Memorial of Saints (December 13)

Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials of Saints

• Lucy, virgin and martyr
• Eustratius and Companions, martyrs
• Judoc or Josse
• Aubert of Cambrai, bishop
• Odilia or Ottilia, virgin

St. Lucy: (died probably in Sicily c. 304 A.D. under Diocletian). Born in Syracuse, Sicily of noble and wealthy parents, she intended to give her fortune to the poor. However, she was a victim of an attempted rape during the Diocletian persecution of Christians. When she resisted, she was denounced as a Christian, arrested, tortured, and killed.

A pious story say that because she had very beautiful eyes, she tore out her own eyes, and offered it to the rapist whom she resisted strongly. This is the reason for her being depicted in art as carrying a tray with two eyes. She is now patroness of those afflicted with diseases of the eye and associated with festivals of light, especially in Scandinavia. The popular song Santa Lucia commemorates her. St. Lucy is mentioned in the Roman Canon and made patroness of Syracuse and all Sicily.

St. Odilia (660-720 A.D.) was an abbess. She is the patron saint of the sightless because of a pious story that describes her as being born without sight. The story goes on to say that at her baptism, she was given back her sight. Devotion to St. Odilia is popular in Germany, France and the Netherlands.

December 13 Saints in the Byzantine Calendar

• Sts. Eustratius, Auxentius, Eugene, Mardarius and Orestes, Martyrs
• St. Lucy, Virgin-Martyr

Memorial of Saints (December 12)

Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials of Saints

• Our Lady of Guadalupe
• Jane Frances de Chantal, religious
• Epimachus Alexander and Companions, martyrs
• Finian of Clonard, bishop
• Corentin or Cury, bishop
• Edburga, virgin
• Vicelin, bishop

Today is the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. She appeared four times to St. Juan Diego on Tepeyac hill outside of Mexico City. The apparition produced a miraculous imprint on the tilma (cloak) of Juan Diego. This image was meant to convince the local bishop, of the Blessed Virgin's appearance to Juan Diego, and that a chapel be built right on the spot where she appeared. The bishop was convinced. He kept Juan Diego's tilma, first in his private chapel and then in the church on public display, where it attracted great attention.

On December 26, 1531 A.D., a procession formed to transfer the miraculous image back to Tepeyac Hill where it was installed in a small, hastily built chapel.

The image on the cloak of Juan Diego gave the native Indians the assurance that Christianity was also a faith for them; that Our Lady of Guadalupe was loving and compassionate to them.

In 1754 A.D., Pope Benedict XIV authorized a Mass and Office to be celebrated on December 12 under the title of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

St. Jane Frances de Chantal (1572-1641 A.D.) was born of an aristocratic family at Dijon, France. She married the Baron of Chantal and they had six children. Her husband died in 1601 A.D., but three years after, she met St. Francis de Sales. St. Francis de Sales, who became her spiritual director, wanted her to lead the religious community he wanted to found. So, in 1610 A.D., Francis and Jane Frances founded the Congregation of the Visitation - a community for widows and young girls who want to live a religious life. Before the death of Jane Frances, this community grew to more than sixty houses.

More on Saints for December 12

Related blog posts:

• St. Juan Diego, (December 9)
• St. Francis de Sales and St. Jane Frances de Chantal
• French School of Spirituality
• Our Lady of Lourdes and Other Marian Apparitions

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar

• St. Spiridion, Wonderworker

St. Spiridion, or Spyridon, was a fourth-century shepherd who became bishop of a small and remote area northeast of Cyprus. Spiridion was known for his knowledge of the Bible though he was unschooled. He was also known for his simplicity and holiness, and was credited with many miracles. According to the Roman Martyrology, he attended the Council of Nicaea where he converted a skeptical philosopher. St. Spiridion was firm in his opposition to Arianism.

St. Spiridion is patron saint of Corfu, Zakythos, and Kephalonia. Devotion to St. Spiridion is strong in Cyprus. His feast day in the Roman Calendar is every December 14. The Russian and Greek Orthodox Churches celebrate his feast today, December 12.

Memorial of Saints (December 11)

Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials of Saints

• Damasus I, pope
• Daniel the Stylite
• Barsabas, martyr
• Fuscian, Victorinus, and Gentian, martyrs

St. Damasus I (305-384 A.D.) succeeded Pope Liberius to the papacy. He became pope in a time of turmoil, because the Church was divided by an antipope. Damasus I had to fight many heresies and in the ensuing conflict he was accused of scandals that caused his exile.

He was able to return to Rome and called St. Jerome to be his secretary. He then commissioned Jerome to make a new translation of the Bible into Latin. St. Jerome obeyed and translated the whole Bible into Latin from the ancient Greek manuscripts, the original Hebrew, Aramaic texts, and existing Latin translations. After St. Jerome completed the translation, Damasus I approved what is now called the Vulgate (the Latin translation of the Bible).

Damasus I also changed the liturgical language of Greek into Latin because the people did not understand. He also promoted devotion to the martyrs of the faith. Remembered for his modesty, and despite his being a very learned man, he is known for his compassion for the poor, the innocence of his manners, and his holiness. St. Damasus I's papal administration lasted eighteen years and two months. His remains are buried in a small church built on the Ardeatina Way in Rome (died ca. 384 A.D.).

St. Daniel the Stylite (409-493 A.D.) was from Syria. He became a monk and soon followed the example of St. Simeon Stylites the Elder. He lived on a "stylos" or "pillar" in Constantinople, where he performed his priestly duties. Renowned for his sanctity and spiritual insights, Daniel lived on a pillar for the last 33 years of his life and was buried in an oratory at the foot of the pillar. He is one of the many "pillar" Saints whose holiness edified the people of their time.

Related information: The story of Stylite or the Pillar-Saints & the Stylite Tower Umm Ar-Rasas, Jordan, YouTube video, 2:34 minutes

Learn more - December 11 Saints

December 11 Saints in the Byzantine Calendar

• Daniel, Stylite

The Greek and Russian Orthodox Churches also celebrate the feast of Daniel the Stylite on this day.