The Signs are in the Times

When the "Signs of the Times" become the "Signs are in the Times"

When the Christian faith began among the early communities in the early centuries, everything was perceived and lived as a whole - with theology and spirituality, doctrine and prayer all integrated in the life of the believers. This synthesis was strengthened by the Cappadocians (St. Basil the Great, St. Gregory Nazianzen, and St. Gregory of Nyssa) in the East, and St. Augustine of Hippo in the West. This integration and synthesis continued on into the Medieval times through the Dominican St. Thomas of Aquinas and the Franciscan St. Bonaventure.

As the Catholic faith developed further, the synthesis of theology and the spirituality of prayer began to weaken sometime before the beginning of the Eastern Schism of 1054 A.D. It became even more pronounced during and after the Protestant Reformation. What contributed to this weakening were two trends that "compartmentalized" the faith into theology on one side, and prayer and spirituality on the other. It also contributed to the eventual "forgetfulness" of the significance of the Holy Spirit.

The two trends

First of the trends was the division of dogmatic theology and spiritual theology. The former concentrated on the Church's dogmatic and doctrinal formulations, while the latter (spiritual theology) concerned itself with prayer and the individual Christian's relationship with God.

The second trend consisted in the increasing institutionalization within the Church herself. This created a division between the ecclesiastical members of the Church (the clergy and religious) who are concerned with things of the Spirit, and the lay faithful, who are relegated to temporal and secular concerns.

With the development of these two trends, understanding and living the faith since it was lived as a whole in the early centuries was lost. What was also lost was the full biblical vision of the Holy Spirit as One who renews both the Church, and all things pertaining to secular and temporal realities in the world.

Vatican II's contribution

With the charismatic movement flourishing in the 1960s A.D. and the eventual reformulation of the faith through the Second Vatican Council, the Church began to recapture again the deeper sense of tradition rooted in biblical experience and the teachings of the early Church councils. The Council is aptly described as "a grace of God and a gift of the Holy Spirit". Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Second Vatican Council has begun to integrate once more both experience and doctrine, Church and the world, and the clergy and the lay faithful.

A renewed sense of the Spirit in the world

Vatican II made the Church aware again that the Holy Spirit is present in the world - transforming it and renewing all of life. Because of this renewed understanding and perception, the Church again renewed her responsibility to respond to the needs of the world. Looking at the 'signs of the times', the Church now involves all her members, both clergy and lay faithful, to be actually involved in responsibly taking care of the earth and respecting all forms of life in all its stages.

A world in travail (Rom 8:22ff)

In the time of St. Paul, this holy apostle and missionary already sensed that "the whole creation is still groaning in travail". At the dawn of the third millenium, everyone can sense that what St. Paul said still rings true today. Creation indeed is still groaning in travail as global climactic changes have greatly affected many parts of the world. This reality is causing a renewal of faith in God as the author of all creation. As the Church aptly teaches that we are in the "age of the Spirit", it is but fitting to seek the Holy Spirit who "helps us in our weakness" and "who dost the tongue with power imbue" - especially in these uncertain climatic upheavals.

Sources of this blog post

• Dictionary of Theology, by editors Komonchak, Collins, and Lane
• Devotions to the Holy Spirit, by Brian Moore, SJ

Commemoration of Saints (March 13)

Solemnities, Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials, and Traditional Dates of Commemoration

• Euphrasia, virgin
• Mochoemoc, abbot
• Gerald of Mayo, abbot
• Nicephorus of Constantinople, bishop
• Ansovinus, bishop
• Heldrad, abbot
• Roderic and Solomon, martyrs
• Leander of Seville, bishop [1]

Today, March 13, the Catholic Church commemorates 3 abbots, 3 bishops, 2 martyrs and 1 virgin. St. Nicephorus of Constantinople, bishop, is also commemorated today by the Churches using the Byzantine Calendar.

Featured in today's commemoration is St. Leander of Seville (ca. 550-600 A.D.). He was consecrated bishop of Seville in about 584 A.D. Leander devoted himself to combating the Arian heresy in Spain. It was his success in this battle that Gregory the Great advanced him to the episcopate, rewarding him with the archbishop's pallium.

St. Leander of Seville did a lot for the faith of the Church:

• he wrote treatises against Arianism
• converted many of the Arian bishops
• converted most of the Visigoths and the Spanish Suevi to the Catholic faith
• presided at the third council of Toledo in 589 A.D.
• he held a synod in Seville in 590 A.D.
• he was responsible for the reform of the Spanish liturgy
• he wrote a rule for nuns
• he is considered a doctor of the Church in the local church of Spain [2][3]

To prevent confusion as regards his feast days, Wikipedia.org says in its website that, the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches recognise the feast days for St. Leander of Seville on both 27 February and 13 March. These observances are according to particular circumstances. In the Spanish national liturgical calendar, the feast day of Leander of Seville is also commemorated every 13th of November [4].

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [March 13]

• Translation of Relics of our father, Nicephor, Patriarch of Constantinople

In the year 846 A.D., the tomb of St. Nikephoros (also Nicephor or Nicephorus) was opened, and the relics were found incorrupt and fragrant. They were transferred to the Church of the Holy Apostles. Since St. Nicephor was against iconoclasm, he left behind three written works against that heresy. He also wrote two historial works, Breviarum and Chronographia [3][5]

References: Books, Websites & AI Search Results

• [1] Pocket Catholic Dictionary, John A. Hardon
• [2] Lives of the Saints, Richard P. McBrien
• [3] Dictionary of Saints, John J. Delaney
• [4] Leander of Seville, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leander_of_Seville, Wikipedia.org
• [5] Translation of the Relics of Saint Nikephoros Patriarch of Constantinople, Oca.org

Commemoration of Saints (March 12)

Solemnities, Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials, and Traditional Dates of Commemoration

• Maximilian of Theveste, martyr
• Peter, Gorgonius, and Dorotheus, martyrs
• Paul Aurelian, bishop
• Theophanes the Chronicler, abbot
• Alphege of Winchester, bishop
• Bernard of Capua, bishop
• Fina or Seraphina, virgin [1]

Today, March 12, is the commemoration of 4 martyrs, 3 bishops, 1 abbot and 1 virgin in the Catholic Church.

The abbot commemorated today is St. Theophanes the Chronicler (d. ca. 817 A.D.)

St. Theophanes was from Constantinople and was left a large fortune when his father died. He grew up at the court of Emperor Constantine V. He married, but after both his wife and himself agreed to separate for matters of vocation, Theophanes became a monk and his wife became a nun.

Theophanes built monasteries on Mount Sigriana and on the island of Kalonymos. After six years he became abbot of Mount Sigriana.

In the Council of Nicaea in 787 A.D., Theophanes supported the decrees approving the veneration of sacred images and fought against its heresy - iconoclasm. This led to a conflict with Emperor Leo the Armenian who supported iconoclasm. When Theophanes did not accede to the iconoclastic policies of Emperor Leo, he was arrested, maltreated and banished to Samothrace. It was here that he died on March 12 from all the ill treatment that he received since his imprisonment.

Theophanes is called the "Chronicler" because of his Chronographia - a historical writing that covered the years 284-813 A.D. [2]

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [March 12]

• Theophan of Syngria
• Gregory the Great, Pope of Rome

Today, 2 Saints are commemorated in the Orthodox Churches that follow the Byzantine Calendar: St. Theophan and St. Gregory the Great. St. Theophan is the same as the St. Theophanes that the Catholic Church also commemorates today. St. Gregory the Great, Pope of Rome, is commemorated in the Catholic Church every September 3. What is common among these two Saints is that both of them were writers.

Understanding the Differences in Dates of Commemoration

The bigger context of difference in the Dates of Commemoration of Saints is understood from the perspective of the key differences between Roman Catholicism, Eastern Catholicism and Eastern Orthodox Churches. The more specific context of the differences can be gleaned from the adoption of either the Julian Calendar or the Gregorian Calendar.

Roman Catholicism and Eastern Catholic Churches:

Eastern Catholic Churches have their own distinct liturgical rites, traditions, and canon law, but they are in full communion with the Pope. This means they recognize his authority and share the same core beliefs. Therefore, they are not separate churches, but rather churches "sui iuris" (of their own law) within the one Catholic Church.

Eastern Orthodox Churches:

The Great Schism of 1054 A.D. marked the formal separation between the Eastern Orthodox Churches and the Catholic Church. Eastern Orthodox Churches are indeed independent and self-governing, with each church typically headed by its own patriarch or archbishop. They do not recognize the Pope's universal jurisdiction. While there can be respectful dialogue and relations between the Eastern Orthodox and the Catholic Church, they are currently not in full communion. Orthodox Christians respect the bishop of Rome as one of the ancient patriarchs, but do not recognize his supreme authority.

Here's a simplified breakdown:

Catholic Church:

• Includes Roman Catholic Church (Latin Rite)
• Includes Eastern Catholic Churches (various rites)
• All united under the Pope.

Eastern Orthodox Churches:

• Independent churches (e.g., Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox)
• Do not recognize the Pope's universal authority.
• Separated from the Catholic church in 1054 A.D.

