Saints of the Week: Martin of Tours, Josaphat, Archangels, Pope Leo, John Duns Scotus, Peter Wu Guosheng, & More
Happy Sunday! As we approach the penitential season of Advent, which leads up to Christmas, it’s a good time to reflect on what it means to sacrifice and suffer for God, as the saints we celebrated this week did.
St. Martin of Tours (Nov. 11) was a Roman soldier and convert who famously cut his cloak to give half to a beggar, and then later saw a vision where Jesus revealed He had been the beggar Martin helped! Martin later decided his faith prevented him from continuing to fight, and he went to be a spiritual student of St. Hilary of Poitiers and founder of a monastery. He became the reluctant bishop of Tours, in modern France, and governed his diocese while living in a hermit’s cell. He preached against the heresy of Arianism but asked that heretics not be executed. He saw visions, and did much good for his people—once an angel woke up the emperor to tell him Martin was coming to ask for mercy for a prisoner!
St. Josaphat Kuncevyc (Nov. 12): “[B]ishop of Polotsk. Josaphat Kuncewicz, bishop of the Greek Catholic Church and martyr, spurred his flock to Catholic unity by his constant effort and nurtured the Byzantine-Slavic Church by his pious love. At Vitebsk in Belarus (then under the control of Poland), he was cruelly seized by an angry mob and died for the unity of the Church and in defense of the Catholic truth [died 1623. ECPubs].”
The title of Archangels (Nov. 8, Byzantine calendar) refers to two groups: the second of the nine choirs of angels, and also more particularly (Tobit 12:15) “the seven [angels], who stand before the Lord.” The archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael are all mentioned in the Bible.
Pope St. Leo the Great (Nov. 10) was a theologian and bishop who fought against the heresy of Nestorianism, which taught that Christ had two persons (instead of two natures)—divine and human—and rejected Mother Mary’s title of “Theotokos,” or “God-bearer” (they argued that Mary only carried the human person of Christ). The true doctrine is that Christ has two natures united in one person, meaning Mary was in fact the Theotokos. Leo also argued against the heresy of Eutyches—which said Jesus had only one nature—and other heresies too, including by calling the Council of Chalcedon. He saved Rome from destruction by Attila the Hun. When Leo came out to stop Attila from attacking Rome, the invader saw a vision of a priest threatening to strike him with a sword, and left (the vision is generally believed to be St. Peter). Pope Leo also interceded to protect his people from the invasion of Genseric. Leo is a Doctor of the Church (d. 461).
Bl. John Duns Scotus (Nov. 8) was a Scottish Franciscan, a professor at Cambridge, University of Paris, and Oxford, and a brilliant theologian. John borrowed from many thinkers—pagan, Christian, and Muslim—but was nevertheless an original thinker too. His defense of the teaching of Mary’s Immaculate Conception—that Mary was preserved from sin through the foreseen merits of Christ from the moment of her conception—was so powerful that it became the official teaching of the University of Paris and later led to the pope’s doctrinal definition of the Immaculate Conception. John died while teaching in Germany.
St. Peter Wu Guosheng (Nov. 7) was an 18th century married Chinese innkeeper who converted to Catholicism and began enthusiastically evangelizing others. Arrested for his refusal to abandon the faith, Peter led other prisoners in prayer and wrote letters to his wife encouraging her to focus on Heaven. As he arrived at the execution site, where he was hanged, he reportedly exclaimed, “Heaven, heaven, my hometown! I saw the glory of heaven, I saw the Savior Jesus! I saw the Mother of God and my guardian angel coming down to meet me!”
St. Theodore Stratelates (Nov. 9) was a Roman soldier and commander who served honorably until an imperial persecution of Christians put an end to his career. He was tortured and then martyred, reportedly either by beheading or crucifixion.
St. Andrew Avellino (Nov. 10): “Theologian, founder, and friend of St. Charles Borromeo.” He was a successful lawyer but he committed perjury, and so reevaluated his life and instead accepted the task of reforming a convent. He was attacked by men who objected to the reformation. “Andrew entered the Order of Theatines, which had been founded just a few years before by St. Cajetan. After completing his novitiate, Andrew visited the shrines of Rome, returning to Naples to become the director of novices for the Theatines. He also founded several new Theatine monasteries, serving as superior in some. St. Charles Borromeo learned to depend on Andrew's wisdom in affairs of the Church. He also wrote treatises and preached. Andrew died on November 10, 1608.”
