spain. Two of his brothers, Leander and Fulgentius, and one of his sisters, Florentina, are revered as saints in Spain. It was also a family of leaders and strong minds with Leander and Fulgentius serving as bishops and Florentina as abbess. This didn't make life easier for Isidore. To the contrary, Leander may have been holy in many ways, but his treatment of his little brother shocked many even at the time. Leander, who was much older than Isidore, took over Isidore's education and his pedagogical theory involved force and punishment. We know from Isidore's later accomplishments that he was intelligent and hard-working so it is hard to understand why Leander thought abuse would work instead of patience. One day, the young boy couldn't take any more. Frustrated by his inability to learn as fast as his brother wanted and hurt by his brother's treatment, Isidore ran away. But though he could escape h...

This day is also known as "The Day Christ laid in the tomb", due to the fact that after we read the 14th Station, Christ is buried. And thus on that Saturday we are in a hopeful vigil to see the return of our Lord and King, Jesus Christ. In the Gospels, the final passage we come across is, "Christ was then laid in the tomb, with a large boulder covering its entrance, and Christ laid there for 3 days, until Sunday when rose again." This is what we see/hear of Christ before he Resurrects on Sunday. Little is know about what took place within the tomb of Christ before the Glorious and Triumphant Sunday. In the primitive Church Holy Saturday was known as Great, or Grand, Saturday, Holy Saturday, the Angelic Night, the Vigil of Easter, etc. It is no longer, like Maundy Thursday, a day of joy, but one of joy and sadness intermingled; it is the close of the season of Lent and penance, and the beginning of paschal time, which is one of rejoicing. The night of the vigil of E...

At the end of the twelfth century is born Richard, Wyche, a family of farm workers. Bump permanent austerity and harshness of life in the style of the greats of his time. The bishops are "lords" and loving human care, the monks abound in prosperity and luxury, the nobles are ambitious and on the throne is seen a flow strongly royalist. The lower class of people is poor and is steeped in ignorance and superstition. Richard is energetic and uncompromising when dealing with matters in which is present injustice, immorality or greed. Possibly the natural condition it is what leads to a distancing, if not rejection of the powerful. The fact is that austerity lived in the house of his parents when he was child-must prepare for the mission to be played as an adult. March to study at Oxford where he has good teachers Franciscans and Dominicans, and as more resources are not stretched, starved and cold. A short stay in Paris and returned to Oxford, graduating in Arts. In Bologna learn...

As early as the first century, the Church set aside every Friday as a special day of prayer and fasting. It was not until the fourth century, however, that the Church began observing the Friday before Easter as the day associated with the crucifixion of Christ. First called Holy or Great Friday by the Greek Church, the name "Good Friday" was adopted by the Roman Church around the sixth or seventh century. With every Good Friday and also every Friday during Lent we walk alongside Christ and venerate his Passion, Death and Resurrection. We First begin with the Betrayal of Judas, which is said to have taken place in Gethsemane at some time around Mid-Night. Later Jesus is taken before the High Priests and is interrogated and later judged and sent before Pilate in the early morning hours. Pilate then sent Jesus to King Herod, the son of Herod the Great, to which to his belief, Jesus was a crazy person who just needed to be taught a lesson or ignored. Christ then returns to Pilate...

Francis was born at Paola, Italy and was educated at the Franciscan friary of San Marco there, and when fifteen became a hermit near Paola. In 1436, he and two companions began a community that is considered the foundation of the Minim Friars. He built a monastery where he had led his eremitical life some fifteen years later and set a Rule for his followers emphasizing penance, charity, and humility, and added to the three monastic vows, one of fasting and abstinence from meat; he also wrote a rule for tertiaries and nuns. He was credited with many miracles and had the gifts of prophesy and insight into men's hearts. The Order was approved by Pope Sixtus IV in 1474 with the name Hermits of St. Francis of Assisi (changed to Minim Friars in 1492). Francis established foundations in southern Italy and Sicily, and his fame was such that at the request of dying King Louis XI of France, Pope Sixtus II ordered him to France, as the King felt he could be cured by Francis. He was not, but w...

The feast of Maundy (or Holy) Thursday solemnly commemorates the institution of the Eucharist and is the oldest of the observances peculiar to Holy Week. In Rome various accessory ceremonies were early added to this commemoration, namely the consecration of the holy oils and the reconciliation of penitents, ceremonies obviously practical in character and readily explained by the proximity of the Christian Easter and the necessity of preparing for it. Holy Thursday could not but be a day of liturgical reunion since, in the cycle of movable feasts, it brings around the anniversary of the institution of the Liturgy. On that day, whilst the preparation of candidates was being completed, the Church celebrated the Missa chrismalis of which we have already described the rite and, moreover, proceeded to the reconciliation of penitents. In Rome everything was carried on in daylight, whereas in Africa on Holy Thursday the Eucharist was celebrated after the evening meal, in view of more exact con...