St. Benedict of Macerac
Feastday: October 22
Death: 845
A Greek abbot near Nantes, France. Originally from Petros, Benedict went to Macerac, in the Nantes diocese. His relics are in the abbey of Redon.
St. Benedict of Macerac
Feastday: October 22
Death: 845
A Greek abbot near Nantes, France. Originally from Petros, Benedict went to Macerac, in the Nantes diocese. His relics are in the abbey of Redon.
St. Alodia
Feastday: October 22
Death: 851
Martyr and confessor, the daughter of a Muslim father and a Christian mother in Huesca, Spain. Alodia and her sister, Nunilo, were caught up in the persecutions conducted by Abdal-Rabman II, the ruler of Cordoba. Alodia and Nunilo dedicated themselves to Christ, despite their father's disapproval, and were arrested. When they refused to deny Christ, they were placed in a brothel and later beheaded.
Carving of Nunilo and Alodia on the collegiate church of Alquézar. The base of the carving reads "Nonyla", but her sister's name has been broken off.
Saints Nunilo and Alodia (died c. 842/51) were a pair of child martyrs from Huesca. Born of a mixed marriage, they eschewed the Islam of their father in favour of their mother's Christianity. They were executed by the Muslim authorities of Huesca in accordance with sharia law as apostates. Their feast day is 22 October.
The girls were arrested during the persecutions conducted by Abd ar-Rahman II, the Emir of Córdoba. When they refused to disavow their faith they were placed in a brothel and later beheaded. Their relics were revered at the monastery of Leyre in the tenth and eleventh centuries, when a portal was fashioned bearing their image, which still survives.
The Translatio sanctarum Nunilonis et Alodiae, a short account of the translation of their relics to the monastery of Leyre in 851, survives in two tenth-century manuscripts. The children's relics were translated from Huesca to Leyre by Oneca, the wife of Íñigo Arista, King of Navarre. There are some discrepancies between the account of the martyrdom in the Translatio and that recorded by Eulogius of Córdoba.
Bl. Alix Le Clercq
Feastday: October 22
Alix Le Clercq was born at Remiremont in the duchy of Lorraine in 1576. Her family was a solid one, of good position, but little is known about her life until she was nearly seventeen. Alix was attractive and intelligent, what the French call "spirituelle." About this time, she became a nun. When her family moved to Hymont, she met Peter Fourier, who became her spiritual director, and in 1597 she and three other women formed a new foundation under his direction. At her father's insistence, she went to a convent at Ormes, was unimpressed by its secular atmosphere, and in 1598 the wealthy Judith d'Apremont gave Alix and her group a house on her estate, which they used as their Motherhouse in the founding of a new congregation dedicated to the education of children. Despite opposition from Alix's father and others, and the lack of formal ecclesiastical approval, they established several new foundations. In 1616 they received two papal bulls formally approving the Augustinian Canonesses of the Congregation of Our Lady from Rome. Differences about what the bulls granted and internal strife caused Father Fourier to replace Alix as superioress of the Congregation, and the last years of her life were bitter, as even Father Fourier seemed to turn against her. She died in her convent at Nancy on January 9, and was beatified in 1947.
Sts. Alexander, Heraclins, and Companions
Feastday: October 22
Death: unknown
Martyrs. Alexander was a bishop who preached the faith. He was arrested and tortured, converting his guard, Heraclius, during his imprisonment. Others at the prison joined them in martyrdom.
St. Abercius Marcellus
Feastday: October 22
Death: 200
Image of St. Abercius MarcellusBishop and apologist whose hagiography dates to the second century. The bishop of Hieropolis in Phrygia, he made a visit to Rome at the age of seventy-two. In Rome, Abercius was supposedly commanded by Emperor Marcus Aurelius to rid his daughter, Lucilla, of a demon. Following this event, Abercius is recorded as visiting Syria and the Euphrates River. The details of Abercius' life led to debate through the centuries concerning their authenticity and veracity. It is known that Abercius was the bishop of Heiropolis in the area called Phrygia Salutaris. In the original "Inscriptions of Abercius," an epitaph on a stele now in the Vatican, the saintly bishop comments on the dazzling seal of Baptism that unites Christians everywhere. He speaks of the Holy Eucharist as well. Later interpretations of this "Inscription" were written in Greek and widely embellished, leading to debate. Abercius appears in Greek records in the tenth century but was not included in St. Jerome's martyrology.
Abercius of Hieropolis (Greek Αβέρκιος, died c. 167) was a bishop of Hierapolis at the time of Marcus Aurelius, also known as Abercius Marcellus.[1] He was supposedly the successor to Papias.
Abercius is said to have evangelized Syria and Mesopotamia, and is on that basis referred to as one of the Equals-to-the-Apostles. He was imprisoned under Marcus Aurelius, and died about 167.
