"...poverty and humility constitute real glory...although custom may warrant the profane panegyrist in extolling the character of a person by referring to the nobility of his birth and to the glorious achievements of his ancestors, yet the laws of truth shall forever prohibit us from praising any one except for his own virtues. The holy Father [St. Basil] insists that our saint [St. Mammas] was but a poor shepherd, who could boast of no worldly distinction ; and indeed the reader is inclined to suspect that he was anxious to contradict some apocryphal accounts that would attribute noble ancestry to St. Mammas, for he emphatically says, "Yes, a shepherd ! Let us not be ashamed of the truth. Let us not imitate the profane writers of fable." --St. Basil
Even the most ferocious animals are said to have proceeded to his cave to be relieved. If they found the saint in prayer, they would patiently wait until he had done; nor would they depart until they had received his blessing.
Four different manuscript acts of this saint have been published by Bollandus, who observes that the first, which was found in a monastery of Canons Regular, is of very great antiquity. These four MSS. agree in the leading facts, and all mention the circumstance of the beasts visit ing our saint and being blessed by him. The MS. III. compares St. Blase, in this respect, to Daniel in the den of lions, and to Elias in the wilderness, and MS. IV., which was in the possession of Cardinal Baronius, observes that, as the prophet was fed by ravens, so our saint was supplied with food by the wild beasts that frequented his cave. As it was the sin of man that first rendered animals savage towards him, it has been regarded as a proof of the innocence and sanctity of a person to find wild beasts inoffensive and familiar with him; and several instances of this mark of holiness are to be met with in the " Lives of the Saints."
July 27.
SPAIN was honored by the martyrdom of many Christians under the Moors, in the ninth century. Among these was Aurelius, who was born in Corduba, of an opulent and noble family. His father was a Mahomedan, and his mother a Christian; but having been left an orphan very young, he was reared by his aunt in the Christian religion. The Mahomedan books which the Moors made him read served only to convince him of the falsity of their sect, and to make him more enamoured of the religion of Jesus Christ. Urged by his relatives to marry, he espoused Natalia, a Christian virgin, remark able for her piety.
Aurelius was related to a certain Christian named Felix, who had unhappily denied the faith; but although he repented of this sin he had not the courage to proclaim himself, and accordingly lived very retired with his wife; both families, however, lived on terms of the strictest intimacy.
Aurelius one day saw a certain Christian merchant called John cruelly scourged in the public square, and afterwards dragged through the city; after which sight he returned home and said to his wife: "Thou art continually exhorting me to retire from the world. I believe the hour has now arrived, in which God calls me to a more perfect life. Let us, therefore, from this day forward live as brother and sister; let us give our whole attention to the service of God, and prepare ourselves for martyrdom." Natalia instantly adopted the advice, and from that hour they gave themselves to a more holy life of prayer and mortification. Among other works of Christian charity, Aurelius visited the men and Natalia the women who were imprisoned for the faith; and among these confessors they met a holy priest named Eulogius, who afterwards wrote the Acts of their martyrdom. He advised Aurelius to put his children in a place of safety; and, having left them a competence, to sell the remainder of his goods, and give the money to the poor. Meanwhile, two holy virgins, Mary and Flora, who had been visited in prison by Natalia, suffered martyrdom, and afterwards appeared to her in a vision, dressed in white robes and resplendent with glory. Natalia at this happy sight said to them: " Shall I also have the blessed lot to tread the same path which con ducted you to heaven?" "Yes," they replied, "for thee also is martyrdom being prepared thou shalt shortly be with us in glory." Natalia related her vision to Au- relius. From that moment they thought of nothing but preparing themselves to die for Jesus Christ; and, ac cording to the advice of Eulogius, distributed their property to the poor.
