Martyrs of Otranto Pray for the Nazarenes

Intercessors for Peace
With all that is going on in Iraq and Syria with the persecution of Christians, I began thinking of which saints to ask for intercession. I then remembered that early in his pontificate, Pope Francis canonized the Martyrs of Otranto, 813 men who stood up to the Ottoman Turks who were intent on invading Rome.

800
The events surrounding the martyrdom of Antonio Primaldo and the other 800+ men is fascinating and relevant to events of today. On August 14, 1480, the northern Italian town of Otranto was besieged by a massive invading army of Ottoman Turks. Their leader, offered the men of Otranto the choice of converting to Islam or death. If you are having trouble visualizing this, think of the soldiers in 300 only these were just regular guys from the town, not muscled up soldiers. Primaldo, who is the only member of the martyrs whose name is known, is recorded as saying in :

My brothers, until today we have fought in defense of our country, to save our lives, and for our lords; now it is time that we fight to save our souls for our Lord, so that having died on the cross for us, it is good that we should die for him, standing firm and constant in the faith, and with this earthly death we shall win eternal life and the glory of martyrs. (Obtained from Catholic Answers)

Last Man Standing
Primaldo was the first to be beheaded, but his body would not fall. This is portrayed in a painting that you can find at the SQPN Saints post on his life and martyrdom. One after another, each of the men of Otranto was told to convert to Islam and each declined. All suffered the same fate as Primaldo – being beheaded, yet only his headless body remained standing despite the Turks' efforts to knock him over. Finally, when the last man from the city was slain, Primaldo's body fell to ground with his fellow martyrs. Some of the Muslim soldiers were so moved by the faith of the men that they converted to Catholicism.

Proof of Love
Obviously, there has been much talk recently about martyrdom and people asking themselves if they have the strength to stand up for their faith. The Second Vatican Council in discussing the universal call to holiness, highlighted martyrdom as the "fullest proof of love." In Lumen Gentium they exhorted:

The Church, then, considers martyrdom as an exceptional gift and as the fullest proof of love. By martyrdom a disciple is transformed into an image of his Master by freely accepting death for the salvation of the world—as well as his conformity to Christ in the shedding of his blood. Though few are presented such an opportunity, nevertheless all must be prepared to confess Christ before men. They must be prepared to make this profession of faith even in the midst of persecutions, which will never be lacking to the Church, in following the way of the cross (LG, 42).

Relics of the Martyrs
The remains of the Martyrs of Otranto were collected and placed in various churches in the area. Many are encased in the walls of the Cathedral of Otranto. Martyrs of Otranto pray for us and for peace for all Nazarenes and for all people of faith.

UPDATE:
CNN is reporting that ISIS radicals bombed and destroyed the Tomb of the Prophet Johan located in Mosul. Here's video footage:

Navarre Bible Commentary:Feast of St. Stephen, First Martyr

Martyrdom of St. Stephen by Bernardo Daddi

Matthew 10:17-22

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

17 Beware of men; for they will deliver you up to councils, and flog you in their synagogues, 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear testimony before them and the Gentiles. 19 When they deliver you up, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour;20 for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; 22 and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.

Cited in the Catechism:  In promulgating the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Blessed John Paul II explained that the Catechism "is a statement of the Church's faith and of catholic doctrine, attested to or illumined by Sacred Scripture, the Apostolic Tradition and the Church's Magisterium."  He went on to "declare it to be a sure norm for teaching the faith and thus a valid and legitimate instrument for ecclesial communion" (Fidei Depositum). Passages from this Gospel reading are cited in the Catechism, paragraph 161, 728 and 1821.

Commentary

Jesus’ instructions to the apostles

10:16–23. The instructions and warnings Jesus gives here apply right through the history of the Church. It is difficult for the world to understand the way of God. Sometimes there will be persecutions, sometimes indifference to the Gospel or failure to understand it. Genuine commitment to Jesus always involves effort—which is not surprising, because Jesus himself was a sign of contradiction; indeed, if that were not the experience of a Christian, he would have to ask himself whether he was not in fact a worldly person. There are certain worldly things a Christian cannot compromise about, no matter how much they are in fashion. Therefore, Christian life inevitably involves nonconformity with anything that goes against faith and morals (cf. Rom 12:2). It is not surprising that a Christian’s life often involves choosing between heroism and treachery. Difficulties of this sort should not make us afraid: we are not alone, we can count on the powerful help of our Father God to give us strength and daring.

10:20. Here Jesus teaches the completely supernatural character of the witness he asks his disciples to bear. The documented accounts of a host of Christian martyrs prove that he has kept this promise: they bear eloquent witness to the serenity and wisdom of often uneducated people, some of them scarcely more than children. The teaching contained in this verse provides the basis for the fortitude and confidence a Christian should have whenever he has to profess his faith in difficult situations. He will not be alone, for the Holy Spirit will give him words of divine wisdom.

10:23. In interpreting this text, the first thing is to reject the view of rationalists who argue that Jesus was convinced that soon he would come in glory and the world would come to an end. That interpretation is clearly at odds with many passages of the Gospel and the New Testament. Clearly, Jesus refers to himself when he speaks of the “Son of man”, whose glory will be manifested in this way. The most cogent interpretation is that Jesus is referring here, primarily, to the historical event of the first Jewish war against Rome, which ended with the destruction of Jerusalem and of the temple in the year 70, and which led to the scattering of the Jewish people. But this event, which would occur a few years after Jesus’ death, is an image or a prophetic symbol of the end of the world (cf. the note on Mt 24:1). The coming of Christ in glory will happen at a time which God has not revealed. Uncertainty about the end of the world helps Christians and the Church to be ever-vigilant.