In essence, the key difference lies in the recognition of papal authority. Eastern Catholics accept it, while Eastern Orthodox Churches do not [3]. The difference therefore in the commemoration of the Saints from all these Churches spring from the difference in liturgical rites and adherence to traditional dates or changes in them due to the schisms and decentralizations of Church structures that occured in historical development of the Churches. Another contributing factor is the use of calendars: either the Julian Calendar or the Gregorian Calendar.

The Julian Calendar and the Gregorian Calendar

The Byzantine calendar is based on the Julian calendar, but with the year starting on September 1st and using an Anno Mundi (Year of the World) epoch, rather than the Anno Domini (A.D., Year of our Lord) as used in the West. The Byzantine calendar, used by the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Byzantine Empire, fundamentally followed the Julian calendar.

Unlike Western Europe, the Byzantine world never adopted the Anno Domini system, which counts years from the birth of Jesus.

While the Gregorian calendar was reformed in the West in 1582 A.D. to correct for the drift in the Julian calendar, it was not widely adopted in the East, and many churches continued using the Julian calendar for liturgical purposes. Some Orthodox churches, like the Russian Orthodox Church, still use the Julian calendar today to calculate the dates of moveable feasts, while other churches use the Revised Julian calendar for fixed dates [4].

References: Books, Websites & AI Search Results

• [1] Pocket Catholic Dictionary, John A. Hardon
• [2] Dictionary of Saints, John J. Delaney
• [3] Prompt to Gemini, "clarify this: roman catholicism and eastern catholics with their own rites and liturgies, but loyal to the roman pontiff, are united as one catholic church. eastern orthodox churches are independent christian churches that separated from rome in 1054 A.D. with the great schism", March 12, 2025
• [4] AI Overview for the search query "does the byzantine calendar follow the julian or the gregorian calendar?", Google.com, March 12, 2025

Commemoration of Saints (March 11)

Solemnities, Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials, and Traditional Dates of Commemoration

• Constantine, martyr
• Sophronius, bishop
• Vindician, bishop
• Benedict Crispus, bishop
• Oengus, abbot and bishop
• Eulogius of Cordova, martyr
• Aurea, virgin
• Teresa Margaret Redi, virgin [1]

St. Oengus or Aengus (d. ca. 824 A.D.) was from a noble family in Ulster, Ireland. He entered a monastery in Leix and became one of the most learned men in Ireland in his time. His desire for solitude led him to retire to a cell a few miles from the monastery, but his asceticism and spiritual practices attracted so many visitors. He was thus forced to leave that cell.

After the Clonenagh monastery in Leix, Oengus entered the monastery of Tallaght without revealing his identity. He worked as a servant. When the abbot, Maelruain, learned of who he was, the abbot insisted that he assume a rightful place of honor because of his great learning. When Maelruain passed away in 787 A.D., St. Oengus returned to the monastery where he began - at Clonenagh in Leix. He became abbot and then was later consecrated as a bishop. He retired to Dysartbeagh, or Dysartenos, where he died on March 11.

St. Oengus or Aengus is often called "the Culdec or Culdee" (God's Vassal) for his writings. Of his writings, he is known for the Felire - a metrical hymn to the saints. It was also a register of saints and their feast days, written in the vernacular [2][3][4]

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [March 11]

• Sophronius, Patriarch of Jerusalem [2]

Today, March 11, St. Sophronius (d. ca. 638 A.D.), Patriarch of Jerusalem, Bishop, is commemorated in the Catholic Church and in the Byzantine Calendar of the Eastern Orthodox Churches. Before he became Patriarch of Jerusalem, he was a monk and a theologian.

He wrote much:

• composed a Florilegium ("Anthology") of some 600 texts from the Early Church Fathers
• an Encomium on the Alexandrian martyrs Cyrus and John in gratitude for the cure of his failing vision
• 23 Anacreontic (classical metre) poems
• the Life of St. Mary of Egypt

According to the Passion of the 60 Martyrs of Gaza, Sophronius was executed for baptising Muslim converts. This may have been after he was forced to flee Jerusalem (when the Saracens captured the city in 638 A.D.) and went to Alexandria where he may have died or executed [5][6].

References: Books, Websites & AI Search Results

• [1] Pocket Catholic Dictionary, John A. Hardon
• [2] Dictionary of Saints, John J. Delaney
• [3] Dysartbeagh, Wikipedia.org
• [4] Oengus of Tallaght, Wikipedia.org
• [5] Sophronius of Jerusalem, Wikipedia.org
• [6] Dictionary of Saints, John J. Delaney

Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem: Music CD

"Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem, Healing Worship" from the City of David with Paul Wilbur

Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem is a music CD which any charismatic music afficionado will appreciate. It is worship music and the style of presentation is majestic and magnificent. The choir's rendition is inspiring and uplifting.

A brief introduction

The music CD is lively worship music with prayer for the peace of Jerusalem as its subject and theme. The cover design of the music CD shows an Israeli soldier praying before the wailing wall with a rifle dangling behind his back. And under the title, "Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem", is found a dove presented in a flash of white light passing through. In the background of both these subjects is the city of Jerusalem populated by soldiers.

The lyrics of the song

Since the songs are an occasion to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, much of the lyrics and words of the songs are in Hebrew. But the songs are not really in pure Hebrew. It is a combination of both Hebrew and English lyrics. The effect of this combination brings you into an atmosphere of Jewish religious culture.

The titles of the songs

• Introit
• Blessed Are You
• Let the Weight of Your Glory Fall
• For Your Name Is Holy
• Baruch Haba (Blessed Is He Who Comes)
• Ma Tovu (O How Good)
• In Your Presence O God
• Prayer For The Peace Of Jerusalem (Musical
  Underscore)
• Shalom Jerusalem
• Kadosh
• Show Me Your Face
• Even So
• Lord Take Up Your Holy Throne

A quote from the CD

This is a quote from the back cover of the music CD. I quote it here to signify the importance of praying for peace in Jerusalem.

"Significant for the times, Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem contains passionate songs of prayer that reveal a longing for the return of the Messiah and peace for Jerusalem. "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. May all who love this city prosper. - [Psalm 122:6]"

Commemoration of Saints (March 10)

Solemnities, Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials, and Traditional Dates of Commemoration

• Codratus and Companions, martyrs
• Macarius of Jerusalem, bishop
• Simplicius, pope
• Kessog, bishop and martyr
• Anastasia Patricia, virgin
• Drotte, abbot
• Attalas, abbot
• Himelin
• John Ogilvie, priest and martyr [1]

Today, March 10, both the Catholic Church and the Churches that use the Byzantine Calendar commemorate St. Codratus of Corinth (d. ca. 258 A.D.).

Codratus was born to Greek parents. Traditional stories say his mother died in the wilderness after trying to escape the persecution of Christians during the reign of Decius. Codratus therefore grew up in the wild.

When he came of age, Codratus was able to study medicine and led an ascetical life together with a group of disciples. During the persecution of Christians under Valerian, Codratus was summoned by Jason, prefect of Greece. Four of his followers were with him: Dionysius, Anectus, Crescens and Paul. When all of them refused to sacrifice to pagan gods, they were thrown to the wild beasts. But when they were not harmed by the wild beasts, all of them were beheaded [2].

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [March 10]

• Sts. Codratus and companions: Cyprian, Anectus and Criscent

References: Books, Websites & AI Search Results

• [1] Pocket Catholic Dictionary, John A. Hardon
• [2] Dictionary of Saints, John J. Delaney

Lenten Reflection: The Prayers of St. Philip Howard and Elizabeth Leseur

Two spiritual leaders teach the meaning of Christian suffering through their own experience and prayers. They are St. Philip Howard and Elizabeth Leseur.

St. Philip Howard (ca. 1557-1595 A.D.) was baptized a Catholic but raised as a Protestant. He lived after the time England broke its relations with the Vatican in 1536 A.D. From a politically privileged family, he did not do much good during his time in the royal court. However, when he heard how St. Edmund Campion debated at London, Philip began to rethink and reform his life. He was reconciled with his neglected wife and returned to the Catholic Church in 1584 A.D. As a Catholic, he was accused of treason when it became a common belief that he worked with Mary Queen of Scots. The charge was not proven, but he was fined with an amount of money. He was again charged with treason during the time of the Spanish Armada and ordered executed. However, the sentence was never carried out. But he was imprisoned for a long time until he died on October 19. He was canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1970 as one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales [1].

St. Philip Howard wrote a prayer that describes the context of the suffering he had to endure:

"O Christ my Lord, who for my sins did hang upon a tree, grant that your grace in me poor wretch, may still ingrafted be. Grant that your naked hanging there may kill in me all pride, and care of wealth since you did then in such poor state abide. Grant that your crown of prickling thorns, which you for me did wear, may make me willing for your sake all shame and pain to bear. Grant that your pierced hand, which did of nothing all things frame, may move me to lift up my hands and ever praise your name. Grant that your wounded feet, whose steps were perfect evermore, may learn my feet to tread those paths which you have gone before. Grant that your blessed grave wherein your body lay awhile, may bury all such vain delights as may my mind defile. Grant, Lord, that your ascending then may lift my mind to thee, that there my heart and joy rest, though here in flesh I be."

Another spiritual influence on the meaning of Christian suffering is Elizabeth Leseur. Elizabeth Leseur was a French mystic who was known for her diary and the conversion of her husband to the Christian faith. Because her husband was a medical doctor who was anti-clerical and part of the atheistic movement, Elizabeth suffered much in her married life before his conversion [2].