At this time there came to Corduba a certain monk, from Palestine, named George, who had lived for twenty-seven years in the monastery of St. Saba. He had been sent by the abbot of another monastery, con taining nearly five hundred religious, to Africa, for the purpose of collecting alms; but on his arrival he found the Christians greatly oppressed by the Moors, and ac cordingly passed into Spain, where he found religion similarly circumstanced. Uncertain what course to adopt, he repaired to a certain monastery of exemplary religious, at Tabnes, to recommend himself to their prayers. He here met Natalia, who upon seeing him, exclaimed: "This good monk is destined to be our companion in martyrdom!" It so happened; for on the following day Natalia brought him to her own house at Corduba, where they found Felix and his wife Liliosa speaking with Aurelius concerning their desire of dying for Jesus Christ. Moved by divine grace, they all resolved to repair to the church, that, thus declaring them selves to be Christians, they might obtain the wished for crown.
They were not arrested in the church; but on their return, being asked by a Moorish officer why they had entered the church, they answered: "The faithful are wont to visit the tombs of the martyrs; and we have done so, because we are Christians." The officer instantly sent a report to the governor, and on the following day a guard was sent to the house. Having arrived at the door, they cried out: Come forth, ye wretches! come to the death, since ye are weary of life!" Aurelius and Felix appeared, accompanied by their wives; and George, the monk, perceiving that the soldiers heeded him not, said to them: "Why will ye compel Christians to follow your false religion ?" For these words he was instantly maltreated by the soldiers, with blows and kicks, and knocked prostrate on the ground; whereupon Natalia said: "Rise, brother, and we shall proceed."
The holy monk answered: " Meanwhile, sister, I have earned this much for Christ;" and having raised himself up very much bruised, he was in that state presented with the rest to the governor, who asked them why they thus blindly ran to death, and made them promises of the most ample rewards if they would renounce Jesus Christ. They answered with one accord: " These promises can avail nothing. We despise this present life, because we hope for a better one. We love our faith, and abhor every other religion." Hereupon the governor sent them to prison, and having found them constant in their faith at the end of five days, condemned them all to death, with the exception of George. But the holy monk having declared that Mahomet was a disciple of the devil, and that his followers were in a state of perdition, he also was condemned with his companions.
While they were proceeding to the place of execution Natalia encouraged the others to suffer with fortitude; which so irritated the soldiers that they ceased not to buffet and kick her until they arrived at the appointed place, where all these blessed martyrs received the crown, on the 2th July, in the year 852.
In 1586, he had a vision in which there appeared to him two persons of celestial exterior, who thus spoke to him: "Know that on the lands over which you rule, the sign of Jesus is found; honor and love it much, for it is not the work of man." Six months afterwards, it happened that a fervent Christian from the neighborhood of Arima sent his son to the woods for the purpose of cutting firewood. On his arrival the young man noticed a tree that was somewhat dried up; he split it in two, and found inserted in the middle of it a cross of a brown color and of a regular form. At the sight of this prodigy every one was struck with astonishment. As soon as he heard of this, he went himself to the place, and on seeing the cross he cried out: "Behold the sign of Jesus, that I was told was hidden in my dominions, and that was not made by the hand of man." He then fell on his knees, and after having venerated it amidst many tears, he had it carried to Arima, where by his order it was fromed in a magnificent crystal. This miraculous cross brought about the conversion of twenty thousand people.
OUR European priests who undertook to evangelize Japan were at first very successful; but in the year 1586 God made known by several signs the approach of a long and bloody persecution that was menacing the rising church. Among these signs the following is particularly remarkable: The King of Arima, named Protasius, a good and zealous Christian,had a vision in which there appeared to him two persons of celestial exterior, who thus spoke to him: "Know that on the lands over which you rule, the sign of Jesus is found; honor and love it much, for it is not the work of man." Six months afterwards, it happened that a fervent Christian from the neighborhood of Arima sent his son to the woods for the purpose of cutting firewood. On his arrival the young man noticed a tree that was somewhat dried up; he split it in two, and found inserted in the middle of it a cross of a brown color and of a regular form. At the sight of this prodigy every one was struck with astonishment. As soon as the king heard of this, he went himself to the place, and on seeing the cross he cried out: "Behold the sign of Jesus, that I was told was hidden in my dominions, and that was not made by the hand of man." He then fell on his knees, and after having venerated it amidst many tears, he had it carried to Arima, where by his order it was formed in a magnificent crystal. This miraculous cross brought about the conversion of twenty thousand people.
