Saints O'the Day

May 6


Blessed Antony Middleton & Edward Jones MM (AC) Died 1590; beatified in 1929. Antony Middleton was born at Middleton Tyas, Yorkshire, England, and educated for the secular priesthood at Rheims, France. Edward Jones was born in the diocese of Saint Asaph, Wales, and educated at Douai. He labored as a missionary priest in England from 1635 until his death. Both were hanged, drawn, and quartered at Clerkenwell, London, for being priests (Benedictines).
Benedicta of Rome V (RM) 6th century. Benedicta was a nun of the convent founded in Rome by Saint Galla, of whom Saint Gregory the Great narrates that her death was foretold to her by Saint Peter in a vision (Benedictines).
Blessed Bonizella Piccolomini, Widow (PC) Died 1300. When Naddo Piccolomini died, his Sienese wife Bonizella devoted herself and all her wealth to the service of the poor in the district of Belvederio, Italy (Benedictines).
Colman Mac Ui Cluasigh (AC) (also known as Colman of Cork) Died 7th century. This Saint Colman was a professor at Cork. About 664, he wrote a prayer in verse (or lorica) seeking protection for the yellow plague that killed one-third of Ireland's population. He took his students to an island in the ocean to escape the pestilence. En route they chanted the prayer, which is believed to be the only extant writing from Finbarr's school at Cork. The prayer was included in Kathleen Hoagland's 1000 years of Irish poetry (D'Arcy, Healy, Hoagland).
Edbert of Lindisfarne, OSB B (RM) (also known as Eadbert, Eadbeorht)
Died May 6, 698. When Saint Cuthbert, bishop of Lindisfarne, died in 687, he was succeeded by Saint Edbert. The venerable Bede wrote that Edbert was a man noted for his knowledge of the Scriptures and for his obedience to God's commandments, and especially for his generosity. Bede tells us that Saint Edbert every year "obeyed the law of the Old Testament by giving one tenth of all his cattle, his crops, his fruit, and his clothing to the poor." Eleven years after Cuthbert's death, his coffin was opened and the body was found to be incorrupt, the joints still pliable and the clothing fresh and bright. Edbert kissed the clothing that had covered the saint's body, then ordered that new garments be put on the saint and a new coffin made. The coffin, he said, must be given a place of honor. And he instructed his monks to leave a space under it for his own grave, which he filled within a very short time. Edbert imitated his predecessor in other acts of godliness, spending 40 days in solitary meditation twice annually (Lent and before Christmas) on a small island, and building fine churches for the worship of God. He installed a leaden roof on the wooden church built by Saint Finan and dedicated to Saint Peter on Lindisfarne. Edbert lies, like Cuthbert, in Durham Cathedral, for the bodies of both saints were carried there in 875 after many years of being moved around to escape the marauders from Scandinavia (Benedictines, Bentley, Farmer, Husenbeth).
Evodius of Antioch BM (RM) Died c. 64-67. Evodius is traditionally conceived as one of the 72 disciples commissioned by Jesus. Tradition has him ordained and consecrated bishop of Antioch by one of the Apostles, probably Peter, who it is said he succeeded. It is believed that Evodius coined the word 'Christian' (Benedictines, Coulson, Delaney).
Heliodorus, Venustus & Comp. MM (RM) 3rd century. Heliodurus and Venustus were among a group of 77 martyrs who suffered under Diocletian. Heliodorus and seven others died in Africa; Saint Ambrose (December 7) claims the rest of them for Milan--I'm not sure why they are lumped together in one entry of the martyrology (Benedictines).
Lucius of Cyrene B (RM) 1st century. Saint Lucius was one of the 'prophets and doctors' in the church at Antioch when Paul and Barnabas were consecrated for their apostolate (Acts 13:1). It is said that he was from 'Cyrene,' which is the source of the tradition that he was the first bishop of the city in the Ptolemais (Africa) (Benedictines).
Petronax of Monte Cassino, OSB Abbot (AC)
Born at Brescia, Lombardy, Italy; died c. 747. Just as the English monks suffered the depredations of marauders from Scandinavia, so the monastery of Monte Cassino had been grievously ruined when Lombards invaded that part of Italy in 581. Scarcely a stone stood on another in 717 when Petronax was induced by Pope Saint Gregory II to make a pilgrimage to the tomb of Saint Benedict and visit the fallen monastery with the view of restoring cenobitical life at the monastery. Petronax found a few hermits there, who elected him their superior. Other disciples soon gathered around them. The saint determined to raise Monte Cassino to its old glory. Generous nobles, especially the duke of Beneventum, and three popes supported this effort. From Pope Zachary he obtained the rule of the monastery, written in Saint Benedict's own hand. The pope also gave him the monastery's old measure for bread and wine. Before Petronax died, Benedict's monastery on Monte Cassino was reborn, its old vigor restored. Saint Willibald, bishop of Eichstätt, and Saint Sturmius of Fulda were both monks under Petronax, the 'second founder of Monte Cassino' (Benedictines, Bentley, Coulson, Walsh).
Protogenes of Syria B (RM) 4th century. Protogenes, a priest, was banished by the Arian Emperor Valens. He was recalled under Theodosius and consecrated bishop of Carrhae, Syria (Benedictines).
Blessed Prudentia Castori, OSA V (PC) Died 1492. Blessed Prudentia joined the hermits of Saint Augustine at Milan and later became abbess-founder of a new convent at Como, where she died (Benedictines).
Theodotus of Cyprus B (RM) Died c. 325. Bishop Theodotus of Cyrenia, Cyprus, suffered a long term of imprisonment under Lucinius (Benedictines).

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Copyright © 1999 | Katherine I. Rabenstein | Created August 1999