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CALENDAR of the SAINTS
23 November 2008 Anno Dómini
"....and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. ~ ~ Apocalypse
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Saint Adalbert of Casauria
Benedictine monk at Cassoria, Abruzzi, Italy. Worked for a while with Saint Guy of Casauria Retired to Mount Caramanico where he eventually founded the abbey of Saint Nicholas.
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Saint Alexander Nevsky
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Saint Amphilochius of Iconium
Bishop and companion of Saint Gregory Nazianzus and Saint Basil. Born in Cappadocia he studied in Constantinople, now Istanbul. His cousin was St. Gregory of Naziaiutus, and Amphilocus retired to Nazianzus after teaching the care of aged patients. In 374, he was named bishop of Iconium, where he proved a formidable opponent of the Arian heresy. He attended the Council of Constantinople in 381 and advised Emperor Theodosius I to keep Arians from attending. He also fought the heresy of the Messalians. His letters to Saint Gregory and Saint Basil are still extant.
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Pope Saint Clement I, Martyr
Also known as ; Clement of Rome
Fourth Pope. Apostolic Father. The Basilica of Saint Clement in Rome, one of the earliest parish churches in the city, is probably built on the site of Clement's home. Author of the "Epistle to the Corinthians". His name occurs in the Canon of the Mass. Origen and Saint Jerome identify him as working with Saint Paul the Apostle.
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Saint Clement of Metz
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Saint Columbanus
Also known as :
Well-born, handsome and educated, Columbanus was torn between a desire for God and easy access to the pleasures of the world. Acting on advice of a holy anchoress, he decided to withdraw from the world; his family opposed the choice, his mother going so far as to block the door. Monk at Lough Erne. He studied Scripture extensively, and wrote a commentary on the Psalms. Monk at Bangor under abbot Saint Comgall.
In middle age, Columbanus felt a call to missionary life. With twelve companions ( Saint Attala, Columbanus the Younger, Cummain, Domgal, Eogain, Eunan, Saint Gall, Gurgano, Libran, Lua, Sigisbert and Waldoleno ) he travelled to Scotland, England, and then to France in 585. The area, though nominally Christian, had fallen far from the faith, but were ready for missionaries, and they had some success. They were warmly greeted at the court of Gontram, and king of Burgundy invited the band to stay. They chose the half-ruined Roman fortress of Annegray in the Vosges Mountains for their new home with Columbanus as their abbot.
The simple lives and obvious holiness of the group drew disciples to join them, and the sick to be healed by their prayers. Columbanus, to find solitude for prayer, often lived for long periods in a cave seven miles from the monastery, using a messenger to stay in touch with his brothers. When the number of new monks over-crowded the old fortress, King Gontram gave them the old castle of Luxeuil to found a new house in 590. Soon after, a third house was founded at Fontaines. Columbanus served as master of them all, and wrote a Rule for them; it incorporated many Celtic practices, was approved by the Council of Macon in 627, but was superseded by the Benedictine.
Problems arose early in the 7th century. Many Frankish bishops objected to a foreign missionary with so much influence, to the Celtic practices he brought, especially those related to Easter, and his independence from them. In 602 he was summoned to appear before them for judgment; instead of appearing, he sent a letter advising them to hold more synods, and to concern themselves with more important things than which rite he used to celebrate Easter. The dispute over Easter continued to years, with Columbanus appealing to multiple popes for help, but was only settled with Columbanus abandoned the Celtic calender when he moved to Italy.
In addition to his problems with the bishops, Columbanus spoke out against vice and corruption in the royal household and court, which was in the midst of a series of complex power grabs. Brunehault stirred up the bishops and nobilty against the abbot; Thierry ordered him to conform to the local ways, and shut up. Columbanus refused, and was briefly imprisoned at Besançon, but he escaped and returned to Luxeuil. Thierry and Brunehault sent an armed force to force him and his foreign monks back to Ireland. As soon as his ship set sail, a storm drove them back to shore; the captain took it as a sign, and set the monks free.
They made their way to King Clothaire at Soissons, Neustria and then the court of King Theodebert of Austrasia in 611. He travelled to Metz, then Mainz, Suevi, Alamanni, and finally Lake Zurich. Their evangelization work there was unsuccessful, and the group passed on to Arbon, then Bregenz, and then Lake Constance. Saint Gall, who knew the local language best, took the lead in this region; many were converted to the faith, and the group founded a new monastery as their home and base. However, a year later political upheaval caused Columbanus to cross the Alps into Italy, arriving in Milan in 612. The Christian royal family treated him well, and he preached and wrote against Arianism and Nestorianism. In gratitude, the Lombard king gave him a tract of land call Bobbio between Milan and Genoa. There he rebuilt a half-ruined church of Saint Peter, and around it he founded an abbey that was to be the source for evangelization throughout northern Italy for centuries to come.
