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29th June ~ Solemnity of St. Peter and St. Paul, Apostles Birth name Shimon Bar Yonah (Hebrew: שמעון בר יונה) (Simeon, Simon) Born c. AD 1 Bethsaida, Gaulanitis, Syria, Roman Empire Died Between AD 64–68 Vatican Hill, Rome, Italia, Roman Empire Parents John (or Jonah; Jona) Occupation Fisherman, clergyman Then Simon Peter spoke up and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, "Simon son of Jonah, you are a blessed man! Because it was no human agency that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my community. And the gates of the underworld can never overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of Heaven: whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven; whatever you lose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16: 13-19. Paul's Jewish name was "Saul" (Hebrew: שאול, Modern: Sha'ûl, Tiberian: Šāʼûl), Born Saul of Tarsus c. 5 AD Tarsus, Cilicia, Roman Empire (modern-day Turkey) Died c. 64/67 AD (aged 61–62 or 64–65) Rome, Italia, Roman Empire It happened that while he was travelling to Damascus and approaching the city, suddenly a light from heaven shone all round him. He fell to the ground, and then he heard a voice saying. “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” “Who are you Lord?” he asked, and the answer came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” Acts of the Apostles 9: 3-5. Almighty and ever living God, on this Solemnity of your Apostles, Peter and Paul, give us the noble and holy joy of this day and grant that your Church may in all things follow the teaching of those through whom she received the beginnings of right religion. See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feast_of_Saints_Peter_and_Paul https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Peter https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_the_Apostle https://catholicsaints.info/saint-peter-the-apostle/ https://catholicsaints.info/saint-paul-the-apostle/ https://www.christianiconography.info/goldenLegend/peter.htm https://www.christianiconography.info/goldenLegend/paul.htm https://www.bartleby.com/210/6/291.html https://www.bartleby.com/210/6/301.html |
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30th June ~ Optional memorial of the First Martyrs of the Holy Church of Rome First Century AD The First Martyrs of the Church of Rome were Christians martyred in the city of Rome during Nero's persecution in 64. The event is recorded by both Tacitus and Pope Clement I in his Letter to the Corinthians, among others. "First, Nero had some of the members of this sect arrested. Then, on their information, large numbers were condemned -- not so much for arson, but for their hatred of the human race. Their deaths were made a farce." . . . Instead of executing the Christians immediately at the usual place, Nero executed them publicly in his gardens nearby and in the circus. "Mockery of every sort accompanied their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired." . . . "There arose in the people a sense of pity. For it was felt that they (the Christians) were being sacrificed for one man's brutality rather than to the public interest." (Tacitus) Almighty and ever living God, you consecrated these first fruits of your Church by the blood of their martyrdoms, grant us, we pray, that same courage so that we may together draw strength from so great a struggle and ever rejoice at the triumph of faithful love. See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Martyrs_of_the_Church_of_Rome https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Christians_in_the_Roman_Empire https://catholicsaints.info/first-martyrs-of-rome/ https://www.bartleby.com/210/6/242.html |
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1st July ~ Optional memorial of St. Oliver Plunkett, Bishop, Martyr Born - 1 November 1625, Loughcrew, County Meath, Ireland Died - 1 July 1681 (aged 55), Tyburn, London, England Venerated in - Catholic Church Beatified - 23 May 1920, Rome by Pope Benedict XV Canonized - 12 October 1975, Rome by Pope Paul VI Major shrine - St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church, Drogheda, Ireland Patronage - Peace and reconciliation in Ireland Oliver was born in 1629 into a noble, royalist family at Loughcrew, Co. Meath and studied under Jesuit guidance at the Irish College in Rome. After brilliant academic success in theology and law he was ordained to the priesthood in 1654 becoming professor of theology at the Propaganda College and procurator of the Irish bishops. In 1669 he was appointed archbishop of Armagh being favourably received by Charles II’s queen, Catherine of Braganza. The long years of persecution of the church in Ireland had resulted in such disorder and neglect that in the first few months of his episcopate he confirmed 10,000 people. He was falsely accused of involvement in the Titus Oates plot in 1678 and with plotting to bring 20,000 French soldiers into Ireland. Imprisoned in Newgate until 1681 he was convicted on the basis of perjured evidence and was hung, drawn and quartered at Tyburn that same year. Almighty and ever living God, you filled Saint Oliver with fortitude enabling him to feed your people with your word and to lay down his life for the faith, grant that through his intercession we may be made strong in that faith and fearlessly proclaim it in our day. See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Plunkett |
