Old Stuff

The Twenty-fourth Day of October

Note: this is from the 1955 Dominican martyrology, which naturally follows the pre-1969 liturgical calendar.

The feast of St. Raphael the Archangel. His dignity and his favors (to the human race) are set forth in the sacred book of Tobias. A totum duplex feast.

At Venosa in Apulia, the birthday of the holy martyrs Felix, an Africani bishop, Audactus and Januarius, priests, and the lectors Fortunatus and Septimus. In the reign of Diocletian, they all were punished by being heavily chained and imprisoned for a long time in Africa and in Sicily. Since Felix would not comply with the Emperor's edict and surrender the holy books, all the above-mentioned men were put to the sword.

At Tongres in Belgium, St. Evergislus, Bishop of Cologne and martyr. On account of the duties of his pastoral office, he journeyed to Tongres. That night, while on his way to pray alone in the monastic church of the Most Holy Mother of God, he was attacked by robbers and killed by an arrow.

At Nagran, among the Hymarites in Arabia,[1] the suffering of SS. Aretas and his three hundred and forty companions, at the time of the Emperor Justin, under the Jewish tyrant Dunaan. After they had been put to death, a Christian woman was thrown into the fire. Her five-year old son lisped that he too was a Christian, and neither caresses nor threats could prevent him from flinging himself into the fire where his mother was dying.

At Constantinople, St. Proclus, bishop.

On the Isle of Jersey, St. Maglorious, bishop. After he had resigned his episcopal see, which he had filled for three years toward his scattered flock in Brittany, he built a monastery on the Isle of Jersey, where he spent the remainder of his life in holiness. His body was later transferred to Paris.

In the monastery of Durin in Gaul, St. Martin, deacon and abbot. His body was removed to the monastery of Vertou.

In Campania, St. Mark the Solitary, whose remarkable deeds are recorded by Pope St. Gregory.

V. And elsewhere many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins.

R. Thanks be to God.

Footnotes: [1] They are usually called Himyarites. They lived in southwestern Arabia and are said to have been named after a king called Himyar.

Posted by billw at October 24, 2002 12:14 PM