Cristy Li

St. Anthony of Egypt
Image Courtesy: Bishop’s Conference of Indonesia

(Franciscan Media) The life of Anthony will remind many people of Saint Francis of Assisi (Feast Day: 04 October) at the age of 20, Anthony was so moved by the Gospel message:

“…Go sell what you have and give to the poor
and you will have treasure in Heaven and come follow me.” —Mark 10:21

 Anthony did just that with his large inheritance. Anthony is different from Francis, in that most of Anthony’s life was spent in solitude–Seeing the world completely covered in snares and gave the Church and the world the witness of solitary asceticism, great personal sacrifice and prayer but no Saint is antisocial and Andrew drew many people to himself for spiritual healing and guidance.

By the time Anthony was 54 he replied to many requests and founded sort of a Monastery of scattered cells–Again like Francis, Anthony had great fear of ‘stately buildings and well laden tables.’

At 60, Anthony hoped to be a martyr in the renewed Roman persecution of 311, fearlessly exposing himself to danger, while providing moral and material support to those imprisoned–By the time Anthony turned 88 he was the Arian heresy–the denial of the Divinity of Jesus Christ that took the Church centuries to recover.

More here from Catholic News Agency and here from St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Shrine

St. Berard & Companions — Martyrs of the Franciscan Order
Images: 365 Rosaries

(Franciscan Media) Preaching the Gospel is often dangerous work. Leaving ones home, adjusting to new cultures and languages is difficult enough but martyrdom caps all the other sacrifices.

In 1219 with the blessings of St. Francis, Berard departed Italy with Peter, Adjute, Accurs, Odo and Vitalis to minister in Morocco–Enroute in Spain, Vitalis became ill and commanded the other Friars to continue their mission without him.

The Friars tried ministering in Seville, then in Muslim lands but made no converts, they continued on to Morocco where they ministered in the marketplace, they were subsequently apprehended and ordered to leave the country–they refused. When they began ministering again an exasperated Sultan ordered them executed.

After enduring severe beatings and declining various bribes of power, riches and position to renounce their Christian faith, the Friars replied:

“We despise all those things for the sake of Christ.”

The five Friars were beheaded by the Sultan himself on the 16 January, 1220 becoming the first Franciscan martyrs.

When St. Francis learned of their deaths he exclaimed, “Now I can truly say that I have five Friars Minor.” Their relics were brought to Portugal where they prompted a young Augustinian Canon–Anthony of Padua to join the Franciscans and set off for Morocco the following year.

The five Friars of the Franciscan Order martyred for Jesus Christ were Canonized in 1481 by Pope Sixtus IV after many miracles had occurred through their intercession.

At first glance, the story of the five Franciscan Friars martyrs reads as if these brave and holy men failed in their mission–they failed to convert many and only succeeded in achieving death for their cause, however the fire of evangelism and missionary work that was lit by their martyrdom has forever changed the Franciscan Order as well as the world.

We look at the brave sacrifices of these five Friars, offering thanks. We are inspired to move courageously and single minded purpose to pursue the truth of our faith living as witnesses to the love of Jesus Christ.

More here from 365 Rosaries

Related: Defenders of Christendom –Roman Catholic Saints.com

Saint Paul the Hermit (233-345)
Image Courtesy: Catholic Tradition

(Aleteia) Paul the Hermit reportedly was born in Egypt where he was orphaned at 15 yrs of age, a learned and devout young man.

During the persecution of Decius in Egypt in the year 250, Paul was forced to hide in a home of a friend. Fearing a brother-in-law would betray him, he fled to a cave in the desert, his plan, was to return when the persecution ended but the sweetness of a solitude life and heavenly contemplation convinced him to stay–Paul went on to live in the cave for the next 90 years.

A nearby spring gave Paul drinking water, a palm tree furnished him clothing and nourishment, after 21 years of solitude, a raven began bringing him half of a loaf of bread each day.

Without knowing what was happening in the world, Paul prayed the world would be a better place.

Saint Anthony of Egypt (Feast Day-17 January) attests to Paul’s holy life and death, tempted by thought that no one had served God in the wilderness longer than he, Anthony was led by God to find Paul and acknowledge him as a man, more perfect than himself–the raven that day brought a whole loaf of bread instead the usual half. As Paul predicted, Anthony would return to bury his friend.

Thought to have been about 112 when he died, Paul is known as the ‘First Hermit’ his feast day is celebrated in the East, he’s also commemorated in the Coptic and Armenian rites of the Mass.

More here from EWTN

Saint Gregory Nazianzen

After Gregory’s baptism in 360 he lived the quiet life in solitude according to Catholic Culture later he gladly accepted his friend St. Basil invitation to join him in a newly found Monastery.

