Blessed Sébastien-Loup Hunot November 17

 Blessed Sébastien-Loup Hunot

Profile

Priest in the Archdiocese of Sens, France. Imprisoned on a ship in the harbor of Rochefort, France and left to die during the anti-Catholic persecutions of the French Revolution. One of the Martyrs of the Hulks of Rochefort.

Born

7 August 1745 in Brienon-l'Archevêque, Yonne, France

Died

17 November 1794 aboard the prison ship Washington, in Rochefort, Charente-Maritime, France

Beatified

1 October 1995 by Pope John Paul II

Saint Giacinto Ansalone November 17

 Saint Giacinto Ansalone

Also known as

• Giordano Ansaloni

• Giordano of Saint Stephen

• Hyacinth Jordan Ansalone

Profile

Dominican priest. Studying in Palermo, Italy and Salamanca, Spain. Missionary to Mexico, the Philippines and Japan. As he travelled, he wrote a book on the lives of Dominican saints. Martyr.

Born

1 November 1598 in San Stefano Quisquina, Agrigento, Italy

Died

17 November 1634 in Nishizaka, Nagasaki, Japan

Canonized

18 October 1987 by Pope John Paul II

Patronage

Santo Stefano Quisquina, Italy

Saint Juan del Castillo Rodríguez November 17

 Saint Juan del Castillo Rodríguez

Profile

Jesuit priest. One of the Jesuit Martyrs of Paraguay.

Born

14 September 1595 in Belmonte, Cuenca, Spain

Died

stoned to death on 17 November 1628 in Ijuí, Rio Grande do Sul, Paraguay (in modern Brazil)

Canonized

16 May 1988 by Pope John Paul II

Patronage

native traditions

Saint Gregory of Tours November 17

 Saint Gregory of Tours

Also known as

George Florentius

Profile

Born to the Gallic nobility; great-nephew of Saint Eustadius. Friend of Saint Magnericus and Saint Senoch. While on pilgrimage to the shrine of Saint Martin of Tours, his obvious piety led to his being chosen bishop of Tours, France in 573, taking the name Gregory on his ordination. An excellent bishop for 20 years; Pope Saint Gregory the Great thought highly of him. Historian and writer; his works are our best historical source for the Merovingian period.

Born

540 at Auvergne, France as George Florentius

Died

594 of natural causes

Blessed Yosafat Kotsylovskyi November 17

 Blessed Yosafat Kotsylovskyi

Also known as

• Josaphat Kocylovskyj

• Josaphat Kotsylovsky

Additional Memorial

27 June as one of the Martyrs Killed Under Communist Regimes in Eastern Europe

Profile

Greek Catholic. Studied theology in Rome, graduating in 1907. Ordained on 9 October 1907. Vice-rector and professor of theology at the Stanislaviv, Ukraine seminary. Entered the Basilian novitiate on 2 October 1911. Bishop of Premeshyl, Poland on 23 September 1917. Imprisoned for his faith by Polish authorities in September 1945. Died in prison. One of the Martyrs Killed Under Communist Regimes in Eastern Europe.

Born

3 March 1876 at Pakoshivka, Lemkiv District, Ukraine

Died

martyred on 17 November 1947 in prison in Kiev, Ukraine

Beatified

27 June 2001 by Pope John Paul II in Ukraine

Saint Aignan of Orléans November 17

 Saint Aignan of Orléans

Also known as

Agnan, Anian, Anianus

Profile

Born to the nobility, his parents were Hungarians who had fled to the Dauphine area of modern France to escape Arian persecutions. Lived as a hermit in a cave. Spiritual student of Saint Evurtius of Orléans. Priest. Monk. Abbot of the Saint Laurence Abbey in Orléans, France. Bishop of Orléans. Organized the defense of Orléans during the invasion of Attila the Hun, met with Attila and prevented him attacking the city in 451.

