St. Wilgefortis
புனித வில்ஜிஃபோதிஸ்
இவர் போர்ச்சுக்கல் நாட்டை ஆண்டு வந்த மன்னருடைய மகள்.
சிறு வயதிலேயே கடவுள்மீது மிகுந்த பற்றுகொண்டு வாழ்ந்து வந்த இவரை இவருடைய தந்தை சிசிலி நாட்டு மன்னருக்கு மணமுடித்துக் கொடுக்க நினைத்தார்.
இதை அறிந்த வில்ஜிஃபோதிஸ் தன் தந்தையிடம், தான் ஏற்கெனவே தன்னைக் கடவுளுக்கு அர்ப்பணித்துவிட்டதாகச் சொல்ல, அவர் இவர் சொன்னதை ஏற்றுக்கொள்ளாமல், தன்னுடைய முடிவில் உறுதியாக இருந்தார்.
இதனால் இவர் கடவுளிடம், திருமணத்திலிருந்து தன்னை எப்படியாவது காத்தருளுமாறு வேண்ட, இவருக்கு மீசையும் தாடியும் வளரத் தொடங்கின.
இந்நிலையில் இவரை மணம் முடிப்பதற்காக வந்த சிசிலி மன்னன், இவர் தாடியோடும் மீசையோடும் இருப்பதைப் பார்த்துவிட்டு, வந்த வழியில் திரும்பிச் சென்று விட்டான். இதனால் சீற்றம் கொண்ட இவரது தந்தை இவரைச் சிலுவையில் அறைந்து கொன்று போட்டார்.
இவர் கணவனால் சித்திரவதைக்கு உள்ளாகும் மனைவிகளின் பாதுகாவலராக இருக்கிறார்
Venerated in Folk Catholicism
Feast in some places formerly 20 July
Attributes Bearded woman; depicted crucified, often shown with a small fiddler at her feet, and with one shoe off
Patronage Relief from tribulations, in particular by women who wished to be liberated ("disencumbered") from abusive husbands; facial hair
Wilgefortis, also known as Liberata, Kummernis in Germany, in England as Uncumber, and in France as Livrade, among other names, her story is a pious fiction more folktale than religious, according to which she was one of nine daughters of a pagan Portuguese King. When her father wanted her to marry the King of Sicily, despite her vow of virginity, she prayed for help in resisting the marriage, whereupon she grew a beard and mustache and the suit was withdrawn. Her father was so furious he had her crucified. Father Charles Cahier, S.J., wrote, for my part, I am inclined to think that the crown, beard, gown and gown and cross which are regarded as the attributes of this marvelous maiden (in pictorial representations), are only a pious devotion to the famous crucifix of Lucca, somewhat gone astray. This famous crucifix was completely dressed and crowned, as were many others of the same period. In course of time, the long gown caused it to be thought that the figure was that of a woman, who on account of the beard was called Vierge-forte. We may add that the crucifix of Lucca was shod with silver to prevent the wearing away of the wood by the kissing of the feet by pilgrims. This also has been turned to the glorification of St. Wilgefortis. For it is said that a poor minstrel playing an air before the saint's statue was rewarded by her giving him one of her precious shoes. St. Wilgefortis' feast day is July 20.
Wilgefortis (Portuguese: Vilgeforte) is a female folk saint whose legend arose in the 14th century,[1] and whose distinguishing feature is a large beard. According to the legend of her life, set in Portugal and Galicia, she was a teenage noblewoman who had been promised in marriage by her father to a Moorish king. To thwart the unwanted wedding, she had taken a vow of virginity, and prayed that she would be made repulsive. In answer to her prayers she sprouted a beard, which ended the engagement. In anger, Wilgefortis's father had her crucified.
Her name is thought to have derived from the Latin "virgo fortis" ("courageous virgin").[2] In England her name was Uncumber, and in Dutch Ontkommer (meaning one who avoids something, here specifically other people from suffering).[3]
In German lands she was known as Kümmernis ("grief" or "anxiety"). In Poland she was called Frasobliwa ("sorrowful"). She was sometimes confused with a female martyr saint known as Liberata in Italy and Librada in Spain ("liberated") whose feast day is on July 10; while Saint Liberata is a crucified, beardless female usually with a crown, Wiltegefortis is always depicted with a beard and generally crownless. In France Wiltegefortis is known as Débarras ("riddance"). The confusion between the martyr Saint Liberata and Wiltegefortis extended to places such as Sigüenza, Spain, where Liberata was widely venerated.[4]
While venerated by some Catholics, Wiltegefortis was never officially canonised by the church, but instead was a popular intercessor for people seeking relief from tribulations, in particular by women who wished to be liberated ("disencumbered") from abusive husbands.
History
Art historians have argued that the origins of the art can be found with Eastern-style representations of the crucified Christ, and in particular the Holy Face of Lucca, a large 11th-century carved wooden figure of Christ on the Cross (now replaced by a 13th-century copy), bearded like a man, but dressed in a full-length tunic that might have appeared to be like that of a woman instead of the loin cloth familiar and by the Late Middle Ages normal in depictions in the West.
The Holy Face is sometimes described as typical of early Byzantine robed crucifixes.[5] But no comparable large carved figures formed part of Byzantine art, whilst there are several surviving from Germany. Any Byzantine influence is very remote, as the face and hair are typical of German crucifixes, and many Ottonian manuscripts show robes in crucifixions. The Byzantine examples are from icons, illuminations or small relief carvings.[6]
The theory is that when the composition was copied and brought north of the Alps over the next 150 years, in small copies by pilgrims and dealers, this unfamiliar image led Northerners to create a narrative to explain the androgynous icon.[7] Some older images of the crucified Christ were repurposed as Wilgefortis, and new images clearly intended to represent the saint created, many with female clothes and breasts. Some older images of Christ on the cross are argued to have already deliberately included hints at an androgynous figure for theological reasons.[8] Single images normally showed Wilgefortis on her cross, but two prominent standing images where she carries a smaller cross as an attribute as part of a group of saints, are mentioned below. Images showing a set of scenes covering the whole legend are unusual, but a German one of 1513 is illustrated here.
