The Christian Saint series

Originally posted by Don Quixote A Catholic saint for today

Originally posted by Don Quixote Another Catholic saint

Aren't all saints Catholic?


Edited by Sidney - 06-May-2012 at 10:16

May 4th - in the Orthodox tradition, the feast of St. Pelagia of Tarsus:

"...Saint Pelagia of Tarsus in Cilicia (southeastern Asia Minor) lived in the third century, during the reign of Diocletian (284-305), and was the daughter of illustrious pagans. When she heard about Jesus Christ from her Christian friends, she believed in Him and desired to preserve her virginity, dedicating her whole life to the Lord.

Emperor Diocletian's heir (a boy he adopted), saw the maiden Pelagia, was captivated by her beauty and wanted her to be his wife. The holy virgin told the youth that she was betrothed to Christ the Immortal Bridegroom, and had renounced earthly marriage.
Pelagia's reply greatly angered the young man, but he decided to leave her in peace for awhile, hoping that she would change her mind. At the same time, Pelagia convinced her mother to let her visit the nurse who had raised her in childhood. She secretly hoped to find Bishop Linus of Tarsus, who had fled to a mountain during a persecution against Christians, and to be baptized by him. She had seen the face of Bishop Linus in a dream, which made a profound impression upon her. The holy bishop told her to be baptized. St Pelagia traveled in a chariot to visit her nurse, dressed in rich clothes and accompanied by a whole retinue of servants, as her mother wished.

Along the way St Pelagia, by the grace of God, met Bishop Linus. Pelagia immediately recognized the bishop who had appeared to her in the dream. She fell at his feet, requesting Baptism. At the bishop's prayer a spring of water flowed from the ground.
Bishop Linus made the Sign of the Cross over St Pelagia, and during the Mystery of Baptism, angels appeared and covered the chosen one of God with a bright mantle. After giving the pious virgin Holy Communion, Bishop Linus offered a prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord with her, and then sent her to continue her journey. She then exchanged her expensive clothing for a simple white garment, and distributed her possessions to the poor. Returning to her servants, St Pelagia told them about Christ, and many of them were converted and believed.

She tried to convert her own mother to Christ, but the obdurate woman sent a message to Diocletian's son that Pelagia was a Christian and did not wish to be his wife. The youth realized that Pelagia was lost to him, and he fell upon his sword in his despair. Pelagia's mother feared the emperor's wrath, so she tied her daughter up and led her to Diocletian's court as a Christian who was also responsible for the death of the heir to the throne. The emperor was captivated by the unusual beauty of the virgin and tried to turn her from her faith in Christ, promising her every earthly blessing if she would become his wife.

The holy virgin refused the emperor's offer with contempt and said, "You are insane, Emperor, saying such things to me. I will not do your bidding, and I loathe your vile marriage, since I have Christ, the King of Heaven, as my Bridegroom. I do not desire your worldly crowns which last only a short while. The Lord in His heavenly Kingdom has prepared three imperishable crowns for me. The first is for faith, since I have believed in the true God with all my heart; the second is for purity, because I have dedicated my virginity to Him; the third is for martyrdom, since I want to accept every suffering for Him and offer up my soul because of my love for Him."

Diocletian sentenced Pelagia to be burned in a red-hot bronze bull. Not permitting the executioners to touch her body, the holy martyr signed herself with the Sign of the Cross, and went into the brazen bull and her flesh melted like myrrh, filling the whole city with fragrance. St Pelagia's bones remained unharmed and were removed by the pagans to a place outside the city. Four lions then came out of the wilderness and sat around the bones letting neither bird nor wild beast get at them. The lions protected the relics of the saint until Bishop Linus came to that place. He gathered them up and buried them with honor. Later, a church was built over her holy relics.