Born

358 at Vienne, France

Died

• 453 of natural causes

• in the 10th-century King Robert built a church in Orléans, France in Aignan's honour, and his relics were enshrined in it

• relics destroyed by Calvinists in the 16th century

Patronage

Diocese of Orléans, France

Representation

praying on the walls of Orléans, France with an army in the field near the city

Saint Hilda of Whitby November 17

 Saint Hilda of Whitby

Also known as

Hild of Whitby

Profile

Daughter of Hereric and Breguswith. Sister of Saint Hereswitha. Grand-niece of King Saint Edwin of Northumbria. Baptized in 627 at age thirteen by Saint Paulinus of York. Lived as a single lay woman until age 33 when she became a Benedictine nun at the monastery of Chelles in France. Abbess at Hartepool, Northumberland, England. Abbess of the double monastery of Whitby, Streaneshalch. Abbess to Saint Wilfrid of York, Saint John of Beverley, and three other bishops. Patroness and supporter of learning and culture, including the work of the poet Caedmon.

Hilda and her houses followed the Celtic liturgy and rule, but many houses had adopted the continental Benedictine rule, and the Roman liturgy. Hilda convened a conference in 664 to help settle one a single rule. When the conference settled on the Roman and Benedictine, they were adopted throughout England, and Hilda insured the observance of her houses.

Born

614 at Northumbria, England

Died

680 of natural causes

Representation

• being carried to heaven by the angels

• holding Whitby abbey in her hands with a crown on her head or at her feet

• stopping wild birds from stealing a corn crop

• turning serpents into stone

Saint Florinus of Remüs November 17

 Saint Florinus of Remüs

Also known as

• Florinus of Chur

• Florinus of Finsgowe

• Florinus of Matsch

• Florinus of Mazia

• Florinus of Ramosch

• Florinus of Val Venosta

• Florinus of Vinschgau

• Florinus of Vnuost

• Florin, Florian

Additional Memorials

• 7 August (translation of relics to Chur, Switzerland)

• 18 December (translation of relics to the Trier, Germany)

Profile

Legend says that his father was a Saxon, his mother a Jew who converted to Christianity; the two met while they were both on pilgrimage to Rome, Italy, they married, and then settled in the Val Venosta in the Italian Tyrol region. Educated by Father Alexander at the parish of Saint Peter in Remüs (modern Ramosch), Switzerland; previous minister's there include Saint Othmar of Saint Gall. Ordained in Unterengadin, Switzerland, he served as the parish priest at Saint Peter's in Remüs, living like a hermit and caring for the poor. Miracle worker who turned water to wine which he then gave away to the poor.

Born

late 8th century Val Venosta, Italy

Died

• c.856 at Remüs (modern Ramosch), Switzerland of natural causes

• buried in the graveyard of the parish of Saint Peter in Remüs

• some relics enshrined in Koblenz, Germany in 950

• some relics enshrined in Regensburg, Germany

Representation

• book

• chunk of limestone

• wine jug, pitcher, bottle or pot (referring to the miracle of turning water to wine)

Patronage

• Chur, Switzerland, diocese of

• Vaduz, Liechtenstein, diocese of

• Lower Engadine, Switzerland

• Val Venosta, Italy

Saint Hugh of Lincoln November 17

Saint Hugh of Lincoln

Also known as

• Hugh of Avalon

• Hugh of Burgundy

Profile

Born to the nobility, the son of William, Lord of Avalon. His mother Anna died when he was eight, and he was raised and educated at a convent at Villard-Benoit in France. Monk at 15. Deacon at 19. Prior of a monastery at Saint-Maxim. Joined the Carthusians in 1160. Ordained in 1165. In 1175 he became abbot of the first English Carthusian monastery, which was built by King Henry II as part of his penance for the murder of Thomas Becket.

His reputation for holiness spread through England, and attracted many to the monastery. He admonished Henry for keeping dioceses vacant in order to keep their income for the throne. He resisted the appointment, but was made bishop of Lincoln on 21 September 1181. Restored clerical discipline in his see. Rebuilt the Lincoln cathedral, destroyed by earthquake in 1185.

Hugh denounced the mass persecution of Jews in England in 1190-91, repeatedly facing down armed mobs, making them release their victims. Diplomat to France for King John in 1199, a trip that ruined his health. While attending a national council in London a few months later, he was stricken with an unnamed ailment, and died two months later.