Veneration
The popularity of prayer in the period of the Middle Ages has been connected to the Devotio Moderna and related devotion, where meditation on and identification with the sufferings of Christ was encouraged by writers such as Thomas à Kempis author of The Imitation of Christ or mostly encouraged by the Groote to focus on the personal structure of simplicity, obedience, and followed the book The Imitation of Christ circulating from the 1420s.[9]
St Wilgefortis remained popular in the North of England until the end of the Gothic period; there is a carving in the Henry VII Chapel of Westminster Abbey of Wilgefortis, standing while holding a cross, with a very long beard.[10] She also appears in a similar pose, very lightly bearded, on the outside of a triptych door by Hans Memling.[10]
Her cult was decisively supressed during the late 16th century (after a period in the 15th and 16th centuries in which she was popular), and thereafter disappears from high art, although lingering well into the 20th century in more popular forms, especially in Bavaria and Austria,[11] but also in northern France and Belgium. In the 12th-century church of Saint-Etienne in Beauvais, there is a 16th-century wooden statue of Saint Wilgefortis on the cross. She is depicted in a full blue tunic with a substantial beard. She is venerated by the name of Santa Librada in Argentina and Panama.[12]
She is often shown with a small fiddler at her feet, and with one shoe off. This derives from a legend, also attached to the Volto Santo of Lucca, of a silver shoe with which the statue had been clothed dropping spontaneously at the feet of a poor pilgrim. In Wilgefortis's version, the poor devotee became a fiddler, perhaps in the 13th century.[13]
Because of her appearance, Wilgerfortis has been described as a "transgender saint" and is sometimes seen as an informal patron saint of persons who identify as gender fluid
St. Thorlac Thorhallsson
Born 1133
Fljótshlíð, Icelandic Commonwealth
Died 23 December 1193 (aged 59–60)
Skálholt, Iceland
Venerated in Roman Catholic Church Evangelical-Lutheran Diocese of North America
Canonized 14 January 1984 by Pope John Paul II
Feast 23 December; 20 July (translation of relics)
Patronage Iceland, fishermen, Catholics of Scandinavia
Saint Thorlac was born in the south of Iceland in 1133. His parents were quite poor. They lost their farm and the family broke up while he was still a boy. Thorlac had two sisters. Before he was 20 Thorlac became a priest. For a few years he served as a parish priest and is said to have been very conscious of his duties. He managed to save some money in order to study abroad. He was 6 years in Paris, France and then some time in Lincoln, England.
When he returned to Iceland he spent some time at Kirkjubaer in the south-east of Iceland. He supported his mother and sisters. He loved kirkjubaer very much and later as bishop, he established the first nunnery in Iceland at this place.
When Thorlac had spent 6 years at Kirkjubaer, the first Augustinian Canonry in Iceland was founded at Thykkvibaer. Thorlac became the first Abbot. He seems to have regulated the Augustinian Rule in Iceland.
Some years later Thorlac was elected Bishop of Skálholt. He was consecrated bishop in Norway on the 2nd July 1178. He was Bishop of Skálholt for 15 years, until his death in 1193, aged 60.
Thorlac worked hard to reform the Nation and to strengthen the Church. This proved to be a tremendous undertaking. Although not always successful, he did pave the way for future improvements.
Thorlac lived a holy life and after his death hundreds of miracles were attributed to his intercession. He was canonized locally in 1198 and on the 14th of January 1984, the Holy Father, John Paul II, declared Thorlac to be the Patron Saint of Iceland. Thorlac has 2 feast days, 20th July and 23rd December.
Thorlak Thorhallsson (Icelandic: Þorlákur Þórhallsson; 1133 – 23 December 1193) is the patron saint of Iceland. He was bishop of Skálholt from 1178 until his death.[1] Thorlak's relics were translated to the cathedral of Skalholt in 1198, not long after his successor as bishop, Páll Jónsson, announced at the Althing that vows could be made to Thorlak. His status as a saint did not receive official recognition from the Catholic Church until 14 January 1984, when John Paul II canonized him and declared him the patron saint of Iceland.[2] His feast day is 23 December, when Thorlac's mass is celebrated in Iceland.
Career
Born in 1133 at Hlíðarendi in the see of Skálholt in southern Iceland,[1] Thorlak was from an agrarian family.[3] He was ordained a deacon before he was fifteen and a priest at the age of eighteen. He studied abroad at Paris with the Victorines, where he learned the Rule of Saint Augustine from roughly 1153 to 1159, and then studied canon law in Lincoln.[1]
Returning to Iceland in 1165, Thorlak founded a monastery of Canons Regular at Þykkvabær after refusing to marry a rich widow. There he devoted himself to a strictly religious life, refusing to marry (many other Icelandic priests were married) and devoting himself to reciting the Our Father, the Creed, and a hymn, as well as fifty Psalms.
Thorlak was consecrated a bishop by Augustine of Nidaros and worked to regulate the Augustinian Rule in Iceland, as well as eradicate simony, lay patronage, and clerical incontinency.
Canonization
Thorlak's life and dozens of his miracles are described in great detail in the Icelandic saga Þorláks saga helga (the Saga of Saint Thorlak), republished in Icelandic on the occasion of John Paul II's visit to Iceland in 1989.[4] It seems likely that Thorlak's informal sanctification in the Church in Iceland, promoted by Latin texts on which this was based, "was arranged in Icelandic ecclesiastical circles, clerics of both dioceses being conspicuous in reports of early miracles".[5]
Thorlak was officially recognised as a saint of the Roman Catholic Church on 14 January 1984, when John Paul II canonized him and declared him the patron saint of Iceland.[2]
The sacred reliquary of Thorlak was maintained in the Diocese of Skálholt until it was destroyed in the Reformation, and his mortal remains were strewn about the cathedral grounds. The only known remaining relic of Thorlak is a bone fragment contained with other saints' relics in a lead box in sanctuary's end wall ("The Golden Locker") of the St. Magnus Cathedral, Faroe Islands.[6]
Novena
A novena, or nine-day devotional prayer, in honor of Thorlac was approved in May 2018, by the Bishop of Reykjavík, Iceland for use by all faithful.
Thorlac's mass
The Mass of St. Thorlac (Þorláksmessa; Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈθɔrˌlauksˌmɛssa]) is an Icelandic holiday celebrated every December 23. The celebration honors Saint Thorlak. The day is also celebrated in the Faroe Islands, where it's called Tollaksmessa (Faroese pronunciation: [ˈtʰɔtlaksˌmɛsːa]).
In modern times, Þorláksmessa became part of Christmas, or the last day of preparations before Christmas.[3] Many people buy Christmas presents and finish decorating their houses and Christmas tree. On Þorláksmessa evening in Reykjavík, many stroll down Laugavegur.
Fish was usually eaten on Þorláksmessa since 23 December was the last day of the Catholic Christmas fast. In west fjords in Iceland, it is customary to eat buried and fermented skate along with potatoes on Þorláksmessa. The ammonia-infused odor of fermented skate is quite strong, similar to that of hákarl.[7] This pungent dish is eaten as a continuation of tradition. The skate is usually served with boiled or mashed potatoes, accompanied by a shot of brennivín.
Other
A group based in the state of New York has advocated for Thorlak becoming the patron saint of people with autism.[8]
Autism Consecrated, a blog written by the autistic self-advocate Aimee O'Connell, promotes Saint Thorlak as a role model for autistic Catholics
St. Barhadbesciabas
Died 4th century
Arbela, Sassanid Empire
Venerated in Oriental Orthodox Church
Eastern Orthodox Church
Roman Catholic Church
Feast July 20 or July 21
A Persian martyr, serving as a deacon in Arbele, sometimes called Barhadbesaba. He was caught up in the persecution conducted by Sassanid King Shapur II and was tortured by the governor of the Persian region of Adiaban in modern Iran. Aggai, an apostate Christian, was ordered to behead Barhadbesciabas. lie used the ax with such clumsiness that he had to strike the martyr again in order to slay him.
