Category Archives: Martyr

Faith, Martyr, Pope, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Silverius, Feast Day June 20

Leave a comment
Follow Us @ Sacred Art and Quotes of the Saints




St. Silverius Public Domain Image
St. Silverius

The feast day of St. Silverius is celebrated on June 20.

St. Silverius was the son of Pope Hermisdas who had been married before entering his ministry. St. Silverius was chosen as Pope while he was serving as a sub deacon. He was ordained on June 8, 536.

As Pope, St. Silverius refused to approve the doctrine of monophysitism which believed Christ had one nature not two (human and divine). Because of this ruling Pope Silverius was deposed and replaced by a deacon named Vigilus. St. Silverius was accused of treason and degraded to the rank of monk. After an appeal he was sent to Rome for an inquiry. Silverius however was forced to live on the island of Palmaria off Naples.

St. Silverius died from murder by starvation in the year 539. He was recognized a saint by popular acclamation.

Cast yourself into the furnace of the gentle heart of Jesus.

All your defects and imperfections will be consumed there.

Quote of St. Paul of the Cross; Feast day Oct. 19

 

June is the Month of the Sacred Heart.

Save

Benedictine Saints, Martyr, Saint of the Day, Visionary

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Elizabeth of Schoenna, Feast Day June 18

Leave a comment
Follow Us @ Sacred Art and Quotes of the Saints




St. Elizabeth of Schoenna
St. Elizabeth of Schoenna

The feast day of St. Elizabeth of Schoenna is celebrated on June 18.

St. Elizabeth was born in 1129 in Bonn, Germany. She was raised in a monastery and at the age of twelve entered a Benedictine Monastery. She made her profession in 1147 and became superioress of the Benedictine Nuns in 1157.

Elizabeth often had visions and ecstasies which occurred on Holy Days and Sundays. She wrote down her visions and after her death in 1165, the material was published by her brother Egbert who was a priest. The church has not examined her work and has not given an opinion.

Although she has never been formally canonized her name has been entered in the Roman martyrology.

To be ignorant of the Scriptures is to be ignorant of Christ.

Quote of St. Jerome; Feast day September 30

 

June is the Month of the Sacred Heart.

 

Apostle, Martyr, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Barnabas, Feast Day June 11

Leave a comment
Follow Us @ Sacred Art and Quotes of the Saints




The feast day of St. Barnabas is celebrated on June 11.

St. Barnabas was Jewish. He was given the name of Joseph at birth. He sold his property and gave the proceeds to the Apostles who named him Barnabas. Barnabas means ‘son of consolation’ or ‘man of encouragement’. The bible tells us he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith. He lived in common with the earliest Christian converts. While he was not one of the original apostles, he is believed to be one of the 72 commissioned by Jesus to preach. He is given the honorary title of Apostle.

St. Barnabas Public Domain Image
St. Barnabas

St. Barnabas was one of the first to welcome St. Paul as a disciple of Jesus. He persuaded the community to accept Paul. Barnabas was sent to Antioch, Syria to investigate a community of non-Jewish believers there and brought Paul there from Tarsus. The followers of The Way were first called Christians at Antioch. Barnabas, his cousin John Mark and the Apostle Paul traveled together on their first missionary journey. They went to Cyprus, Perga, Antioch, and Iconium, and Lystra in Lycaomia. After being stoned they returned to Antioch.

Paul and Barnabas attended the counsel of Jerusalem which was discussing whether Christians needed to be circumcised before baptism.

St. Barnabas preached in Alexandria and Rome before being stoned to death at Salamis in the year 61. He is considered the founder of the Cypriot Church.

 

Let us be about God’s business and He will look after ours.

Quote of St. Vincent de Paul; Feast day September 27

 

June is the Month of the Sacred Heart.