Born

1135 at Avalon Castle, Burgundy, France

Died

• 16 November 1200 at London, England of natural causes

• buried in the Lincoln Cathedral

Canonized

• 18 February 1220 by Pope Honorius III

• first canonized Carthusian

Patronage

• sick children

• sick people

• swans

Saint Gregory Thaumaturgus November 17

 Saint Gregory Thaumaturgus

Also known as

• Gregory of Neo Caesarea

• Gregory of Neocaesarea

• Gregory of Pontus

• Gregory the Wonder Worker

• The Wonder Worker

• Theodorus

Profile

Born to a wealthy and distinguished pagan family. Trained in law and rhetoric in his youth. Brother-in-law to the Roman governor of Palestine. His father died when Theodore was age 14. The boy had originally planned to study at the law school in Beirut, but when he arrived at Caesarea with his brother-in-law's entourage, he encountered Origen, head of the catechetical school in Alexandria, Egypt. He and his brother Athenodorus each gave up the idea of law school, became students of Origen, and converted to Christianity; Theodore changed his name to Gregory. Studied philosophy and theology for seven years under Origen. Returned to Pontus c.238.

Bishop of Caesarea, a diocese with only 17 Christians when he arrived. Gregory converted most of his bishopric; tradition says there were only 17 pagans left at the time of his death. Instituted the celebration of martyrs, teachings about the saints, and celebration of saint feast days as a way to interest pagans in the Church. During the Decian persecutions c.250, he and his flock fled into the desert. Worked among the sick when the plague struck soon after, and with refugees during the invasion of Pontus by the Goths in 252. Attended the First Council of Antioch in 264 and 265. Opposed the heresies of Sabellianism and Tritheism. Used his legal training to help his parishioners, and settle disputes between them without taking their problems to the civil courts controlled by pagans. Oversaw the council that chose Saint Alexander the Charcoal Burner as the first bishop of Comana. Saint Macrina the Elder heard Gregory preach many times in her youth, and passed his wisdom onto her grandsons Saint Basil the Great and Saint Gregory of Nyssa. Noted theological writer.

As you might expect from some one surnamed the Wonder Worker, there were many miraculous events in Gregory's life.

• Saint Gregory of Nyssa writes that the Wonder-Worker was the first person known to receive a vision of the Theotokus. The Virgin and Saint John the Baptist appeared to him in a vision, and gave him what became a statement of doctrine on the Trinity.

• Gregory had the power of healing by laying on of his hands. Often the healing was so powerful that the patient was cured of his illness, and became a fervent convert on the spot.

• During the construction of a church for his growing flock, the builders ran into a problem with a huge buried boulder. Gregory ordered the rock to move out of the way of his church; it did.

• In order to stop the River Lycus from its frequent and damaging floods, Gregory planted his staff at a safe point near the river bank. He then prayed that the river would never rise past the staff. The staff took root, grew into a large tree, and the river never flooded past it again. This act led to his patronage against floods and flooding.

• Two local pagans, hearing that Gregory was a soft touch for money, decided to con the bishop. One lay beside the road where Gregory was travelling, and pretended to be dead. The other stopped the bishop, pleaded poverty, and asked for money to bury his dead friend. Gregory had no money with him, so he took off his cloak and threw it over the "dead" man, telling the "live" one to sell the cloak and use the funds. When Gregory had moved on, the "live" con-man found that his friend had died.

• Two brothers in Gregory's diocese had inherited a piece of land that contained a lake. Unable to decide how to divide the lake, the two settled on armed combat to settle the matter. On the night before the battle, Gregory prayed for a peaceful solution to the matter. The next morning the brothers found that the lake had dried up leaving easily dividable farm land.

• During Gregory's time in the desert during the Decian persecutions, an informer told the authorities where to find the bishop. Guards went to the site, but found nothing but two trees standing in isolation in the desert. The informer went back to the place and found that what the soldiers had seen as trees were actually Gregory and a deacon in prayer. This convinced the informer of the reality of Gregory's God, and he converted.

• When returning from the wilderness, Gregory had to seek shelter from a sudden and violent storm. The only structure nearby was a pagan temple. Gregory made the sign of the cross to purify the place, then spent the night there in prayer, waiting out the storm. The next morning, the pagan priest arrived to receive his morning oracles. The demons who had been masquerading as pagan gods advised him that they could not stay in the purified temple or near the holy man. The priest threatened to summon the anti-Christian authorities to arrest Gregory. The bishop wrote out a note reading "Gregory to Satan: Enter". With this "permission slip" in hand, the pagan priest was able to summon his demons again.

