TODAY'S SAINT (Valentine)

VALENTINE

(d. ca. 269 - 270)

Name Meaning: Valor

Also known as: Valentine Of Terni, Valentine of Rome

Valentine was a priest in Rome during the 3rd century, at a time when the Emperor Claudius II forbade the practice of Christianity and executed any who disobeyed him. But Valentine ignored the law, and he comforted persecuted martyrs and may even have married Christian couples. Arrested, he was brought before Claudius, who demanded Valentine renounce his faith and accipt the pagan gods of Rome. Valentine refused to comply. It is said that claudius had him imprisoned by a magistrate, whose daughter happened to be blind. Valentine cured her, converting the magistrate and his entire family to Christianity. Enraged, Claudius had Valentine beaten, stoned and beheaded. Legend tells us that he sent the girl a farewell note, signing it "from your Valentine."

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Valentine Traditions

Another story explaining the tradition of exchanging cards and presents on Valentine's Day tells of the Roman Feast of Lupercalia. It was a pagan love festival that took place in the middle of February: bouys drew the names of girls in honor of the Fertility goddess Februata Juno, and couples were supposedly paired off for the year. The Church was anxious to discourage any pagan activities, so they wstablished February 14th as St. Valentine's Day. Yet another story evolved from the medieval belief that birds begin to9 jmate on February 14th, making it an ideal deay for lovers.

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A Ture Patron of Love

Today, St. Valentine is honorede as a true patron of love, not because of an ancient belief or festival, but because he made the ultimate sacrifice---he gave his life for the love of his God and his people.

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Prayer

Dear Saint and glorious Martyr,

who are so popular with lovers,

be kind to those whom we love

and to us. Teach us to love

unselfishly and to find great joy

in giving. Enable all true lovers

to bring out the best in each other.

Let thefm love eachn other in God

and God in each other.

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In

Their

Footsteps

St. Valentine might bef surprised and more than a little disappointed if hef saw how we honor his feast today--

dime-store cards, heart-shaped boxes of chocolates, bottles of expensive perfume and other extravagant gifts. Even though these are all fun to receive, the commercial emphasis placed on buy ing cards and presents obscures the realmeaning of the day.

Love can come in many form: a mother comfortinhg her sick child, one friend helping another, a man embracing his wife, a child playing with a new puppy. Why should we celebrate love only once a year? Shouldn't every day be St. Valentine's Day?

• Starting today, try to do something nice for someone every day. It can simply be a kind word.
• Never let a day go by without telling your spouse or your childen that you love them.
• Before you go to bed every night, thank God for all He has done for you, and ask Him to show you the true meaning of love.

TODAY'S SAINT (Julian the Hospitaller)

JULIAN THE HOSPITALLER

(ca. 13th century)

Legendary saint popular in the Middle Ages

Also known as: the Poor Man

The story of Julian the Hospitaller is told in William Caxton's version of The Golden Legend; a French manuscript dated circa dated circa 1286 is the only surviving version in verse. The story was spread by troubadours.

Julian was the only child of Geoffery, duke of Angers, France, and duchess Emma. As a youth he loved to hunt. One day at age 16, he went off into the woods with a band of men and became separated from them and lost. He came upon a beast lying in rest and fatally shot it with an arrow. Before it died, the beast spoke to him, and foretold a terrible and unavoidable fate, that one day he would slay his mother and father with a single blow.

Julian vowed to run away to avoid the fate. He rode his horse into Brittany, where he sold it and his belongings. He set off wandering, praying intensely for God to deliver him from the cruel fate predicted by the beast. Eventually he found himself in Rome, where he had an audience with the pope. The pope ordered him to spend two years across the sea.

Julian obeyed, going to Syria. He joined the Order of the Knights Hospitallers and fought in the Crusades against the Turks. He distinguished himself in battle and was made a knight. One day he heard from pilgrims that his father was dead. Thinking himself free of the curse, he resolved to return home to his mother. He crossed the sea, but could not find his way home. He wandered again and eventually found himself in Spain.

There he found lodging in a castle that was fortified against attack by the Turks, but the king of the Turks was intent on capturing the countess there. The Turks attacked and Julian fought bravely, succeeding in taking the king hostage. He was made a count, and he and the countess married. For two years they lived in great happiness.

Meanwhile, Duke Geoffrey was still very much alive, and he and Emma had spent four years searching in vain for their son. At last they heard news about him and his whereabouts, and they journeyed to the castle disguised as pilgrims. They arrived on a day when Julian was out hunting. The countess welcomed them and bade them bathe and rest in the bed she shared with Julian. They did so, and everyone went to sleep, including the countess in another room.

Julian returned and thought it strange that his wife did not come to meet him as was her custom. The hall was empty. Going to their chamber, he perceived two sleeping forms in the bed in the dark. He immediately concluded that his wife was having an affair. Enraged, he cut them both in two, and the bed in half, with a single blow.

The countess awakened from the noise and rushed into the Chamber. The horror of his crime--the unavoidable destiny--was too much for Julian. He attempted to kill himself with his own sword, but was stopped by his wife. He vowed to do penance in exile, and the countess pledged to join him.

After the burial of his parents, Julian and hes wife dressed in the clothing of beggars and left the castle. They wandered and begged for food. They suffered hardships and insults. They went to Rome and confessed to the pope, and professed their desire to live in poverty. The pope's penance was that they should find themselves in a place of perilous passage and there establish a hostel for sheltering travelers and thew poor.