Barhadbesciabas (alternately Barhadbesaba or Barhadbescialas) (died July 20, 355) is venerated as a Christian martyr who was decapitated during the reign of Shapur II. A deacon of Arbela, in the Sassanid Empire, he was arrested by the governor of Arbela, Sapor Tamaspor, and put on the rack.
Tradition states that the authorities ordered Aghaeus, an apostate Christian nobleman, to kill Barhadbesciabas with a sword.
Another Christian of the same name was martyred with Abda and Abdjesus in 366.
Blessed Ángel Martínez Miquélez
Profile
The eldest son of José Martínez Polo and Juana Miquélez, Ángel was baptized at the age of one day; his aunt and godmother, Magdalena Martínez, consecrated him to the Virgin Mary. To get work, the family moved to Argentina when Ángel was five years old, but they were forced to return to Spain two years later when things didn’t work out. The boy‘s mother died when Ángel was seven years old. His aunt, Magdalena, helped with the family and ensured that the boys received a proper religious education. He went to a Piarist school, and began to feel a call to religious life. When he was old enough, he entered the Redemptorist seminary in Espino, Spain; a few years later, his younger brother Juan attended the same seminary.
Ángel was considered an excellent student, serious about his vocation, and a little stubborn. He was professed in the Redemptorists on 18 September 1928. He continued his studies, and was ordained a priest on 20 September 1930.
Father Ángel wanted to become a missionary, but his superiors decided that his work ethic and intelligence meant he would serve better as professor of philosophy and literature at the seminary at Astorga, León, Spain. The combination of the heavy teaching load and his own continued studies led to a collapse in January 1934. He was assigned to El Espino, Burgos, Spain to rest and recover; he used his time to hear confessions and preach missions and retreats. On 11 May 1934 he was assigned to the Redemptorist community in Granada, Spain, and then assigned to work as secretary to the Community of Perpetual Help in Madrid, Spain on 6 October 1934. He organized the library there, preached retreats, and wrote articles for Revista del Perpetuo Socorro.
In July 1936, just as the Spanish Civil War broke out, Father Ángel was assigned to minister to young people in the community. On 20 July, the street fighting reached the Community, and the Redemptorist brothers were seized by militiamen, accused of being Fascists because they opposed Communism. The Communists considered this just as bad, beat the brothers severely, and then shot them. Martyr.
Born
2 March 1907 in Funes, Navarra, Spain
Died
shot on 20 July 1936 in Casa de Campo, Madrid, Spain
Venerated
24 April 2021 by Pope Francis (decree of martyrdom)
Saint Margaret of Antioch
அந்தியோக்கியா புனிதர் மார்கரெட்
கன்னியர்-மறைசாட்சி/ பேயருவத்தின் வெற்றிவீராங்கனை:
பிறப்பு: கி.பி. 289
அந்தியோக்கியா, பிசிடியா
இறப்பு: கி.பி. 304 (வயது 15)
ஏற்கும் சமயம்:
ரோமன் கத்தோலிக்க திருச்சபை
ஆங்கிலிக்கன் திருச்சபை
மேற்கத்திய மரபுவழி சடங்குகள்
பைஸான்டைன் கிறிஸ்தவம்
காப்டிக் கிறிஸ்தவம்
பாதுகாவல்:
கர்ப்பிணி பெண்கள் (Pregnant Women), பிரசவம் (Childbirth), இறக்கும் மக்கள் (Dying People), சிறுநீரக நோய் (Kidney Disease), விவசாயிகள் (Peasants), நாடுகடத்தப்பட்டவர்கள் (Exiles), பொய்க் குற்றம் சாட்டப்பட்டவர்கள் (Falsely Accused People); Lowestoft, இங்கிலாந்து (England); குயின்ஸ் கல்லூரி (Queens' College), கேம்பிரிட்ஜ் (Cambridge); செவிலியர் (Nurses); சன்னட் மற்றும் பாரோர்லா (Sannat and Bormla), மால்டா (Malta), லோவஸ்டோஃப்ட் நகரம் (Lowestoft).
மேற்கில், “அந்தியோக்கியா நகர மார்கரெட்” (Margaret of Antioch in the West) என்றும் கிழக்கில், “பெரிய மறைசாட்சி மெரீனா” (Saint Marina the Great Martyr in the East) என்றும் அழைக்கப்படும் புனிதர் மார்கரெட், ரோமன் கத்தோலிக்க திருச்சபை (Roman Catholic Church), ஆங்கிலிக்கன் திருச்சபை (Anglican Church), மேற்கத்திய மரபுவழி சடங்குகள் (Western Rite Orthodoxy), பைஸான்டைன் கிறிஸ்தவம் (Byzantine Christianity), காப்டிக் கிறிஸ்தவம் (Coptic Christianity) ஆகிய திருச்சபைகளால் புனிதராக ஏற்றுக்கொள்ளப்பட்டுள்ளார்.
கி.பி. 304ம் ஆண்டு, மறைசாட்சியாக மரித்த இவர், ஐயத்திற்கிடமானவர் (Apocryphal) என்று, கி.பி. 494ம் ஆண்டு, திருத்தந்தை “முதலாம் கெலாசியஸால்” (Pope Gelasius I) அறிவிக்கப்பட்டார். ஆனால் அவருக்கான பக்தி, மேற்கு நாடுகளில் சித்திரவதைகளுடன் புத்தாக்கம் பெற்றது.
தனது வாழ்க்கையை எழுதியோ அல்லது படிப்பவர்களுக்கோ, அல்லது அவருடைய பரிந்துரையை வேண்டுவோர்க்கோ, மிகுந்த சக்திவாய்ந்த மனோபாவங்களை வாக்குறுதியளித்ததாகவும், பிரயோகிப்பதாகவும் அவர் புகழப்படுகின்றார். இவரது இந்த நம்பகத்தன்மை, இவரது புகழ் பரவிட காரணமானது.
பதினான்கு தூய உதவியாளர்களுள் (Fourteen Holy Helpers) ஒருவரான மார்கரெட், “புனிதர் ஜோன் ஆஃப் ஆர்க்கிடம்” (Joan of Arc) பேசிய புனிதர்களுள் ஒருவராகவும் கருதப்படுகின்றார்.
“பொன் புராணம்” (Golden Legend) எனும் புராணங்களில் சொல்லப்படும் கதைகளின்படி, இவர், அந்தியோக்கியா நகரைச் சேர்ந்த ஒரு பெண்ணாவார். இவரது தந்தை, பாகன் இனத்தைச் சேர்ந்த ஒரு குரு ஆவார். அவரது பெயர், “எடேசியஸ்” (Aedesius) ஆகும். இவர் பிறந்து சிறிது காலத்திலேயே இவரது தாயார் மரித்துப் போனதால், அந்தியோக்கியா நகரிலிருந்து சுமார் எட்டு மைல் தூரத்திலுள்ள ஒரு கிறிஸ்தவப் பெண்ணால் மார்கரெட் பராமரிக்கப்பட்டு வளர்ந்தார்.