• The same pagan priest, realizing that his gods unquestioningly obeyed Gregory's single God, found the bishop and asked how it was done. Gregory taught the priest the truth of Christianity. Lacking faith, the priest asked for a sign of God's power. Gregory ordered a large rock to move from one place to another; it did. The priest immediately abandoned his old life, and eventually became a deacon under bishop Gregory. This ordering about of boulders led to Gregory's patronage against earthquakes.

Born

c.213 at Pontus, Asia Minor (in modern Turkey) as Theodorus

Died

• c.270 at Pontus, Asia Minor (in modern Turkey) of natural causes

• remains translated to Calabria, Italy

Patronage

• against earthquakes

• against floods

• desperate, forgotten, impossible or lost causes

Representation

• bishop driving demons out of a temple

• presenting a bishop's mitre to Saint Alexander the Charcoal Burner

Writings

• Metaphrase of the Book Of Ecclesiastes

• Sectional Confession of Faith

ஹெல்ஃப்டா நகர் துறவி கெட்ரூட் Getrud von Helfta OC நவம்பர்17

இன்றைய புனிதர்

2020-11-17

ஹெல்ஃப்டா நகர் துறவி கெட்ரூட் Getrud von Helfta OC

பிறப்பு 

6 ஜனவரி 1256, 

ஐஸ்லேபன் Eisleben, தூரிங்கன் Thüringen

இறப்பு 

13 நவம்பர் 1302, 

ஹெல்ஃப்டா Helfta, சாக்சன்

பாதுகாவல்: பெரு நாடு

இவருக்கு 5 வயது நடக்கும்போதே, இவரின் பெற்றோர் கெட்ரூட்டை சிஸ்டர்சியன்சரின் (Zisterzienserin) துறவற மடத்தில் சேர்த்தனர். அங்கு அவர் ஜெர்மனி மொழியைக் கற்றுக்கொண்டு, தன் கல்வியை தொடர்ந்தார். ஆன்மீகக் காரியங்களில் அக்கறைக்கொண்டு வளர்ந்தார். இவர் ஜனவரி 27 ஆம் தேதி 1281 ஆம் ஆண்டு தனது 25 ஆம் வயதில் முதல் திருக்காட்சியை பெற்றார். அதன்பிறகும், பலமுறை திருக்காட்சியில் அளவில்லா கடவுளின் அன்பை சுவைத்தார். இவை அனைத்தையும் அவர் கடிதமாக எழுதியுள்ளார். 

இவர் இறைவன் ஒருவரையே தந்தையாகவும், தாயாகவும் எண்ணினார். தன் பெற்றோரிடம் பெறாத அன்பை, இறைவனிடம் பெற்றார். இயேசுவின் திரு இதயத்தைப்பற்றி இடைவிடாமல் எடுத்துரைத்தார். இவர் தான் இறக்கும் வரை இயேசுவின் திரு இருதய பிரார்த்தனையை தொடர்ந்து செபித்தார். இவர் இவ்வார்த்தைகளை தான் சாகும் தருவாயில் கூறிக்கொண்டே இருந்தார். "அன்பான கடவுளே உம் விருப்பம் போல் என்னை நடத்தும். உம் திட்டத்தின்படி வாழ எனக்கு வழிகாட்டும்" இறுதியாக இவ்வார்த்தைகளை உச்சரித்த வண்ணம் உயிர் நீத்தார். 

செபம்:

இயேசுவின் திருஇதயமே! எம் இதயத்தையும் உம் இதயத்திற்கு ஒத்ததாக செய்தருளும். துறவி கெட்ரூட்டை முன்மாதிரியாக கொண்டு, இதய இயேசுவின் அன்பு பிள்ளைகளாக வாழ, எம் வாழ்வை மாற்றியருளும். இயேசுவின் அன்பை சுவைத்து வாழ வழிகாட்டும்.