Complete information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Caius_k
Blessed Caius of Korea (1571-1625) was one of the 205 martyrs of Japan that Pope Pius IX beatified in 1867, after he had canonized 26 Martyrs of Japan in 1862. Caius was born in Korea and was given to a Buddhist monastery by his parents. He left the monastery because he could not find the peace that he wanted there. He went into a mountain to live as a hermit, and found a cave of a tiger, which which he lived with. The tiger did not harm Caius, and later went away to find another dwelling.
Caius exerted himself all kinds of mortification; he only ate what was necessary to preserve his life.
One night that he was in meditation, a man of majestic aspect appeared to him, and said to him:
"Take courage; in one year you will pass the sea, and, after many work and from fatigues, you will obtain the object of your desire."
The same year, in 1592, the Japan invaded Korea, and Caius was made a prisoner. While heading to Japan, they suffered a shipwreck at Tsushima island. Caius ran away at the coast. Allured by the austere life of the Buddhist monks, he thought he found what he sought for many years, and withdrew himself in one of the most famous pagodas of Kyoto. (His master allowed him to go live at the pagoda).
It didn't take long until he felt that he could not find the peace that he wanted there. This mistake caused him a so great sorrow that he became ill. During his illness, it seemed to him that he saw the pagoda all on fire, then a child of a charming beauty appeared to him and comforted him:
"Fear no more", he told him, "you are close to obtaining the happiness you desire."
He was completely cured after the dream and left the temple and went back to his master, who introduced him to a Christian, who in turn introduced him to the Jesuit priests. He was converted and received baptism immediately.
While he was instructed, one of the Fathers showed him a picture representing Our Lord: "Oh! here", he exclaimed, "here is who appeared to me in my cave, and who predicted all to me that arrived to me."
He served the sick, especially the leprous.
In 1614, he went to the Philippines with a general of the armies of Japan who was exiled for the faith. After the death of the general, he went back to Japan, and began again his functions of catechist. He was a great help to the missionaries by preaching in his native language to the Koreans who were brought to Japan after the war.
In 1625, he was burned at the stake with James Coici, a Japanese martyr.
- ^ 이 조선인 가이오는 일본에 머물 수도 있었지만 스스로 자진하여 영주의 봉사자로 추방되는 길을 택하였다」. 이어 「가이오는 1571년에 조선에서 태어났는데 양친은 그를 사원에 바쳤다. 불승으로서, 은둔자로서 동굴생활을 하고 있던 중, 1592년 포로가 되어 교토에 끌려왔다. 그의 주인은 애정 깊은 사람이어서 교토의 어느 사원에 들어갈 수 있게 하였다. 그러나 그는 여기서도 결코 영혼의 안식을 얻을 수가 없어 고뇌에 빠져 병에 걸렸다. 가이오는 다시 전 주인을 찾아가 기리시탄을 소개받아 교토의 교회에서 세례를 받았다. 그 후 예비수사로 예수회 수도원에서 생활의 모범을 보였다. 일본인 뿐 아니라 3년 전에 끝난 전쟁으로 많은 조선인이 있어 그들에게 자국말로 설교를 하여 우리들로써는 큰 행복이었다」라고 말하고 있다. 가이오는 예수회의 전도사로서의 일을 오사카에서 시작하여 사카이와 가나자와에서 봉사하다가 추방의 무리에 합세하였다. 그 후 가이오는 다시 일본에 잠입하여 순교하게 된다. http://www.catholictimes.org/news/news_view.cath?seq=27387
- ^ "
the young Korean Caius was burned at the stake at Nangasaki. His history proves, in a bright way, that God would rather make a miracle than to abandon someone who follows the lights of its conscience, and seeks the truth of a right and docile heart. Born some time before the entering of the Japanese, he as a youth had an extreme desire to arrive at the true happiness, i.e. with a happiness which did not have end. He withdrew into solitude to meditate with more ease on this happiness which he sought. He had as a dwelling only a cave, which he shared with a tiger, which occupied it before him. This wild animal respected its host; it even yielded the cave to him some time after, and withdrew elsewhere.