Faith, Martyr, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Paul of Constantinople, Feast Day June 7

Leave a comment
Follow Us @ Sacred Art and Quotes of the Saints




St. Paul of Constantinople

The feast day of St. Paul of Constantinople is celebrated on June 7.  St. Paul was elected the Bishop of Constantinople to succeed Alexander of Constantinople.  The Arian controversy was causing a great deal of turmoil at this time.  Arianism denied the divinity of Christ and the Trinity.

Emperor Constantus II was an Arian and did not approve of the election of St. Paul.  Because  St. Paul defended the belief that Christ is divine as well as human, he was exiled several times by the emperor.  The first time he was exiled but allowed to return in the year 338.  The second time he returned in the year 340.  The third time he was exiled to Mesopotamia, returning in the year 344.  His last time of exile was in the year 350 when he was exiled to Armenia.  Here, he died a martyr’s death.  He was starved and then strangled.

 

The man who has the mission of saying great things

(and all of us Christians have this sweet obligation)

is equally obliged to practice them.

Quote of St. Gregory the Great; Feast Day September 3

 

June is the Month of the Sacred Heart

Faith, Martyr, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Boniface, Feast Day June 5

Leave a comment
Follow Us @ Sacred Art and Quotes of the Saints




 

Bonifatius_Donareiche
St. Boniface Cutting Down Tree

 

The feast day of St. Boniface is celebrated on June 5.

St. Boniface was born in Wessex, England in 675. After studying in English monasteries he became a missionary traveling to Europe where he converted pagans in what today is Germany and the Netherlands.

St. Boniface became the bishop of Mainz in 722. He is remembered for cutting down an oak tree which was associated with the god Thor. Those who witnessed the event expected him to be punished by Thor. When nothing immediately happened many people converted.

The pope wanted St. Boniface to reform the German Church. St. Boniface organized the German Church solving many of the existing problems which included the education and proper ordination of the clergy.

On his final mission, at the age of 80, he and 53 companions were martyred while he was instructing converts for the sacrament of confirmation. The date of his martyrdom was June 5, 754. He is referred to as the Apostle to the Germans.

 

In her voyage across the ocean of this world,

the Church is like a great ship being pounded by the waves

of life’s different stresses. Our duty is not to abandon ship

but to keep her on her course. Let us stand fast in what is right

and prepare our souls for trial. Let us wait upon God’s strengthening

aid and say to him “O Lord, You have been our refuge in all generations.”

Quote of St. Boniface

 

June is the Month of the Sacred Heart.

Faith, Martyr, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Charles Lwanga, Feast Day June 3

Leave a comment
Follow Us @ Sacred Art and Quotes of the Saints




St. Charles Lwanga Public Domain Image
St. Charles Lwanga

 

The feast day of St. Charles Lwanga is celebrated on June 3.

The Society of Missionaries attracted many converts in Uganda. The converts soon became teachers of the faith also. Uganda was ruled by King Mwanga who was violent and a pedophile. The Christians who lived and taught at King Mwanga’s court tried to protect the pages from the King. The leader of the 200 Christians was Joseph Mkassa. He confronted the King after a Protestant missionary and his companions were killed. Mwanga ordered his execution. Before he was beheaded and burned on Nov. 15, 1885 Joseph forgave Mwanga, but asked for repentance.

St. Charles, who was 18 when he converted, became the new leader of the Christian group. For six months the persecution lessened. Then, however, King Mwanga became angry and killed another student of Christianity with a spear. He ordered the royal compound sealed so no one could escape. Charles baptized four catecheumens (students) that night. The next day the king ordered the 15 boys and men to be executed because they refused to give up being Christians. They were ordered to walk 37 miles to be executed in Namugongo. Three died on the journey. After seven days in prison, they were burned to death. Thirteen Catholics and eleven Protestant’s died.

The Catholic faith was practiced in secret without clergy. After the death of King Mwanga, there were 500 Christians and 1000 catecheumans waiting to receive the sacraments again.

The 22 Catholic Martyrs of Uganda were canonized.

 

Do not be ashamed to confess the cross, for angels glory in it.

 

Quote of St. Cyril of Jerusalem; Feast day March 18

June is the Month of the Sacred Heart.