Abercius' feast day is celebrated on 22 October (for those churches which follow the Julian Calendar, 22 October occurs on the Gregorian Calendar date of 4 November).
Several works are ascribed to Abercius:
An Epistle to the Emperor Marcus Aurelius, of which Baronius speaks as extant, but he does not produce it
A Book of Discipline (Greek Βίβλος διδασκαλίας) addressed to his clergy; this too is lost.[2]
Abercius is also the subject, and probable author, of the Inscription of Abercius, preserved in the Vatican Museums.
William Ramsay said that "Abercius was bishop of Hieropolis in the valley of Sandukli and not of Hierapolis in the Maeander valley, for the latter was in Phrygia Magna, or Pacatiana." He said, "The confusion of the two towns Hierapolis and Hieropolis has produced much error in early Christian history. ... Hierapolis of Salutaris must always be interpreted as the Hieropolis in the valley of Sandukli: Hierapolis near Laodicea is always assigned in the Byzantine authorities to Pacatiana."[3] J. B. Lightfoot said that "the city of Abercius was not Hierapolis on the Mæander but this Hieropolis near Synnada."[4] The Catholic Encyclopedia notes that Ramsay "discovered at Kelendres, near Synnada, in Phrygia Salutaris (Asia Minor), a Christian stele (inscribed slab) bearing the date of the year 300 of the Phrygian era (a.d. 216). The inscription in question recalled the memory of a certain Alexander, son of Anthony. De Rossi and Duchesne at once recognized in it phrases similar to those in the epitaph of Abercius. On comparison it was found that the inscription in memory of Alexander corresponded, almost word for word, with the first and last verses of the epitaph of the Bishop of Hieropolis; all the middle part was missing. Mr. Ramsay, on a second visit to the site of Hieropolis, in 1883, discovered two new fragments covered with inscriptions, built into the masonry of the public baths. These fragments, which are now in the Vatican Christian Museum, filled out the middle part of the stele inscribed with the epitaph of Abercius. It now became possible, with the help of the text preserved in the Life, to restore the original text of the epitaph with practical certainty."[5]
St. Viator
Feastday: October 21
Death: 390
He was a lector in the Church where St. Justus presided in Lyons. St. Justus died about the year 390, and St. Viator survived him only a few weeks. He is named in the Roman Martyrology on October 21, and the translation of their bodies together to Lyons on September 2nd and buried in the church of the Machabees. His feast day is October 21.
Viator of Lyons (died c. AD 389) is a Gaul saint of the fourth century.
History
The name "Viator" in Latin originally meant "traveller by road". In Roman law, the word came to designate a minor court official who went out to summon people to appear before the magistrate. This might have been Viator's prior occupation, or refer to his family of origin.[1] According to tradition, he was a lector or a catechist at the cathedral of Lyons, and was held in high esteem by the bishop of Lyons, Justus (Just), and by the congregants. Around 381 Justus decided to live as a hermit in Egypt and Viator knowing his intentions, decided to follow his bishop and master. He caught up with the bishop at Marseilles, and together they boarded ship for Egypt. They died at a monastery of Scetes (present-day Wadi El Natrun) in AD 389.[2]
Veneration
Their relics were translated to Lyon (the day is recorded as September 2).[3] By the fifth century four feast days were celebrated annually in Lyon in honor of Sts Just and Viator. Their remains lie in the church of St. Just in Lyon.[1]
His feast day is October 21.[2]
Legacy
The Clerics of Saint Viator take their name from him.[2]
St Just of Lyon
Main article: Justus of Lyon
Just was born in Vivarais and became a deacon of the Church of Vienne. Sometime after 343, he was chosen to succeed Bishop Verissimus, as bishop of Lyons. In 374, Bishop Just assisted at regional Council at Valence. In 382, he attended the Council of Aquileia, as one of the two representatives of the Bishops of Gaul.
Shortly after returning from the Council of Aquileia, Bishop Just confided to Viator intention to abandon the See of Lyons in order to take up the ascetical life a monk in the desert of Scete in Egypt. This decision seems to have motivated by a number of factors: his character, that of a mild studious and contemplative man; his age, for he had been a bishop many years and it seems he was already in his sixties; and by a sad event which had occurred in Lyons a short time before.
A mad man had raced through the market place of the city, slashing wildly with a sword, and wounding and killing many citizens. He then dashed to the Cathedral and claimed the right of sanctuary. A mob gathered to storm the church. Bishop Just intervened, but on being assured that the man would be given a fair trial he agreed to hand the man over. No sooner had this been done, than the mob seized the man from the magistrate's guard, and killed him on the spot. The bishop came to believe that his failure to adequately protect the murderer had made him unworthy to continue to lead the Christian community, and he resolved to devote the remainder of his life to doing penance.