இந்நாளில் நினைவுகூறப்படும் பிற புனிதர்கள்

• வின்ஸ்காவ் நகர் குரு புளோரினுஸ் Florinus von Vinschgau

பிறப்பு: 8 ஆம் நூற்றாண்டு, தென் டிரோல் Südtirol, இத்தாலி

இறப்பு: 17 நவம்பர் 856(?) ரெமுஸ் Remüs, சுவிஸ்

பாதுகாவல்: வின்ஸ்காவ், கூர் Chur மறைமாவட்டம்

• தூர்ஸ் நகர் ஆயர் கிரகோரி Gregor von Tours

பிறப்பு: 30 நவம்பர் 538 அல்லது 539, பிரான்சு

இறப்பு: 17 நவம்பர் 594, தூர்ஸ் Tours, பிரான்சு

• துறவி சலோமி Salome OSCI

பிறப்பு: 1210, கிராக்கவ், போலந்து

இறப்பு: 17 நவம்பர் 1268, குரோட்சிஸ்கோ Grodzisko, போலந்து

அருளாளர்_சலோமியா (1211-1268)நவம்பர் 17

அருளாளர்_சலோமியா (1211-1268)

நவம்பர் 17

இவர் (#Bl_Salomea_Of_Poland) போலந்து நாட்டைச் சார்ந்தவர். இவரது தந்தை போலந்தை ஆண்ட லஸ்ஜெக் என்பவர் ஆவார்.

ஒருசில அரசியல் காரணங்களுக்காக இவருக்கு மூன்றாம் வயதிலேயே அங்கேரி நாட்டு இளவரசரோடு மண ஒப்பந்தம் நடைபெற்று, ஏழாம் வயதில் திருமணம் நடைபெற்றது.

திருமணத்திற்கு பிறகு இவர் தனது கன்னிமையை கடவுளுக்கு ஒப்புக் கொடுத்து வாழ்ந்து வந்தார். 1245 ஆம் ஆண்டு இவரது கணவர் ஒரு போரில் இறந்துவிட, இவர் புனித கிளாரா சபையில் சேர்ந்து துறவியானார்.

துறவியான ஒரு சில ஆண்டுகளிலேயே இவருடைய எடுத்துக்காட்டாக வாழ்க்கையால் ஜவிசோஸ்ட் என்ற இடத்தில் இருந்த துறவுமடத்தின் தலைவியாக உயர்த்தப்பட்டார்.

இவ்வாறு இல்லறத்தில் தூய்மையாகவும், துறவறத்தில் எடுத்துக்காட்டாகவும் வாழ்ந்த இவர், 1268 ஆம் ஆண்டு இறையடி சேர்ந்தார். இவருக்கு 1673 ஆம் ஆண்டு திருத்தந்தை பத்தாம் கிளமெண்ட்டால் புனிதர் பட்டம் கொடுக்கப்பட்டது.

www.stjck.blogspot.com

Blessed Salomea of Galicia

Also known as

Salome

Profile

Born to the nobility. Married in her youth to Colomon, a prince of Hungary. Widowed, Salomea followed a call to religious life; she became a Franciscan Poor Clare nun, founded a monastery, and eventually serving as its abbess.

Born

13th century Galicia (in modern Poland)

Died

• 17 November 1268 near Cracow, Poland of natural causes

• relics enshrined in Cracow

Beatified

1673 by Pope Clement X (cultus confirmation)

✠ ஹங்கேரியின் புனிதர் எலிசபெத் ✠(St. Elizabeth of Hungary) நவம்பர் 17

† இன்றைய புனிதர் †

(நவம்பர் 17)

✠ ஹங்கேரியின் புனிதர் எலிசபெத் ✠

(St. Elizabeth of Hungary)

கைம்பெண்/ மறைபணியாளர்:

(Widow and religious)

பிறப்பு: ஜூலை 7, 1207

போஸ்ஸோனி, ஹங்கேரி அரசு

(Pozsony, Kingdom of Hungary)

இறப்பு: நவம்பர் 17, 1231 (வயது 24)

மார்பர்க், புனித ரோம பேரரசு, (தற்போதைய ஜெர்மனி)

(Marburg, Holy Roman Empire (Modern-day, Germany)

சார்ந்துள்ள சமயம்/ சபை: 

ரோமன் கத்தோலிக்க திருச்சபை

(Roman Catholic Church)

ஆங்கிலிக்கன் திருச்சபை

(Anglican Church)

லூதரன் திருச்சபை

(Lutheran Church)

புனிதர் பட்டம்: மே 27, 1235

திருத்தந்தை ஒன்பதாம் கிரகோரி

(Pope Gregory IX)

