Daily Devotions

The Twenty-second Day of August

The Octave of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. A solemn octave.

The Feast of the Immaculate Heart of the same Blessed Virgin Mary. A totum duplex feast of the second class.

At Rome, on the Via Ostia, the birthday of St. Timothy, martyr. He was arrested by Tarquin, prefect of the city, and suffered a long imprisonment because he refused to sacrifice to idols. He was scourged on ree occasions and, after passing through the most painful tortures, was at last beheaded.

At Autun, St. Symphorian, martyr. In the reign of the Emperor Aurelian, he refused to offer sacrifice to idols; (for this) he was first beaten and then imprisoned. He at last completed his martyrdom by being beheaded. A memory.

At Portus Romanus, St. Hippolytus, bishop, a man of great renown for his learning. Under the Emperor Alexander, for his noble confession of the faith, his hands and feet were tied and he was thrown into a deep pit full of water, thus receiving the palm of martyrdom. His body was buried by the Christians at the same place.

At Todi in Umbria, the birthday of the Florentine St. Philip Benizi, confessor. He was a zealous promoter of the Order of the Servants of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and was a man of great humility. The Sovereign Pontiff, Clement X, added his name to the list of the saints. His festival, however, is observed on August 23.

At Rome, St. Antoninus, martyr. He loudly declared himself to be a Christian, and was condemned by the judge Vitellius to capital punishment. He was buried on the Via Aurelia by Rufinus, a priest.

At Tarsus in Cilicia, the commemoration of the holy martyrs Athanasius, bishop, Anthusa, a noble lady whom he had baptized, and also her two servants Charisius and Neophytus. All of them suffered in the reign of the Emperor Valerian.

At Portus Romanus, the holy martyrs Martial, Saturninus, Epictetus, Maprilis, and Felix, with their companions.

At Nicomedia, the suffering of the holy martyrs Agathonicus, Zoticus, and their companions, under the Emperor Aurelian and the governor Eutholmius.

At Rheims in Gaul, the holy martyrs Maurus and his companions.

In Spain, the holy martyrs Fabrician and Philibert.

At Pavia (in Italy), St. Gunifort, martyr.

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

R. Thanks be to God.

Posted by billw at August 22, 2003 06:00 AM