The young recluse in the single view of preserving his innocence, exerted all kinds of mortifications; he abstained from all that was not absolutely necessary to the life. One night that he was in meditation, a man of majestic aspect appeared to him, and said to him:
"Take courage; in one year you will pass the sea, and, after many work and from fatigues, you will obtain the object of your desire."
This same year, the Japanese invaded Korea, and the young recluse was made a prisoner. The vessel which transported him to Japan having been shipwrecked close to the Tsushima island, Caius ran away at the coast; those who led the vessel probably perished in the floods. At all events, he recovered his freedom. Allured by the austere life of the bonzes, he believed to have found what he sought since so many years, and withdrew himself in one of the most famous pagodas of Kyoto.
But it was not a long time to realize of his error; these idolatrous monks were nothing less than of the perfect men. This mistake caused him a so great sorrow that he fell sick from there. During his disease, it seemed to him to see the pagoda all on fire, then a child of a charming beauty appeared to him and comforted him:
"Fear no more", he told him, "you are close to obtaining the happiness you desire."
He was not yet cured when he abandoned the Buddhist monastery. The very same day, he met a Christian with whom he told his sorrows and his adventures; this one brought him at once to the college of Jesuits, where one informed him of the mysteries of the religion. As his heart was already prepared to receive the divine inspiration, he believed without hesitating, tasted without sorrow holy morals of the Gospel, and asked baptism immediately. They did not think it fit to subject him to a longer test, and the grace of the sacrament produced in a soul laid out so well of the admirable effects. While he was instructed, one of the Fathers showed him a table representing Our Lord: "Oh! here, he exclaimed, here is who appeared to me in my cave, and who predicted all to me that arrived to me"
He was put to the missionaries and was devoted to the care of the patients, especially the leprous ones. There is no virtue in which this predestined soul has not set an example: mortifications almost excessive, charity for the unhappy ones, eager care for the missionaries, whose work and dangers he shared, zeal for the salvation of souls, etc... Nothing was above his powers when needed to testify for the recognition of a God who had conferred on him so many graces, even before he could know and appreciate His gifts. In 1614, he followed to the Philippines, Ukandono, a general of the armies of Japan, who was exiled for the faith. After the death of this great man, he went back to Japan, and took again his functions of catechist.
Persecution taking everyday a more alarming character, he believed himself obligated to redouble his fervor; he multiplied his austerities and his prayers. God rewarded him so much for his virtues by a glorious martyrdom. The neophyte having gone one day, according to his habit, to visit the confessors of the faith, declared himself Christian and catechist; he was stopped at once and led in the prisons of Nangasaki, where he had to suffer much. He submitted with admirable constancy."