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3rd July ~ Feast of St. Thomas, Apostle Born - 1st century AD, Pansada, Galilee, Judea, Roman Empire Died - AD 72, St. Thomas Mount, Mylapore, Chennai, Chola Empire Venerated in - All Christian denominations that venerate saints, especially Saint Thomas Christians Canonized - Pre-Congregation Major shrine - St. Thomas Cathedral Basilica in Mylapore, Chennai, India, Basilica of St. Thomas the Apostle in Ortona, Italy Feast – 3rd July: Latin Church, Liberal Catholic Church, Anglican Communion, Malankara Orthodox Church, Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church, Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, Believers Eastern Church, Syriac Catholic Church 21st December: Some Anglican Communion, Hispanic church, Traditional Catholics 26th Pashons and Sunday after Easter (Thomas Sunday): Coptic Christianity 6th October and Sunday after Easter Thomas Sunday: Eastern Orthodox Attributes - The Twin, placing his finger in the side of Christ, nelumbo nucifera, spear (means of his Christian martyrdom), square (his profession, a builder) Patronage - Architects, for Christians in India (including Saint Thomas Christians and Archdiocese of Madras-Mylapore), Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka and Pula (Croatia) Thomas, called the Twin, who was one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So, the other disciples said to him, “We gave seen the Lord,” but he answered, “Unless I can see the holes that the nails made in his hands and can put my finger into the holes they made, and unless I can put my hand into his side, I refuse to believe.” Eight days later the disciples were in the house again and Thomas was with them. The doors were closed, but Jesus came in and stood among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. Then he spoke to Thomas, “Put your finger here; look here are my hands. Give me your hand; put it into my side. Do not be unbelieving anymore but believe.” Thomas replied, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him: “You believe because you can see me. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.” John 20: 24-29. There is much uncertainty about Thomas' missionary work following Pentecost. Traditionally he has been associated with the Parthians, however, a stronger tradition places him in India where the Syrian Christians of Malabar claim that they were evangelized by him. When Portuguese explorers reached India in the early sixteenth century, they found a flourishing Christian community numbering some fifteen thousand families there. He is supposed to have been killed by a spear and is buried at Mylapore, near Madras. In 1523, under the orders of King John III of Portugal, his supposed tomb was excavated and opened to reveal his bones and part of the lance that killed him. Various apocryphal writings such as the Gospel of Thomas have been attributed to him. Because of the palace that he is supposed to have built for an Indian king, he is the patron saint of architects (he is sometimes represented holding a T-square) and because of his spiritual blindness he was invoked by those suffering from physical blindness. Almighty and ever living God, may we glory in the feast of Saint Thomas that we might be sustained by his intercession and by believing may have life in the name of Jesus Christ, your Son, whom Thomas acknowledged as the risen Lord. See also: https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14658b.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_the_Apostle https://catholicsaints.info/saint-thomas-the-apostle/ https://www.christianiconography.info/goldenLegend/thomas.htm https://www.bartleby.com/lit-hub/lives-of-the-saints/volume-xii-december/st-thomas-apostle https://saintscatholic.blogspot.com/2017/07/saint-thomas-apostle.html |