In her prayer, Elizabeth Leseur sees suffering as one with great use to others, if it is suffered with and for Jesus. She prays:

"Lord, make us realise that simply suffering for Jesus' sake and by bearing about our bodies the dying of Jesus, we can do more for him and for others than we can be being active. It is very hard to understand this, so please make us realise that our very helplessness can be of great use to others, if we suffer it with and for Jesus."

Those who are not in a state of suffering at present, may forget the value of human suffering if it is offered in union with Jesus who suffered on the Cross. They may even be adverse to its presence, in others and in themselves, seeking only what will bring comfort and ease. But once, like Elizabeth Leseur, one sees the meaning of any suffering and "graft" that suffering to the "dying of Jesus", it has much meaning in the Christian sense. In the prayer of St. Philip Howard mentioned above, it can even have a redemptive use.

It takes a certain level of suffering experienced by both St. Philip Howard and Elizabeth Leseur to pray as they did in the prayers written above. Some often view suffering from the outside, like the friends of Job, who present many theories for what Job had experienced in his suffering. This is when empathy and compassion weakens, leaving the soul open to pride and moralizing (as did the friends of Job).

Elizabeth Leseur, in another prayer, teach us about the meaning of Christian suffering:

"Our suffering works mysteriously, first in ourselves by a kind of renewal and also in others who are perhaps far away, without ever knowing what we are accomplishing. Christ on the cross has perhaps done more for humanity than Christ speaking and acting in Galilee or Jerusalem. Suffering creates life. It transforms everything it touches. Help us to understand this through Christ, our Lord."

It is in prayer and a deeper spiritual relationship with Christ crucified that the gift to understand Christian suffering is bathed in great light. Lent is therefore an opportunity to look at suffering not from secondary experiences, but within, in reflecting from the pain, burdens, and afflictions of our past. Much wisdom can be obtained from understanding why God "makes bad things happen to good people" at certain times in life. To penetrate the mystery of suffering and see the trials of this life as the passion of Christ will make one more according to His likeness and image: a man for others and in service to building God's Kingdom. Even at times when one has hurdled a "Job-like" suffering, Lent is a time to reflect on how suffering, seen in the context of Christ's suffering, can make us see hope and life beyond that suffering. Just as Elizabeth Leseur "bear about our bodies the dying of Jesus" in her life, and St. Philip Howard prays for the grace that will "bury all such vain delights as may [our] mind defile", we may be purified of pride and be led by the Spirit, who lifts us beyond all human suffering.

Related blog posts:

• [1] Dictionary of Saints, by John J. Delaney
• [2] AI Overview for search query "elizabeth leseur", March 9, 2025, Google.com

1st Sunday of Lent (C)

(Edited) Sunday Reflections (from) Liturgical Years 2011 (A), 2012 (B), and 2013 (C)

1st Sunday of Lent (C), February 17, 2013

Liturgical readings
Deuteronomy 26:4-10
Psalm 91
Romans 10:8-13
Luke 4:1-13

"The devil left Jesus to await another opportunity."

In the gospel from Luke 4:1-13, the Lord was tempted by the devil in the desert when He was fasting for 40 days. If one reads the gospel story more intently, you can notice how the Lord defended Himself well by being consistently grounded in his following Scripture. The devil was not as consistent: he used bread in his first temptation, and used the Scripture only when the Lord defended Himself with Scripture. In the third temptation, the devil quoted from Scripture twice - with the gospel presenting it by the connective "and" or "and again". But the Lord was humble and wise. He replied "It also says," and with just one Scripture reference: "You shall not put the Lord your God to the test." His reply has a depth of meaning that can nullify the devil's first two temptations.

Jesus, by His example in this gospel story, shows us how we are to battle and stand our ground against temptation. Since He knew how human flesh and its mortal condition can be tempted by the devil, He will help us in any time of trial and adversity, so that we do not fall into temptation and sin. Lent is that season of grace by which He strengthens the spirit of the faithful. The means that Jesus took should also be one's means - prayer and fasting. And since the Lord practiced works of mercy during His public ministry, works of mercy and charity can be added also to prayer and fasting. If one examines the sermon of St. Peter Chrysologus for Ash Wednesday in the Christian breviary, you will learn how prayer, fasting and mercy are the three means that can make anyone's faith stand firm, a life of devotion constant, and the practice of virtue endure. The degree to which one consistently adheres to this spiritual principle during Lent will produce enough faith, devotion, and virtue to help hurdle the daily temptations and struggles of life.

Lent is also a liturgical season of healing, purification and vigilance. It heals and purifies from sin, especially when one makes an effort to go to Confession. It makes the spiritual vision of the soul sharper and its life in the Spirit stronger. It reminds us of human frailty and mortality - making us wiser and more contemplative in our attitudes in life. It leads to understand the wisdom hidden in the Cross of our Lord, and it provides meaning to all the pain and suffering experienced in life. The grace of Lent and its discipline makes us fear sin and avoid offending God by our words and actions. Without the discipline of Lent, the solemn respect and reverence we often lose during the rest of the Church's liturgical season, is restored. The Lord becomes again the force and center of our life. He, His sacrifice on the Cross, and His love calls all to be the Christians He wants each one of us to be: men and women restored in His likeness, in word and deed.

Commemoration of Saints (March 9)

Solemnities, Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials, and Traditional Dates of Commemoration

• Frances of Rome, religious
• Pacian, bishop
• Gregory of Nyssa, bishop
• Bosa, bishop
• Catherine of Bologna, virgin
• Dominic Savio [1]

The feast of St. Frances of Rome is commemorated today as an Optional Memorial.

St. Frances of Rome (1384-1440 A.D.) was married and also worked to minister to the poor of Rome. When her husband's mother died, she was required to assume the duties of the household of her husband. Despite this responsibility, Frances continued with her work with the poor, even helping those who suffered from a plague in the early 1400s A.D., and also with those who suffered in another pestilence which struck Rome around 1413 A.D. It is from these works with the poor that Frances was able to form a society of women, one without vows and living in the world. The members of the society pledged their lives to God and to the service of the poor. They became known as the Oblates of Tor de' Speechi. St. Frances of Rome died in the spring of 1440 A.D. She was canonized in the year 1608 A.D. [2] [3].

St. Gregory of Nyssa (ca. 330-395 A.D.) was the brother of St. Basil the Great. He was named bishop of Nyssa in 372 A.D. St. Gregory was active in 381 A.D. in the General Council of Constantinople, which fought against Arianism. He accomplished a lot of written works:

• numerous theological treatises, such as
• his Catechetical Discourse
• treatises against Eunomius and Apollinaris
• a book on virginity
• commentaries on Scripture [4]

In the Catholic Church, he is commemorated on this day, March 9, but in the East, in the Byzantine Calendar, he is commemorated every 10th of January.

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [March 9]

• Sts. Forty Martyrs at Sebaste in Armenia [2]

The Forty Martyrs of Sebaste were Roman soldiers who were forced to stand naked on a frozen lake because they refused to abandon their Christian faith. They died from exposure to the cold. Sebaste, now in modern-day Turkey, was part of Lesser Armenia in the year 320 A.D. - the traditional date of the 40 Martyrs death [5].

References: Books, Websites & AI Search Results

• [1] Pocket Catholic Dictionary, John A. Hardon
• [2] Saints for Our Time, by Ed Ransom
• [3] Lives of the Saints, Richard P. McBrien
• [4] Dictionary of Saints, John J. Delaney
• [5] AI Overview for the search query "forty martyrs of sebaste in armenia", Google.com

Commemoration of Saints (March 8)

Solemnities, Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials, and Traditional Dates of Commemoration

• John of God, religious
• Pontius, deacon
• Philemon & Apollonius, martyrs
• Senan, bishop
• Felix of Dunwich, bishop
• Julian of Toledo, bishop
• Humphrey, bishop
• Duthac, bishop
• Veremund, abbot
• Stephen of Obazine, abbot [1]

Today, March 8, the Catholic Church commemorates:

• 1 founder of a religious order
• 2 martyrs
• 1 deacon
• 5 bishops
• 2 abbots

Foremost among the Saints commemorated today is St. John of God (ca. 1495-1550 A.D.). His feast is celebrated as an Optional Memorial.

John began as a soldier in the wars between Spain and France, and in the wars against the Turks in Hungary. Afterwards he became a shepherd in Seville, Spain, and served also as an overseer of slaves in Morocco.

John's conversion began when he heard a sermon by St. John of Avila. This sermon filled him with such remorse that he went berserk and wildly repented of his ways. Due to his behaviour and manner of repentance, he was sent into an insane asylum. John of Avila helped him by suggesting that he apply his strength to help others rather than imposing harsh penances on himself.

In 1539 A.D., after his release from the asylum, John of God devoted himself to help the sick and the poor. He opened a house to care for them and begged for alms to supply the basic needs of the house. Soon the virtues he exemplified in his apostolic work impressed the wealthy of Grenada that they clamoured to support his efforts. This work of St. John of God was the beginning of what would be the Order of the Brothers Hospitallers, also known as the Brothers of St. John of God. The religious Order spread throughout the world, St. John of God was canonized in 1690 A.D., and made patron of booksellers, heart ailments, hospitals, nurses, printers, and the sick [2].