The Service to the holy Virgin Martyr Pelagia of Tarsus says that she was "deemed worthy of most strange and divine visions." She is also commemorated on October 7. During the reign of Emperor Constantine (306-337), when the persecutions against Christians had stopped, a church was built at St Pelagia's burial place...."http://oca.org/FSLivesAllSaints.asp?M=5&D=4
St. Pelagia with St. Nicephorus of Athens
 


Edited by Don Quixote - 05-May-2012 at 21:33

Saint David or Dewi sant.

A Catholic saint for today - St. Vincent de Paul. One of my favorite, he is noted for his compassion.
Here an online book on him http://www.gutenberg.org/catalog/world/readfile?fk_files=1549697
His life, as presented by Butler http://www.bartleby.com/210/7/191.html

"...St. Vincent was born in Pouy, Landes, Gascony, France, to a family of peasant farmers. He had four brothers and two sisters.^[2]He studied humanities in Dax, France, with the Cordeliers and he graduated in theology at Toulouse. He was ordained in 1600, remaining in Toulouse until he went to Marseille for an inheritance. In 1605, on his way back from Marseille, he was taken captive by Turkish pirates, who brought him to Tunis and sold him into slavery.^[3] After converting his owner to Christianity, Vincent de Paul escaped in 1607.After returning to France, de Paul went to Rome. There he continued his studies until 1609, when he was sent back to France on a mission to Henry IV of France; he served as chaplain to Marguerite de Valois. For a while he was parish priest at Clichy, but from 1612 he began to serve the Gondi, an illustrious family. He was confessor and spiritual director to Madame de Gondi, and he began giving preaching missions to the peasants on the estate with her aid.^[3]

In 1622 de Paul was appointed chaplain to the galleys, and in this capacity he gave missions for the galley-slaves.^[2]

In 1625 de Paul founded the Congregation of the Mission, a society of missionary priests commonly known as the Vincentians or Lazarists. In 1633, with the assistance of Louise de Marillac he founded the Daughters of Charity.^[1] He also fought against the Jansenist heresy.De Paul was renowned for his compassion, humility and generosity.^[1] For this reason he is known as the "Great Apostle of Charity"...."http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_de_Paul

You are welcome, Sid!

April 23rd - St. George, according to the Orthodox calendar. Much had been said here about him, but I found a little bit more.
"...St George is one of those saints about whom little is known historically, yet he seems to be popular all over the world. After the Virgin Mary and the Apostles, there are probably more churches dedicated to Saint George than to almost any other saint.He’s the patron saint of Georgia, Germany and Greece, if we just stick to countries whose names begin with the letter G. Then Canada, England, Lithuania, Russia, Palestine and Portugal.Even though the population of Palestine is mainly Muslim today, Saint George was a Palestinian.

He is also the patron saint of several regions and cities, including Moscow, which is why there are so many Russian ikons of Saint George.It is said that his cult was taken to England by crusaders returning from Palestine, and he became the patron saint of England. The English called on him for help in the battle of Agincourt, which was actually fought on Saint Crispin’s Day, but Saint George got the starring role, and in Shakespeare’s play Henry V the battlecry was “Cry God for Harry, England and St. George!” Shakespeare himself was born and died on Saint George’s Day, but he didn’t just make it up. After the battle Saint George’s Day, 23 April, was as important as Christmas in England....

...Saint George is the patron saint of Ethiopia, and the Battle of Adwa, fought against the Italians in 1896, is as important for Ethiopians as the battle of Agincourt was for the English. And it was fought on the 1st of April, which is Saint George’s Day in Ethiopia...."http://khanya.wordpress.com/2010/04/23/holy-glorious-great-martyr-victorybearer-and-wonderworker-george-303/

Greek icon of St. George

An Ethiopian icon of St. George
St. George Georgian icon from 12-13 century


St. George Russian icon

St. George Orthodox Coptic icon


And a Bulgarian one:


