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On January 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. Basil the Great of Caesarea ["Father of Eastern Monasticism"] (Cappadocian [from part of what is now Turkey], son of two saints and brother of four, metropolitan [archbishop], writer of great monastic rule of the East, opponent of Arianism, Father and Doctor of the Church, died at about age 50 in 379)
St. Gregory the Younger of Arianzos [also called "Gregory Nazianzen" and "Gregory the Theologian"] (Cappadocian, son of two saints and brother of two, bishop of Nazianzos, theologian, opponent of Arianism, associate of St. Basil, Father and Doctor of the Church, died at about age 61 in 389)

St. Abel (son of Sts. Adam and Eve, shepherd, called innocent and righteous by Jesus [Matthew 23:35], murdered by brother Cain)
Sts. Acutus, Artaxus, Eugenda, Maximinianus, Tabias, Timothy, and Vitus, of Sirmium (Pannonian [from what is now Hungary], martyred c. 4th century)
St. Adelard of Corbie (French, Benedictine abbot in France and Germany, first cousin and advisor of Charlemagne, died at age 74 in 827 [canonized 1026])
St. Airaldus of Maurienne (French, Carthusian prior, bishop, d. 1160 [beatified 1863])
Sts. Argeus, Narcissus, and Marcellinus, of Tomi (brothers, soldiers, martyred [two beheaded, one drowned] in 320)
St. Aspasius of Auch (French, bishop, c. 560)
Bl. Bentivoglio de Bonis of San Severino (Italian, disciple of St. Francis of Assisi, died at age 44 in 1232 [beatified 1852])
St. Blidulf of Bobbio (Italian, monk, c. 630)
St. Caspar del Bufalo of Rome [Gaspare] (Italian, priest, founder of (parish) Missionaries of the Most Precious Blood [CPpS], died at age 51 in 1837 [beatified 1904, canonized 1954])
Bl. Gerard Cagnoli of Valenzo [Gerardo] (Italian, nobleman, hermit in Sicily, Franciscan brother, cook, died at about age 75 in 1345 [beatified 1908])
St. Isidore of Antioch (bishop, martyred c. 4th century)
St. Isidore of Nitria (Egyptian, bishop, 4th century)
Holy Book Martyrs of Rome (many anonymous martyrs who refused emperor's order to surrender religious books for burning, c. 303)
Holy Martyrs of Lichfield (British, number unknown, martyred in 304)
St. Macarius the Younger of Alexandria (Egyptian, merchant, hermit, priest, c. 401)
St. Martinian of Milan (Italian, bishop, opposed Nestorianism, c. 435)
St. Munchin the Wise of Limerick (Irish, bishop? c. 7th century)
St. Seiriol (Welsh, 6th century)
St. Siridion of Antioch (early bishop)
Bl. Stephanie of Quinzani [Stefania] (Italian, Dominican tertiary, mystic, stigmatist, died at age 72 in 1530 [beatified 1740])
St. Vincentian of Tulle (French, hermit, c. 730)

[From St. Basil the Great:]

"There is still time for endurance, time for patience, time for healing, time for change. Have you slipped? Rise up. Have you sinned? Cease. Do not stand among sinners, but leap aside. For when you turn away and weep, then you will be saved."

"O sinner, be not discouraged, but have recourse to Mary in all you necessities. Call her to your assistance, for such is the divine Will that she should help in every kind of necessity."

"By the command of your only-begotten Son, we communicate with the memory of your saints ... by whose prayers and supplications have mercy upon us all, and deliver us for the sake of your holy name." [Basilian liturgy, 373 A.D., used in some Eastern Church ceremonies]

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. Additional 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 24, 2004

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-- .. (.@...), January 02, 2005.