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [March 8]

• Theophylact, Bishop of Nicomedia

References: Books, Websites & AI Search Results

• [1] Pocket Catholic Dictionary, John A. Hardon
• [2] Saints for Our Time, by Ed Ransom

Commemoration of Saints (March 7)

Solemnities, Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials, and Traditional Dates of Commemoration

• Perpetua & Felicity, martyrs (Obligatory Memorial)
• Paul the Simple
• Drausius, bishop
• Esterwine, abbot
• Ardo
• Theophylact, bishop [1]

Foremost among the Saints commemorated on this day are the martyrs Perpetua & Felicity. Both are recognized at the level of the universal Church and are thus commemorated as an Obligatory Memorial.

Sts. Perpetua & Felicity were North African Christians who were sentenced to die in the arena in 203 A.D. This was the time of the persecution of Christians under Septimus Severus. It was a time when the anti-Christian sentiment was heard as "Christians to the lions!"

The story of Perpetua and Felicity's martyrdom is well told in many sources. But in view of brevity, a short description will be given here. Just after giving birth to a son, Perpetua was arrested together with other catechumens. Her husband and her slave Felicity, who gave birth to a girl, were also arrested with her. On the day of the games in the Roman colosseum, as they were led into the arena, the men were attacked by the leopards and bears; the women on the other hand were attacked by a heifer. Perpetua did not die instantly. Instead, when a gladiator wanted to make her death certain, Perpetua herself guided the sword towards her.

If by chance you happen to find a CD entitled "Passion of the Saints" by Discovery Channel, the story of Perpetua and Felicity is featured in standard documentary style. Both the names of Sts. Perpetua and Felicity are in the Canon of the Roman Mass and in the General Roman Calendar [2].

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [March 7]

• Sts. Priest-Martyrs at Chersonia: Basil, Ephrem, Capito, Eugene, Everius, Missionary Bishops
• Venerable Paul the Simple in Egypt, a Solitary

Sts. Basil, Ephrem or Ephraim, Capito or Caption, Eugene, Everius and other companions (Elpidius, Agathodorus, Aetherius) are hieromartyrs who evangelized the region in the North Black Sea, from the Danube to the Dniper River, including the Crimea in what is now modern-day Ukraine. Learn more at Byzantinela.com [3]

St. Paul the Simple (d. ca. 339 A.D.) is commemorated today, March 7, in both the Catholic Church and in the Byzantine Calendar. He was 60 years old when he left his unfaithful wife and sought St. Anthony of Egypt in the desert. At first St. Anthony did not want to accept him because of his advanced age. When Anthony was impressed by Paul's persistence, he took him in, but put him under a test in an attempt to discourage him. However, when Paul showed humility, eagerness and obedience, St. Anthony was convinced and gave a cell to him. From that moment, St. Paul the Simple performed miracles of healing, revealed his power to read men's minds, and impressed St. Anthony that he referred to Paul as the ideal of what a monk ought to be. Paul was named "the Simple" because of his childlike innocence [4].

References: Books, Websites & AI Search Results

• [1] Pocket Catholic Dictionary, John A. Hardon
• [2] Lives of the Saints, Richard P. McBrien
• [3] March 7 The Holy Martyrs and Bishops of Cherson, https://byzantinela.com/mar-07-2023/
• [4] Dictionary of Saints, John J. Delaney

Commemoration of Saints (March 6)

Solemnities, Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials, and Traditional Dates of Commemoration

• Fridolin, abbot
• Cyneburga, Cyneswide, and Tibba
• Chrodegang, bishop
• Balred and Bilfred
• Cadroe, abbot
• Ollegarius, bishop
• Cyril of Constantinople
• Colette, virgin
• Agnes of Bohemia [1]

St. Chrodegang of Metz (ca. 712-766 A.D.) was born near Liege in present-day Belgium and became bishop of Metz in 742 A.D. He accomplished many things:

• he reformed his clergy at Metz
• he authored a Rule for canons, based on the Rule of St. Benedict of Nursia
• he was the founder of a school of church music at Metz

St. Chrodegang of Metz died on March 6, 766 A.D. and was buried in the abbey of Gorze which he founded [2].

Learn more - Saints for March 6 in the Catholic Church

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [March 6]

• Forty-two Martyrs at Ammorius: Theodore, Constantin, Callistus, Theophil and others with them

The Forty-two Martyrs of Ammorius (or Ammorium, Amorium) refers to a group of Byzantine officials who were arrested and sentenced to death by the Abbasid Caliphate upon the capture of Ammorium in 838 A.D. These 42 officials refused to convert to Islam when their city fell to the Muslims. They are commemorated in the Byzantine Calendar every March 6 [3].

References: Books, Websites & AI Search Results

• [1] Dictionary of Saints, John J. Delaney
• [2] Lives of the Saints, Richard P. McBrien
• [3] The Forty-two Martyrs of Ammorium, AI Overview, Google.com, March 6, 2025

Commemoration of Saints (March 5)

Solemnities, Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials, and Traditional Dates of Commemoration

• Adrian and Eubulus, martyrs
• Phocas of Antioch, martyr
• Eusebius of Cremona
• Gerasimus, abbot
• Ciaran of Saighir, bishop
• Piran, abbot
• Virgil of Arles, bishop
• John Joseph of the Cross [1]

St. Virgil of Arles (died ca. 610 A.D.) was born in Gascony, France and was educated at Lerins off the coast of Cannes [1]. He became a monk, abbot of Lerins, and archbishop of Arles where he built a basilica in honor of St. Stephen and the Saviour [2]. This is what is commonly said of him in books and sources online:

• he probably consecrated St. Augustine of Canterbury to the episcopate
• he was reproved by Gregory I for forcing the conversion of Jews
• he was a wonder worker who was credited with many miracles [3]

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [March 5]

• St. Conon, Martyr [1]

References: Books, Websites & AI Search Results

• [1] Dictionary of Saints, John J. Delaney
• [2] Virgilius of Arles, Wikipedia.org
• [3] AI Overview for search query St. Virgil of Arles, Google.com, March 5, 2025

Commemoration of Saints (March 4)

Solemnities, Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials, and Traditional Dates of Commemoration

• Casimir, confessor
• Adrian and Companions
• Peter of Cava, bishop

St. Casimir of Poland (1458-1484 A.D.) was the son of King Casimir IV of Poland and Elizabeth of Austria. He was the third of the thirteen children of the Polish royal family [1]. Casimir was drawn toward a life of holiness even at a young age.

Upon reaching the age of fifteen, nobles from Hungary came to King Casimir IV to ask him to place Casimir on the throne of that country. Though reluctant to do so, Casimir obeyed his father and led an army to the borders of Hungary. Confronted by the large army assembled by the opposing forces, many of the Polish troops deserted. This event led Casimir to see that the war would be unjust because of the casualties that would result. He returned with his army back to Poland. While his father was unhappy with the decision, Casimir gained the Poles attention to give him the title of "Peacemaker".

Casimir served as the viceroy of Poland from 1479-1483 A.D. while his father was out of the country. St. Casimir died at the young age of twenty-six in 1484 A.D. due to his austere practices. He was canonized by Pope Adrian VI in 1522 A.D. and named the patron saint of Poland and Lithuania [2]. St. Casimir is buried in the Cathedral of Vilnius. Miracles were reported at his tomb. Devotion to him is popular among Polish and Lithuanian immigrants to the United States and Canada [3].

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [March 4]

• Gerasimus, a Hermit
• Sts. Paul and his sister Juliana, Martyrs

St. Gerasimus of Kefalonia (1509-1579 A.D.) is the patron saint of the island of Kefalonia in Greece. He is a hermit and a follower of St. Euthymius, who brought Gerasimus to the Christian faith when he followed for a time Eutychianism.

Gerasimus founded a laura near Jericho for the disciples who gathered around him. He became well-known for his mortifications, the austerity of his rule, and his miracles [1] [4].

References: Books, Websites & Search Results

• [1] Dictionary of Saints, John J. Delaney
• [2] Saints for Our Time, by Ed Ransom
• [3] Lives of the Saints, Richard P. McBrien
• [4] Search result for "st gerasimus", Google.com, March 4, 2025

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While the author of Enkindle in Them the Fire of Your Love strives to provide accurate and engaging content, the Blog is a creative space where human effort and original insight is bridged with scripture, hagiography and Generative AI responses. As such, occasional errors or oversights may occur. You are encouraged to verify key details — such as names, dates, places, and events — with trusted sources. Your feedback and keen observations help the author improve and deliver even better content. You can use the Contact Form section. Thank you for visiting and reading the Blog since its beginning in 2004!

Commemoration of Saints (March 3)

Solemnities, Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials, and Traditional Dates of Commemoration

• Marinus and Astyrius, martyrs
• Chelidonius and Emeterius, martyrs
• Arthelais, virgin
• Non
• Winwaloe, abbot
• Anselm of Nonantola, abbot
• Cunegund, widow
• Gervinus, abbot
• Aelred of Rievaulx, abbot
• Teresa Eustochio Verzeri
• Katharine Drexel, foundress

St. Cunegund (978-1033 A.D.) was the empress of Germany who entered the Benedictine nuns after her husband's death [1] in 1024 A.D. Traditional stories tell that early in her married life to Henry II, the slander of some of those at the court of the Emperor caused him to question Cunegund's constancy. St. Cunegund was able to dispel with virtue all the innuendos hurled against her and emerged unscathed from the ordeal [2].