நினைவுத் திருவிழா: நவம்பர் 17

பாதுகாவல்: 

மருத்துவமனைகள், செவிலியர், விதவையர், நாடு கடத்தும் தண்டனை, மணப்பெண், ரொட்டி தயாரிப்பாளர், வீடற்ற மக்கள், இறக்கும் குழந்தைகள், கைம்பெண்கள், சரிகை-தயாரிப்பாளர்கள், தூய ஃபிரான்சிஸின் மூன்றாம் நிலை சபை (Third Order of Saint Francis)

ஹங்கேரியின் புனிதர் எலிசபெத், "துரிங்கியாவின் புனிதர் எலிசபெத்" (Saint Elizabeth of Thuringia) என்றும் அறியப்படுபவர் ஆவார். “ஹங்கேரி அரசு” (Kingdom of Hungary), “துரிங்கியா” (Thuringia) மற்றும் “ஜெர்மனி” (Germany) ஆகிய நாடுகளின் இளவரசியான இவர், பெரிதும் போற்றப்படும் கத்தோலிக்க புனிதர் ஆவார். புனிதர் ஃபிரான்ஸிஸின் மூன்றாம் நிலை சபையின் (Third Order of St. Francis) ஆதிகால அங்கத்தினரான எலிசபெத், அச்சபையின் பாதுகாவலரும் ஆவார்.

ஹங்கேரி நாட்டின் அரசன் “இரண்டாம் ஆண்ட்ரூ” (King Andrew II of Hungary) இவரது தந்தை ஆவார். “மெரனியாவின் கேட்ரூ” (Gertrude of Merania) எலிசபெத்தின் தாயாராவர்.

தமது பதினான்கு வயதில் குறுநில மன்னரான “நான்காம் லூயிஸை” (Louis IV) திருமணம் செய்த எலிசபெத், இருபது வயதில் விதவையும் ஆனார். ஆறாவது சிலுவைப்போரில் (Sixth Crusade) பங்கேற்பதற்காக இத்தாலி பயணித்த லூயிஸ், வழியில் விஷக் காய்ச்சலால் பாதிக்கப்பட்டு 1227ம் ஆண்டு, செப்டம்பர் மாதம், 11ம் நாள், மரணமடைந்தார். தமது கணவரின் மரணத்தின் பின்னர், தமக்கான வரதட்சினை பணத்தை திரும்ப பெற்றுக்கொண்ட இவர், அந்த பணத்தில் ஓர் மருத்துவமனையை கட்டினார். தாமே சுயமாக நோயாளிகளுக்கு சேவை செய்ய ஆரம்பித்தார்.

ஓய்வு, ஆடம்பரம் மற்றும் சொகுசான வாழ்க்கை வாழ இயன்ற போதும், எலிசபெத் தவம் மற்றும் சந்நியாச வாழ்க்கையையே தேர்ந்தெடுத்தார். இவரது இந்த தேர்வு, ஐரோப்பா முழுவதுமுள்ள சாதாரண பொது மக்கள் இதயத்தில் அவருக்கு ஒரு இடத்தை பெற்றுத் தந்தது. 

எலிசபெத், தமது குறுகிய கால வாழ்க்கையிலேயே, ஏழைகள் மற்றும் நோயுற்றோர் மீது அளவற்ற அன்பினை வெளிப்படுத்தினார்.

எலிசபெத்துக்கு வயது ஆக ஆக, பக்தியும் வளர்ந்து கொண்டிருந்தது. 1228ல், ஃபிரான்சிஸ்கன் சபையில் சேர்ந்தார். ஃபிரான்சிஸ்கன் சபை துறவிகளின் வழிகாட்டுதலின் பேரில், செப வாழ்வில் ஈடுபட்டார். ஏழைகளுக்கும் வறியவர்களுக்கும் உதவ தொடங்கினார். தினமும் தன் வாசலுக்கு வந்த நூற்றுக்கணக்கான ஏழைகளுக்கு உணவளித்தார். இதனால் அநேகர் இவருக்கு எதிரிகள் ஆயினர். இவருடைய கணவரது சகோதரி அக்னேஸ் இவரை முழு மூச்சுடன் வெறுத்தாள். அவளுடைய தாய் மிகுந்த உலகப் பற்றுக் கொண்டவள். அவளும் இவரை வெறுத்து அரண்மனையில் இருந்தவர்களுடன் சேர்ந்துகொண்டு எலிசபெத்தை நிந்தித்து வந்தார்கள். அவரை அரண்மனையிலிருந்தே துரத்தினார்கள்.

