Saint of the day and Feast days - Part 2

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This reminds me of a saint whom God called His nightingale..

St. Mechtilde.

How blessed the saint was.

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July 14
Today is the Memorial of
Saint Francis Solano
Among many other Saints.

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Saint Francis Solano
Franciscan Missionary to Lima, Peru.
He is also known as Francis Solanus, Thaumaturgus of the New World or Wonder Worker of the New World. He was born on 10 March 1549 in Andalusia, Spain. His parents, Matthew Sanchez Solanus and Anna Ximenes, were reportedly, noble and pious. He joined the
Franciscan at the age of 20. For two decades, Francis worked in Spain, becoming known for his teaching and conversions. At his request, Francis was sent as a missionary to Peru in in 1589 and for the rest of his life, he worked for the welfare of the Indians and the Spanish Colonists in South America. He learned the dialects and customs of Indian tribes; served as custodian of Franciscan houses in Argentina, Paraguay, and finally in Lima, Peru. He reportedly had tremendous success in his preaching and had many converts earning him the nickname, “ Wonder Worker of the New World” in recognition of his extraordinary achievement.
Francis died on 14 July 1610 at Lima. He was canonized on 27 December 1726 by Pope Benedict XIII.
Saint Francis Solano
Pray for us!

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July15
Let us remember today
Saint Vladimir I of Kiev
Among many other Saints

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Saint Vladimir I
Grand Prince of Kiev, Ukraine.
Prince of Novgorod.
The Apostle of the Russians and Ruthenians.
From Catholic Encyclopedia, Ruthenians are “A Slavic people from Southern Russia, Galicia and Bukowina in Austria, and North-eastern Hungary.”
Vladimir was born in 956 in Kiev as Vladimir Svyatoslavich. He was the illegitimate son of Grand Duke Svyatoslav of Kiev and his mistress Malushka.  He was raised as a pagan. In 970, his father gave him Novgorod to rule. When his father died, however, things changed. His stepbrother, Yaropolk, defeated and killed another stepbrother named Oleg, and captured the great city of Novgorod. Vladimir fled to Scandinavia. The following year, with the help of an uncle, Vladimir returned to Russia and stormed Kiev, conquered Novgorod and killed Yaropolk. He embarked on other campaigns which saw him ruler of Russia. He was notorious for his cruelty and barbarity. According to SQPN,” Christianity had made some progress in Kiev, but Vladimir remained pagan, had seven wives, established temples, and participated in idolatrous rites, possibly involving human sacrifice.”
Around the year 987, Byzantine Emperor Basil II sought military aid from Vladimir in suppressing a revolt. In 988, Vladimir, impressed by the progress of Christianity, married Princess Anne, daughter of Emperor Basil ( His sister according to other sources), and became a Christian the following year. His conversion marked the beginning of Christianity in Russia. He reformed his life, putting aside his seven former wives( five according to other sources) and tried to live uprightly.
He built schools and churches, destroyed idols, brought Greek missionaries to Russia and even exchanged ambassadors with Rome. Despite the personal reforms mentioned, a touch of his autocratic tendencies showed itself in that those who refused baptism were harshly treated and his evangelization was accompanied by compulsion and fear.
Towards the end of his life, Vladimir was troubled by rebellions led by the sons from his earlier marriages. Two of his sons by Anne, Romanus( Boris) and David( Gleb), became saints.
Vladimir died on 15 July 1015 at Berestova, near Kiev, while leading a campaign against one of his rebellious sons, Yaroslav in Novgorod. He reportedly gave all his possessions to his friends and to the poor on his deathbed.
It is my understanding that he is the patron of Russian Catholics.
Saint Vladimir,
Pray for us!

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July 16
Today we remember
Saint Helier
Among many other Saints

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Saint Helier
Martyr.
He is also known as Helerous and Hielier. He was born at Tongres, Belgium and raised a Christian by a priest named Cunibert, who, unfortunately, was murdered by Helier’s pagan father. Later, Helier spent some time with Saint Marcou ( Marculf, Marculfus) at Nanteuil and then became a hermit on the Isle of Jersey where he reportedly lived in a cave. He was, reportedly, murdered by some local inhabitants in Jersey, England, while giving a sermon.
Saint Helier
Pray for us!

[Shin]

All ye saints pray for us!

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July 17
Let us remember today
The Seven Apostles of Bulgaria
Among many other Saints

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The Seven Apostles of Bulgaria
This is a group of apostles honored in the Bulgarian liturgy for their role in bringing Christianity to Bulgaria. The Seven are: Cyril and Methodius, Clement of Okhride. Sabas, Nahum. Angelarius, and Gorazd.
The Seven Apostles of Bulgaria
Pray for us!

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July 18.
Today we remember
Saint Theneva
Among many other Saints

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Saint Theneva
She is also known as Thaney, Thenaw, Thenew, Thenog, Thenova, etc.
She was reportedly a British princess. As we saw from the biography of her son, Kentigern, when she was found to be with child of an unknown man, she was, reportedly again, hurled from a cliff. She landed at the foot of the cliff where she was discovered still alive. She was set adrift in a boat on the Firth of Forth ( according to Wikipedia, the Firth of Forth is the estuary of Scotland's River Forth). She reached Culross where she was given shelter by Saint Serf. She delivered her baby and Serf named him Mungo which means "dear one" .
He became the foster father of her son, Saint Kentigern( Mungo).
Saint Theneva is the patron saint of Glasgow, Scotland jointly with her son, Saint Kentigern.
Saint Theneva,
Pray for us!

[Shin]

St. Kentigern and St. Theneva, pray for us! Ye seven apostles of Bulgaria, pray for us!

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July 19
Let us remember today
Saint Macrina the Younger
Among Many other Saints

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Saint Macrina the Younger
Macrina the Younger was born in 327 at Caesarea, Cappadocia. She was the granddaughter of Saint Macrina the Elder, so called to distinguish between the two of them. She was the sister of Saint Basil the Great, Saint Gregory of Nyssa, and Saint Peter of Sebastea. She was reportedly well educated, especially in scripture. When she was twelve years old, she was engaged to a young lawyer. Unfortunately, her fiancé died before the wedding. Macrina refused other offers of marriage, deciding instead, to dedicate her life to God. When her father died, she and her mother retired to the family estate of Pontus where they lived a life of prayer and contemplation in a community of women they formed there. When her mother died, Macrina became head of the group and lived in Pontus until her own death there in 379.
Saint Macrina the Younger
Pray for us!

[Shin]

Saints Macrina pray for us!

St. Basil, St. Gregory, St. Peter, pray for us!