St. Cunegund devoted her last years to prayer and care of the sick. She is a patron saint of Lithuania, Poland, and Luxembourg [1].

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [March 3]

• St. Eutropias and his bodyguards, Sts. Cleonicus and Basilicus, Martyrs

Sts. Eutropias (or Eutropius), Cleonicus and Basilicus were holy martyrs from the city of Amasea, Asia Minor, in ca. 308 A.D. Eutropius and Cleonicus were brothers while Basilicus was the nephew of the great Martyr Theodore the Recruit. After the martyrdom of Theodore, the three comrades ended up in prison. They converted many of the pagans in prison to the Christian faith.

The holy martyrs persevered in their faith despite the pressure to offer public worship and sacrifice to pagan gods. On March 3, Eutropius and Cleonicus were crucified. Basilicus, who was left in prison, was then led to his execution in Komana. The executioners beheaded him and threw his body into a river. His fellow Christians found his body and buried it in a ploughed field [3].

References: Books, Websites & AI Search Results

• [1] Lives of the Saints, Richard P. McBrien
• [2] Dictionary of Saints, John J. Delaney
• [3] Martyrs Eutropius, Cleonicus, and Basiliscus of Amasea, Oca.org

Commemoration of Saints (March 2)

Solemnities, Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials, and Traditional Dates of Commemoration

• Chad of Lichfield, abbot and bishop

St. Chad of Lichfield (d. ca. 672 A.D.) became abbot of Lastingham upon the death of his brother. He was consecrated bishop of the Northumbrians by a bishop and two other coconsecrators who were considered simoniacal [1]. Theodore, the archbishop of Canterbury, refused to recognize Chad's consecration. St. Chad yielded to Archbishop Theodore's judgment, saying:

"If you consider that I have not been properly ordained, I gladly resign. I never thought myself worthy of the office and agreed to undertake it, though unworthy, only under obedience."

St. Chad then retired to his abbacy at Lastingham.

Impressed by Chad's humility, Archbishop Theodore had Chad reconsecrated for Lichfield. Chad then built a small place where he could pray and read with seven or eight other monks; he also built a monastery in his diocese.

Chad died in 672 A.D. Venerated as a saint after his death from a plague, his relics were later transferred to the Church of St. Peter on the site presently occupied by Lichfield Cathedral. Miracles were reported from his relics in the shrine. [2]

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [March 2]

• St. Theodotus, Priest-Martyr

St. Theodotus (d. ca. 304 A.D.) was raised by a Christian woman named Thecusa and when of age, became an innkeeper at Ancrya, Galatia. During the persecution of Christians under Diocletian he helped imprisoned Christians. Thecusa and six other Christian women were arrested and paraded naked in an open chariot because they refused to wear the robes of pagan priestesses and join a pagan festival. When they continually refused they were sentenced to death by drowning. Theodotus recovered their bodies for a proper Christian burial but he was betrayed by an apostate. He was sentenced to death, tortured and beheaded. Fronto, the local priest, came to the city, recovered Theodotus' lifeless body, and sent it to the town of Malus, where a chapel was built to enshrine it. [3]

References: Books, Websites & AI Search Results

• [1] In the Catholic Church, "simony" refers to the act of buying or selling spiritual things, like church offices or sacred items, essentially considered a grave sin; the term originates from the biblical story of Simon Magus who attempted to purchase the power to bestow the Holy Spirit from the apostles, offering money in exchange for this spiritual gift. AI Overview, response to "simony in the catholic church", Google.com, March 2, 2025
• [2] Lives of the Saints, Richard P. McBrien
• [3] Dictionary of Saints, John J. Delaney

Commemoration of Saints (March 1)

Solemnities, Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials, and Traditional Dates of Commemoration

• David, bishop
• Felix II, pope
• Albinus of Angers, bishop
• Swithbert, bishop
• Rudesind, bishop

St. David of Wales (5th-6th A.D.) was the third son of King Sant and St. Non. He was ordained a priest, engaged in missionary activities, and eventually founded twelve monasteries [1]. These monasteries he built in both Wales and England. One of the monasteries he built was Menevia, now St. David's, at southwest and central Wales, a monastery known for following the ascetic way of life of the monks of Egypt. The austere practices they adopted from the Egyptian monks were:

• rigorous manual labor
• immersion in cold water
• study
• a diet of bread, water, salt, and vegetables [2]

According to traditional stories, when St. David was about to give a sermon at the synod of Brefi in 550 A.D., the ground beneath him swelled to make him more visible from the back of the crowd [1]. His eloquence eventually made him eligible to be elected primate of the Cambrian Church. He also convened a Council called the Synod of Victory, so called because it marked the final influence of Pelagianism [3].

St. David died at a monastery he built in Mynyw and his cult was approved by Pope Callistus II in ca. 1120 A.D. He is the patron saint of Wales [3].

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [March 1]

• St. Eudoxia, Venerable-Martyr

The name of St. Eudoxia is associated with other names, such as Eudokia of Heliopolis or Eudokia the Martyr [4][5]. She was said to have led an evil life until converted to Christianity by Bishop Theodotus. During the persecution of Christians under Trajan, she was beheaded for her faith [3]. A Venerable-Martyr of the 3rd century A.D., she is commemorated in the Byzantine Calendar every March 1st.

References: Books and AI Overviews

• [1] The Dictionary of Saints, Annette Sandoval
• [2] Lives of the Saints, Richard P. McBrien
• [3] Dictionary of Saints, John J. Delaney
• [4] Eudokia of Heliopolis, OrthodoxSaintDay@Youtube
• [5] AI Overview, response to "St. Eudoxia Venerable Martyr", March 1, 2025, Google.com

Commemoration of Saints (February 28)

Solemnities, Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials, and Traditional Dates of Commemoration

• Proterius, bishop
• Romanus and Lupicinus, abbots
• Hilarus, pope
• Oswald of Worcester, bishop

St. Hilarus or Hilary (d. ca. 468 A.D.) was an archdeacon when he was elected Pope on November 19, 461 A.D. His pontificate:

• improved ecclesiastical discipline,
• strengthened church organization in Gaul and Spain,
• adjucated disputes between contending bishops,
• held councils,
• rebuilt many Roman churches,
• publicly rebuked Emperor Anthemius in connection to the Macedonian heresy,
• confirmed the decisons of the General Councils (Nicaea, Ephesus, Chalcedon)

St. Hilarius died in Rome on February 28 [1]

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [February 28]

• Basil, confessor and co-faster of St. Procopius
• Marina, Cyra, and Domnicia, Venerable Women

Sts. Marina, Cyra or Kyra, and Domnicia were ascetics during the 5th century in the East, in the area of Syria. Marina and Cyra were sisters, and Domnicia may have been one of their servants. The two sisters were from an illustrious and rich family.

When they reached maturity, Marina and Cyra left their parents and went off to a deserted place to practice an ascetical way of life. Some of their servants came to them and wanted to join their ascetical way of life, so the two sisters put them in a separate dwelling next to their enclosure.

Bishop Theodore of Cyrrhus knew of these holy women and wanted to visit them. (He also described them in his Religiosa Historica.) Out of respect for his office, they allowed him to enter their dwelling, so that they may converse. The Bishop advised them to moderate their penance. However, as soon as he left, the women resumed their very ascetical practice of wearing chains on their bodies, fasting and prayer.

Sts. Marina and Cyra died in about the year 450 A.D. Their ascetical life equaled the male ascetics of their time and as such, were rewarded as well with the crown of victory from Christ. [2]

References: Books and Websites

• [1] Dictionary of Saints, John J. Delaney
• [2] Venerable Marina and Kyra of Syria, Oca.org

Commemoration of Saints (February 27)

Solemnities, Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials, and Traditional Dates of Commemoration

• Leander of Seville, bishop
• Gabriel Possenti, confessor
• Alnoth
• John of Gorze, abbot
• Besas, Cronion and Julian, martyrs
• Thalelaeus the Hermit
• Baldomerus
• Anne Line, martyr

John of Gorze (d. ca. 974 A.D.) was born at Vandieres, Lorraine, was educated at Metz, and inherited a wealthy estate at the death of his father. He was interested in religious life and made a pilgrimage to Rome. In 933 A.D., he was about to go on a second piligrimage to Rome with Einhold of Toul, an archdeacon, when the bishop of Metz sent them to a run-down abbey of Gorze. They revitalized this abbey with John as prior. He was then sent as head of a delegration to a Caliph of Cordova by Emperor Otto I. Upon his return to Gorze in 960 A.D., he was elected abbot. The reforms he applied to the Gorze abbey were later adopted by other Benedictine monasteries in the area. [1]

More on Saints for February 27 in the Catholic Church

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [February 27]

• Procopius, venerable confessor and monk

St. Procopius left the vanity of the world and was tonsured in a monastery. At that time the heresy of iconaclasm appeared and threatened the orthodoxy of the Christian faith. Procopius fought against this heresy and the policies of Emperor Leo the Isaurian that supported the heresy. His battle against the heresy led to his arrest, torture and imprisonment in a dank dungeon. Together with St. Basil, they languished in this environment until the death of Emperor Leo the Isaurian. St. Procopius spent the remainder of his life in peace and died around the year 750 A.D. [2]

References: Books & Websites

• [1] Dictionary of Saints, John J. Delaney
• [2] Venerable Prokopius the Confessor of Decapolis, Oca.org

Commemoration of Saints (February 26)

Solemnities, Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials, and Traditional Dates of Commemoration

• Nestor, bishop and martyr
• Alexander of Alexandria, bishop
• Porphyry, bishop
• Victor or Vittre the Hermit

St. Porphyry or Porphyrius of Gaza (ca. 353-412 A.D.) was a bishop of Gaza known for his generosity to the poor. He was born in Thessalonika and at twenty-five went to live as a monk for five years in the desert of Skete. He spent the next five years as a hermit in Palestine in a cave near the river Jordan. He became crippled by illness and used a walking stick to visit the holy places. It was while in Jerusalem that he first Mark, who would become his deacon and biographer.

