Saint Anthony: Born: 12 January 251; Died: 17 January 356
Patronage:
Animals, skin diseases, farmers, butchers, the poor, basket makers, brush-makers, gravediggers
Saint of the Day – January 16 – Saint Marcellus I, Pope and Martyr
Saint Marcellus: Born: 255; Died: 309/310
Papacy began: 27 May 304
Papacy ended: 16 January 309/310
Saint of the Day – January 15 – Saint Paul, The First Hermit
Saint of the day – January 14 – Saint Felix of Nola
Saint of the day – January 13 – Saint Hilary of Poitiers, Bishop, Doctor of the Church
Saint of the day – January 12 – Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys
St. Marguerite Bourgeoys, came to Montreal to establish a school. She later founded the Congregation of Notre Dame.
Saint of the day – January 11 – Saint Theodosius, Abbot
Saint of the day – January 10 – Saint William of Bourges
Saint of the Day – August 2 – Saint Eusebius of Vercelli
Saint Eusebius of Vercelli’s Story (c. 300 – August 1, 371)
Someone has said that if there had been no Arian heresy denying Christ’s divinity, it would be very difficult to write the lives of many early saints. Eusebius is another of the defenders of the Church during one of its most trying periods.
Born on the isle of Sardinia, he became a member of the Roman clergy, and is the first recorded bishop of Vercelli in Piedmont in northwest Italy. Eusebius was also the first to link the monastic life with that of the clergy, establishing a community of his diocesan clergy on the principle that the best way to sanctify his people was to have them see a clergy formed in solid virtue and living in community.
He was sent by Pope Liberius to persuade the emperor to call a council to settle Catholic-Arian troubles. When it was called at Milan, Eusebius went reluctantly, sensing that the Arian block would have its way, although the Catholics were more numerous. He refused to go along with the condemnation of Saint Athanasius; instead, he laid the Nicene Creed on the table and insisted that all sign it before taking up any other matter. The emperor put pressure on him, but Eusebius insisted on Athanasius’ innocence and reminded the emperor that secular force should not be used to influence Church decisions. At first the emperor threatened to kill him, but later sent him into exile in Palestine. There the Arians dragged him through the streets and shut him up in a little room, releasing him only after his four-day hunger strike. They resumed their harassment shortly after.
His exile continued in Asia Minor and Egypt, until the new emperor permitted him to be welcomed back to his see in Vercelli. Eusebius attended the Council of Alexandria with Athanasius and approved the leniency shown to bishops who had wavered. He also worked with Saint Hilary of Poitiers against the Arians.
Eusebius died peacefully in his own diocese at what was then considered an advanced age.
Reflection
Catholics in the U.S. have sometimes felt penalized by an unwarranted interpretation of the principle of separation of Church and state, especially in the matter of Catholic schools. Be that as it may, the Church is happily free today from the tremendous pressure put on it after it became an “established” Church under Constantine. We are happily rid of such things as a pope asking an emperor to call a Church council, Pope John I being sent by the emperor to negotiate in the East, or the pressure of kings on papal elections. The Church cannot be a prophet if it’s in someone’s pocket.
Saint of the Day – January 9th – Saint Adrain of Canterbury
The famous Abbot of St. Augustine’s in Canterbury, was likely born in Libya Cyrenaica, North Africa.
Adrian decided to become a monk early in life and eventually rose to the position of Abbot at Hiridanum (the Isle of Nisida), in the Bay of Naples. It was there that he became acquainted with the Emperor Constans II and later with Pope Vitalian.
Adrian became a valuable advisor to the pontiff and, three years later, was offered the position of Archbishop of Canterbury. He declined the papal appointment, but was persuaded to accompany Theodore to England as a trusted counselor.
After spending time in France, he arrived in Britain and immediately succeeded Benedict Biscop as Abbot of St. Augustine’s Abbey in Canterbury. He established a flourishing monastic school, where many future bishops and abbots were educated in Latin, Greek, scripture, theology, Roman law and arithmetic.
St. Adrain died on Jan. 9 at Canterbury, Kent. Several hundred years after his death, Adrian’s body was discovered in an incorrupt state.