Saint of the day and Feast days.

[odhiambo]

Saint John Boste , also known
John Boast.
 
John was born in1544 at Dufton, Westmoreland, England.
 He studied at Queen's College, Oxford and obtained a Fellowship there.
 He became a Catholic in 1576, went to Rheims, France in 1580 to prepare for the priesthood and to study.  He was ordained there the following year on 4th March 1581. One month after his ordination,John returned as an active missionary to northern England. As soon as he arrived at Hartlepool,  he began his ministry,  travelling from one Catholic house to another, often accompanied by John Speed, a Roman Catholic layman and fellow future martyr.
Soon , however, he caught the attention of the Anglican authorities and a cat and mouse chase  started in which John was the unfortunate mouse. He and his companion lived through many narrow escapes. He was often said to disguise himself as a servant in the livery costume of Lord Montacute.
Following one of the near misses where the saint had a narrow escape,  he was taken to the house of William Claxton and his wife Grace in the parish of Brancepeth, Durham.It was here  that he was betrayed to the authorities on the 5th July 1593, by one Francis Ecclesfield.
 He was arrested and taken to the Tower of London for interrogation. During the interrogation, John was crippled for the rest of his life by the racking he was subjected to. Racking is considered the most painful form of medieval torture.
John was later released and travelled back to Durham, only to be condemned for being a priest. He was hanged, drawn, and quartered on 24 July 1594 at Dryburn near Durham, England .
John  reportedly, remained courageous and recited the Angelus as he climbed the ladder of death.
Pope Pius XI beatified Saint John Boste in 1929 and he was canonised by Pope Paul VI on the 29th October 1970 as one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales.
 
Saint John Boste,
Pray for us!

[Shin]

I am loving reading these. Thank you odhiambo! 

I will have to write a little more about St. Bridget in a bit.  There's so much to her!

[odhiambo]

I am loving reading these. Thank you odhiambo! 

Saint Phocas the Gardener, Wow. One can only admire such Faith. Do you think God takes away the fear of death in these saints or is the fear still there but their love for God is much much greater.

[odhiambo]

July 25

Today is the Feast day of
Saint James the Greater
Among Many other Saints.

[odhiambo]

Saint James the Greater.
Apostle and Martyr.
Also known as Santiago.

Saint James and his younger brother Saint John the Evangelist, were from Galilee. Their Father was a prosperous fisherman named Zebedee. Their mother was Salome, whom some authorities believe to have been a sister of the Blessed Virgin. This would make them first cousins of our Lord. The two sons assisted their father in his fishing business and were in partnership with Simon Peter and his brother Andrew.
One day, as they were mending their nets with their father in a fishing boat on Lake Genesareth, Jesus, who was begining His Ministry, called the brothers to follow him and they both responded to that call by leaving everything and becoming desciples of Jesus.
James was called " the Greater", simply to identify him from James "the Less". He was older, taller and was an apostle before the other James, who was then designated, the Less.
Saint James and his brother Saint John were nicknamed by Jesus as Boanerges “Sons of Thunder”, probably arising from the occasion when they asked Jesus if they should ask heaven to strike the inhospitable Samaritans with fire (Luke 9:54-56).
Among the twelve Apostles of Our Lord, James the Greater, his brother John, Simon Peter and his brother Andrew, seem to have enjoyed pride of place. Sts Peter, James and John (often taken to symbolize faith, hope and charity), were the only ones privileged to witness our Lord raising to life the daughter of Jairus, his Transfiguration, and finally his agony at Gethsemane.

On one occasion, driven by the earthly love that mothers have for their children, Salome tried to influence Christ to favor her two sons. She spoke to Jesus thus: " Promise me that these two sons of mine will sit at your right and your left when you are King" [Matt. 20:21].
Jesus responded by adressing James and John, not their mother. This is what he told them : " You don't know what you are asking for......Can you drink the cup of suffering that Iam about to drink"
" We can". they answered.
"You will indeed drink from my cup" Jesus told them.
And so it was that James became the protomartyr of the Apostles, the first Apostle to drink of the cup of suffering Jesus was referring to. Herod Agrippa I, a grandson of Herod the Great who had massacred the Holy Innocents, was trying his best to please the Jews. In the year 43 he had James arrested as one of the leading men in the rapidly growing Church. He had him beheaded in Jerusalem.
An old tradition claim that Saint James preached in Spain before his martyrdom and that his body was brought to Santiago de Compostela in Spain which was one of the great pilgrimage centers of the Middle Ages. He is the patron saint of Spain.
Here is a great ending to our rememberance of Saint James. It is an excerpt from SQPN.

"Like all men of renown, many stories grew up around James. In one, he brought back to life a boy who had been unjustly hanged, and had been dead for five weeks. The boy‘s father was notified of the miracle while he sat at supper. The father pronounced the story nonsense, and said his son was no more alive than the roasted fowl on the table; the cooked bird promptly sat up, sprouted feathers, and flew away."

I can just imagine the look on his face!
Saint James the Greater,
Pray for us!

[odhiambo]

July 26

Today is the Feast day of
Saint Joachim and Saint Anne
Among Many other saints.