Porphyry sent Mark back to Thessalonika to sell his property for distribution to the poor. When Mark returned to Jerusalem, he found Porphyry restored to full health. In 393 A.D., the bishop of Jerusalem ordained Porphyry a priest. Three years later, at 43 years of age, he was elected bishop of Gaza without his knowledge. Porphyry had difficulties in working at his see because it was comprised of both pagans and Christians. Eventually, Porphyry received permission from the Emperor to destroy the remaining pagan temples so he could build a cruciform church on the site once occupied by a pagan temple. Porphyry spent the remaining thirteen years of his life in active pastoral service of his people. [1]

St. Porphyry's is commemorated today, February 26, by the Catholic Church, and also commemorated as a feast in both the Greek and Russian Orthodox Churches. [2]

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [February 26]

• Porphyrius, Archbishop of Gaza
• St. Sebastian, Martyr
• St. Photina of Samaria, Martyr

St. Photina was the name attributed to the Samaritan woman of Sychar whom Jesus conversed with at a well (John 4). Stories handed down from generation to generation say that she preached the gospel, was imprisoned for three years, and died for the Christian faith at Carthage. She is commemorated today, February 26, in the Byzantine Calendar. In the Catholic Church, she is commemorated on March 20. [2]

References: Books
[1] Lives of the Saints, by Richard P. McBrien
[2] Dictionary of Saints, by John J. Delaney

Commemoration of Saints (February 25)

Solemnities, Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials, and Traditional Dates of Commemoration

• Victorinus and Companions, martyrs
• Caesarius Nazianzen
• Ethelbert of Kent
• Walburga, virgin
• Tarasius, bishop
• Gerland, bishop

St. Ethelbert of Kent (d. ca. 616 A.D.) was the first Christian Anglo-Saxon king. His wife, Bertha, was the daughter of the king of Paris and was already a Christian when they got married. Since Ethelbert was not Christian, Bertha agreed to the marriage as long as she was permitted to practice her Christian faith. It was St. Augustine of Canterbury and his monks who, in 597 A.D., was instrumental in the conversion to the Christian faith of Ethelbert and the whole of Britain through Pope Gregory the Great. Although King Ethelbert did not accept Christianity at first, he allowed the missionaries to preach and make converts. But in ca. 601 A.D., Ethelbert himself was eventually baptized. His conversion was decisive for the Christianization of Kent and the whole of England.

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [February 25]

• St. Tharasius, Archbishop of Constantinople

St. Tharasius or Tarasius of Constantinople (d. ca. 806 A.D.) was a layman serving as secretary to Emperor Constantine VI. He was named Patriarch of Constantinople by Empress Irene and was consecrated bishop in 784 A.D. He was able to restore the statues and images to the churches of his see after the decrees of the General Council of Nicaea. In his term of office in the see of Constantinople, there was political strife in the royal family. However, even with this turmoil, St. Tharasius was able to complete and finish his twenty-one year service under the next Emperor, Nicephorus.

St. Tarasius is commemorated today, February 25, in both the Catholic Church and in the Byzantine Calendar.

Commemoration of Saints (February 24)

Solemnities, Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials, and Traditional Dates of Commemoration

• Montanus, Lucius and Companions, martyrs
• Praetextatus, bishop and martyr

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [February 24]

• First and Second Finding of the Venerable Head of St. John, the Precursor

The First and Second Finding of the Venerable Head of St. John, the Precursor refers to the Christian tradition that the head of St. John the Baptist was discovered twice after his beheading.

• First finding: Found and hidden on the Mount of Olives by Joanna, wife of Herod's steward.
• Second finding: Found again in a cave near Emesa, Syria, following a vision from St. John himself to two monks.

There are many versions and details connected with these two "Findings" online. But there is more certainty to the truth that both discoveries are commemorated on February 24th in the Orthodox Church.

Commemoration of Saints (February 23)

Solemnities, Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials, and Traditional Dates of Commemoration

• Polycarp, bishop and martyr
• Sereneus the Gardener, martyr
• Alexander Akimetes
• Dositheus
• Boisil, abbot
• Milburga, virgin
• Willigis, bishop

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [February 23]

• St. Polycarp, Priest-Martyr

7th Sunday of the Year (C)

Liturgical readings

1 Sam 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23
Psalm 103
1 Corinthians 15:45-49
Luke 6:27-38

"For the measure you measure with will be measured back to you."

God's commandment of love is at the heart of Jesus' teaching in Luke 6:27-38. In this passage, we get to know who God is and who we are as human beings. God is kind (Lk 6:38) and He's a compassionate father (Lk 6:36). Those who accept the message of Jesus are called to reflect that same mercy in their lives. All the faithful are called to "love their enemies" (Lk 6:27-35), for Jesus Himself taught by His example on the Cross that to love one's enemies is "to forgive them for they did not know what they did". On our part, we too must seek forgiveness for the times we also "did not know what we did" to our own enemies. It is a great grace to forgive; and it comes from Christ in the Sacraments.

The whole history of the Christian faith shows many that some have really followed Christ to the Cross. From apostolic times and through the years when persecution of Christians was at its height in the 3rd to the early years of the 4th century, and even now at present, many martyrs of the faith have given their lives to attest to the great ethic of God's Kingdom. Names like: St. Stephen the deacon, St. Sebastian, the virgin-martyrs Cecilia, Agnes, Lucy, Agatha, the WWII martyrs St. Edith Stein and St. Maximilian Kolbe and many others. These martyrs have inspired the entire Church to see that the love of Christ continues throughout many centuries. "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church" (Tertullian). The faith of the Church grows strong because of the the witness of Christ and the martyrs.

Martyrdom is not a call nor a vocation to all in the Church. It is only for those who have been chosen by Christ to follow Him in His love to the very height of the Cross. But all the faithful are called to "love their enemies" by sanctifying their daily work with the patience and endurance required of their Christian state of life, and the painstaking need to complete all their tasks to meet all obligations. And this everyone does even in an environment where it is difficult to get along with co-workers who are completely opposite to one's temperament or work ethic. However, Christ's ethic of love is a solution: to make Christ and His ethic central to all in one's work and life. If this discipline is practiced daily with plain common sense, then one can learn to turn all the circumstances and events of one's work and life into opportunities to love God and serve Him. With the measure of mercy we received should we also be merciful to others with that same mercy.

Commemoration of Saints (February 22)

Solemnities, Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials, and Traditional Dates of Commemoration

• Chair of Peter, Apostle
• Thalassius and Limnaeus
• Baradates
• Margaret of Cortona

The Chair of Peter celebrates the triumph of Christ's grace in the heart and soul of St. Peter and in his status as the primary pastor and teacher of the Church. Why do we say "triumph"? Biblical texts show that even if Peter was chosen to lead the Catholic Church by Jesus, he is presented at certain New Testament texts as a weak and sinful man at first:

• He misunderstands Jesus (Mk 9:5-6)
• He weakens in faith after beginning to walk on water (Mt 18:10-11)
• He is rebuked by Jesus (Mk 8:33)
• He boasts (John 13:37-38)
• He denied Christ (Mark 14:66-72)

But, in spite of all these, the Risen Lord appears to Peter and he becomes once again a source of strength to the Church (Luke 22:32).

The Chair of Peter is celebrated as a Feast in the liturgy of the Catholic Church since the 4th century A.D. This Feast is celebrated in Rome as a sign of the unity of the Church founded upon the apostle Peter.

What is a feast? A feast is a liturgical day dedicated to celebrating a significant event in the life of Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, or a major saint, considered to be of high importance but not as high as a "solemnity". A feast is marked by special prayers and readings during Mass to commemorate the person or event being honored, such as the Chair of Peter. Essentially, it's a day of heightened celebration within the liturgical year for Catholics in the universal Church.

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [February 22]

• Finding of the venerable Relics of Sts. Martyrs at Eugenia
• Venerable Peter, Monk, and Athanasius, Martyrs

The "Finding of the venerable Relics of Sts. Martyrs at Eugenia" refers to a historical event where the relics of Christian martyrs, specifically believed to be associated with Saint Eugenia, were discovered at a location called "Eugenia," often near Constantinople, according to Byzantine tradition. This discovery is typically commemorated every February 22nd.

