Junho-18-2021

Junho 18, 2021 O Caminho dos Santos

Feasts of the Saints of June 18

Happy Feast of the Apparition of Our Lady to St Agnes, and the feasts of Saints Calogerus,  Hosanna of Mantua, Marina of Bithynia and of Theneva (Enoch) of Glasgow!

June 18: Apparition of Our Lady to St Agnes of Montepulciano, Italy

«St Agnes of Montepulciano was born into a noble family in the village of Gracciano, Italy, in about the year 1268. A miracle occurred to demonstrate that she was a predestined soul, for it is recalled that burning torches appeared to illuminate her crib on the day she was born.

«Agnes was no more than four years old when she began seeking solitude where she could pray privately for many hours to Jesus, whom she already loved.

«At the age of nine Saint Agnes told her parents that she desired to enter the Dominican monastery at nearby Montepulciano. Both parents initially opposed Agnes' wish, so she prayed that God might change their opinions. In a short time she entered the convent and began living under the rule of Saint Augustine. The sisters she lived with soon recognized that Agnes appeared more like an angelic spirit than a human being. She lived an austere life, sleeping on the ground with a stone for a pillow, and fasted on bread and water.

«To test Agnes' holiness and commitment to her prayer life, the sisters gave her difficult duties to perform in the convent. They were greatly edified to see that Agnes regularly completed her duties without complaint, and that she continued with her prayer life and regular acts of charity. In fact, it was about this time that Agnes could be observed absorbed in prayer while seemingly unaware that she was suspended nearly two feet above the ground, or violets, lilies or roses would be found growing up through the stones where Saint Agnes had just prayed.

«Several of the residents of the town of Procena built a monastery for their daughters, and naturally desired that Saint Agnes should come with some of her sisters and become the prioress of the new convent. Agnes was only 15 years old, and feared for her humility should she accept the position. Pope Nicholas IV commanded her to accept the office, so she agreed to become the superior of the sisters there.

«There are many miracles recorded at this time involving St Agnes of Montepulciano. She frequently multiplied loaves, as Christ did in the gospels, to feed those in need. She had also apparently reached such a level of sanctity that invalids and those afflicted with different types of mental illness would be restored to health just by being brought into her presence.

«The Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Saint Agnes and told her that she would one day found a large monastery based on faith in the Most High and undivided Trinity. She did in fact establish the convent under the Dominican rule, as she had been instructed by an angel, about the year 1300, as the citizens of Montepulciano had built a new convent there, hoping to lure Agnes back to them. She governed there until her death in 1317.

«Agnes was known to have experienced several visions during her life. On the night of the Feast of the Assumption, the Blessed Virgin placed the Infant Jesus in her arms. She encouraged Agnes to continue suffering for the love of Christ – she had been sick practically all her life. The Mother of God left with St Agnes of Montepulciano a small cross to comfort and strengthen her. This little cross is still shown with great solemnity to pilgrims, especially during the month of May. Mary likewise vouchsafed Agnes a vision of Christ's suffering, which lasted three days.

«To comfort Agnes, Mary appeared to her on the feast of the Purification while she was at Holy Mass. Mary told her this was the hour she had taken the Child Jesus to offer Him in the Temple. Our Lady smiled sweetly, and gave Agnes her Babe to hold and caress. Saint Agnes was also known to have received Holy Communion from an angel. She experienced repeated levitations, as noted above, and performed miracles for the faithful of the region.

«Shortly before her death, Saint Agnes was sent to bathe in springs that were thought to have curative powers. The waters did nothing to help Agnes, though a new spring emerged close by which did indeed have curative power. It was given the name "the Water of Saint Agnes." While there, the saint prayed over a child who had recently drowned, bringing the child back to life.

«St Agnes of Montepulciano then went back to the monastery, where she died on April 20th, 1317, at the age of only 43. Her body was found to be incorrupt, and a mysterious, sweet smelling liquid was observed to stream from both her hands and feet. When Saint Catherine of Siena went to pray before Saint Agnes' incorrupt body, the deceased saint lifted her foot for Saint Catherine to kiss. She also revealed to Saint Catherine that they would both enjoy the same amount of glory in heaven.

«St Agnes of Montepulciano was solemnly canonized by Pope Benedict XIII in 1726. Her feast day is April 20th.»

ROMAN MARTYROLOGY

• The Holy Martyrs of Malaga Saints Cyriacus and Paula. 

• The Holy Martyrs of Rome Saints Marcus & Marcellianus, brothers, under the judge  Fabianus under Diocletianus.

• The Holy Martyrs of Tripolis in Phoenicia Saints Leontius, Hypatius and Theodolus. 

• St Aetherius, martyr under Diocletianus at Nicomedia in Bithynia. 

• St Amandus, bishop of Bordeaux. 