கிறிஸ்தவத்தை தழுவியதாலும், தமது கன்னித்தன்மையை கடவுளுக்கு அர்ப்பணித்ததாலும், இவரது தந்தையார் இவரை கைவிட்டார். ஆகவே, இவரது செவிலித்தாய் இவரை ஏற்றுக்கொண்டார். தமது வளர்ப்புத் தாயுடன் நாட்டுப்புறங்களில் ஆடுகளை மேய்த்தபடி வளர்ந்தார். கிழக்கத்திய ரோமானிய மறைமாவட்ட ஆளுநரான “ஓலிப்ரியஸ்” (Olybrius) அவளை திருமணம் செய்துகொள்ளும்படி கேட்டார். ஆனால் கிறிஸ்தவத்தை கைவிட்டுவிடும் கோரிக்கையும் வைத்தார். இதற்கு மறுப்பு தெரிவித்த காரணத்தால், அவர் பலவிதமாக சித்திரவதை செய்யப்பட்டார். இதில் பல்வேறு அற்புதமான சம்பவங்கள் நிகழ்ந்தன. ஒரு டிராகன் வடிவத்தில் சாத்தானால் விழுங்கப்பட்ட சம்பவம் ஒன்றும் இந்த தொடர்புகளில் ஒன்று. தாம் வைத்திருந்த சிறு சிலுவை ஒன்றினால் எரிச்சல் அடைந்த டிராகனின் பிடியிலிருந்து அவர் உயிரோடு தப்பித்தார்.
கிழக்கு மரபுவழி திருச்சபை (Eastern Orthodox Church) மார்கரெட்டை புனிதர் மெரினா (Saint Marina) என்று அறிந்திருக்கிறது. ரோமன் கத்தோலிக்க திருச்சபை (Roman Catholic Church) இவரை புனிதராக ஏற்கிறது. “ரோம மறைசாட்சிகள்” (Roman Martyrology) புத்தகத்தில் ஜூலை மாதம் 20ம் நாளாக குறிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.
Also known as
Margherita, Marina, Margaritha, Marine, Margaretha
Profile
Virgin and martyr whose story is know to us from a collection of legends, but no contemporary history. Her father was a pagan priest in Pisidian Antioch, Asia Minor (modern Turkey). Her mother died when Margaret was an infant, and the girl was raised by a Christian woman. Margaret's father disowned her, her nurse adopted her, and Margaret converted, consecrating herself and her virginity to God.
One day a Roman prefect saw the beautiful young Margaret as she was tending sheep, and tried to get her into his bed. When she refused, the official denounced her as a outlaw Christian, and she was brought to trial. When she refused to sacrifice to the pagan gods, the authorities tried to burn her, then boil her in a large cauldron; each time her prayers kept her unharmed. She was finally martyred by beheading.
Part of her story involves her meeting the devil in the form of a dragon, being swallowed by the dragon, and then escaping safely when the cross she carried irritated the dragon's innards; this accounts for this virgin's association with pregnancy, labour, and childbirth. She was one of the saints who appeared to Saint Joan of Arc. One of the Fourteen Holy Helpers.
Born
Antioch
Died
• beheaded, date unknown
• relics claimed by several locations
Saint Paphnutius of Skete
Also known as
• Paphnutius of Alexandria
• Paphnutius of Scete
• Paphnutius of Wadi Natrun
• Paphnutius the Ascetic
• Paphnutius the Buffalo (the word indicated his love of solitude)
• Paphnutius the Hermit
• Pafnutios, Pafnutius, Paphnutios
Profile
Desert hermit in Egypt in the late 3rd and early 4th-century. Priest. Spiritual student of Saint Macarius the Great. The only times he would leave his hermit‘s cell was to attend Mass at a church 5 miles away on Saturday night and Sunday monring; he would carry back a bucket of water that was all the water he would consume until the next trip to Mass. During the persecutions of Diocletian, governor Hadrian sent troops to bring in Paphnutius; the hermit heard they were coming, went to the governor on his own, and made a public profession of Christianity. He was imprisoned and tortured to get him to give up his faith; he faith was so strong that he converted forty fellow prisoners (who were burned to death) and two of his torturers, Dionysius and Callimachus (who were beheaded). Released, Paphnutius was taken in by a local Christian name Nestorius, and spent his day preaching and teaching to the man’s family and anyone else who would listen; at least 546 people were brought to the faith, all of whom were later martyred. Hadrian finally sent the troublesome hermit to Diocletian whose forces finally killed him. Martyr. Paphnutius is most famous for his accounts of the lives of many holy hermits of the Egyptian desert, including Saint Onuphrius.
Born
Egypt
Died
• authorities tied a stone around his neck and threw him into a river; he floated to shore on the stone
• crucified on a date tree in the early 4th century
Elijah the Prophet
Also known as
Elias the Prophet
Profile
Old Testament prophet. He announced to Achad, King of Israel, who under the influence of his Tyrian wife Jezabel had erected a temple to Baal, that Jehovah had determined to avenge the apostasy of Israel by bringing a long drought on the land. During the drought which lasted three years, Elias withdrew to the vicinity of the brook Carith, where he was fed by the ravens. After the brook had dried up he crossed over to Sarepta, where he was hospitably received by a poor widow, whose charity he rewarded by increasing her store of meal and oil and by raising her child to life. At length he once more confronted the king and challenged the prophets of Baal to a contest on Mount Carmel, when Elias's oblation was consumed by fire from heaven, and the false prophets were slain by the people at his command. He was obliged to flee from the wrath of Jezabel and while on Mount Horeb was commissioned by Jehovah to anoint Hazael to be King of Syria, Jehu to be King of Israel, and Eliseus to be his own successor. Subsequently he denounced Achab for the murder of Naboth and reprimanded Ochozias and Joram, King of Juda. While conversing with Eliseus on the hills of Moab he was translated to heaven in a fiery chariot. The Carmelite Order traces its origin to him. An apocryphal Apocalypse of Elias was partly recovered in a Coptic translation.
Blessed Rita Josefa Pujalte y Sánchez
Also known as
Sister Rita of Our Lady of Sorrows
Profile
Nun, a member of the Sisters of Charity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, as was her sister Luisa. On the recommendation of the Order's fonder, Rita was chosen superior of the Sisters in 1900; she served in that position for 28 years. Started schools for girls, especially in the poorest areas, and was know for her care for the sick, especially fellow Sisters. Retiring to the Saint Susanna convent in Madrid, Spain, she worked the convent's college. In the persecutions of the Spanish Civil War, many fled, but Rita, 83 years old and nearly blind, stayed to care for orphans and those in hospital. Grabbed by a anti–Christian revolutionaries while she was in prayer in chapel, she was taken out of Madrid and executed. Martyr.