[odhiambo]

Saint Joachim and Saint Anne
Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The Gospel does not tell us anything about the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary. What we know comes from the Protoevangelium of James, an early Christian writing before the Gospels. From this source, we learn the names of these two great Saints. They both lived in Nazareth and were of the tribe of Judah and of the royal house of David. The name Anne or Hannah, means “Grace”. or " Gracious". The name Joachim, means “God saves”, or “the Lord prepares" He married Anna at a young age. He tended his flocks on the hills of Galilee near Nazareth and he also owned a house in Jerusalem near the Temple. They were pious and rich and had everything to make them happy except for one very important thing. They had no children. Since Hebrews believed that a family without children did not have God's blessing, Joachim and Anne were desolate because of this. They both prayed earnestly for years but it seems to them like the Lord said "No" to their entreaty. According to an ancient story of doubtful origin, Joachim went to the Temple one feast day to offer sacrifice to God. He had taken the best lamb from his flocks and choice fruits from the produce of his land. But The High Priest did not let him offer sacrifice reasoning that since he was childless, he had to be a sinner and as such, his sacrifice would not be pleasing to God. Publicy humiliated, the two future parents redoubled their prayers, crying out in entreaty to the Lord their God. Anne promised the Lord, she would dedicate any child He gave her to the Him. Joachim, on his part, withdrew to the desert and fasted for 40 days. At long, long, last, their prayers were answered. God sent an angel to each of them separately to announce that soon, Anne would conceive and bear a child. And so, Mary, Mother of God, was born. At the age of 3 years, she was given to the Service of the Temple as her mother had promised God in her prayers.
Joachim is reported to have died soon after witnessing the presentation of Jesus at the Temple.
In liturgical art, Joachim is represented by a  man bringing a lamb to the altar and being turned away by the priest

Saint Anne,
Pray for us!
Saint Joachim,
Pray for us!

Reference:
Saints For All.
Lives of Saints For Every Week.
A Paulines Publication Africa.

[odhiambo]

I am loving reading these. Thank you odhiambo! 

My pleasure Shin

[martin]

I always think of St Joachim and St Anne as our Grandparents. It inspires me with confidence when I pray to them.
We belong to a very special and holy family through Baptism. 

[odhiambo]

We belong to a very special and holy family through Baptism. 

The Lord's Family
Amen!

[odhiambo]

July 27
Today is the Feast day of
Saint Pantaleon
Among many other Saints.

[odhiambo]

Saint Pantaleon
Also known as Panteleimon
Physician and Martyr

Our Sunday Visitor's Encyclopedia of Saints starts an account of this saint by stating that Pantaleon is known almost exclusively through legends. According to one of these legends, he was the son of a pagan named Eustorgious of Nicomedia. His mother, Eubula, was a Christian and raised her son according to the Christian faith. Unfortunately, the mother died while her son was still a child. Pantaleon became a famous physician in the service of Emperor Maximian. Pantaleon supposedly succumbed to the dessolute lifestyle in the court, enjoying it so much that he abandoned his faith. Not all was lost , however, as Pantaleon was jolted back to the Faith by a Christian named Hermolaus. Overcomed with grief for his wayward ways, he gave away all his possessions to the poor. He converted his father to Christianity and he treated the poor free of charge.
When the persecutions of Christians under Emperor Diocletian broke out in Nicomedia in 303, he was denounced as a Christian by a fellow physician. He was arrested together with Hermolaus and two other Christians. They were condemned to death. Pantaleon supposedly miraculously survived six different attempts at executions, including drowning, fire and wild beasts. He was finally beheaded in Necomedia.
Pantaleon is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. His name, Panteleimon, in Greek, means " the All merciful or the All compassionate""
In the East he is called the "Great Martyr and Wonder worker." His blood supposedly liquefies on his feast day day.

Saint Pantaleon,
Pray for us!

Reference:

1: Our Sunday Visitor Encyclopedia Of Saints.
By Matthew Bunson, Stephen Bunson, Margaret Bunson:
2: Dictionary of Saints by John J. Delaney

[odhiambo]

July 27
 
Has any one reading this post, ever heard of the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus? I hadn’t until now. I was so fascinated by their story that I decided to post the little I have learnt about them even though their feast is no longer officially found in the General Roman Calendar.
 
The Seven Sleepers of Ephesus.
Martyrs.
A long, long time ago, about the year 250, the then Roman Emperor, Trajanus Decius, embarked on a campaign of persecution of Christians.  He decreed that all men throughout the Empire were required to burn incense to the pagan gods. Any Christians who refused were to be condemned as traitors and executed. To make sure that his edict was being obeyed, Decius himself traveled throughout the Empire. Soon, he was in Ephesus.
Now there were seven Christians in Ephesus. They were: Maximian, Malchus, Marcian, Dionysius, John,
Serapion, and Constantine. They were all young men, some even just boys. They feared for their lives yes, but they feared even more, the prospect of losing their souls. Consequently, they refused to sacrifice to the idols. They remained in their houses praying and fasting. As was only to be expected, they were denounced as Christians and brought before Decius. The Seven young men confessed themselves to be Christians and awaited their fate. The Emperor decided to give them some little time to consider the matter.  Death or life; it was their call. The seven used this time to dispose of whatever property they had, giving it all to the poor. They then fled to Mount Celion where they hid in a cave.  For news and supplies, one of them, Malchus, went to town every now and again, disguised as a beggar (or as a
Physician according to some accounts.). When Decius returned and asked that the seven be brought before him, Malchus heard of it when he went to town. He bought the supplies and returned to the cave to warn the others that their time would soon be up. He gave them the loaves he had bought, telling them eat, so that they might have courage in the time of trial. They ate, and then, as they sat anxiously awaiting their fate, they all fell asleep.
 
