Saints of the Week: Carmel, Magdalen, L.Brindisi, Vincent dePaul, Prophets, Margaret, Bridget &More
Now more than ever America needs Heavenly intercession. Below are some of the saints we celebrated this past week, who will intercede with God for us.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel is honored on July 16 (read more here). “Today are commemorated the favors granted to the Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, successors to those early Christians who built a chapel in her honor on Mount Carmel. The institution and habit of the Carmelite Order as now known are due to [O]ur Lady’s instructions first to St. Simon Stock and later to Pope Honorius III. She promised special protection in life and after death to all who adopted the Tertiary’s rule of life and wore her habit.”1
St. Mary Magdalen (July 22), “of Magdala in Galilee, was the sister of St. Martha and St. Lazarus. First a sinner, she was converted by our Lord, Who raised Lazarus at her prayer. She stood at the cross ‘till our Lord sent forth His spirit.’ After His victory, Christ showed Himself to Magdalen and made her the messenger to announce His Resurrection to the Apostles.” The Prophet Elias or Elijah (July 20) was one of the greatest Old Testament prophets, who combatted paganism in the northern kingdom of Israel. He was taken up to Heaven in a chariot of fire.
St. Lawrence of Brindisi (July 21), “a Capuchin friar who for some years ruled his whole Order, acquired great fame for learning and eloquence, and labored with remarkable success in most parts of Europe preaching to Catholics, to Protestants, and to Jews. When 80,000 Turks invaded Hungary in 1605, he it was who inspired the united Christian armies of 18,000 men to the attack and himself led them to complete victory riding before them bearing a large cross. He died in Lisbon in 1611.” The Prophet Daniel (July 21), an Old Testament prophet, was a captive in Babylon. He was famously cast in the lions’ den but miraculously survived. He had a vision about the Messiah.
St. Vincent de Paul (July 19): “Leo XIII proclaimed St. Vincent the patron of all charitable associations [because of his dedicated work for those in need]. He was the founder of the Lazarists or the Priests of the Mission, and of the Sisters of Charity. He died in 1660.” St. Margaret of Antioch (July 20), daughter of a pagan priest but raised by a Christian nurse, was a shepherdess when she refused the lustful advances of a Roman prefect who vengefully denounced her to the authorities. “She perished by the sword at Antioch in Pisidia, during the persecution of Decius in 257.”
St. Bridget of Sweden (July 23) was a visionary, wife, mother, and courtier who founded the Bridgettines after her husband’s death. She became a pilgrim and worked for reform (d.1373). The Prophet Ezekiel (July 23) was an Old Testament prophet who spoke of the punishment and restoration of Israel. A Biblical book bears his name.
St. Apollinaris (July 23), “a disciple of St. Peter, came with the latter from Antioch to Rome. He was consecrated Bishop of Ravenna and preached the Gospel of Christ amidst many persecutions, including prison and exile. The Apostle of Ravenna was beaten to death in 79.” St. Christina of Tuscany (July 24) “was martyred at the age of ten, under Diocletian in 300.” Sts. Boris and Gleb (July 24) were the charitable and holy sons of Russian ruler St. Vladimir. Boris, a warrior, refused to challenge his older brother for the throne, but he and Gleb were martyred by their brother anyway.
St. Alexius (July 17), “the son of the Senator Euphemian, renounced all earthly things and departed as a pilgrim to [the Holy Land]. He returned after seven years and in his father’s house was taken for an indigent beggar. There he died … in 404.” St. Jerome Emilian (July 20), “of the noble Venetian family of Emiliani, left everything and became the Father of orphans and of the poor. He founded the Order of Somascha for the education of children. He died a victim of the plague in 1537.” St. Joseph Barsabas (July 20) was one of Christ’s 72 disciples, survived poisoning, and was Bishop of Eleutheropolis.
St. Camillus de Lellis (July 18): “Of the noble family of Lellis, St. Camillus, when still a young priest, consecrated his life to the service of the sick, even those stricken with the plague. He founded an Order of Hospitallers, which bears his name, and died a victim of his charity in 1614.” St. Praxedes (July 21), “a daughter of the Roman Senator Pudens and a sister of St. Pudentiana, consecrated her virginity to God and distributed all her wealth to the poor. She died in 164.”
The Compiègne Martyrs (July 17) were nuns martyred in the French Revolution. St. Jadwiga (July 17), Queen of Poland, married the Duke of Lithuania in a political marriage; he converted. She was pious and charitable (d.1399).
St. Christina the Astonishing (July 24) was a Belgian mystic who came back from the dead to report she had seen Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory. She was a miracle-worker (d.1224). St. Charbel Makhlouf (July 24) was a “Maronite Catholic priest, monk, and hermit [from Lebanon] who is known for working miracles both during his life and after his death.” St. Macrina the Younger (July 19), from a family of saints, was a virgin, Biblical scholar, and educator of her brothers Sts. Peter and Gregory (d.379).
Bl. Basil Hopko (July 23), born in Slovakia, was a bishop arrested and tortured by Communists. St. Syntyche of Philippi (July 22) is mentioned by St. Paul in the Letter to the Philippians. St. Victor of Marseilles (July 21) was a Roman soldier tortured and martyred in 290. Pope Symmachus (July 19) came to the office amidst schism in 498, endured much persecution, and fought heresy. Bl. Pavol Gojdic (July 17) was a Slovak bishop and Apostolic administrator imprisoned for life by Communists. St. Szymon of Lipnica (July 18) was a charitable Polish cleric (d.1482).
St. Marcellina (July 17), sister of St. Ambrose, practiced great penances (d.398). St. Yangzhi Lang (July 16) was a Chinese laywoman, martyred in the Boxer Rebellion with her son St. Paulus Lang Fu. Pope St. Leo IV (July 17) rebuilt after Saracen ravages and worked miracles (d.855). St. Reinildis of Saintes (July 16) was a Belgian pilgrim and hermitess martyred by pagans.
Have a blessed week!
Quotes without links in this article are taken from the Latin Mass Missal.