Born
18 February 1853 in Aspe, Alicante, Spain
Died
• shot at 3.30pm on 20 July 1936 in Canillejas, Madrid, Spain
• exhumed and found incorrupt in 1940
• re-interred in the cemetery of Almudena, Madrid, Spain
• body found incorrupt in 1954
• re-interred in the chapel in Madrid Villaverde, Spain
Beatified
10 May 1998 by Pope John Paul II
Saint Bernward of Hildesheim
Also known as
Berward, Bernward
Profile
Member of a noble Saxon family. Grandson of Athelbero, Count Palatine of Saxony. Orphaned at an early age. Raised by his uncle Volkmar, bishop of Utrecht, and educated at the cathedral school at Heidelberg, where he was a schoolmate of Blessed Meinwerk of Paderborn and at Mainz. Ordained at Mainz. Imperial chaplain and tutor to the future Emperor Otto III beginning in 987. Bishop of Hildesheim, Germany from 993 till 1020. Encouraged the arts; commissioned religious paintings and sculpture, refurbished existing buildings, built new ones (thus his patronage of the builder's arts), and made altar vessels of gold and silver by hand, and dabbled in architecture and ornamental ironwork. His rule was marked with peace, and around 1020 he retired to a Benedictine monastary to spend his remaining days in prayer.
Born
c.960 at Utrecht, Netherlands
Died
20 November 1022 of natural causes
Canonized
1193 by Pope Celestine III
Saint Frumentius of Ethiopia
Also known as
• Apostle to Ethiopia
• Abuna of Ethiopia
• Father of Ethiopia
• Fremonat, Fulgence
Additional Memorials
• 1 August (Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church)
• 30 November (Eastern Orthodox Churches)
• 18 December (Coptic Orthodox Church)
Profile
Brother of Saint Aedeius. Student of the philosopher Meropius. While on a voyage on the Red Sea, their ship wrecked on the Ethiopian shore, and only Frumentius and Aedeius survived. They were taken to the king at Axum as a curiosity, and became members of the court, Frumentius serving as secretary. When the king died they stayed as part of the queen's court. She permitted them to introduce Christianity to the country, and open trade between Ethiopia and the west. Frumentius convinced Saint Athanasius of Alexandria to send missionaries from Alexandria, Egypt, and was himself consecrated as bishop of Ethiopia. Converted many, including the princes Ezana and Sheazana, and established a firm foothold in Ethiopia for the faith.
Born
early 4th century, Tyre (modern Sur, Lebanon)
Died
c.383 in Ethiopia of natural causes
Saint Apollinaris of Ravenna
புனித அப்போலினாரிஸ் (St.Apollinaris)
ஆயர் (Bishop)
2 ஆம் நூற்றாண்டு
இவர் துருக்கி நாட்டில் பிரிஜியா(Brijiya) மாநிலத்திற்கு ஆயராக தேர்ந்தெடுக்கப்பட்டார். கிறிஸ்துவை அந்நாட்டில் பரப்ப பெரும்பாடுபட்டார். இதனால் அந்நாட்டு அரசன் மார்க்ஸ் அவுரேலியஸ்(Markus Aurelias) என்பவரால் பல துன்பங்களை அனுபவித்தார். ஆனால் ஆயர் தன்னுடைய செபத்தால் அரசனை வென்றார். ஆயரின் சொல்படி நடந்த அரசன், திருச்சபைக்காக பல உதவிகளை செய்தான். அந்நாட்டில் கிறிஸ்தவர்களுக்கு தேவையான எல்லாவற்றையும் செய்து கொடுத்தான்.
மார்க்ஸ் நாளடைவில் "கிறிஸ்துவர்களின் நண்பன்" என்ற பெயரை பெற்றான். அப்போலினாரிஸிடமிருந்து, பல விசுவாச போதனைகளை கற்றுக் கொண்டான். ஆயர் மன்னனின் மனதை கவர்ந்து விசுவாசத்தை அம்மண்ணில் நிலைநாட்டியதால் "வீரம் கொண்ட விசுவாச தந்தை" என்ற பெயரை பெற்றார். கிறிஸ்துவர்களின் முன்னேற்றத்திற்காக ஆயருக்கு, அரசர் உதவியதால் , அரசனின் எதிரிகளால் ஆயர் தாக்கப்பட்டார். அரசன் நிறைவேற்றிய சட்டங்கள் பல கிறிஸ்துவர்களுக்கு சாதகமாக இருந்ததால் அரசனும் அவமானத்திற்குள்ளாக்கப்பட்டான். இந்நிலையில் எழுந்த போராட்டங்களில், ஆயர் அப்போலினாரிஸ் எதிரிகளால் கொடூரமாக தாக்கப்பட்டுக் கொல்லப்பட்டார். துருக்கி நாட்டில், 2 ஆம் நூற்றாண்டில் இருந்த ஆயர்களில் "சிறந்தவர்" என்ற பெயர் பெற்றார்.
Also known as
Apollinare of Ravenna
Profile
Mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles. Spiritual student of Saint Peter the Apostle. First bishop of Ravenna, Italy; as such he faced nearly constant persecution. He and his flock were exiled from Ravenna during the persecutions of Emperor Vespasian. On his way out of the city he was identified, arrested as being the leader, tortured, and martryed. Noted miracle worker. Centuries after his death he appeared in a vision to Saint Romuald.
Born
Antioch, Turkey
Died
• run through with a sword c.79 at Ravenna, Italy
• relics at the Benedictine abbey of Classe, Ravenna and in Saint Lambert's church, Düsseldorf, Germany
Saint Joseph Barsabas
Also known as
• Joseph Basassas
• Joseph Justus
• Joseph of Barsabas
• Joseph the Just
• Barsabbas, Justus
Profile
A disciple of Jesus. Mentioned in Acts as the other candidate for the 12th Apostle's position, the one vacated by Judas Iscariot. The lot fell to Saint Matthias.
Died
1st century
Blessed Luigi Novarese
Profile
One of six children born to a farming family; his father died of pneumonia when the boy was very young. Due to a childhood illness, one of his legs was several inches shorter than the other, requiring him to wear special shoes all his life. Priest in the Diocese of Frascati, Italy, ordained on 17 December 1938. Had degrees in theology and canon law, but always found time for what he considered his primary work, ministering to the sick. Founded the Priestly Marian League in 1943. With Sister Elvira Myriam Psorulla, he founded the Volunteers of Suffering in 1947. Founded the Silent Workers of the Cross in 1950. Founded the Brothers and Sisters of the Sick in 1952.