Commemoration of Saints (February 21)

Solemnities, Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials, and Traditional Dates of Commemoration

• Peter Damian, bishop and doctor
• Severian, bishop and martyr
• Germanus of Granfel, martyr
• George of Amastris, bishop
• Robert Southwell, priest and martyr

St. Peter Damian (1007-1072 A.D.) was a major reformer of the papacy, episcopate, clergy and monasteries. He entered at first the Camaldolese Benedictine monastery at Fonte Avellana which was founded by St. Romuald. He soon rose to a position in the Church - appointed bishop of Ostia, and then the cardinalate. However, Peter remained a monk at heart and persuaded Pope Alexander II to relieve him of his episcopal duties to return to Fonte Avellana. He died on February 22, 1072 A.D.

The feast for St. Peter Damian today, February 21, is an Optional Memorial.

Related blog posts:

• Learn more on the life, work, and writings of St. Peter Damian
• St. Romuald, founder of the monastery at Fonte Avellana, and refounded by St. Peter Damian, Learn more
• Monastic Reform in the 10th Century, Learn more

St. Robert Southwell (ca. 1561-1595 A.D.) was a Jesuit priest, poet and martyr. According to writer Phyllis McGinley, of the inspiring book Saint-Watching, she observed that the Jesuit Order produced two literary geniuses: St. Robert Southwell in the late 16th century A.D., and Gerard Manley Hopkins in the 19th century A.D.

St. Robert, like Edmund Campion, SJ, was one of the Jesuits canonized among the "Forty Martyrs of England and Wales" by Pope Paul VI in 1970 A.D.

You can read his poem The Burning Babe, an example of sacred poetry, Learn more

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [February 21]

• Timothy, Hermit
• Eustacius, Archbishop of Antioch

St. Timothy of Symbola became a monk at a young age in the monastery called Symbola in Asia Minor near Mount Olympus. At Symbola he was the disciple of Theoctistus, and then the disciple of St. Platon at the Studion Monastery. He then spent many years as a hermit, offering prayers to the Lord God in the wilderness, the mountains, and the forests. He died in the year 795 A.D. Learn more from Byzantinela.com

Commemoration of Saints (February 20)

Solemnities, Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials, and Traditional Dates of Commemoration

• Sadoth, bishop
• Tyrannio, Cenobius and Companions, martyrs
• Eleutherius of Tournai, bishop
• Eucherius of Orleans, bishop
• Wulfric, also Ulfric or Ulric
• Elizabeth of Mantua

Elisabetta Picenardi, also known as St. Elizabeth of Mantua, (ca. 1428 – 19 February 1468 A.D.) was an Italian tertiary of the Servite Order. Elisabetta Picenardi was born in Mantua into a noble family and, despite pressure to wed a nobleman, insisted instead on pursuing the religious path alongside her sister. Elizabeth and that sister entered the Third Order of the Servites after their mother's death. Elizabeth was known to have the gift of making predictions - with one prediction accurately made about her death, before it happened a year after. Many miracles were reported to have happened at her tomb (died ca. 1468 A.D.).

Her beatification received formal confirmation on 20 November 1804 A.D. when Pope Pius VII affirmed her popular devotion in the Servite Order and the dioceseses of Mantua and Cremona. Learn more from Wikipedia.org

More on Saints for February 20

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [February 20]

• Leo, bishop of Catania
• St. Sadok, Priest-Martyr
• St. Agatho, Venerable, Pope of Rome

Commemoration of Saints (February 19)

Solemnities, Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials, and Traditional Dates of Commemoration

• Mesrop, bishop
• Barbatus, bishop
• Beatus of Liebana
• Boniface of Lausanne, bishop
• Conrad of Piacenza

St. Conrad of Piacenza (1290-1351 A.D.) was born of a noble family, got married, and took up residence in Piacenza. He got into a bind because of a hunting venture and had to sell all his possessions to pay for the damages. The event caused his conversion and made him decide to be a Franciscan tertiary while his wife became a Poor Clare nun. Because large crowds were attracted by his reputation, he moved to Noto in Sicily, where he lived for thirty more years. When he died, numerous miracles were reported at his tomb. Learn more

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [February 19]

• St. Archippus, Apostle & co-worker with St. Paul the Apostle
• Sts. Maxim, Theodot, Isychus and Asklepiodotus, Martyrs

Commemoration of Saints (February 18)

Solemnities, Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials, and Traditional Dates of Commemoration

• Simeon, bishop and martyr
• Leo and Paregorius, martyrs
• Flavian, bishop and martyr
• Helladius, bishop
• Colman of Lindisfarne, bishop
• Angilbert, abbot
• Theotonius, abbot
• John of Fiesole

St. Colman of Lindisfarne (d. ca. 676 A.D.) was bishop-abbot of the great monastery of Lindisfarne. He played a key role in 664 A.D. to resolve the differences between the Roman and Celtic practices regarding the dating of Easter and other observances, and the relationship of local churches to the see of Rome. He defended the Celtic ecclesiastical practices against St. Wilfrid and St. Agilbert. When the King ruled in favor of St. Wilfrid, St. Colman resigned from his episcopate and returned to a monastery he founded on the Isle of Inishbofin off the coast of Connacht, where they continued their practice of the Celtic rites. When dissension broke out between the Irish and the English monks, he founded another monastery at Mayo and was abbot of both monasteries.

St. Theotonius (1086-1166 A.D.) was the abbot of the Monastery of the Holy Cross in Portugal. Born in Spain, he was the nephew of a Bishop of Coimbra in Portugal and was ordained a priest. He was diligent in his duties and gained a reputation for his sanctity. When repeatedly urged to accept a position as bishop, he refused to do so. After two pilgrimages to the Holy Land, Theotonius decided to enter a monastery, becoming one of the original members of the Canons Regular of St. Augustine. St. Theotonius lived the last thirty years of his life in the Monastery of the Holy Cross before dying at the age of eighty.

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [February 18]

• Leo the Great, Pope of Rome

Commemoration of Saints (February 17)

Solemnities, Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials, and Traditional Dates of Commemoration

• Seven Founders of the Order of Servites
• Theodulus and Julian, martyrs
• Loman, bishop
• Fintan of Cloneenagh, abbot
• Finan, bishop
• Evermod, bishop
• Silvin, bishop

St. Buonfiglio Monaldo (d. 1261 A.D.) was one of the the Seven Holy Founders of the Servite Order. Bonfiglio, Alexis, Manettus, Amadeus, Hugh, Sostene and John Buonagiunta were seven men of the town of Florence who became bound to each other in a spiritual friendship. They eventually felt called by Mary, mother of Jesus, towards whom they practised an intense devotion. All of them were ordained (except for Alexis Falconieri) and Bonfiglio was elected as their first superior general with their first foundation just outside of Florence, Italy.

The Servite community soon spread to other Italian cities. At the invitation of King St. Louis, Manettus, whose real name was Benedict Dell' Antell, introduced the Order to France, and Sostenes, whose real name was Gerardino Sostegni, brought their charism to Germany. In time their charism spread all over Europe. When Manettus became the fourth superior general, he sent missionaries to Asia.

The Servite Order and its charism was papally approved in 1304 A.D. by Pope Benedict XI, at which only St. Alexis Falconieri, one of the original seven, was still alive. He was 110 years old when he died on February 17, 1310 A.D., on which date the Servite Order is commemorated. The seven founders were co-jointly canonized by Pope Leo XIII in 1888 A.D. as the "Seven Holy Founders". Their feast appears on the General Roman Calendar. It was made a feast of the Universal Church by Pope Pius VII in 1814 A.D.

The feast of the Servites today, February 17, is commemorated as an Optional memorial. An optional memorial is a feast day that can be observed at the discretion of the priest or those reciting the Liturgy of the Hours.

Optional Memorials

• Optional memorials are feast days of saints that the Church encourages the faithful to celebrate.
• The rules for celebrating optional memorials are the same as those for obligatory memorials.
• The only difference is that optional memorials are not required to be observed.
• The whole Church observes the memorials of saints who are of "universal significance".
• These memorials are marked in the general liturgical calendar.
• The memorial of the Servite Order is an example of an optional memorial.

Related blog posts:

• St. Alexis Falconieri, Servite and centenerian, Learn more
• Seven Holy Founders of the Servite Order, Learn more at Wikipedia.org

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [February 17]

• St. Theodore of Tyre, the Great Martyr
• Memory of St. Mariamna, sister of Philip, the Apostle

Because the Saints whose lives were really way back in the history of the Christian faith, many are based on pious stories which are handed down from generation to generation. Thus, inaccuracy and identification with other Saints' names are possible. One example is St. Theodore of Tyre (d. ca. 306 A.D.) whose feast is celebrated in the Byzantine Calendar today, February 17. Some sources reveal that he may be the same as St. Theodore of Heraclea, a general in the army of Emperor Licinius.

St. Theodore of Tyre or Theodore Tiro was a (tiro) recruit in the Roman army. He was brought before his officer-in-charge because he refused to participate in the pagan rites of his comrades in arms. When he was temporarily freed, he set fire to one of the pagan temples. He was therefore brought before judges again, and tortured. After a third examination, he was sentenced to death and burned to death in a furnace.

