Solemnities, Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials, and Traditional Dates of Commemoration
- Cyril of Jerusalem, bishop and doctor of the Church
- Alexander of Jerusalem, bishop and martyr
- Frigidian, bishop
- Edward the Martyr
- Anselm of Lucca, bishop
- Salvator of Horta [1]
Today, March 18, the Catholic Church commemorates 4 bishops, 1 doctor of the Church, 2 martyrs, and 1 religious.
The feast of St. Cyril of Jerusalem (315-386 A.D.) is celebrated as an Optional Memorial in the breviary and in the Mass. He was one of the six doctors of the Church who fought or were involved against Arianism. Because St. Cyril found himself in the middle of the controversy, he was accused by St. Jerome of being an Arian. However, the First Council of Constantinople exonerated him from the charges and championed St. Cyril as an orthodox member of the Church against the Arians.
It was mainly for his written works that earned for St. Cyril the title of Doctor of the Church. One of these written works was his Catecheses - 18 catechetical discourses for baptismal candidates during Lent. Another written work was Mystagogic - five catechetical discourses for those newly baptized after Easter. They are valuable because they give knowledge on the ritual and theology of the early Church in the fourth century A.D. [2]
St. Cyril is also commemorated this day by churches in the East following the Byzantine Calendar [3].
Related blog post:
- St. Cyril of Jerusalem, his birth and early history, his exiles, and more
St. Salvator of Horta (d. ca. 1567 A.D.) was a member of the Observant Franciscans. He was from Spain and was orphaned as a child. He became a shoemaker in Barcelona before he applied to the Observant Franciscans when he was 20 years old. He worked as a cook in the Order's friaries and was known and venerated for his miracles of healing. St. Salvator of Horta was canonized in 1938 A.D. [3]
Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [March 18]
- Cyril, Archbishop of Jerusalem
- Sts. Alexandra, Claudia, Euphrasia and other Martyrs [3]
Sts. Alexandra, Claudia, Euphrasia and other companion martyrs died for their faith during the persecution of Christians under the Emperor Diocletian. These martyrs were beaten with rods, their breasts cut off, and their skins flayed so much that their intestines became visible. They were all thrown into a fiery furnace.
Their feast days are varied: May 18, according to the reference to St. Claudia in Wikipedia.org; March 20, according to the website of the Orthodox Church of America; and March 18, according to The Dictionary of Saints by John Delaney. The differences in dates are possibly due to the many different churches and liturgical traditions that observe the feast of these holy martyrs. Their martyrdoms have also been written and presented online in different groupings (Author's note: They are presented either as a group of six martyrs in Wikipedia.org, or seven martyrs in Oca.org. Wikipedia.org also includes other names to their group: the martyrs "Derphuta and her sister" and "Thecusa". The martyr name Julitta in Wikipedia.org may refer to the name Juliana).
References: Books, Websites & AI Search Results
- [1] Pocket Catholic Dictionary, by John A. Hardon
- [2] The Doctors of the Church, volume 1, by John F. Fink
- [3] Dictionary of Saints, by John J. Delaney
- [4] Virgin Martyrs Alexandria, Claudia, Euphrasia, Matrona, Juliana, Euphemia, and Theodora, Oca.org
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