Columbanus always enjoyed being in the forests and caves, and as he walked through the woods birds and squirrels would ride on his shoulders. Toward the end of his life came word that his old enemies were dead, and his brothers wanted him to come back north, but he declined. Knowing that his time was almost done, he retired to a cave for solitude, and died as he had predicted. His influence continued for centuries as those he converted handed on the faith, the brothers he taught evanglized untold numbers more, and his brother monks founded over one hundred monasteries to protect learning and spread the faith.
Miracles ascribed to Columbanus include :
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- to obtain food for a sick brother monk, he cured the wife of the donor
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- once when he was surrounded by wolves, he simply walked through them
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- at one point he needed a cave for his solitary prayers; a bear lived there; when Columbanus asked, the bear left
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- when he needed water in order to live in the cave, a spring appeared nearby
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- when the Luxeuil monastery granary ran empty, he prayed over it and it refilled
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- he multiplied bread and beer for his community
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- he cured several sick monks, who then got straight out of bed to reap the monastery's harvest
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- > gave sight to a blind man at Orleans
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- he destroyed a vat of beer being prepared for a pagan festival by breathing on it
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- when the monastery needed help in the fields, he tamed a bear, and yoked it to a plough
Died 21 November 615 in a cave at Bobbio, Italy of natural causes; interred at the abbey church of Bobbio; miracles reported at his tomb; relics re-interred in a new altar there in 1482; altar and shrine were refurbished and the relics re-interred in the early 20th century.
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Saint Felicity
Also known as :
Rich, noble widow. Mother of seven sons, all of whom were martyred: Alexander, Vitalis, Martial, Januarius, Felix, Philip and Silvanus. Devoted to charity and caring for the poor. Arrested for her faith, she was ordered to worship pagan gods; she refused. Her sons were arrested and given the same order; they refused. After a series of appeals, they were ordered executed by emperor Antoninus. Felicity was forced to watch as her children were murdered one by one; after each one she was given the chance to denouce her faith. A Martyr. Beheaded in 165 at Rome, Italy; buried in the cemetery of Maximus beside the Via Salaria, Rome; relics in Capuchin church at Montefiascone, Tuscany, Italy
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Saint Gregory of Girgenti
Byzantine Christian. Bishop of Girgenti. Wrote a comment of the book of Ecclesiastes, which has survived.
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Blessed Guy of Casauria
Benedictine monk at Farfa. Abbot of Casauria.
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Saint Lucretia of Mérida
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Saint Margaret of Savoy
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Blessed Miguel Pro
Son of a mining engineer. From childhood he was known for high spirits and cheerfulness, and he grew up in a pious home. Born to privilege, he had great affinity for the poor and working classes. Jesuit novice at 20. Exiled during the Mexican revolution. Ordained in Belgium in 1925 at age 36. Victim of recurring stomach disorder. Returned to Mexico in 1926, a time when churches were closed, priests were in hiding, and persecution of the Church was policy. Father Miguel used disguises to conduct an underground ministry, bringing the comfort of charity and the sacraments to the faithful.
Falsely accused in 1927 of a bombing attempt, Pro became a wanted man, was betrayed to the police, and without trial, he was sentenced to death. The photograph on this page was taken the day of his martyrdom. As he was about to be shot, he forgave his executioners, refused a blindfold, and died shouting "Love live Christ the King!"; martyred by firing squad in 1927 The government prohibited a public funeral, but the faithful lined the streets when his body passed.
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Saint Paternian of Fermo
A little known bishop of Fano, Italy. It is believed that he was able to escape the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian in the early fourth century by fleeing into the mountains.
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Saint Paulhen
Welsh abbot, also known as Paulinus, Polin, and Pewlin. A student of Saint Illtyd, Paulhen probably founded the monastery of Whitland. Among his most remarkable pupils were Saint David and Saint Teilo.
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Saint Paulinus of Wales
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Saint Rachildis of Saint-Gall
Also known as : Richildis
Bnedictine anchoress who lived walled up in a cell near Saint Wiborada, under obedience to the abbot of Saint Gall, Switzerland.
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Saint Sisinius of Cyzicus
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Saint Trudo
Also known as :
Son of Blessed Adela. Related to the dukes of Austrasia. Benedictine monk under Saint Remaclus. Studied at the cathedral at Metz, France. Ordained by Saint Clodulf. Noted preacher. Built a church on the land around his family's home c.656, and had it blessed by Saint Theodard of Liege in the names of Saint Quintinus and Saint Remigius. Evangelized the throughout the area of Hasbein, and as the converts grew he was forced to build a monastery which was later named for him. Founded a convent near Bruges, Belgium c.660. The assorted movements of his relics have led to several local lists having different dates for his memorial.
Died : 695 of natural causes; buried in the church of Saint Quintinus and Saint Remigius that he had built; relics translated in 880; relics later hidden to save them from Norman incursions, and lost; rediscovered in 1169.
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Saint Wilfetrudis of Nivelle
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