Anyway, today is also the feast of St. Ibar, who seem to be a strictly Catholic saint:
"...A pre-Patrician Irish saint, who laboured in the present County Wexford from 425 to 450, recognized the jurisdiction of St. Patrick, and was confirmed in his episcopacy. Thus, though a missionary before the arrival of the great national apostle, St. Ibar was a contemporary of St. Patrick, and is regarded as the patron of Begerin, in Wexford harbour. Although at first not disposed to yield to St. Patrick he afterwards submitted and became his disciple. Much obscurity attaches to his early training, but about the year 480 he settled at Begerin, where he built an oratory and cell. In the "Life of St. Abban" it is stated that St. Ibar's retreat was soon peopled with numerous disciples from all parts of Ireland, and the "Litany of Aengus" invokes the three thousand confessors who placed themselves under St. Ibar's direction. His nephew, St. Abban, as a boy of twelve came to Begerin in St. Ibar's old age and accompanied him to Rome. His name is variously written Ibar, Iberius, and Ivor, and his death is chronicled in the year 500 on 23 April, on which day his feast is observed. Although Begerin was formerly an island in the north of Wexford harbour, it has long since been one of the reclaimed Sloblands...." http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07613b.htm


Edited by Don Quixote - 24-Apr-2012 at 03:13

esApril 22 - St. Vitalis of Gaza:
"...Died c. 625. Vitalis was a monk of Gaza, of unknown origin, who in his monk's dress, at the age of 60, arrived in the gay and dazzling city of Alexandria, Egypt, like a ghost of the desert. In his lonely cell he had read the story of the woman taken in adultery and had felt impelled to travel to the city and work among the prostitutes. He obtained the name and address of every harlot, hired himself our as a day laborer, and every night took his wage to one of these unfortunate women.

It was a very strange and unconventional procedure. He would sup with the woman, then, giving her the money, would say: "I pay thee this, that thou mayest spend one night without sin." Afterwards he would pray with her, often passing the night in reciting the Psalms, and, on leaving, would extract a solemn promise that she would tell no one of the nature of his visit.

It led to great scandal and he was gravely misunderstood, but the Church refused to intervene and he continued his mission. Thus he visited in turn every harlot in Alexandria, and many, moved by his purity and sincerity as well as by his earnest appeal, abandoned their shameful calling. Many, indeed, afterwards married and became good wives and mothers.

But his story ends in tragedy. One day, when leaving a house of ill fame, he was struck on the head by a man who misunderstood his motive. Vitalis made his way back with difficulty to the wretched hovel where he lived, and the crowd that followed, when they entered, found him dead upon his knees. In his hand was a fragment of parchment bearing the words: "Judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the heart."

Then all whom he had helped revealed the secret of his redemptive work, and the whole city gathered to do him honor, the women following him to his grave bearing lamps and candles (Benedictines, Encyclopedia, Gill). ..." http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0111.shtml#vita

I really like his story - he understood what the main message of Christ was - mercy to everyone, and made it his way of serving to pay attention and show patience and love to women that were forced by one or another of the realities of life to sell themselves, hence be hold on a low step of the social structure and be despised by everyone, undoubtedly even those who used them. This was a truly noble call, that can be a perfect example for every time and place, since there are always people left out of the society they live on, and who need care and emotional support.



Here a quote from him:
"...Judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the heart...."



Edited by Don Quixote - 23-Apr-2012 at 00:42

A very tough lady...... as committed to her new found faith as any who receive veneration for the same.

I read couple of years ago a book from Gabriel Marcel, a Christian Existentialist, pretty good stuff I thought; but it doesn't have the intellectual power of, say, Aquinas. The times are different, so are the writings. Of course Aquinas was Aristotelian, and now very few read Aristotel, so who is to write like him.


Edited by Don Quixote - 21-Apr-2012 at 00:13

I love Aquinas, he is one of my most long-read and frequently-opened philosophers.
But I have to admit that I never read anything from Anasthatios Sinaita, even though I have him in mind - one day when I have time I'll get on the link I posted and read him to abandon.

