Cristy Li

French Martyrs for Christ of the September Massacres
Image: Tradition in Action

(Franciscan Media) These Priests were victims of the French Revolution–Though their Martyrdom spans several years, they are recognized together in the Church’s memory because they all sacrificed their lives for the same principle.

The ‘Civil Constitution of the Clergy’ in 1791 required that all Priests take an oath which amounted to a denial of their faith–each of these men refused and were executed.

Fr. John Francis Burte became a Franciscan at 16 and subsequent to his Ordination, he taught Theology to the young Friars–Later he was Guardian of the large Conventual Friary in Paris until he was arrested and held in the Convent of the Carmelites.

Fr. Apollinaris of Posat was born in Switzerland 1739 he joined the Capichins and acquired a reputation as an excellent Minister, Confessor and Instructor of Clerics. Sent to the East as a Missionary, he was in Paris studying Asian languages when the French Revolution began. Refusing to execute the oath, he was swiftly arrested and detained in the Carmelite Convent.

Fr. Severin Girault a member of the ‘Third Order Regular’ and Chaplain for a group of Sisters in Paris, he was imprisoned with the Priests and was the first to be Martyred in the slaughter at the Convent.

These three Priests together with 182 others (which included several Bishops) were massacred at the Carmelite House in Paris on this date in 1792 and were Beatified in 1926 by Pope Pius XI

Fr. John Baptist Triquerie born in 1737 entered the Conventual Franciscans, he was Chaplain and Confessor of the ‘Poor Clare Monasteries’ in three cities before he was arrested for refusing to take the oath, he and 13 Diocesan Priest were guillotined in Laval on 21 January, 1794 — Fr. John Baptist Triquerie was Beatified in 1955 by Pope Pius XII

Saint Giles (650-710)
Image: Christ Church Windsor, Nova Scotia

(Franciscan Media) Despite the fact that much about St. Giles is shrouded in mystery, one can say that he was one of the most popular Saints in the Middle Ages.

Giles was either born in France (or Greece Athens, according to EWTN about the middle of the 7th century) building a Monastery in the French valley under the ‘Rule of St. Benedict’ which became a popular stopping-off point for Pilgrims making their way to Compostela in Spain and the Holy Land.

In England, many ancient Churches and hospitals were dedicated to St. Giles — one of the sections of  Brussels is named after him. In Germany, Giles was included among the ‘Fourteen Holy Helpers’ a popular group of Saint’s to whom people prayed, especially for the recovery from disease and for strength at the hour of death. Among the ‘Fourteen Holy Helpers’ were Saint Christopher, Saint Barbara and Saint Blaise — Interestingly, Giles was the only non-martyr among them.

Devotion to the ‘Fourteen Holy Helpers’ was especially strong in parts of Germany, Hungary and Sweden. Such devotion made St. Giles popularity spread and was soon invoked as the Patron Saint of the Poor and Disabled.