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