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10th August - Memorial of St. Laurence, Deacon and Martyr. Born - 31 December AD 225, Valencia or less likely Osca, Hispania (modern-day Spain) Died - 10 August AD 258 (aged 32), Rome Venerated in - Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, Anglican Communion, Lutheranism Canonized - Pre-congregation Major shrine - Basilica di San Lorenzo fuori le Mura in Rome Attributes - Usually holding a gridiron and wearing a dalmatic Patronage - Rome, Grosseto, Rotterdam (Netherlands), Huesca (Spain), San Lawrenz, Gozo and Birgu (Malta), Barangay San Lorenzo San Pablo (Philippines), Canada, Colombo City, comedians, archivists, librarians, students, miners, tanners, chefs, Balagtas, Bulacan, Balangiga, Eastern Samar, Mexico, Pampanga, San Lorenzo Diakono Chapel, Mexico, Pampanga, roasters, poor, firefighters A native of Spain, Lawrence died in 258 during the persecution of the Emperor Valerian, his existence and martyrdom being attested in the very ancient Deposito Martyrum. He was closely associated with Pope Sixtus II who ordained him an archdeacon. Arrested and tortured, when white hot swords were held against his side, he prayed, “Lord Jesus Christ, God from God, have mercy on me your servant! When accused, I did not deny your holy name, and when interrogated, I confessed you as my Lord.” Tradition has it that he was being martyred by being roasted alive on an iron grid. In Rome five ancient basilicas are dedicated to him including St. Lawrence-outside-the-walls built over his tomb. He is mentioned by name in the First Eucharistic Prayer. Lord God, you inspired Saint Laurence with so ardent a love, that his life was renowned for the service of your people and his death for the splendour of his martyrdom. Help us to love as he loved and to live as he showed us. See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Lawrence https://www.ccel.org/ccel/wace/biodict.html?term=Laurentius%20(36) https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/360385.htm https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09089a.htm https://catholicsaints.info/saint-lawrence-of-rome/ https://www.christianiconography.info/goldenLegend/lawrence.htm |
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11th August - Memorial of St. Clare, Virgin. Born - Chiara Offreduccio, 16 July 1194, Assisi, Italy Died - 11 August 1253 (aged 59), Assisi, Italy Venerated in - Roman Catholic Church, Anglican Communion, Lutheran Church Canonized - 26 September 1255, Rome by Pope Alexander IV Major shrine - Basilica of Saint Clare, Assisi Feast - 11 August (1970 to date), 12 August (1255–1969) Attributes - Monstrance, pyx, lamp, habit of the Poor Clares Patronage - Eye disease, goldsmiths, laundry, television, bicycle messengers, good weather, needleworkers, remote viewing, extrasensory perception; Santa Clara, California; Santa Clara Pueblo, New Mexico; Obando, Bulacan, Philippines Born in 1194, Clare was the foundress of the Minoresses or Poor Clares. Born at Assisi nothing is known of her early life when she was eighteen she was moved by the preaching of St. Francis that she joined him at Portiuncula where she renounced all her possessions and became a nun. In 1215 she became abbess of a community of women who wished to live according to the rule and spirit of St. Francis which soon included Clare’s mother and her two sisters. She never left the convent she founded and is regarded as one of the great medieval contemplatives. During her later life she suffered grave illness and was often bedridden. Despite this, when, on two occasions, the armies of Emperor Frederick II threatened Assisi, Clare would be carried to the wall with a pyx containing the Blessed Sacrament, at which, it is reported, the armies fled. She died in 1253 and was canonized two years later by Pope Alexander IV. Lord God, in your mercy you led Saint Clare to the love of poverty. Help us, by her intercession, to follow Christ in poverty of spirit, so that, in the kingdom of heaven, we may see you in your glory. See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clare_of_Assisi https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04004a.htm https://catholicsaints.info/saint-clare-of-assisi/ https://www.christianiconography.info/goldenLegend/clare.htm https://www.christianiconography.info/clare.html https://www.bartleby.com/210/8/121.html https://saintscatholic.blogspot.com/2018/08/saint-clare-of-assisi.html https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=chi.36922911&view=1up&seq=1 |
