Saint of the day and Feast days - Part 2

[odhiambo]

Saint Tommaso da Cori
Tommaso was born in 1655 at Cori in Italy. His given name was Francesco Antonio Placidi. Whe he was fourteen years old, his parents died and he had to care for his siblings. He found work as a shepherd and managed to raise them on the income that this work brought. After his siblings married, he joined the Franciscans and was ordained in 1683. One year later, in 1684, Thomas reportedly knocked on the door of the Franciscan Friary at Bellegra and announced: " I am Father Thomas of Cori, and I have come here to become holy!" He was admitted and remained there for most of his life except for a time when he preached in the area of Subiaco. He preached tirelessly and was renown for his miracles.
He died in 1729 and was canonized on 21 November 1999 by Pope John Paul II .
Saint Tommaso da Cori,
Pray for us!

[Shin]

Saint Anthony of Rome
Saint Merulus of Rome
Saint John of Rome
Anthony, Merulus and John were Benedictine monks at Saint Andrew’s monastery on the Coelian Hill of Rome. Their abbot was Saint Gregory the Great who wrote of their sanctity and their miracles.
According to SQPN, all three died naturally in 550 .
Saint Anthony of Rome, pray for us!
Saint Merulus of Rome, pray for us!
Saint John of Rome, pray for us!

'Sometime also almighty God doth by divine revelation strengthen the minds of them that be fearful, to the end that they should not be afraid of death.

For a certain monk there was, called Anthony, that lived together with me in my Monastery, who by daily tears laboured to come to the joys of heaven: and when as he did very carefully and with great zeal of soul meditate upon the sacred scriptures, he, sought not so much for cunning and knowledge, as for tears and contrition of heart, that by means thereof his soul might be stirred up and inflamed: and that by contemning all earthly things, he might with the wings of contemplation fly unto the kingdom of heaven. This man upon a night, by revelation, was admonished in this manner: "Make yourself ready, because our Lord hath given commandment for your departure": and when he answered, that he had not wherewith to defray the charges of that journey: straightaway he heard these comfortable words: "If you take care for your sins, they be forgiven you"; which thing though he had heard once, and yet for all that was in great fear, another night he had again the same vision: and so after five days he fell sick of an ague, and as the other monks were praying and weeping about him, he departed this life.

Another monk there was in the same Monastery, called Merulus, who was wonderfully given to tears and bestowing of alms: and no time almost passed him, except it were when he was at meat or asleep, in which he did not sing psalms. This man, by vision in the night, saw a crown made of white flowers to descend upon his head: and straight after falling sick, he died with great quiet and joy of mind.

Fourteen years after, when Peter, who now hath the government of my Monastery, went about to make a grave for himself hard by Merulus' sepulchre, such a fragrant and pleasant smell, as he saith, came out of it, as though it had been a storehouse of all manner of sweet flowers. By which it appeared plainly, that it was very true, which before he had seen by vision in the night.

Likewise in the same Monastery there was another, called John, who was a young man of great towardness, and one that led his life with great circumspection, humility, sweetness, and gravity. This man falling sore sick, saw in his great extremity by vision in the night an old man to come unto him, who touched him with a wand, saying: "Rise up, for you shall not die of this sickness: but make yourself ready, for you have not any long time to stay in this world": and forthwith, though the physicians despaired of his health, yet he recovered, and became perfectly well. The vision which he saw he told to others, and for two years following, as I said, he served God in such sort, that his great devotion surpassed his young years.

Three years since another monk died, who was buried in the churchyard of the same Monastery, and when we had ended all his funerals, and were departed, this John, as himself with pale face and great trembling told us, remained there still, where he heard that monk which was buried to call him out of the grave: and that it was so indeed, the end following did shew: for ten days after he fell sick of an ague and so departed this life.'

- the Dialogues of Pope St. Gregory the Great

[Shin]

St. Anthony, St. Merulus, St. John, and Pope St. Gregory pray for us!
St. Tomasso, pray for us!

What a great introduction!

[odhiambo]

January 20
Today we remember
Saint Euthymius the Great
Among many other Saints.

[odhiambo]

Saint Euthymius the Great
Bishop.
Euthymius was born to a wealthy family of Melitine, Armenia in 378 .He studied there under the local bishop and was ordained. He was appointed supervisors of the monasteries in the diocese. At the age of twenty nine, he left his home region to become a hermit in Jerusalem. In 411, he left to live with a companion in a cave near Jericho. He attracted numerous disciples. He left his companion, Theoctistus in charge and moved to a more remote spot but even here, disciples followed him in their numbers. He had so many converts that Patriarch Juvenal of Jerusalem consecrated him bishop to minister to them. Euthymius was a powerful orator and attracted enormous crowds among them Empress Eudoxia, daughter of Emperor Theodosius II and wife of Emperor Valentinian III. She was won over to orthodox faith by his influence.
Euthymius spent sixty years in the desert.
He died on 20 January 473.
Saint Euthymius,
Pray for us!

[Shin]

Sixty years in the desert! 

[odhiambo]

Sixty years in the desert! 

Yes, such faith!

[odhiambo]

January 21
Today is the Memorial of
Saint Publius of Malta
Among many other Saints

[odhiambo]

Saint Publius of Malta
Martyr.
Bishop.
Saint Publius was the prefect of Malta. In the Acts of the Apostles, when Saint Paul was being taken to Rome and was shipwrecked on the island of Malta, Publius was described as “the chief man of the island”. He was host to Saint Paul then and Paul cured his father of fever and dysentery and the two holy men became good friends. According to tradition, Publius later became the first bishop of Malta. Another tradition has him bishop of Athens. He was martyred in 125 during the persecutions under Emperor Trajan.
Saint Publius,
Pray for us!

[Shin]

Good evening odhiambo!

For so many of the early Christians, to be a Christian meant to embrace death.

I wonder if those times are coming again around the world? I know it already is in some places.

[odhiambo]

Good evening odhiambo!

For so many of the early Christians, to be a Christian meant to embrace death.

I wonder if those times are coming again around the world? I know it already is in some places.

Hi 
It is true Shin. Those days  Christians had the shortest life expectancy as embracing the faith was often a death sentence. Contrast with today when many Catholics shy away from making the sign of the Cross, a sign of our discipleship to Christ,  because of fear of being ridiculed    

[Shin]

I pray you're having a good day odhiambo!

I am having a good time over here, reading about the Holy Rosary.


 

[Shin]

It's also St. Agnes' day, two of them, St. Agnes of Rome the famous virgin martyr, and St. Agnes of Aislinger -- an anchoress.

And St. Brigid of Killbride a friend of St. Brigid of Ireland.

Along with many other saints.

[odhiambo]

January 22
Today is the Memorial of
Saint Dominic of Sora
Among many other Saints

[odhiambo]

Saint Dominic of Sora
Dominic was born in 951 at Foligno, in Italy.
He became a Benedictine monk and built numerous monasteries in various parts of Italy. He died in 1031 at Sora, Italy
Saint Dominic of Sora,
Pray for us!

[Shin]

Building so many monasteries.. now that is very pleasing to God..