இவர் தமது உள்ளத்தை கடவுளிடமிருந்து அகற்றவில்லை. ஏழைகள் மீது இவர் எல்லையற்ற இரக்கம் கொண்டிருந்தார். "ஏழைகளின் அன்னை" என்றும் "நோயாளிகளின் ஊழியக்காரி" என்றும் இவரை அழைப்பார்கள். உலக மக்களின் அபிப்பிராயங்களை இவர் சட்டை செய்யவில்லை. தனக்கு இயல்பாய் உள்ள பொறுப்புகளை மேற்கொண்டு ஏழைகளிடமும் நோயாளிகளிடமும் கிறிஸ்து இயேசுவையே கண்டு அவர்களுக்கு சேவை செய்து வந்தார்.

நாட்டில் பெருவெள்ளம் வந்து பயிரை அளித்தது. இதனால் பஞ்சமும் கொள்ளை நோயும் வந்தன. ஒரு மருத்துவமனையைக் கட்டி அங்குபோய் தொழு நோயாளிகளுக்கு இவரே சிகிச்சை செய்தார். அப்பமும் இரசமும் இவரது மன்றாட்டால் பலுகியது. ஏழைகளுக்கு உதவி செய்ய அரச ஆடைகளையும், ஆபரணங்களையும் விற்றார். 

இவருடைய கணவரின் சகோதர்கள் அரண்மனையைக் கைப்பற்றிக் கொண்டு இவரை விரட்டி விட்டனர். இவர் பிரான்சிஸ்கன் துறவிகளின் ஆலயத்திற்குச் சென்று, இந்த துன்பத்திற்காக கடவுளுக்கு நன்றி செலுத்தி "தேதேயும்" என்னும் நன்றியறிதல் கீதத்தைப் பாடினார்.

தமது இருபத்துநான்கு வயதில் மரணமடைந்த எலிசபெத், கிறிஸ்தவ தொண்டிற்கு ஒரு அடையாளமாக ஆனார். தமது மரணத்தின் பின், விரைவில் புனிதராக அருட்பொழிவும் செய்யப்பட்டார்.

† Saint of the Day †

(November 17)

✠ St. Elizabeth of Hungary ✠

Widow and Religious:

Born: July 7, 1207

Pozsony, Kingdom of Hungary (modern-day Bratislava, Slovakia)

Died: November 17, 1231 (Aged 24)

Marburg, Landgraviate of Thuringia, Holy Roman Empire (modern-day Hesse, Germany)

Venerated in:

Catholic Church

Anglican Communion

Lutheranism

Canonized: May 27, 1235

Pope Gregory IX

Major shrine:

St Elisabeth Cathedral, Košice, Slovakia

St. Elizabeth Church, Marburg, Germany

Feast: November 17

Patronage:

Hospitals, Nurses, Bakers, Brides, Countesses, Dying children, Exiles, Homeless people, Lace-makers, Widows, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Jaro and the Third Order of Saint Francis

Elizabeth of Hungary also known as Saint Elizabeth of Thuringia or Saint Elisabeth of Thuringia, was a princess of the Kingdom of Hungary, Landgravine of Thuringia, Germany, and a greatly venerated Catholic saint who was an early member of the Third Order of St. Francis, by which she is honoured as its patroness.

Elizabeth was married at the age of 14 and widowed at 20. After her husband's death, she sent her children away and regained her dowry, using the money to build a hospital where she herself served the sick. She became a symbol of Christian charity after her death at the age of 24 and was canonized on 25 May 1235.

Biographical selection:

The fame of the virtues of St. Elizabeth reached Italy where St. Francis of Assisi had founded his order. He came to know about the support and protection the young Duchess of Thuringia had given the Franciscans in Germany and her great love for poverty. Cardinal Ugolini, the future Pope Gregory IX, often spoke of her to Francis.