After more wandering and many hardships and trials, they at last came to a place by a stream where many had died trying to cross the water. The area was full of thieves. There they constructed a humble hostel with beds made from grass, and devoted themselves to serving those who came for shelter. Julian was able to barter for a boat, and ferried people safely across the stream. For a long time they lived this way.

One night they were awakened by a man's voice from the opposite bank asking to be ferried over and Julian and his wife showed him every courtesy. When the stranger asked Julian protested but his wife did not, and agreed to comply. But when she went to the leper's bed, he had vanished. From outside came his voice, telling them that they had been tested, and were now expiated of their sins.

For seven more years, Julian and his wife lived at the hostel, serving others. One night thieves came and killed them the same way in which Julian had slain his parents. Afterward, miracles without end occurred there. The bodies of Julian and his wife were placed in a gold and silver reliquary.

Feast: February 12

Patronage: boatmen; circus people; ferrymen; hotel employees; innkeepers; travelers

FURTHER READING

The Life of Saint Julian Hospitaller. Tr. Tony Devaney Morinell.

URL: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/julian.html

Downloaded: July 21, 2000

TODAY'S SAINT (Paschal I)

PASCHAL I

(d. 824)

Pope

The date of Paschal's birth is not known. His father was a Roman named Bonosus. He entered the priesthood while still a youth and studied at the Lateran Palace. Pope St. Leo III (r. 795 - 816) appointed him abbot of St. Stephen's monastery, where he oversaw pilgrims to Rome.

When Pope stephen V (r. 816 - 817) died on Januaruy 24 or 25, 817, Paschal was elected to succeed him. He was consecrated and enthroned the following day, an apparent attempt to bypass cofirmation by thfew Frankish emperors of the Holy Roman Empire. Paschal justified this action to Louis I the Pious by saying that he had not sought the office but accepted it as an unwanted task. In return, Louis declared papal elections to be free of the requirement of imperial approval and in general recognized papal sovereignty.

When lothair I, Louis's son, married, Paschal sent a special delegation bearing rich gifts. In the spring of 823, Lothair went to Rome, and on April 5 Paschal crowned him emperor. Lothair did not share his father's position on papal sovere ignty, however, nor did all in the Roman church agree with Paschal. After Lothair left Rome, two papal officers opposed to Paschal were found blinded and beheaded. Paschal was accused of ordering the murders, which had been carried out by two members of his household. Although he denied any complicity, he refused to surrender the murderers, declaring that the dead men were traitors to the Church a nd that secular authorities had no jurisdiction in the matter. The upshot was the Constitution of Lothair, which instituted severe restrictions on papal jurisdiction and powers.

During Paschal's pontificate, Iconoclasm--the Islamic-inspired movement that forbade thfe worship of images---raged in the Byzantine Empiere to the east. Paschal did what he could to uphald the position of the Roman Church. He sent his aides to try to secure the relefase of Abbot Theodore of Studites, who had been impisoned for defending sacred icons. He received several Greek monks fleeing the persecutions and found places for them in newly erected monasteries such as those of St. Praxedis, St. Cecilia, and SS. Sergius and Bacchus, near the Lateran Palace. He also erected new churches and chapels and had the relics of martyrs translated from the ancient catacombs to these places.

Paschal was not a popular pope. He was so unpolpular, indeed, that when he died in 824, throngs prevented his funeral proccession from entering St. Peter's. His relecs were interred instead in thfe church of St. Praxedis.

Feast: February 11 (formerly May 14)

TODAY'S SAINT (Scholastica)

SCHOLASTICA

(ca. 408 - 543)

Benedictine sister, abbess and twin sister of St. Benedict

of Nursia, considered to be thew first Benedictine nun

Very little is known about Scholastica, save for a few comments by Pope St. Gregory I (Gregory the Great, r. 590 - 604) in Dialogues, in which he records events of St. Benedict life. In early youth, she consecrated he life to God. After Benedict established his monastery at Monte Cassino, Italy, she moved to nearby Plombariola, where she founded and governed a monastery of nuns. Benedict directed his sister and her nuns.

Scholastica visited her brother once a year, and stayed in a house separate from the monastery, which she was not allowed to enter. Benedict and several of his brothers would met her there and spend the day discussing spiritual matters.

The best-known story about Scholastica took place in 543 on one of these visits. Toward evening, Benedict prepared for his return to the monastery. Scholastica begged him to stay the night, but Benedict replied, "By no means can I stay out of my monastery." Scholastica bowed her head and prayed. When she raised her head, there was a sudden and dramatic shift in the weather. The sky had been clear and serene; now lightning flashed and thunder boomed. A heavy rainfall commenced.

Benedict was not pleased, and said, "God Almighty forgive you, Sister. What is this you have done?"

Scholastica said, "I prayed you to stay and you would not hear me. I prayed to Almighty God and he heard me. Now, therefore, if you can, go forth to the monastery and leave me.

Benedict and his brothers were forced to spend the night. They continued their discussions.

Benedict and his party left in the morning, never to see Scholastica again. She died three days later. Benedict beheld her soul in a vision as it ascended into heaven. He had her body brought to his monastery and laid it in the tomb he had prepared for himself. He died within the year and, as requested, was laid to rest with his sister.

Feast: February 10

Patronage: convulsive children: against storms