Born
29 July 1914 in Casale Monferrato, Alessandria, Italy
Died
20 July 1984 in Rocca Priora, Rome, Italy
Beatified
• 11 May 2013 by Pope Francis
• beatification recognition celebrated at the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside-the-Walls, Rome, Italy by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone
Blessed Gregorio López
Profile
Court page to King Philip II, Gregorio was well educated, especially in the sciences of his day. He lived six years as a hermit in the Navarre region of Spain before moving to Mexico in 1562 where he lived as a hermit among the natives near Zacatecas and the area of modern Mexico City. Because he was being sought out for spritiual guidance by local people, the archbishop of Mexico City had him examined for fidelity to the faith; the bishop and his priests were impressed with the man’s knowledge, piety and wisdom. This only increased the number of people who sought him out, so Gregorio withdrew to the small village of Santa Fe where he lived his remaining days in solitude. Devotion to him is widespread throughout Mexico, and his canonization cause has been pursued since 1620.
Born
4 July 1542 at Madrid, Spain
Died
20 July 1596 near Mexico City, Mexico of natural causes
Saint Chi Zhuze
Also known as
Xi Guizi
Additional Memorial
28 September as one of the Martyrs of China
Profile
Teenaged layman convert in the apostolic vicariate of Southeastern Zhili, China who was still a catechumen when, during an anti-Western riot, he was dragged into the town square and murdered for being a Christian during the Boxer Rebellion. Martyr.
Born
c.1882 in Dezhaoin, Shenzhou, Hebei, China
Died
torn to pieces during June-July 1900 (records unclear) in Dechao, Shenzhou, Hebei, China
Canonized
1 October 2000 by Pope John Paul II
Saint Maria Fu Guilin
Also known as
Mali
Additional Memorial
28 September as one of the Martyrs of China
Profile
Lay woman in the apostolic vicariate of Southeastern Zhili, China. Teacher. Turned over to the pagan persecutors in the Boxer Rebellion, she publicly prayed to Christ, and was immediately murdered. Martyr.
Born
c.1863 in Luopo, Shenzhou, Hebei, China
Died
beheaded on 20 July 1900 in Dailucun, Shenzhou, Hebei, China
Canonized
1 October 2000 by Pope John Paul II
Saint José María Díaz Sanjurjo
Also known as
Joseph Diaz Sanjurjo
Additional Memorial
24 November as one of the Martyrs of Viet Nam
Profile
Dominican priest, ordained on 23 March 1844. Missionary to Manila, Philippines, and then to Viet Nam. Coadjutor vicar apostolic of Central Tonking, Viet Nam and titular bishop of Plataea on 5 September 1848. Martyr.
Born
26 October 1818 at Santa Eulalia, Spain
Died
martyred on 20 July 1857 in Vietnam
Canonized
19 June 1988 by Pope John Paul II
Saint Ansegisus
Also known as
Ansegis
Profile
Benedictine monk at Fontenelle Abbey, France at age 18. Entrusted by Charlemagne and Louis le Débonnaire with the reform and restoration of the monasteries of Saint Sixtus, Saint Memius, Flay, and Luxeuil. He codified the laws of Charlemagne and Louis in the Capitulars. Abbot of Fontenelle; the monastery became famous for learning, discipline, and its library. He divided the riches he obtained from his diplomatic missions among various monasteries.
Born
c.770
Died
c.833 of natural causes
Blessed Francisca Aldea y Araujo
Also known as
Sister Francisca of the Heart of Jesus
Profile
Nun, a member of the Sisters of Charity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Martyred in the Spanish Civil War.
Born
17 December 1881 in Somolinos, Guadalajara, Spain
Died
20 July 1936 in Canillejas, Madrid, Spain
Beatified
10 May 1998 by Pope John Paul II
Blessed Bernardo Sáiz Gutiérrez
Also known as
Gabriel
Profile
Member of the Redemptorists, making his profession on 25 March 1924. Priest. Martyred in the Spanish Civil War.
Born
23 July 1896 in Melgosa, Burgos, Spain
Died
20 July 1936 in Casa de Campo, Madrid, Spain
Venerated
24 April 2021 by Pope Francis (decree of martyrdom)
Blessed Crescencio Ortiz Blanco
Profile
Member of the Redemptorists, making his profession on 24 September 1900. Ordained a priest on 23 December 1905. Martyred in the Spanish Civil War.
Born
10 March 1881 in Pamplona, Navarra, Spain
Died
20 July 1936 in Casa de Campo, Madrid, Spain
Venerated
24 April 2021 by Pope Francis (decree of martyrdom)
Blessed Anne Cartier
Also known as
Sister Saint Basil
Additional Memorial
9 July as one of the Martyrs of Orange
Profile
Ursuline nun. Martyred in the French Revolution.
Born
19 November 1733 in Livron, Drôme, France
Died
guillotined on 20 July 1794 in Orange, Vaucluse, France
Beatified
10 May 1925 by Pope Pius XI
Blessed Vicente López y López
Also known as
Virginio Pedro
Profile
Professed religious in the Brothers of the Christian Schools (De La Salle Brothers). Martyred in the Spanish Civil War.
Born
27 October 1884 in Miraveche, Burgos, Spain
Died
20 July 1936 in Almudena, Madrid, Spain
Beatified
13 October 2013 by Pope Francis
Saint Wulmar
Also known as
Ulmar, Ulmer, Vilmarus, Volmar, Vulmaro, Vulmarus
Profile
Uncle of Saint Eremberta of Wierre. Priest. Monk. Founded a convent at Wierre-aux-Bois, France and the monastery of Samer near Boulogne, France that was later renamed Saint-Vulmaire in his honour.
Born
near Boulogne, France
Died
689
Saint Paul of Saint Zoilus
Also known as
Paul of Cordoba
Profile
Deacon in Moorish-occupied Cordoba, Spain. Monk at the Saint Zoilus monastery in Cordoba. Had a special ministry caring for Christians imprisoned for their faith by the Muslims. Martyr.
Died
• beheaded in 851
• relics in the church of Saint Zoilus, Cordoba, Spain
Blessed Abraham Furones y Furones
Also known as
Arenas, Luis
Profile
Dominican priest. Martyred in the Spanish Civil War.
Born
8 October 1892 in Abraveses de Tera, Zamora, Spain
Died
20 July 1936 in Madrid, Spain
Beatified
28 October 2007 by Pope Benedict XVI
Saint Elswith
Also known as
Etheldwitha, Ethelwitha, Ealsitha, Ealhswith
Profile
Born a princess in Mercia (in modern England). A queen, married to King Alfred the Great of West Saxons. Widowed in 899, she became a nun and later abbess at a convent she had founded in Winchester, England.
Died
903
Ealhswith or Ealswitha (died 5 December 902) was the wife of King Alfred the Great. Her father was a Mercian nobleman, Æthelred Mucel, Ealdorman of the Gaini, which is thought to be an old Mercian tribal group. Her mother was Eadburh, a member of the Mercian royal family. Ealhswith is commemorated as a saint in the Christian East and the West on 20 July.