"le jeune Coréen Caïo fut brûlé vif à Nangasaki. Son histoire prouve, d'une manière éclatante, que Dieu ferait un miracle plutôt que d'abandonner un infidèle qui suit les lumières de sa conscience, et cherche la vérité d'un cœur droit et docile. Né quelque temps avant l'invasion japonaise, il éprouva dès son jeune âge un désir extrême de parvenir au vrai bonheur, c'est-à-dire à un bonheur qui n'eût point de fin. Il se retira dans une solitude pour méditer plus à son aise sur cette félicité qu'il cherchait. Il n'avait pour habitation qu'une caverne, qu'il partageait avec un tigre qui l'occupait avant lui. Ce féroce animal respecta son hôte ; il lui céda même la caverne quelque temps après, et se retira ailleurs. Le jeune solitaire dans l'unique vue de conserver son innocence, s'exerçait à toutes sortes de mortifications ; il s'abstenait de tout ce qui n'était pas absolument nécessaire à la vie. Une nuit qu'il était en méditation, un homme d'aspect majestueux lui apparut, et lui dit : « Prends courage; dans un an tu passeras la mer, et, après bien des travaux et des fatigues, tu obtiendras l'objet de tes désirs. » Cette même année, les Japonais entrèrent en Corée, et le jeune solitaire fut fait prisonnier. Le vaisseau qui le transportait au Japon ayant fait naufrage près de l'île Tsoutsima, Caïo se sauva à la côte ; ceux qui le conduisaient périrent probablement dans les flots. Quoi qu'il en soit, il recouvra sa liberté. Séduit par la vie austère des bonzes, il crut avoir trouvé ce qu'il cherchait depuis tant d'années, et se retira dans une des plus célèbres pagodes de Méaco. Mais il ne fut pas longtemps san s'apercevoir de son erreur ; ces religieux idolâtres n'étaient rien moins que des hommes parfaits. Cette méprise lui causa un si grand chagrin qu'il en tomba malade. Pendant sa maladie, il lui sembla voir la pagode tout en feu, puis un enfant d'une beauté ravissante lui apparut et le consola : « Ne crains pas, lui dit-il, tu es à la veille d'obtenir ce bonheur tant désiré. » Il n'était pas encore guéri, qu'il abandonna la bonzerie. Le jour même, il rencontra un chrétien à qui il raconta ses peines et ses aventures; celui-ci l'amena sur-le-champ u collége des Jésuites, où on l'instruisit des mystères de la relion. Comme son cœur était déjà préparé à recevoir la divine menée, il crut sans hésiter, goûta sans peine la sainte morale l'Évangile, et demanda aussitôt le baptême. On ne pensa pas levoir le soumettre à une plus longue épreuve, et la grâce du sacrement produisit dans une âme si bien disposée des effets admirables. Pendant qu'on l'instruisait, un des Pères lui montra un tableau représentant Nôtre-Seigneur: « Oh ! voilà, s'écria-t-il, voilà celui qui m'a apparu dans ma caverne, et qui m'a prédit tout ce qui m'est arrivé. » Il se mit à la suite des missionnaires el se consacra au soin des malades, surtout des lépreux. Il n'est point de vertu dont cette âme prédestinée n'ait donné l'exemple : mortifications presque excessives, charité pour les malheureux, soins empressés pour les missionnaires, dont il partageait les travaux etles dangers, zèle pour le salut des âmes, etc... Rien n'était au-dessus de ses forces, lorsqu'il fallait témoigner de la reconnaissance pour un Dieu qui l'avait prévenu de tant de grâces, avant même qu'il pût connaître et apprécier ses dons. En 1614, il suivit aux Philippines, Ukandono, général des armées du Japon, qui était exilé pour la foi. Après la mort de ce grand homme, il retourna au Japon, et reprit ses fonctions de catéchiste. La persécution prenant tous les jours un caractère plus effrayant, il se crut obligé de redoubler de ferveur; il multiplia ses austérités et ses oraisons. Dieu récompensa tant de vertus par un glorieux martyre. Le néophyte étant allé un jour, selon sa coutume, visiter les confesseurs de la foi, se déclara lui-même chrétien et catéchiste ; il fut arrêté sur-le-champ et conduit dans les prisons de Nangasaki, où il eut beaucoup à souffrir. On le condamna à être brûlé à petit feu, supplice horrible, qu'il subit avec une constance admirable." Dallet, Charles. Histoire de le̓́glise de Corée 1874. p. 6
Luca Hwang Suhkdu 황석두 루가(1812-1866) is one of 103 Korean Martyrs. Luca's father made him study very much so that he could pass the government examination, get a job at the government and advance the family. At the age of 20, Luca left for Seoul to take the examination. On the way to Seoul, he met a Catholic and listened to Christian doctrine for a long time. He was converted, received ten Catholic books and came back home in three days. His father was outraged. Luca silently went to his room and concentrated in learning Catholicism. He converted his wife among others.