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12th August - Memorial at choice of St. Jane Frances de Chantal. Born - 28 January 1572, Dijon, Burgundy, France Died - 13 December 1641 (aged 69), Moulins, France Venerated in - Roman Catholic Church Beatified - 21 November 1751, Rome by Pope Benedict XIV Canonized - 16 July 1767, Rome by Pope Clement XIII Major shrine - Annecy, Savoy Feast - 12 August, 21 August (General Roman Calendar 1769-1969), 12 December (General Roman Calendar 1970-2001) Patronage - forgotten people; in-law problems; loss of parents; parents separated from children; widows. The foundress of the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary, she was born into a noble Burgundian family in 1572 and married Baron Christophe de Chantal but was left a widow after only nine years of married life following a shooting accident in 1601. Following this she took a vow of chastity and in 1604 met Francis de Sales who became her director until his death in 1622. With him she intended to found a new order to allow women with delicate health to live the religious life and work outside the cloister. Circumstances led to the order having to be enclosed and the first house was opened at Annecy in 1610 with over eighty more following in the next thirty years. The opening of the house in Paris in 1619 brought her into contact with Vincent de Paul who described her as, “one of the holiest souls I have ever met”. She died in 1641, was beatified in 1751 and canonized in 1767. Lord God, as you offer us each year the joy of Saint Jane Frances de Chantal’s feast, grant that as we celebrate her in worship, we may imitate her in holiness of life. See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Frances_de_Chantal https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08282c.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_Visitation_of_Holy_Mary https://catholicsaints.info/saint-jeanne-de-chantal/ https://www.bartleby.com/210/8/212.html https://saintscatholic.blogspot.com/2014/03/saint-jane-frances-de-chantal.html |
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13th August - Memorial at Choice of St. Pontianus, Pope and Martyr and St. Hippolytus, Priest and Martyr. Pontian: Papacy began - 21 July 230 Papacy ended - 28 September 235 Predecessor - Urban I Successor - Anterus Died - October 235, Sardinia, Roman Empire Hippolytus: Born - c. 170 AD, Rome Died - c. 235 AD (age about 65), Sardinia Feast day - Roman Catholic: August 13, Orthodox: January 30, Coptic: Meshir 6 Venerated in - Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodoxy, Anglican Communion Title as Saint - Martyr and Bishop of Pontus Canonized - Pre-congregation Patronage - Bibbiena, Italy; horses Almost nothing is known about Pontianus’ pontificate (21st July 230 – 28th September 235). For most of his reign the church enjoyed freedom from persecution under the Emperor Alexander Severus. However his successor, Maximinus Thrax abandoned tolerance and singled out Christian leaders for attack. Among the first were Pontianus and Hippolytus who were arrested and deported to Sardinia, known as the “island of he dead” because of the harsh conditions. Such deportations were usually for life and few survived them. Pontianus abdicated the papacy to allow a successor to take over the papacy as soon as possible. Both Pontianus and Hipploytus succumbed to the conditions and in 236 or 237 Pontianus body was brought back to Rome by Pope Fabian and was interred in the newly completed papal catacombs of S. Callisto. See also: Pontian: https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12229b.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Pontian https://catholicsaints.info/pope-saint-pontian/ Hippolytus: https://catholicsaints.info/saint-hippolytus-of-rome/ https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07360c.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippolytus_of_Rome https://www.christianiconography.info/goldenLegend/hippolytus.htm https://www.bartleby.com/210/8/131.html The Refutation of All HeresiesSome Exegetical Fragments of Hippolytus Expository Treatise Against the Jews Against Plato, On the Cause of the Universe Against the Heresy of Noetus Discourse on the Holy Theophany The Antichrist The End of the World (Pseudonymous) The Apostles and the Disciples (Pseudonymous) |