The Lateran Basilica (Nov. 9) is the oldest and first in rank of the basilicas of Rome; its name comes from the fact that the original structure was once the palace of the Laterani family, which Emperor Constantine gave to the Church and pope. Bl. Thomas Ochia Jihyoe (Nov. 6) was a Japanese Augustinian priest who evangelized and ministered to persecuted Christians in Japan for years before he was caught and brutally tortured and martyred. There are many Martyrs of the Spanish Civil War, killed by Communists, but on Nov. 6 they are celebrated as a group. All Welsh Saints are celebrated as a group on Nov. 8, All Irish Saints on Nov. 6, and All Dominican Saints are celebrated Nov. 7.
St. Benignus of Armagh (Nov. 9) was an Irish companion of St. Patrick, a noted singer, abbot, evangelizer, and bishop. St. Christina of Stommeln (Nov. 6) was a German girl mystically wed to Christ in a childhood vision; she became a nun and experienced demonic attacks and mystical phenomena for years. Pope St. Adeodatus I (Nov. 8) worked to help the poor, to ameliorate political upheaval, and began the practice of sealing official documents with lead seals or “bullae”—hence the term “papal bulls.” St. Menas Kallikelados (Nov. 11) was a Roman soldier from Egypt, tortured and martyred for preaching Christianity during a pagan festival c. 300. St. Nilus the Elder (Nov. 12) was a 5th century married layman and later a monk on Mt. Sinai and friend of St. John Chrysostom. Sts. Tryphaena and Tryphosa (Nov. 10) were converts mentioned by St. Paul in the Letter to the Romans.
St. Paul of Constantinople (Nov. 6) was an archbishop exiled by Arian heretics multiple times, and eventually martyred by them. The 33 Melitene Martyrs (Nov. 7) were 3rd century Christians who refused idolatry and went to their deaths singing. St. Lazarus the Wonderworker (Nov. 7) was a monk in the Holy Land, and later a stylite in Galilee (stylites live on pillars). The Martyrs of Constantinople (Nov. 9) tried to defend a holy image of Jesus from Iconoclast heretics and were martyred under Emperor Leo the Isaurian. St. Theodore the Studite (Nov. 11) was head of a Constantinople monastery, persecuted for opposing the Iconoclast heresy (which destroyed holy images). St. Cadwallader (Nov. 12) was a Welsh king who left his throne for baptism in Rome.
St. Astricus of Esztergom (Nov. 12) was a Bohemian monk and missionary to Hungary; as archbishop there, he crowned and advised King St. Stephen. St. Engelbert of Berg (Nov. 7) was the archbishop of Cologne, Germany, assassinated for his defense of a group of nuns in the 1200s. Bl. Kamen Vitchev (Nov. 11) was a Bulgarian priest, educator, and writer martyred in 1952 by Communists. St. Cynfran (Nov. 11) was the son of Welsh King St. Brychan and founder of a church in Wales. St. Winnoc of Wormhoult (Nov. 6) was a monk who founded a church in England and then a church, monastery, and hospital in Belgium. St. Godfrey of Amiens (Nov. 8) was a monk from early childhood and then an abbot and bishop. St. Illtyd (Nov. 6) was a married layman and then founder of an abbey; legend makes him one of King Arthur’s knights of the Holy Grail.
St. Lebuin of Deventer (Nov. 12), “Apostle to the Frisians,” evangelized in the Netherlands and impressed the Saxon National Assembly. Bl. Ludovico Morbioli (Nov. 9) was an Italian married layman and later a street preacher and a monk. St. John the Almoner (Nov. 11) was a Cypriot noble, husband, and father; he later became Patriarch of Alexandria and was famous for his charity to the poor. St. Justus of Canterbury (Nov. 10) “was a Benedictine monk, priest, and missionary to the Anglo-Saxons.” St. Leonard of Noblac (Nov. 6) was a 6th century French courtier and then hermit and founder of an abbey. King St. Elaeth (Nov. 10) was a 6th century British king and then a monk in Wales. St. Aedh mac Bricc (Nov. 10) was an Irish miracle-worker and monk.
You can also read about Melaine of Rennes, Felix of Fondi, and Barlaam of Novgorod (Nov. 6); Anthony Baldinucci, Vincent Liêm and Hyacinth, and Prosdocimus of Padua (Nov. 7); John Baptist Con, Elizabeth Catez, Willehad of Bremen, Cybi, Four Crowned Martyrs, and Maria Satellico (Nov. 8); María del Carmen González-Ramos, Valentín Gil Arribas, Gabriel Ferretti, George Napper, Helen of Hungary, and Gratia of Cattaro (Nov. 9); Baudolino, Theoctiste of Lesbos, Demetrius of Antioch and companions, and Joaquin Pina Piazuelo (Nov. 10); Luigia Poloni, Bartholomew of Rossano, and Mercurius (Nov. 11); and Five Polish Brothers, Didacus of Alcala, Cunibert of Köln, and Livinus (Nov. 12).
Have a blessed week!