One day, Luca's father considered what danger and shame is brought down to the family by Catholicism, and he ordered Luca to stop studying Christian doctrine. Luca replied that he would not stop studying Catholicism, and his father told him to put his neck on a cutter used to chop hay. Luca asked why, and the father said that it was because Luca said he would serve Heaven-Lord (Catholic God) at the cost of his life. Luca asked, "Is it because I worship Heaven-Lord that you want to kill me?" "Right." "Then I will put my head on the cutter." Luca's father yelled to the servants to step on the cutter. The servants couldn't do it because they would be killing their own master's beloved son. Luca's father went to his room, heartbroken and weeping.
From then on, for three years, Luca lived without speaking a word, which caused his family to worry about him and think that he became a mute.
[1]
[2]
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- ^ http://saint.paolo.net/personview.php?num=2697 황석두 루가, 성바오로
- ^ 황석두 루가, 바오로딸
John Baptist Y (이광렬 요한) was one of the 103 Korean Martyrs. John embraced Catholicism with his elder brother when he was twenty-eight years old. His fervor attracted the attention of the catechists, who sent him to Beijing to negotiate affairs of religion. The priests of the capital, in admiration of his piety, conferred upon him baptism and the other sacraments. John Baptist, after his return to his country, abstained from flesh meat during the rest of his life, and made resolution to live in celibacy. His exterior was that of a man absorbed in God, and on this acount the Christians used to say that he had received in the sacraments the fulness of the Holy Ghost. He was martyred at the age of 39, July 20, 1839. [1][2]
Thomas Son (손자선 토마스 1838-1866) was a Korean Catholic martyr. He had a grave and calm personality. He never omitted praying the evening prayers with his family no matter how busy he was. When Bishop Daveluy was arrested, an authority came to confiscate the money. While others were too afraid to do anything about it, Thomas followed him and demanded the money back. He was severely tortured with amazing constancy and gladness. When fellow Catholics buried him four days later and reburied him somewhere else 20 days later, his body was found to be incorrupt and did not have any bad smell to it.[1]
Peter Yu Tae-chol (유대철 베드로 1826-1839) was a son of a Catholic government interpreter named Augustine Yu. Peter's mother and sisters were enemies of Catholicism and ill-treated Peter. Peter lamented the spiritual blindness of his mother and sisters but treated them respectfully. He thought that he will never be able to elude the search of ministers of justice, so he went to the tribunal and gave himself up. He was heavily tortured in tranquility and firmness. In prison he encouraged the disheartened, and exhorted apostates to repentance. He was strangled in prison at the age of 13 on October 31st, 1839. [1][2]
Anna Pak Agi (박아기 안나 ) (1783-1839) was one of the 103 Korean Martyrs. Anna was naturally slow, and she had great difficulty in learning the truths of religion. She consoled herself by saying, "Since I cannot know my God as I should desire to do, I will at least endeavour to love Him with all my heart."
She married a Christian, and brought up her children in sentiments of religion. She felt particular devotion in meditating on the Passion of our Lord : the sight of His five wounds was sufficient to draw abundant tears from her eyes. When she heard persecution mentioned, her countenance, far from growing pale, became, on the contrary, more animated.
She was arrested with her husband and eldest son. The latter had numerous friends at Court, who did all in their power to make them apostatise, and at length effected their purpose : they were then set at liberty. Anna, however, remained firm. The judge often tried to shake her determination by severity or by kindness, but his endeavours were vain. Very frequently she suffered torture till pieces of her flesh fell on the ground, and her bones were laid bare.
Her husband and son came to see her daily and entreated her to say but one word, and leave the prison. They represented to her the desolation of her family, her old mother at the point of death, her children crying out for her, but her resolution, stronger than the ties of flesh and blood, succeeded in overcoming this temptation, more dreadful than any torture. She reproached them with their baseness. " What," she said, "for a few days of life will you expose yourselves to everlasting death? Instead of soliciting me to transgress, you should exhort me to remain steadfast. Return, return rather to God, and envy me my happiness."
Anna remained in prison for three months, and received the crown of martyrdom on the 24th of May, 1839, at the age of fifty-seven. [1]