Descent
A charter of 897 (S 1442) discusses the responsibilities of Ealhswith's brother Æthelwulf towards the monastery of Winchcombe, and Barbara Yorke argues that as this monastery was claimed as a possession by the family of Ceolwulf and Coenwulf, brothers who were both kings of Mercia, Ealhswith was probably a member of this family.[1] Richard Abels goes further, stating that she was descended from King Coenwulf.[2]
Life
She was married to Alfred in 868 at Gainsborough, Lincolnshire. His elder brother Æthelred was then king, and Alfred was regarded as heir apparent.[3][4] The Danes occupied the Mercian town of Nottingham in that year, and the marriage was probably connected with an alliance between Wessex and Mercia.[5] Alfred became king on his brother's death in 871. Ealhswith is very obscure in contemporary sources. She did not witness any known charters during the reign of her husband, and while Asser details her parentage and the date of their marriage, he did not identify her by name in his "Life of King Alfred" calling her only "a noble Mercian Lady". In accordance with ninth century West Saxon custom, she was not given the title of queen. According to King Alfred, this was because of the infamous conduct of a former queen of Wessex called Eadburh, who had inadvertently poisoned her husband when trying to poison another.[6]
After Alfred's death, in 901, Ealhswith did witness one charter during the reign of her son King Edward in which she is identified as "Ealhswið mater regis", Ealhswith mother of the king. Her name is subscribed immediately after King Edward, and before Edward's wife Ælfflæd.[7]
Alfred left his wife three important symbolic estates in his will, Edington in Wiltshire, the site of one important victory over the Vikings, Lambourn in Berkshire, which was near another, and Wantage, his birthplace. These were all part of his bookland, and they stayed in royal possession after her death.[4]
It was probably after Alfred's death in 899 that Ealhswith founded the convent of St Mary's Abbey, Winchester, known as the Nunnaminster. She died on 5 December 902, and was buried in her son Edward's new Benedictine abbey, the New Minster, Winchester. She is commemorated in two early tenth century manuscripts as "the true and dear lady of the English".[4]
Ealhswith's brother Æthelwulf was ealdorman of western and possibly central Mercia under his niece's husband, Æthelred, Lord of the Mercians, in the 890s.[8] He died in 901.
Saint Aurelius of Carthage
Profile
Bishop of Carthage in North Africa. Worked with Saint Augustine of Hippo. One of the first to denounce the heresy of Pelagianism.
Died
c.426
Blessed Jacinto García Riesco
Profile
Dominican cleric. Martyred in the Spanish Civil War.
Born
28 August 1894 in Calvillas, Somiedo, Asturias, Spain
Died
20 July 1936 in Madrid, Spain
Beatified
28 October 2007 by Pope Benedict XVI
Saint Rorice of Limoges
Profile
Married, he was known in his community as an honourable and upright man. Rorice one day had a conversion experience that led him to complete devotion to God and a more religious life. Bishop of Limoges, France in 484.
Died
507 of natural causes
Saint Cassian of Saint Saba
Also known as
Cassiano
Profile
Educated at the monastery of Saint Saba where he became a monk and then abbot.
Born
Scythopolis
Died
20 July 547 or 548 (records vary)
Saint Severa of Saint Gemma
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Sister of Saint Modoald of Trier. Nun. First Abbess of Saint Gemma convent in Villeneuve, France; it was later renamed Sainte-Sevère in her honour.
Died
c.680
Saint Mère
Profile
The memorial has long been celebrating in the diocese of Auch, France, and the town of Sainte-Mère, France appears to have been named for this person, but no information about them has survived.
Saint Severa of Oehren
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Abbess of the convent of Oehren in Trier, Germany.
Died
c.750
Saint Caramnan
Also known as
Carmnan
Profile
No information has survived.
Martyrs of Corinth
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22 Christians who were martyred together. We know nothing else about them but the names –
• Appia • Calorus • Cassius • Celsus • Cyriacus • Donatus • Emilis • Felix • Fructus • Magnus • Maximus • Nestita • Partinus • Pasterus • Paul • Romanus • Spretus • Tertius • Theodolus • Ueratia • Valerian • Victor •
Died
Corinth, Greece
Martyrs of Damascus
Profile
16 Christians who were martyred together. We know the names of six of then, but no details about any of them – Cassia, Julian, Macrobius, Maximus, Paul and Sabinus.
Born
Syria
Died
Damascus, Syria, date unknown
Martyrs of Seoul
Additional Memorial
20 September as one of the Martyrs of Korea
Profile
Eight lay native Koreans in various states of life who were murdered together for their faith.
• Anna Kim Chang-gum
• Ioannes Baptista Yi Kwang-nyol
• Lucia Kim Nusia
• Magdalena Yi Yong-hui
• Maria Won Kwi-im
• Martha Kim Song-im
• Rosa Kim No-sa
• Theresia Yi Mae-im
Died
20 July 1839 at the Small West Gate, Seoul, South Korea
Canonized
6 May 1984 by Pope John Paul II
Martyrs of Zhaojia
Additional Memorial
28 September as one of the Martyrs of China
Profile
Married lay woman and her two daughters in the apostolic vicariate of Southeastern Zhili, China. During the persecutions of the Boxer Rebellion, the three of them hid in a well to avoid being raped. They were found, dragged out, and killed for being Christian. Martyrs. They were - Maria Zhao Guoshi (mother), Maria Zhao and Rosa Zhao (sisters).
Died
late July 1900 in Zhaojia, Wuqiao, Hebei, China
Canonized
1 October 2000 by Pope John Paul II
Martyrs of Zhujiahe
Additional Memorial
28 September as one of the Martyrs of China
Profile
Two Jesuit missionary priests and two local lay people who supported their work who were martyred together in the Boxer Rebellion during and immediately after Mass.
• Léon-Ignace Mangin
• Maria Zhu Wushi
• Paul Denn
• Petrus Zhu Rixin
Died
20 July 1900 in church in Zhujiahe, Jingxian, Hebei, China
Canonized
1 October 2000 by Pope John Paul II
Our Lady of Zocueca
Our Lady of Zocueca, also known as Nuestra Señora de Zocueca, is the patron saint of the town of Bailén in southern Spain. She is depicted in a graceful, standing Gothic statue as the Virgin Mary holding the Christ child.
The devotion to Our Lady of Zocueca has a long history dating back to around 1150, when Mozarabic Christians built a chapel near the Rumblar River in her honor. The current statue likely dates from the 14th century, although tradition holds that it may be even older.
The Virgin of Zocueca is associated with several miracles and historical events in Bailén. People have turned to her for protection and deliverance throughout the centuries, including:
Giving thanks for the reconquest of the area by King Alfonso VII in 1155
Ending a cholera epidemic in 1681
Leading the Spanish to victory over Napoleon's forces at the Battle of Bailén in 1808
Stopping a plague of locusts that threatened crops in the late 1800s
There are two main celebrations in honor of Our Lady of Zocueca:
A procession through the streets of Bailén on July 20th, commemorating the victory at the Battle of Bailén.