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4th July ~ Optional memorial of St. Elizabeth of Portugal Born - 4 January 1271, Aljafería Palace, Zaragoza, Kingdom of Aragon Died - 4 July 1336 (aged 64–65), Estremoz Castle in Estremoz, Alentejo, Kingdom of Portugal Spouse - Denis, King of Portugal Issue - Constança, Queen of Castile, Afonso IV, King of Portugal House - House of Barcelona Father - Peter III, King of Aragon Mother - Constance of Sicily Canonised - 25 May 1625 by Pope Urban VIII. Patronage - against jealousy, brides, charitable societies and their workers, Coimbra, Portugal, difficult marriages, falsely accused people, invoked in time of war, for peace, queens, tertiaries, victims of adultery, victims of jealousy, victims of unfaithfulness, widows Elizabeth was born in 1271, the daughter of Peter III, the King of Aragon and was named after her distant relative, St. Elizabeth of Hungary. At an early age she married King Denis of Portugal and bore him two children. Denis was a string ruler but a bad husband. Elizabeth pursued a life of prayer and piety and is known to have founded hospitals, orphanages and homes for fallen women as well as providing hospitality for pilgrims and the poor. She had a reputation as a peacemaker reconciling her son and her husband after he had taken up arms. At the end of her life her peacemaking efforts prevented a war between Portugal and Castile. Her husband fell ill and died in 1324 after being devotedly being nursed by Elizabeth and showing clear signs of repentance. Widowed, Elizabeth went on pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela and wanted to become a Poor Clare nun but was dissuaded. Instead she retired to a small house near the monastery that she had founded becoming a Franciscan tertiary living out the remainder of her days in great simplicity like her namesake. Elizabeth died in 1336 at Estremoz and was buried at the Poor Clares convent at Coimbra. Many miracles followed her death and Pope Leo X authorised the celebration of her feast locally in 1516. She was canonised by Pope Urban VIII in 1625. Almighty and ever living God, the author of peace and the lover of charity, who gave Saint Elizabeth of Portugal a marvellous grace for reconciling those in conflict, grant, that through her intercession, we may become peacemakers and so be called the children of God. See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_of_Portugal |
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5th July - Memorial in Oxfordshire of Blessed George Nichols, Richard Yaxley, Priests, Martyrs, Thomas Belson and Humphrey Pritchard, Laymen, Martyrs. Executed at Oxford on 5th July 1589. George Nichols - Raised Protestant, he graduated from Brasenose College in Oxford, England in 1573. Taught at Saint Paul’s School, London, England. Convert to Catholicism. Began studies at Douai College, Rheims, France in 1581 Ordained a priest of the apostolic vicariate of England in September 1583. He returned to England in late 1584 to minister to covert Catholics during a period of official persecution. Martyred for the crime of priesthood. Richard Yaxley - Studied at the University of Oxford, England, and then the Douai College in Rheims, France. Priest of the apostolic vicariate of England, ordained in 1586. He then returned to England to minister to covert Catholics. Martyred in the persecutions of Queen Elizabeth I. Thomas Belson - Young layman of the apostolic vicariate of England. Educated of Exeter College, Oxford, England, and Douai College, Rheims, France. Arrested for “conveying intelligence” for a Catholic priest, he was imprisoned in the Tower of London and released on condition of banishment. He later returned, was arrested again, and martyred in the persecutions of Queen Elizabeth I. Humphrey Pritchard - Layman. Studied at the University of Oxford, England. Worked at the Catherine Wheel Inn, Saint Giles’, Oxford for twelve years. Martyred in the persecutions of Queen Elizabeth I. All four prisoners were sent from Oxford to the Bridewell prison in London, where the two priests were hanged up for five hours to make them betray their hosts, but without avail. Yaxley was sent to the Tower as a close prisoner 25 May 1589, and appears to have been racked frequently. Belson was sent to the Gatehouse. The other two remained in Bridewell, Nichols being put into a deep dungeon full of venomous vermin. On 30 June all four were ordered back to Oxford to take their trial. All were condemned, the priests for treason, the laymen for felony. Nichols suffered first, then Yaxley, then Belson, and last Prichard. The priests' heads were set up on the castle, and their quarters on the four city gates. See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Nichols_(martyr) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Belson https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11065c.htm https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02425b.htm https://www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/streets/inscriptions/central/catholic_martyrs.html |