Commemoration of Saints (March 25)

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

• Annunciation of the Lord
• Dismas
• Barontius
• Hermenland, abbot
• Alfwold, bishop
• Lucy Filippini, virgin
• Margaret Clitherow, martyr [1]

Today, March 25, both the Catholic Church and the Churches that follow the Byzantine Calendar, celebrate the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord. In the Byzantine Calendar, there is a focus on the Blessed Mother in that mystery of the Christian faith.

The feast of the Annunciation in the Roman Calendar is given the highest liturgical rank, that of Solemnity. The biblical source of this liturgical feast is in the gospel of Luke (Lk 1:26-38), which provides an account of the angel's announcement to the Blessed Virgin that she was chosen to be the Mother of the Son of God, Jesus Christ [2].

Many spiritualities in the Catholic Church honor well the mystery of the Annunciation. One of these spiritualities from the French School is Montfortian spirituality - a spirituality based on the life, writings, and apostolic works of St. Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort, a French priest, missionary and founder of religious congregations. In Montfortian spirituality, the Solemnity of the Annunciation is the principal feast of congregations and associations influenced by the life and teachings of St. Louis-Marie: congregations like the Missionaries of the Company of Mary, the Daughters of Wisdom, the Brothers of St. Gabriel, and associations like the Confraternity of Mary Queen of All Hearts. All these congregations and associations, as well as others not mentioned in this list, make an intention to live and to spread the marian life taught by St. Louis-Marie in order to sanctify themselves more easily and more surely.

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [March 25]

• Annunciation of our Most Holy Queen, the Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary [2]

References: Books, Websites & AI Search Results

• [1] Pocket Catholic Dictionary, John A. Hardon
• [2] Dictionary of Saints, John J. Delaney
• [3] Lives of the Saints, Richard P. McBrien

Commemoration of Saints (March 24)

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

• Irenaeus of Sirmium, bishop and martyr
• Aldemar, abbot
• Catherine of Vadstena, virgin
• Simon of Trent and William of Norwich [1]

Irenaeus of Sirmium (d. 304 A.D.) was a bishop in an area near Belgrade in present-day Serbia. He was brought before the governor during the reign of Emperor Diocletian because of the persecution of Christians. St. Irenaeus of Sirmium was tortured, imprisoned and then was beheaded for his refusal to sacrifice to pagan gods. His body was thrown into the river. He is commemorated today in the Catholic Church, while the Orthodox Churches on the Old Calendar commemorate him on April 6 [2][3][4].

Author's note: There is a difference between Eastern Catholic Churches and Eastern Orthodox Churches. Eastern Catholics are in communion with the Vatican but retain their liturgical, theological, and cultural traditions. Eastern Orthodox Churches are independent from the Vatican and maintain their own leadership and traditions. Usually, Saints that are commemorated in the area of Eastern Europe and the Asia Minor area have different dates of commemoration due to this generally known difference [5].

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [March 24]

• Zachary, and James, Confessor
• Artemius, Bishop of Thessalonica
• St. Artemon, Martyr-Presbyter of Laodicea [2]

References: Books, Websites & AI Search Results

• [1] Pocket Catholic Dictionary, John A. Hardon
• [2] Dictionary of Saints, John J. Delaney
• [3] Irenaeus of Sirmium, En.Wikipedia.org
• [4] April 6th (Eastern Orthodox liturgics), En. Wikipedia.org
• [5] AI Overview for search query difference between eastern catholics and orthodox, Google.com, March 24

Commemoration of Saints (March 23)

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

• Turibius de Mongrovejo, bishop
• Victorian & Companions, martyrs
• Benedict the Hermit
• Ethelwald the Hermit
• Joseph Oriol [1]

Saints in the Byzantine Calendar [March 23]

• St. Nicon, Venerable Martyr & 200 companions [2]

Author's note: As you follows this Blog in the study of the Lives of the Saints, generally called hagiography, you can notice certain stages in their lives which are common in the path to holiness.

These stages, although not applicable to all the Saints and Beati who are canonized and beatified in the Church, is common for those who began a not-so-good-start in life. I will list five stages which I have observed:

• First stage: A not-so-good-beginning in life. He or she may have been worldly or wasteful of his time. Some of whom I can mention are: St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Camillus de Lellis, St. Moses the Ethiopian, St. Augustine of Hippo, St. Mary of Egypt, St. John of God
• Second stage: Then they begin to experience a spiritual conversion: St. Augustine of Hippo hearing the words of the Bible, St. Ignatius of Loyola convaslescing in his family's home after being hit by a cannonball, etc.
• Third stage: After this initial spiritual conversion, they enter into a period of much prayer and reflection. Some enter into caves or go to the desert for more solitude. Some undertake a pilgrimage to Rome or to the Holy Land.
• Fourth stage: After they have been spiritually purged of bad habits, broke off from worldly relationships, and illuminated with the grace of God, they either enter into a religious order or congregation, or they found and build a new one. St. Ignatius of Loyola founded the Jesuits. St. Teresa of Avila reformed Carmelite spirituality and founded the Discalced Carmelites.
• Fifth stage: And lastly, these enlightened followers of Christ have been so united with God's will that they undertake tremendous spiritual endeavours such as apostolates and missions to many peoples in distant lands. They built churches, hospices, institutes for the sick, the elderly, or schools and universities.

This is the "classic" path to holiness which delineate the spiritual journey of many Saints through the observation of their lives as they go through five stages.

References: Books, Websites & AI Search Results

• [1] Pocket Catholic Dictionary, John A. Hardon