Jmj

Today, December 2, we members of the Catholic Church family honor, in a special way, the following friends of God -- saints whose souls are now in heaven:

St. Aurelia (Roman, virgin, martyred by beating c. 256)
St. Vivian [Bibiana] (Roman, virgin, martyred by flogging c. 361)
St. Chromatius of Aquileia (Italian, priest, friend of Sts. Ambrose, John Chrysostom, and Jerome, scriptural commentator, d. 407)
St. Hippolytus (Roman, martyred by scourging c. 255)
St. John Amero (Spanish, Dominican brother, d. 1566)
St. Oderisius of Marsi (Italian, nobleman, Benedictine abbot, cardinal, poet, d. 1105)
St. Paulina (Roman, virgin, tortured and martyred c. 256)
St. Pontian (martyred at Rome c. 259)
Bl. Rafal Chylinski [baptized Melchior] (Polish, cavalry officer, Franciscan parish priest, d. 1741 [beatified 1991])
St. Silvanus (Constantinopolitan [Turkish], monk, bishop, c. 450)

If you have anything to share about these holy people, please reply now -- biographical episodes, prayers through their intercession, the fact that one is your patron saint -- whatever moves you. If you are interested in one of these saints and want to find out more about him/her, please ask. Information is sometimes available on the Internet.

All you holy men and women, saints of God, pray for us.
God bless you.
John


-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), December 02, 2001

Answers

-- (_@_._), December 02, 2001.

John, After St. Vivian was martyred. Her body was left for the hungry dogs to eat, but none would touch her. She was buried two days later.

St. Vivian pray for us.

David S

-- David S (asdzxc8176@aol.com), December 03, 2001.

Thanks for the beautiful addition, David!
Even the dogs recognized the saint's holiness and would not defile her, though evil men would.
JFG

-- (jfgecik@hotmail.com), December 03, 2001.

Jmj

On December 2, we members of the Catholic Church family honor, in a special way, the following friends of God -- saints and blesseds whose souls are now in heaven:

St. Aurelia of Rome (Italian, virgin, martyred by beating c. 256)
St. Chromatius of Aquileia (Italian, priest, friend of Sts. Ambrose, John Chrysostom, and Jerome, scriptural commentator, d. 407)
Sts. Eusebius, Marcellus, Maximus, Adria, Paulina, Neon, and Maria Martana, of Rome (Italian ... priest, deacon, and others ... martyred c. 256)
St. Hippolytus of Rome (Italian, martyred by scourging c. 256)
St. John Amero of Baeza [Juan] (Spanish, Dominican brother, d. 1566)
Bl. Liduina Meneguzzi of Giarre [baptized Elisa Angela] (Italian, daughter of farmers, virgin, religious of Institute of the Sisters of St. Francis de Sales, hospital nurse in Ethiopia, died [cancer] at age 40 in 1941 [beatified 2002])
St. Oderisio of Marsi (Italian, nobleman, Benedictine abbot, cardinal, poet, d. 1105)
St. Paulina of Rome (Italian, virgin, tortured and martyred c. 256)
St. Pontian of Rome (martyred c. 259)
Bl. Raphael Chylinski of Poznan [Rafal] [baptized Melchior] (Polish, cavalry officer, Franciscan parish priest, d. 1741 [beatified 1991])
St. Silvanus of Constantinople (from Asia Minor [Turkish], monk, bishop, c. 450)
St. Vivian of Rome [also known as Bibiana] (Italian, virgin, martyred by flogging c. 361)

If you have anything to share about these holy people, please reply now -- biographical episodes, prayers through their intercession, the fact that one is your patron -- whatever moves you. If you are interested in one of these saints or blesseds and want to find out more about him/her, please ask. Information is sometimes available on the Internet.

All you holy men and women, saints of God, pray for us.
God bless you.
John

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), December 02, 2003.

Pls. forgive the cut & paste.

St. Bibiana

Feast Day – December 2

St. Bibiana was born in Rome and lived there all her life. It was the time in Rome that persecutions against Christians were rampant. Bibiana’s father, named Flavian, was arrested, burned in the face with a hot iron, and was banished toa place called Acquapendente, where he died of his wounds a few days later. Bibiana’s mother was caught some time after and beheaded. Bibiana was left with her sister, Demetria, both alone in the world. They were both stripped of everything they had in the world and suffered greatly from poverty.

The Governor of Rome, Apronianus, summoned them to appear before him. Demetria, after being interrogated, made a public confession of her Faith and then immediately after, fell down and died at the foot of the tribunal, in the presence of the judge.

Apronianus then gave orders for Bibiana to be sent to a wicked woman named Rufina. Rufina tried to bring Bibiana towards another way of thinking, but Bibiana, using prayer as her shield, was invincible.

Apronianus was enraged at the courage and perseverance of this young virgin. He ordered that she be tied to a pillar and whipped with scourges. The whip they used was loaded with leaden plummets at the ends, causing the skin to have even bigger gashes than from a normal whip. All through her scourging, she remained cheerful. She finally died.

Children, try to follow the virtues of St. Bibiana. Pray for fidelity and patience to see you through all your trials and hardships. Don’t let the world’s vain pleasures lure you in, to try and distract you from your duty to God.

As St. Bibiana prayed when she saw she was in danger, pray much, dear children. Pray especially to our Holy Mother, who will lead you to her Son and ensure your eternal salvation, if you are faithful to her.

St. Bibiana, pray for us!

-- jake (j@k.e), December 02, 2003.