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14th August - Memorial of St. Maximilian Kolbe, Priest and Martyr. Born - Rajmund Kolbe, 8 January 1894, Zduńska Wola, Congress Poland, Russian Empire Died - 14 August 1941 (aged 47), Auschwitz-Birkenau, German-occupied Poland Venerated in - Catholic Church, Anglican Communion, Lutheran Church Beatified - 17 October 1971, Vatican City by Pope Paul VI Canonized - 10 October 1982, Vatican City by Pope John Paul II Major shrine - Basilica of the Omni-mediatress of All Glories Feast - 14 August Attributes - Franciscan habit, the Rycerz Niepokalanej, Nazi concentration prison uniform, Nazi concentration camp badge, crucifix, rosary, and a palm of martyrdom Patronage - Families, recovery from drug addiction, prisoners, amateur radio operators, journalists, political prisoners, pro-life movement, Esperantists, and Militia Immaculatae Maximilian was born in 1894 in Zdumska Wola near Łódż in Russian occupied Poland. In 1910 he entered the Franciscan Order and after studying in Rome was ordained in 1919. Following the German invasion of Poland in 1939 and his release from internment he turned his monastery at Niepokalanów into a refugee camp for Poles and Jews. Arrested again in May 1941 he and four companions were taken to Auschwitz. It was there that, following an escape from the camp, that he volunteered to take the place of a man, Franciszek Gajowinczek, in the death cell saying, “I am a Catholic priest. I wish to die for that man. I am old; he has a wife and children.” Two weeks later only four of those condemned were still live and only Maximilian was fully conscious. He was killed with a phenol injection. He was beatified by Pope Paul VI in 1971 and canonized by Saint Pope John Paul II in 1982. Franciszek Gajowinczek, the man whose life he had saved, attended the canonization. See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximilian_Kolbe https://catholicism.org/maximilian-kolbe.html http://catholicsaints.info/saint-maximilian-kolbe/ https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2021-08-14 https://saintscatholic.blogspot.com/2013/08/st-maximilian-kolbe.html |
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15th August - Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Dogma of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary was proclaimed by Pope Pius XII on the 1st of November 1950. "Finally the Immaculate virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is a singular participation in her Son’s Resurrection and an anticipation of the resurrection of other Christians." Catechism of the Catholic Church 966. See also: https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02006b.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assumption_of_Mary https://www.bartleby.com/210/8/151.html https://catholicsaints.info/assumption-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary/ https://www.christianiconography.info/goldenLegend/assumption.htm https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2021/08/14/the-assumption-of-the-mother-of-god/ |
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16th August - Memorial at choice of St. Stephen of Hungary. Born - c. 975, Esztergom, Hungary Died - 15 August 1038, Székesfehérvár, Hungary Venerated in - Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church Canonized - 20 August 1083, Székesfehérvár by Pope Gregory VII Major shrine - St. Stephen's Basilica, Budapest, Hungary Feast - 16 August, 20 August (in Hungary), 30 May (his Holy Dexter in Hungary) Attributes - Crown; Sceptre; globe Patronage - Patron saint of Hungary, Patron of kings, masons, stonecutters, stonemasons and bricklayers, Protector against child death Stephen was born c. 975 and succeeded his father in 997. After successfully quelling rebellions of rival leaders, he began a policy of both strengthening his own authority and of establishing Christianity as the religion of his country. From Pope Sylvester II he obtained the title of king and a crown, part of which is claimed to survive in Budapest. His coronation took place in 1001 by which time he had established a number of sees and monasteries including Esztergom (the primatial see) and Pannonhalma (the principal monastery) both of which claim him as their founder. He was known for his accessibility and just treatment for the poor and oppressed – he would often personally distribute alms – sometimes in disguise and at personal risk. He died in 1038 at Buda. Miracles were claimed at his tomb and his relics were enshrined there in 1083. Grant your Church, we pray, almighty God, that she may have Saint Stephen of Hungary, who fostered her growth while a king on earth, as her glorious defender in heaven. See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_I_of_Hungary https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14287a.htm https://catholicsaints.info/saint-stephen-of-hungary/ https://saintscatholic.blogspot.com/2013/08/st-stephen-of-hungary.html |