April 20th - St. Anastaius of Sinai, a Christian philosopher and thinker /my favorite type/.
"...Saint Anastasius Sinaïta or Anastasius of Sinai, also called Anastasios of Sinai, was a prolific and important seventh century Greek ecclesiastical writer, priest, monk, and abbot of Saint Catherine's Monastery at Mt. Sinai.The little that is known about the life of Anastasius of Sinai is gathered from his own works.^{[1] ...} His writings concern questions and answers about issues of Christian dogma, ritual, and lifestyle (catechism); sermons; and exegesis. He was fond of tracing the etymologies of key Christian terms; he was erudite in the Bible and early Patristic literature; and he had a pervasive interest in the nature of God and man, especially in the Person of Christ (Christology).^[4] He was not reluctant to develop and express his own theories about key ecclesiastical issues, which led to later commentaries, emendations, and perhaps even censorship of parts of his works.^{[5]...."http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anastasius_of_Sinai}

"...His principal works include the Viae Dux, Qaestiones et Responsiones, Hexaemeron, Homilia i, ii, iii de creatione hominis, and the Narrationes. The Viae Dux - also called the Hodegos (Greek transliteration) and "Guide Along the Right Path" (English translation) - was written in defense of the Chalcedonian Creed. A collection of works by Anastasus, the Viae Dux served to support the true faith and to counter the attacks of heretics, in particular the Monophysites.^[6]

His Qaestiones et Responsiones ("Questions and Responses") was a popular genre^[7] and falls under the category of pastoral theology. It offers advice, largely to the lay community, on spiritual and sacramental matters, charitable donations, marriage, among other subjects. Here Anastasius reveals a distinctly personal tone and offers a window into the day-to-day existence of ordinary people.^[8] It is especially significant because it is an eyewitness account of the expansion of Islam into Sinai and Egypt, which were predominantly Christian, and of the effect that Moslem domination had on Christian life and beliefs.^[9]. Anastasius was probably the author of the Hexaemeron, a commentary in 12 books about the Genesis creation narrative. (Hexaemeron, sometimes spelled Hexameron, means “six-days”.)..."/Ibid/

The "Hexaemeron", is available to read here http://www.newmoses.org/project.html

His monastery, St. Katherine, in Sinai

"St. Anastasius in his Monastery" by Rembrandt, 1631

By Giuseppe Franchi, 16th century

This site  http://www.anastasiosofsinai.org/links.html has links on him.

A little quote form "The Hexaemeron":

"...It says the following: In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth. It uses the name heaven collectively for all the heavenly and spiritual arrangements: both of the holy forces and of the spiritual order. Thus, you must consider first the cosmos above. This was created—as the theologian says—in the following way: ‘First he takes thought of the angelic and heavenly forces; and the thought was a done feat.’ Then it uses the name earth for this perceptible and visible world, collectively with its own heaven, and all the things upon the earth along with man that have come into being and exist, both animate and inanimate. So by saying In the beginning God made the heaven, it raised your mind up to the creation of the whole arrangement above. Then by introducing and the earth, it brought your mind down to the establishment of the fulfillment below. And through a part—I mean the earth—it presented to you the whole compass. It used synecdoche, so that you recognize not only the earth, but also its surrounding heaven. Thus in two phrases, in one definition, it encompassed the act of creating and the creation itself of both the spiritual world and the visible world. And God did his creating in the beginning: that is, in his paternal beginning, which is the Word. For all things came into being through him and in him...." http://logismoitouaaron.blogspot.com/2009/05/hexaemeron-of-st-anastasius-of-sinai.html

"...St Anastasius taught that God gives each Christian an angel to care for him throughout his life. However, we can drive our Guardian Angel away by our sins, just as bees are driven away by smoke. While the demons work to deprive us of the heavenly Kingdom, the holy angels guide us to do good. Therefore, only the most foolish individuals would drive away their Guardian Angel from themselves. ..." http://oca.org/FSLivesAllSaints.asp?SID=4&M=4&D=20

Edited by Don Quixote - 20-Apr-2012 at 23:02