• St Calogerus the Great, immigrant from Chalcedon in Thrace, first settled in Roman Africa, after the Vandal invasion, fled to Sicily, visited and obtained permission from the Pope to evangelize Sicily, lastly lived at Monte Cronio near Sciacca in Sicily, his holiness is principally manifested by the deliverance of possessed persons. Also, his companions, Saints Gregory and Demetrius, Martyrs under the Arian Vandals of Genseric in Sicily, Saints Philip, Onophrius  and Archileone, and, lastly, St Sirius, his attendant and helper in his old age.

• St Elizabeth of Schönau, virgin, celebrated for her observance of monastic discipline.

• St Marina, martyr at Alexandria. 

OTHER SOURCES

• The Victory of St Joan of Arc and the French over the English invaders, at the Battle of Patay, June 18, 1429. 

• The Holy Martyrs of Ravenna Saints Aemilius, Crispinus, Cruciatus and Felix.

• The Holy Martyrs of Rome Saints Cyriacus, Paul and Thomas. 

• The Holy Martyrs of the Battle of Kolin, defeat of the Protestant Satanists  led by Prussia, June 18, 1757.

• St Aed Hua-Foirreth, bishop of Ard-Macha in Ireland.

• St Arcontius of Brioude in Auvergne.

• St Baithin Juvencus, see St Furadhran MacMaonan.

• St Colman MacMicii, hermit in Ireland.

• Princesses Saints Edburga and Edith, sisters, daughters of King Penda of Mercia, nuns at Aylesbury & Bicester, England. 

• St Edith, see St Edburga. 

• St Elpidius, martyr at Brioude or Brivate in Auvergne.

• St Equizio, seacon to St Palerius of Telese. 

• St Erasmus, Greek saint. 

• St Felicius, his sons St Potentinus of Steinfeld and St Simplicius, Gauls, hermits at Karden in Germany.

• St Fortunatus the Philosopher, Italian bishop exiled by the Lombards to France. 

• St Furadhran MacMaonan, abbot of Lann-Leire, and St Baithin Juvencus, his brother, Irishmen.

• St Gerland of Caltagirone. 

• St Goneri, a Briton, hermit at Treguier in Brittany. 

• St Guy, Benedictine monk, abbot of Baume, retired as a hermit.

• St Hermann, Premonstratensian monk, 4th abbot of Floreffe.

• St Hosanna the Great, or Hosanna Andreasi of Mantua.

• St Hosanna of Howden, Northumbrian princess, nun at the convent of Howden, now in England.

• St Jerome, Vallumbrosan monk.

• St Marina of Bithynia, also called Marina the Monk, Lebanese, after her mother died, her father Eugenius retired as a monk in Lebanon, at the importunations of Marina at being doubly orphaned, he secretly dressed her as a boy and had her admitted as a monk as Brother Marino, after Eugenius died, while a party of monks including Br Marino, were on a journey, the innkeeper's daughter, being discovered pregnant out of wedlock, accused Br Marino as the father, she was expelled and lived by begging for ten years near the monastery bringing up the child Fortunatus, she was then allowed back into the monastery in the most menial position but, worn out, died soon after, while dressing the corpse for burial the monks discovered that Brother Marino was a woman and could not have been father of Fortunatus. Her body was found incorrupt, it was translated to Romania, then to Italy and finally to France. 

• St Marina, baptized as Vallarina Petruccini, took the name of Marina in honour of Our Lady, Star of the Sea, as an Augustinian nun at Spoleto.

• St Martin, baptized as Cadwgan, son of an Irish priest and a Welsh mother, abbot of Whitland, and bishop of Bangor in Wales, retired as a monk at Dore, there born in the Lord, April 11, 1241, today is probably a translation of his relics.

• St Minnborin, Irishman, first abbot of the Irish monastery of St Martin in Cologne. 

• St Osmanna, a nun at Jouarre, France.

• St Peter Sanchez, Mercedarian.

• St Theneva of Glasgow, mother of St Kentigern Mungo, a British (not English) princess, when it was discovered that she had conceived out of wedlock, she was thrown from a cliff, but being found unharmed, she was then set adrift in a boat on the Firth of Forth, expecting that she would die at sea, but God protected her and kept her alive, landed at Culross, where she was sheltered by St Serf and gave birth to St Kentigern, named Mungo ("darling") by his foster-father, Serf. St Enoch's Square in Glasgow is named for her, Enoch is a corruption of her name. 

DAMNED

• Bernard Mizeki, damned June 18, 1896.

#Oremus

Holy Mary, Mother of God, and our Mother, and all you Saints, Fathers, Mothers, Brothers, Sisters, Popes, Archbishops, Bishops, Hermits, Monks, Martyrs, Virgins, Champions and Heroes of Jesus Christ, whose feasts is today, named and unnamed, we pray to you for your intercession and guidance, lead us away from error and evil and into the Grace and Love of God, that with your assistance, we may join you in Eternity with the Living God, we make this prayer through Jesus Christ Our Lord, Who Lives and Reigns, in the Unity of the Godhead, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, one God, forever and ever, Amen.

Lúcío Mascarenhas