A pilgrimage on the last Sunday of September, expressing gratitude for her intervention against the locust plague.
The original statue of Our Lady of Zocueca was tragically burned during the Spanish Civil War. However, a faithful replica created by religious sculptor Jose Maria Alcacer is now housed in the Church of the Incarnation in Bailén.
Arnold Vessem
Arnold Vessem was a Dutch priest and canon (member) of the Premonstratensian order, also known as Norbertines, who lived in the 16th century. Here's what we know about him:
Lifespan: 1496 - 1557
Origin: Tilburg, Netherlands
Monastery: Tongerlo Abbey in Westerlo, Belgium (near Antwerp)
Career and Martyrdom:
Joined the Premonstratensian order in 1520.
Became a canon at Tongerlo Abbey in 1522.
Held various positions within the abbey, including cellarer (overseeing provisions) and treasurer.
Became parish priest in Klein-Zundert, Netherlands in 1533.
Briefly left his parish in 1539 for theological studies in Orléans, France.
Upon returning, actively promoted the veneration of the Eucharist and established a brotherhood dedicated to it.
During a period of religious conflict between Catholics and Protestants, he was murdered on the night of July 19th-20th, 1557, likely by Protestant extremists.
Legacy:
The Catholic Church venerates him as a martyr, with his feast day celebrated on July 20th.
He is considered one of several martyrs from Tongerlo Abbey who died during the Protestant Reformation.
Flavian II of Antioch
Flavian II of Antioch, also known as Saint Flavian II, was the Patriarch of Antioch from roughly 498 to 512 AD. His reign was marked by controversy surrounding the Christological debates of the time.
Appointed by Emperor: Anastasius I chose Flavian as Patriarch with the condition that he accept the Henotikon, a decree aimed at uniting the Miaphysites (who believed in one nature of Christ) and the Chalcedonians (who believed in two natures).
Balancing Act: Flavian tried to walk a tightrope, not outright opposing Chalcedonianism while also resisting pressure to denounce the Council of Chalcedon. This appeasement strategy failed.
Forced to Submit: Under pressure from the emperor and the Miaphysites, Flavian eventually signed the Henotikon in 508/509.
Deposed and Exiled: His attempts to please both sides ultimately backfired. Flavian was forced to abdicate in 512 and banished to Petra in Arabia, where he likely died around 518 AD.
Eastern Orthodox Church & Eastern Catholicism (Old Calendar): July 20th
Roman Catholic Church: July 4th
Elias of Jerusalem
Church Church of Antioch
See Antioch
Installed 498
Term ended 512
Predecessor Palladius
Successor Severus
Personal details
Died 518
Petra, Byzantine Empire
Sainthood
Feast day July 20 (Julian Calendar)
August 2 (Gregorian Calendar)
Venerated in Orthodox Christianity, Catholic Christianity
Two bishops. Flavian was patriarch of Antioch, and Elias the patriarch of Jerusalem. They were both exiled by Emperor Anastasius I, a Monophysite. The two bishops supported the decrees of the Council of Chalcedon. Flavian, and probably Elias, died in the city of Petra, Jordan.
St. Flavian II of Antioch (Latin: Flavianus II; Greek: Φλαβιανός Βʹ Ἀντιοχείας, Phlabianós II Antiokheías) was the Patriarch of Antioch from 498 until his deposition in 512.
Biography
Flavian was a Monk under the Rule of St Basil at the Monastery of Tilmognon and later became an apocrisiarius. After the death of Palladius in 498, Flavian was appointed by Emperor Anastasius I as Patriarch of Antioch on the condition that he accepted the Henotikon. However, during his reign as patriarch, Flavian did not show any opposition to Chalcedonianism.
As patriarch, Flavian and Patriarch Elias of Jerusalem, resisted the attempts to abolish the Council of Chalcedon.[1] However, due to the conflict between Chalcedonians and non-Chalcedonians in Antioch, Flavian endeavoured to please both parties by steering a middle course in reference to the Chalcedonian decrees, yet was forced by Anastasius to sign the Henotikon in 508/509.[2] Furthermore, Flavian was accused of Nestorianism by Philoxenus, Bishop of Hierapolis.
In 511, Philoxenus convinced Monophysites of the surrounding Syrian countryside to storm Antioch and force Flavian to condemn the Council of Chalcedon but was met by fierce Chalcedonians who slaughtered the attackers and dumped their bodies into the River Orontes. The monks of Flavian's former monastery journeyed to Antioch to defend Flavian against the anti-Chalcedonians. These events drove Anastasius to adopt a Miaphysite ecclesiastical programme and thus Flavian and Elias lost imperial support.
A synod was convened in Sidon in 512 by Philoxenus and eighty other non-Chalcedonian bishops, with the support of Anastasius, to condemn Flavian and Elias and as a result he was deposed and banished to Petra, where he died in 518.[3] Flavian's deposition and subsequent resentment towards Anastasius caused Vitalian's rebellion in 513. Flavian was soon posthumously enrolled among the saints of the Eastern Church, and after some opposition, in the Western Church as well
Folmer of Alslev
Folmer of Alslev is an interesting figure shrouded in a bit of mystery. Here's what we know about him:
Local Saint: Folmer is venerated as a local saint in Alslev, Denmark. There's no official recognition from the Catholic Church, making him a unique folk saint.
Saint Folmer's Well: His legacy is tied to Saint Folmer's Well, a natural spring known for its supposedly healing waters. The well is located near the village of Toftnæs in Alslev parish.
Historical Mention: The earliest written reference to Folmer comes from a 17th-century report by a priest. The report mentions a chapel dedicated to Saint Folmer in "pagan times" (before the Reformation) and suggests he might have been a local man who brought Christianity back from his travels.
Folklore: Legends surround Saint Folmer's Well. One story tells of a farmer who challenged the saint to a race for a pot of stew. The farmer lost and as punishment, his land became barren.
Celebration: Saint Folmer's feast day is celebrated on July 20th. Traditionally, large markets were held near the well on this day.
Gepa of Füssenich
Gepa of Füssenich was a pious woman who lived in the 12th century, likely in the latter half. Here's what we know about her:
Premonstratensian Order: Gepa belonged to the Premonstratensian Order, also known as the Norbertine Order after its founder, Saint Norbert of Xanten. These canons followed a semi-monastic lifestyle with an emphasis on prayer and good works.
Second Abbess: She served as the second Abbess, or leader, of the Premonstratensian convent in Füssenich, located near Zülpich in what is now Germany. The exact founding date of the convent is unknown, but some sources place it around 1147.
Exemplary Life: Gepa was known for her piety, humility, and wisdom. She led the convent with a strong sense of purpose and compassion for her fellow sisters.
Death and Veneration: Gepa died on July 20th, though the exact year is not documented. Due to her exemplary life and leadership, she was venerated as a Blessed (Blessed Gepa) within the Catholic Church. Her feast day is celebrated on July 20th.