Theodore of Tire is considered one of the "warrior saints", but much of the story of his life is not recorded. His name is associated with other names: Theodore of Stratelates and Theodore of Heraclea. One thing may be more certain. Since he is known to have died in ca. 306 A.D., then his death as a martyr has some certainty since 306 A.D. was really the period of the early Christian martyrs. A lot still has to be verified and made more certain.

Commemoration of Saints (February 16)

Solemnities, Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials, and Traditional Dates of Commemoration

• Onesimus, martyr
• Juliana, virgin and martyr
• Elias, Jeremy and Companions, martyrs
• Gilbert of Sempringham

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [February 16]

• Sts. Pamphylius, Valentine, Paul, Seleucus, Porphyrus, Julian, Theoulus, and the five Martyrs of Egypt, Elias, Jeremias, Isaias, Samuel and Daniel
• Flavianus, Archbishop of Constantinople

6th Sunday of the Year (C)

Liturgical readings

Jeremiah 17:5-8
Psalm 1
1 Corinthians 15:12, 16-20
Luke 6:17, 20-26

"Rejoice and exult, for your reward shall be great in heaven."

The gospel passage for this Sunday can greatly help in one's spiritual preparation for the coming Lenten Season. For the Lenten Season is a stark reminder of the realities of life today - how it is full of contrasts, both lack and fullness, in every part of the world. Jesus was sent into our human condition to show us the wisdom of living a life according to His Father's will, whether it be in lack or fullness. Thus, the gospel passage presents Him preaching a set of blessings and woes: blessings for the poor, the hungry, the weeping, and the ostracized; and woes for the rich, the well-fed, those who are in celebration, and the honored. In contrast to Matthew's set of Beatitudes, Luke gives a strong contrast between those who will be blessed and on those who will experience a reversal of fortune (from good to bad).

If one reads the beginning of chapter 6 of Luke (Lk 1:1-5), you will find the Pharisees questioning Jesus about why His disciples are doing what is unlawful during the Sabbath (They were picking up ears of corn and eating them, Lk 1:1). And in Lk 6: 6-11, when Jesus heals a man with a paralyzed hand on a Sabbath (which is also unlawful), the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees were enraged. It is within this context that Jesus preaches the four "blessings" and the four "woes". After this "blessings and woes", Jesus continues to preach about loving our enemies (Lk 6:27-35) and not to be hasty in judging others (Lk 6:36-38). This sixth chapter of Luke then ends with Jesus teaching about a good tree bearing good fruit and the wisdom of building a house solidly on His Word (Lk 6:46-49).

Many are aware that in their state of life at present and looking at the situation of others that there is pressure for social comparison: one may think oneself and members of his family either among those who are blessed, or among those whom Jesus pronounces His woes (which also applies with others). But experiences in life teaches that nobody really knows what will happen next. Everything is all in the hands of God. That is why God calls all to have faith in Him and to firmly decide everyday to respond in faith. A verse in one of the Bible's wisdom books counsels to "remember prosperity in the time of adversity" and to "remember adversity in the time of prosperity". As the Lord calls all to greater faith in Him, one realizes that the wisdom of His "blessings and woes" is a wisdom to hold onto. It is a valuable system of ethics in life that leads to what is more important: never to lose one's trust in God - whether in lack or fullness, in "blessing" or "woe". For faith, confidence and trust in God is an attitude that will help any believer continue to bear good fruit whether one is in "blessing" or "woe". And this degree of faith will make one "Rejoice and exult, for [your] reward shall be great in heaven."

Commemoration of Saints (February 15)

Solemnities, Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials, and Traditional Dates of Commemoration

• Agpae, virgin and martyr
• Walfrid, abbot
• Tanco or Tatto, bishop and martyr
• Sigfrid, bishop
• Claude La Colombiere, priest

St. Sigfrid (d. ca. 1045 A.D.) was consecrated as a missionary bishop and became the "apostle of Sweden". With two other bishops, Grimkel and John, he was sent by King Ethelred to Christianize the Swedes and the Norwegians. Sigfrid went to Sweden in 1008 A.D. and was able to baptize Olaf, the king of the Swedes. He also went to work as a missionary in Denmark. However, during a missionary trip to the more remote areas of Scandinavia, Sigfrid's three nephews (who were his main helpers in the mission) were murdered. On his return to King Ethelred, Sigfrid persuaded the king not to execute the killers. The king therefore commuted the punishment to a heavy fine. However, Sigfrid refused to accept the money even when he was in need of funds for rebuilding his cathedral.

There is uncertainty on his canonization. One source says he was canonized in 1158 A.D. by the only English pope, Adrian IV, who had been himself a missionary in Scandinavia. A second source has more clarity: his cult has been established in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark by the 13th century A.D. St. Sigfrid was widely venerated in Sweden before the Protestant Reformation entered the country.

St. Claude La Colombière (1641-1682 A.D.) was a Jesuit priest who has been canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1992 A.D.; he was previously beatified by Pope Pius XI in 1929 A.D. He is particularly known as the spiritual director of Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, who received revelations about the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Even before his ordination, Claude already displayed a remarkable talent for preaching. It was this talent that was instrumental for his appeal to the new and growing devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which was a spiritual weapon against Jansenism, a French movement that incorporated elements of Calvinism and Lutheranism. During his retreat before making final profession as a Jesuit, Claude de la Colombière consecrated himself to the Sacred Heart.

Claude met Margaret Mary at his first priestly assignment when he paid a call to the Visitation convent at Burgundy, France. It was not long before he was reassigned to London, where Protestant England still had laws against Catholic priests. For preaching in the context of the Catholic faith, Claude was arrested for traitorous speech. While in prison, King Louis XIV requested that Claude be saved from execution. With his health already deteriorating, Claude was released from prison, and banished to France. Claude did not recover from his ailment and died on February 15, 1682 A.D. in his early 40s.

After his death, devotion to the Sacred Heart continued to grow, eventually leading to the inclusion of the feast of the Sacred Heart on the universal liturgical calendar in 1856 A.D. and celebrated on the Friday after Corpus Christi. Learn more at Jesuits.global

Related blog posts:

• Classic Consecration of the Family to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Learn more

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [February 15]

• St. Onesimus, Apostle
• Paphnutius, Venerable-Hermit in Egypt and his daughter Euphrosyne

Commemoration of Saints (February 14)

Solemnities, Feasts, Obligatory and Optional Memorials, and Traditional Dates of Commemoration

• Cyril, monk, and Methodius, bishop
• John Baptist of the Conception, priest
• Valentine, priest and martyr
• Abraham, bishop
• Maro, abbot
• Auxentius
• Conran, bishop
• Antonius of Sorrento, abbot
• Adolf, bishop

St. Cyril and St. Methodius, are known as the "apostles of the Slavs". Their principal missions were to territories encompassed by modern-day Czech Republic, Croatia, Serbia, and Slovenia. Cyril and Methodius are brothers, in a family of seven children in Thessalonica, with Cyril being the youngest.

Cyril began as a professor of philosophy while his brother Methodius entered a monastery in Bithynia after a brief government career. Both were commissioned by the Emperor Michael III ca. 862 A.D. to become missionaries in Moravia at the request of the local ruler. The local ruler, Rotislav, wanted the brothers to teach the Christian faith in the vernacular, as an alternative to the German missionaries who were already there. Both Cyril and Methodius spoke Slavonic since childhood. But to put Slavonic in written form, Cyril invented a Slavonic alphabet (Glagolithic, from which the term Cyrillic was derived) which was based on the Greek alphabet. From this Cyrillic alphabet, both Cyril and Methodius translated together major portions of the Bible and the liturgy.

For probably political reasons, the German bishops opposed Cyril and Methodius' missionary efforts and refused to ordain them and their followers. So the two brothers left Moravia and headed back to seek help in Constantinople. While enroute, they stopped at Venice, and attended to the invitation of Pope Nicholas I to visit Rome. However, it was the successor of Nicholas I, Hadrian II, who received the brothers with great honor because Cyril and Methodius were also carrying with them the relics of St. Clement.

Pope Hadrian II approved the Slavonic liturgy and ordained Methodius and three of their disciples as priests. The newly ordained celebrated the Slavonic liturgy at St. Peter's Basilica and in other Roman churches. By this time Cyril decided to become a monk. Afflicted with serious health problems, he died at 42 years of age on February 14, 869 A.D. Methodius, on the other hand, continued using the Slavonic liturgy and in 870 A.D. was consecrated to the episcopate. But the German bishops and the Hungarian clergy opposed him, had him removed from his see and exiled him to Swabia. The new pope, John VIII, recalled Methodius and restored him to his see in 873 A.D., with the order that he should not use the Slavonic liturgy. In 879 A.D., Methodius was called to Rome to answer charges of his not using the "Filioque" in the creed and for continuing to use Slavonic in the liturgy. When the charges proved without basis, Methodius went back to Moravia in 880 A.D. with his appointment to archbishop confirmed and with papal permission to use the Slavonic language in the liturgy restored. St. Methodius died on April 6, 885 A.D. in Velehrad in modern-day Czech Republic.

Related blog post:

• Sts. Cyril and Methodius and the Patron Saints of Europe, Learn more
• The Growth of Christianity in Europe, Learn more

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [February 14]

• Auxentius, Hegumen
• Cyril, Bishop of Catania