The pagans sought for them every where, but failed to find them. They even looked in the caves on Mount Celion where they were sleeping but did not see them. The Emperor summoned the parents of the Seven, threatening them with death if they did not reveal their children’s whereabouts; but the parents too, did not know where they were. Decius, reasoning that they can be nowhere else but in the caves, gave orders that the caves be blocked with stones to ensure their deaths. This was done. Some Christians wrote the account of all these events and placed the scrolls, in lead containers, among the rocks.
 
Some two hundred years later, during the reign of the Christian Emperor, Theodosius II, two events which have a bearing on this account occurred. First of all, a heresy arose that denied the resurrection of the dead.
Secondly, some masons, working around the vicinity of the cave which housed the seven sleepers, removed the huge stones that were blocking the entrance to the cave.
Then the seven sleepers awoke. As far as they were concerned, they had just woken up from a good night’s sleep.
They asked Malchus what he had heard concerning their fate.
They urged Malchus to go back to town to buy some more bread, as well as get more news concerning them. Malchus took five coins and left. On approaching the town, he was utterly astounded to see a cross above the city gate! Not only that, all the gates to the city had crosses on them! Just to be sure that he was not dreaming, he asked where he was and he was told “Ephesus”. Malchus next went the bakery, asked for bread and handed his coin to the baker. To his surprise, the man wanted to know if he had found some treasures and was very interested in the coins. Malchus mistakenly thought they had seen through his disguise and pleaded with them to let him go, but they seized him demanding a share of the supposed treasures. A hullabaloo followed, a large crowd gathered and the authorities got involved. St. Martin, the bishop, and Antipater, the governor, ordered both parties to be brought before them. Saint Martin asked Malchus to explain himself. When he did, the whole population of the city accompanied him to the cave, where the bishop entered and found the Seven Sleepers. Further explanations were given, the ancient scrolls were found and read, and all glorified the Almighty God.
Emperor Theodosius II was informed of the supernatural occurrence and he came to witness for himself. The Seven Sleepers were hailed as living proof of the resurrection of the dead. After being received by the Emperor, they all died and were given a magnificent burial. The Emperor then freed all bishops who had been imprisoned for adhering to the doctrine of resurrection.
The legend of the Seven Sleepers was well known during the Middle Ages and according to the book on saints, Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia, was preserved in Greek, Coptic and Syriac versions.
The cave in which they reputedly slept was also a popular pilgrim site near Ephesus until the conquest of Asia Minor by the Turks in the eleventh century.
The Seven Sleepers are identified as saints .
 
The Seven Sleepers,
Pray for us!
 
Ref: Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia,
The Links

[Shin]

I remember reading it! It certainly is a splendid one isn't it? I love it!

[odhiambo]

July 28

Today is the Feast day of
St Innocent I
Among many other saints.

[odhiambo]

St Innocent I
Pope.

Innocent was born at Albano, Italy. He served as a deacon under Pope Saint Anastasius I. When the later died in December 401, Innocent was unanimously elected to succeed him.
During Innocent's pontificate, he emphasized papal supremacy, stating that “all ecclesiastical matters throughout the world are, by divine right, to be referred to the Holy See”. Simply stated, the Pope preferred that all matters of importance be referred to Rome for settlement.
 When, in 416, the bishops of Africa referred to the Pope for confirmation, the decrees of their councils at Carthage and Millevis which condemned Pelagianism, the Pope commended them.  It was his confirmation of these decrees that caused Saint Augustine to declare: "Roma locuta, causa finitata est" (Rome has spoken, the matter is ended).
Innocent was noted as a capable and energetic leader. He is remembered most for his role in condemning Pelagianism, his support of deposed patriarch of Constantinople, John Chrysostom, and his unsuccessful attempt to negotiate an end to the siege of Rome by the Visigoth leader Alaric.
In the case of Saint John Chrysostom,who had been illegally deposed in 403 by Patriarch Theophilus of Alexandria,  the Pope ordered a synod in 404  to reinstate him as  Patriarch of Constantinople. The synod never convened because Innocent’s envoys were imprisoned at Constantinople. John was, nevertheless, posthumously restored in 407.
The pillaging of Rome by the Goths overshadowed his reign. In an attempt to prevent them storming the City, the Pope went to Ravenna to seek help from Emperor Honorius. While he was away, the Goths, under Alaric, captured and ransacked Rome.
Innocent died in Rome on March 12, 417.
Pope Saint Innocent I
pray for us!