One day the Cardinal asked St. Francis for a gift for her as a symbol of his recognition. As he made his request, he took the worn cape off St. Francis’ shoulders and recommended that he send it to her. “Since she is filled with your spirit of poverty,“ said the Cardinal, “I would like for you to give her your mantle, just as Elias gave his mantle to Eliseus.” St. Francis obeyed and sent his mantle to St. Elizabeth, whom he considered as a daughter.

She always kept it with her and wore it while praying whenever she desired to obtain a special spiritual grace. Later, after she had lost everything, she still conserved the precious mantle of her spiritual father until her death.

Comments:

This incident is rich in teachings for us.

St. Francis of Assisi followed the advice of Cardinal Ugolino, the future Pope Gregory IX, and imitated the example of Elias with Eliseus. He gave his mantle to St. Elizabeth, and when she prayed she used to wear it to be more pleasing to God. She had the certainty that the mantle St. Francis had worn as a symbol of his alliance with her, a symbol of the union of the two souls, and, therefore, a symbol that would draw from God the same graces that St. Francis attracted.

Underlying this incident is a theory about symbols like this.

Rebecca advised her son Jacob to wear a goatskin and approach his blind father Isaac so that he would seem like Esau and receive the blessing due to the firstborn. This covering made Jacob pleasing to his father because he was vested in a way that gave the impression he was the firstborn. In this episode, we have the affirmation of a principle according to which, in certain circumstances, a person who takes on the appearance of another can receive from God the privileges due to the other person.

Something similar happened with Eliseus. By putting on the mantle of Elias, he earned the privilege of being treated by God as if he were Elias. He was the perfect disciple of Elias, the favourite of Elias, he was a kind of extension of the personality of Elias. The mantle Elias gave to Eliseus was a symbol of this union of spirit.

Likewise, in a manner infinitely higher, we have Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who took on human flesh, suffered the Passion and the Crucifixion for us, and washed our sins with His Blood. The merit of His Blood covers us, as the mantle of Elias covered Eliseus. With this red mantle, we can present ourselves before God Who is thus pleased to receive us, forgive us, and give us the graces necessary for repentance and the amendment of our lives. We are able to appear before God because we are clothed in the mantle of the innocence and the suffering of Christ and with this, we take on His appearance.

Something like this takes place with Our Lady. She takes the initiative of covering us with her mantle. Then she says to God: “I vest these children with my merits as their mother, and I want You to consider them as my children.” So, Our Lord looking at us, sees extensions of the personality of Our Lady, and becomes pleased, forgives us, and tries to help us.

In all these episodes – Jacob and Isaac, Eliseus and Elias, St. Elizabeth and St. Francis, Our Lady with us, and us with Our Lord – there is some special union of souls that allows one soul to be clothed with the merits of another in order to appear before the Throne of God and be pleasing to Him.

We can apply this principle to our lives. We should have confidence and not despair in the face of our weaknesses and guilt. One of us can approach God and say: “Do not look at my sins, but see instead of the merits of your Son and the intercession of Our Lady.”

We should have the honesty to see our defects and sins because this is what we are supposed to do, but we should not despair since even if our sins are great we can present ourselves before God vested in the merits of Our Lady and Our Lord. We should have confidence that this marvellous chain of substitutions will be accepted with pleasure by the infinite mercy of God.

Martyrs of Almeria November 16

 Martyrs of Almeria

Profile

Soon after the start of the Spanish Civil War in 1936, the Communist-oriented Popular Front had all clergy and religious arrested and abused as they considered staunch Christians to be enemies of the revolution. Many of these prisoners were executed for having promoted the faith, and this memorial remembers several of them killed in the province of Almeria.

• Adrián Saiz y Saiz

• Bienvenido Villalón Acebrón

• Bonifacio Rodríguez González

• Diego Ventaja Milán

• Eusebio Alonso Uyarra

• Isidoro Primo Rodríguez

• Justo Zariquiegui Mendoza

• Manuel Medina Olmos

• Marciano Herrero Martínez

Beatification

10 October 1993 by Pope John Paul II

Martyrs of Africa November 16

 Martyrs of Africa

Profile

A group of North African Christians murdered together for their faith, date unknown. We know little more than their names - Baricus, Donatus, Honoratus, Januarius, Justus, Markus, Paulus, Rufinus, Valerius, Victor and Vitalis.