The tranquility Gregory found at the monastery was broken when Gregory’s father, a Bishop needed his help in his diocese and estate–It seems that Gregory reluctantly agreed to become a Priest, was ordained and with some hesitation accepted the responsibility, skillfully avoiding a schism that threatened when his own father made compromises with Arianism.

At the age of 41 Gregory was chosen ‘Suffragan Bishop of Caesarea’ and at once, came into conflict with Valens, the Emperor who supported the Arians, which denied the divinity of Jesus Christ–An unfortunate by-product of the conflict was the cooling of the friendship of two Saints.

Basil his Archbishop, sent Gregory to a miserable and unhealthy town on the border of unjustly creating divisions in the diocese–Basil reproached Gregory for not going to his See.

When protection of Arianism ended with the death of Valens, Gregory was called to rebuild the faith in the great See of Constantinople, which had been under Arian teachers for three decades.

Retiring and sensitive, Gregory dreaded being drawn into the whirlpool of corruption and violence. Gregory first stayed at a friend’s home which became the only Orthodox Church in the city–In such surroundings, he began delivering the great sermons on the Trinity for which he was famous. In time, Gregory did rebuild the faith in the city but at the cost of great suffering, slander, insults and even personal violence–an interloper, even attempted to take-over his Bishopric.

Gregory’s last days were spent in solitude and austerity, writing religious poetry–some of it autobiographical of great depth and beauty, acclaimed simply as ‘The Theologian’ his writings merited for him the title of ‘Doctor of the Church.’

Saint Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers
Confers Minor Orders on Saint Martin

(Franciscan Media) The staunch defender of the Divinity of Jesus Christ, was a gentle and courteous man, devoted to some of the greatest theology on the Trinity and was like his master being labeled a ‘Distributor of the Peace’ in a very troubled period of the Church, his holiness was lived out in both scholarship and controversy–he was Bishop of Poitiers in France.

Hilary raised a pagan, converted to Christianity when he met his God of nature in the scriptures, his wife was still living when he was chosen, against his will, to be the Bishop of Poitiers in France and was soon taken up with battling  what became to scourge of the 4th century–Arianism, which denied the Divinity of Jesus Christ.

This heresy spread rapidly, St. Jerome said: ‘The world groaned and marveled to find that it was Arian.’ When Emperor Constantius, ordered all of the Bishops of the West to sign a ‘Condemnation of Athanasius’ the greatest defender of the faith in the East, Hilary refused and was banished from France to far off Phrygia (in modern day Turkey) eventually he was called the ‘Athanasius of the West.’

While writing in exile, Hilary was invited by some semi-Arians (hoping for reconciliation) to a council the Emperor called to counteract the ‘Council of Nicea’ but Hilary predictably defended the Church and when he sought public debate with the heretical bishop who had exiled him, the Arians dreading the meeting and its outcome, pleaded with the Emperor to send this troublemaker back home–Hilary was welcomed by his people.

• A favorite motto of of Saint Hilary was: “Ministros veritatis decet vera proferre.” — “Servants of the truth ought to speak the truth.”

Related: For Today’s Most Holy Scripture Readings for the Memorial of St. Hilary, Visit: -USCCB

(Catholic Online) Born in Italy, Bishop and Martyr for Christ Jesus, in 250 during the persecution of Emperor Decius (201-251)

Related: Why Do Catholic’s Seek the Intercession of Saint’s?

How Can You Become a Saint?

Saint Adrian of Canterbury (635-710) Image Courtesy: EBK

(EWTN) Though St. Adrian turned down a papal request to become Archbishop of Canterbury England, Pope Vatalian, accepted the rejection on the condition that Adrian serve as the Holy Father’s assistant and advisor, Adrian accepted but ended up spending most of his life and doing most of his work in Canterbury.

Born in Libya, Adrian was serving as an Abbot in Italy when the new Archbishop of Canterbury appointed him Abbot of the Monastery of Saint’s Peter and Paul in Canterbury. Thanks to his leadership skills, the faculty became one of the most important centers for learning, attracting many outstanding scholars from far and wide and produced numerous future Bishops and Archbishops–students reportedly learned Greek and Latin, speaking Latin as their own native languages.

Adrian taught at the school for 40 yrs, died there and was buried in the Monastery. Several hundred years later when reconstruction was being done, Adrian’s body was discovered in an incorrupt state, as word spread people flocked to his tomb which became famous for miracles–Rumor had it, that young schoolboys in trouble with their masters, made regular visits there.

More here from Franciscan Media

Related: Why Do Catholic’s Seek the Intercession of Saint’s?

How Can You Become a Saint?