In 381 Bishop Just secretly left Lyons for Marseilles, where he took ship for Alexandria in Egypt. Once there, they joined the community of monks in the desert of Scetes, about 40 or 50 miles south of Alexandria, beyond the mountains of Nitria, in the Libyan Desert. At that time the leader or abbot of this community was St. Macarius of Egypt (or the Elder) († 390), a disciple of one of the founders of monasticism in Egypt, St. Anthony († 356). Macarius had a reputation for great holiness and a fierce asceticism. Most of the monks lived in cells, either dug in the ground or built of stones, and each out of sight of others. They came together only on Saturdays to celebrate the liturgy. They supported themselves by manual labor, and ate only the poorest of foods. Fasting, prayer, silence, and the keeping of night vigils, characterized their lives. Bishop Just died around 389.
St. Tuda
Feastday: October 21
Death: 664
Irish monk and bishop. He succeeded St. Colman as bishop of Lindisfarne, and he was a supporter of the Roman Rite versus the Celtic Church in England. He died after only one year in his see from an outbreak of plague. No other facts are available about him, owing to the destruction ofso many records in the sacking of Lindisfarne by the Danes in the ninth century
Bl. Nicolas Barre
Feastday: October 21
Birth: 1621
Death: 1686
Beatified: Pope John Paul II
Nicolas Barré (October 21, 1621 - May 31, 1686) was a priest and founder of the Community of the Sisters of the Child Jesus, was beatified in 1999.
Nicolas was born October 21, 1621 in Amiens, his parents were wealthy merchants, who had five children he was the eldest. Nicolas was baptized at Saint-Germain December 17, 1621.
He was educated by the Jesuits, but at 19, he joined the Minims, founded by St. Francis of Paola. He took his vows in 1641 and was ordained priest in 1645.
From 1645 to 1655, he assumed the office of professor of theology and librarian at the convent in the Place Royale in Paris (now Place des Vosges).
But in 1655, his health deteriorating, Nicolas Barré was sent to Amiens, where he recovered, before leaving for Rouen.
There, from 1659 to 1675, he worked for the education of poor children, with a few girls who are organizing to be fully available to their educational mission. In 1662 opened a school in Sotteville-lčs-Rouen, and the Father Barre establishes a first community gathering women who had helped him in his efforts. These are the first Sisters of Providence of Rouen.
In 1675, he returned to Paris where he continued his foundation for popular schools and communities, such as Charitable Mistresses of the Holy Child Jesus, also known as the Ladies of Saint-Maur. He was the adviser of St. John Baptist de La Salle, to whom he enjoined to give up his property and live with poor school teachers to be successful as the first master charitable successful with girls. "
He died May 31, 1686 in Paris.
St. Maurontus
Feastday: October 21
Death: 804
Benedictine bishop of Marseilles, France. He was originally abbot of St. Victor in that city.
St. Maichus
Feastday: October 21
A Syrian hermit, captured by the Saracens and sold as a slave. Malchus told St. Jerome that he was born in Nisibia. He was one of the recluses at Khalkis, near Antioch. and set out with a caravan to return home. The caravan was captured by marauding Bedouins, and he was taken prisoner. While a captive, Malchus was forcibly married to a young woman who was already married. They lived as brother and sister until fleeing into the region of caves. While hunting them, their master was killed by a lioness. Malchus went back to Khalkis, and the woman, unable to find her true husband, became a hermitess. Malchus later went to Maronia where he was honored by St. Jerome.
Bl. Josephine Leroux
Feastday: October 21
Birth: 1747
Death: 1794
Ursuline martyr of the French Revolution. She was born Ann-Joseph Leroux at Cambral, France. After becoming an Ursuline at Valenciennes, she was driven from the convent but returned in 1793. Josephine was guillotined with her Ursuline companions. She was beatified in 1920.
St. John of Bridlington
Feastday: October 21
Patron: women in difficult labour; fishermen
Birth: 1319
Death: 1379
Augustinian prior and patron of women who face difficult labors. He was born John Thwing in Bridlington, Yorkshire, England, in 1319, and became a student at Oxford. Joining the Augustinians at Bridlington, he served as prior for seventeen years until his death. He was canonized in 1401.
John Twenge (Saint John of Bridlington, John Thwing, John of Thwing, John Thwing of Bridlington) (1320–1379) is an English saint of the 14th century. In his lifetime he enjoyed a reputation for great holiness and for miraculous powers. St John of Bridlington was commended for the integrity of his life, his scholarship, and his quiet generosity. He was the last English saint to be canonised before the English Reformation.
St. Hugh of Ambronay
Feastday: October 21
Death: 9th century
Benedictine abbot of Ambronay, in Belley, France.