Memorial of Saints (January 15)

Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials of Saints

• Paul the First Hermit, confessor
• Maur, abbot, and Placid
• Macarius the Elder
• Isidore of Alexandria
• John Calybites
• Ita of Killeedy, virgin and abbess
• Bonet or Bonitus, bishop
• Ceowulf

St. Paul the Hermit (ca. 233-342 A.D.), also known as Paul of Thebes, is traditionally regarded as the first hermit in Christian history. He fled to the desert during a period of persecution (probably during the reign of Emperor Decius) and lived there to well more than one hundred years old. He is one of the centenerian-saints featured in this Blog.

St. Macarius the Elder or Macarius the Great (ca. 300-390 A.D.) was born in Upper Egypt and became a cattle-herder in his youth. He became a hermit and practiced the greatest austerities. He was accused of assaulting a woman but proved his innocence and became a hero for his patience and humility during that trying ordeal. To escape the adulation, he retired to the desert of Skete, was ordained, and was much sought after for his spiritual wisdom. He lived in Skete for sixty years more and died there. Learn more

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [January 15]

• Paul of Thebes and John the "Tent-dweller"

The feast of St. Paul the Hermit or Paul of Thebes, is commemorated in both the Roman Catholic Church and in the Byzantine Calendar on this day, January 15. He is celebrated in the East through the Russian and Greek Orthodox Churches and the Coptic and Armenian rites.

January 15 in the history of Christianity

January 15 is the day of birth of American civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968 A.D.). The Episcopal Church in the United States of America commemorate Dr. King's day of assassination on April 4.

Memorial of Saints (January 14)

Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials of Saints

• Felix Nola, confessor
• Macrina the Elder, widow
• Barbasymas and Companions, martyrs
• Datius, bishop
• Kentigern or Mungo, bishop
• Sava, bishop
• Odoric of Pordenone, friar

St. Felix of Nola (d. ca. 260 A.D.) was the son of Hermias, a Roman soldier who had an estate at Nola near Naples, Italy. On the death of his father Hermias, Felix distributed his inheritance to the poor and was ordained by Bishop Maximus of Nola. During the persecution of Christians by Decius, St. Maximus fled to the desert and Felix, being the bishop's assistant, was arrested in his stead and imprisoned. An angel was said to have released Felix from prison and directed him to his ailing bishop, Maximus. As an opportunity presented itself, Felix brought bishop Maximus back to Nola.

Decius died in 251 A.D. but Felix continued to be hidden until the persecution completely ended. When bishop Maximus passed away, the people naturally and unanimously selected Felix as their bishop. However, Felix declined the honor in favor of Quintus, a priest who is senior to Felix.

St. Felix of Nola decided to live on a small piece of land and shared what he had with the poor. His tomb soon became famous for the miracles that happened to people who visited his tomb. St. Paulinus, who became a bishop of Nola a century later in 410 A.D., wrote all that is known today of St. Felix of Nola.

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [January 14]

• Fathers of Sinai and Raitha

The Holy fathers slain at Sinai and Raithu are saints venerated together on January 14 by the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Greek Catholic Churches. There were two occasions when the monks and hermits were murdered by the barbarians. The first occasion took place in the 4th century A.D., when 40 fathers were killed at Mt. Sinai, and 39 were slain at Raithu on the same day. The attack at Raithu is attributed to the tribe called the Blemmyes, from parts of Arabia.

The names of the fathers were:

• Isaiah,
• Sabbas,
• Moses and his disciple Moses,
• Jeremiah,
• Paul,
• Adam,
• Sergius,
• Domnus,
• Proclus,
• Hypatius,
• Isaac,
• Macarius,
• Mark,
• Benjamin,
• Eusebius,
• Elias,
• and others

The second occasion was the killing of the martyrs of Raithu about the middle of the 5th century A.D.

Sinai and Raithu are both located in the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt. Raithu is now known as El Tor, which is the capital of the South Sinai Governorate. The Raithu desert is situated around El Tor, between Saint Catherine and the Red Sea. It is part of the Archdiocese of Mount Sinai and Raithu of the Eastern Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

It is to be noted that the attack came from barbarians and other tribes. Although unverifiable, the attacks may not have been religious in nature as Islam came into being only in the 7th century A.D.

Citation from Wikipedia.org

Memorial of Saints (January 13)

Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials of Saints

St. Hilary of Poitiers was a layman who reluctantly became bishop of Poitiers in ca. 350 A.D. Since the Arians were influencing the Church at the time, Hilary defended the orthodox teaching of the Church against them. He fought against Arian Bishop Saturninus, and as a consequence was exiled to Phrygia. After some time, Hilary was able to return to Poitiers and was instrumental in a synod's deposition and excommunication of Saturninus. Hilary was a good theologian. He wrote many treatises and was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius IX in 1851 A.D. (died ca. 368 A.D.).

St. Agrecius was bishop of Trèves and attended the Council of Arles in 314 A.D. As bishop, he devoted himself to reconverting the people back to the Christian faith in the area around Trèves. Nothing more is known of Agrecius save for the story that his appointment as bishop was upon the request of Empress Helena, who also sent Agrecius some of the relics of the Cross of Christ (died ca. 329 A.D.).

St. Berno joined the Benedictines at St. Martin's, Autun, and became abbot of Baume-les-Messieurs. He also founded the monastery of Gigny and became its abbot. After some time, Duke William of Aquitaine made him abbot of Cluny. St. Berno is the first of the great abbots of the monastery at Cluny, in France - a monastic reform movement that had an enormous influence on the spirit of monasticism in Europe (died ca. 927 A.D.).

St. Remigius (d. 533 A.D.) was bishop of Rheims and apostle of the Franks. He baptized the king of the Franks, Clovis I (481-511 A.D.), as well as his whole family and followers - some three thousand in all. He is one of the patron saint of France together with St. Joan of Arc, St. Denis, and St. Bernadette Soubirous, St. Martin of Tours, and St. Therese of Lisieux.

Related blog posts:

• More details on the life and work of St. Hilary of Poitiers, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
• Sts. Berno, Odo and Aymard: The First Three Benedictine Abbots of Cluny, France, Learn more
• St. Remigius, St. Bernadette, St. Joan of Arc, St. Therese of the Child Jesus, St. Denis: The Patron Saints of France, Learn more

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [January 13]

• Sts. Hermylas and Stratonicus, Martyrs

This day in the history of Christianity

George Fox (1624-1691 A.D.) died on January 13, 1691 A.D. He was the founder of the Society of Friends, or Quakers. George Fox's life was one of commitment to peace, human equality, and the poor, a commitment for which he paid with the price of imprisonment and persecution.