10:24–25. Jesus uses these two proverbs to hint at the future that awaits his disciples: their greatest glory will consist in imitating the Master, being identified with him, even if this means being despised and persecuted as he was before them: his example is what guides a Christian; as he himself said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (Jn 14:6). Beelzebul (cf. Lk 11:15) was the name of the idol of the ancient Philistine city of Ekron. The Jews later used the word to describe the devil or the prince of devils (cf. Mt 12:24), and their hatred of Jesus led them to the extreme of applying it to him.

To equip them for the persecution and misunderstanding which Christians will suffer (Jn 15:18), Jesus encourages them by promising to stay close to them. Towards the end of his life he will call them his friends (Jn 15:15) and little children (Jn 13:33).

10:26–27. Jesus tells his disciples not to be afraid of calumny and detraction. A day will come when everyone will come to know the whole truth about everyone else, their real intentions, the true dispositions of their souls. In the meantime, those who belong to God may be misrepresented by those who resort to lies, out of malice or passion. These are the hidden things which will be made known.

Christ also tells the apostles to speak out clearly. Jesus’ divine teaching method led him to speak to the crowds in parables so that they came to discover his true personality by easy stages. After the coming of the Holy Spirit (cf. Acts 1:8), the apostles would have to preach from the rooftops about what Jesus had taught them.

We too have to make Christ’s doctrine known in its entirety, without any ambiguity, without being influenced by false prudence or fear of the consequences.

Source: The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries. Biblical text from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and by Scepter Publishers in the United States. We encourage readers to purchase The Navarre Bible for personal study. See Scepter Publishers for details.

"Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ." St Jerome

St. Maximilian Kolbe: Martyr and Patron of Addicts and New Ministries

Source: CatholicMemes

Franciscan, Marian and Martyr

Today we celebrate the feast day of St. Maximilian Kolbe, who like St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross was martyred at Auschwitz. Kolbe was a Polish Franciscan who began the Militia Immaculata movement and helped spread devotion to Mary and promote the wearing of the Miraculous Medal.

I Want to Go Instead

In 1941, Maximilian was arrested by the Nazis and sent to Auschwitz. In July of that year, prisoners escaped from the concentration camp. The commandant of the camp ordered that ten of the men be executed in place of those had escaped. One of the prisoners had a wife and family. Kolbe stepped up to the front and offered to take the man's place saying "I want to go instead of this man who was selected."

Starved and Poisoned
The Nazis attempted to starve Maximilian and the nine other prisoners to death. He lasted over two weeks without food. Finally, the guards injected him with a poison and he died. This is why he is the patron of drug addicts. He is also the patron of new ministries; the founders of Joe Catholic prayed the chaplet of St. Maximilian when they were discerning the creation of the group.

Combatting Evil

To combat evil according to the spirit of the Marian Militia is to fight with love for all men, including those who are less good. It is to put good in relief, so as to make it more attractive rather than to propagate evil by describing it. When the occasion presents itself to call to the attention of society, or of authority, to some evil, it must be done with love for the person to blame, and with delicacy. Do not exaggerate; do not go into detail about the evil any more than is necessary to remedy it.

—Saint Maximilian Kolbe; From the book “Forget Not Love: The Passion of Maximilian Kolbe” available at Ignatius Press.

Precious in the Eyes of the Lord
Blessed John Paul II canonized Kolbe in 1982. This is what he had to say as he concluded his homily during the canonization Mass:

In Their Minds It Was Not "Death"Men saw what happened in the camp at Auschwitz. And even if to their eyes it must have seemed that a companion of their torment "dies," even if humanly speaking they could consider "his departure" as "a disaster," nevertheless in their minds this was not simply "death." Maximilian did not die but "gave his life...for his brother." In that death, terrible from the human point of view, there was the whole definitive greatness of the human act and of the human choice. He spontaneously offered himself up to death out of love.

And in this human death of his there was the clear witness borne to Christ: the witness borne in Christ to the dignity of man, to the sanctity of his life, and to the saving power of death in which the power of love is made manifest.

Maximilian's Death a Sign of VictoryPrecisely for this reason the death of Maximilian Kolbe became a sign of victory. This was victory won over all systematic contempt and hate for man and for what is divine in man-a victory like that won by our Lord Jesus Christ on Calvary.

"You are my friends if you do what I command you" (John 15:14). The Church accepts this sign of victory-won through the power of Christ's redemption-with reverence and gratitude. She seeks to discern its eloquence with all humility and love.

Before the eloquence of the life and death of blessed Maximilian, it is impossible not to recognize what seems to constitute the main and essential element of the sign given by God to the Church and the world in his death.

Does not this death-faced spontaneously, for love of man-constitute a particular fulfillment of the words of Christ? Does not this death make Maximilian particularly like unto Christ-the Model of all Martyrs-who gives his own life on the Cross for his brethren? Does not this death possess a particular and penetrating eloquence for our age? Does not this death constitute a particularly authentic witness of the Church in the modern world?

And so, in virtue of my apostolic authority, I have decreed that Maximilian Maria Kolbe-who after his Beatification was venerated as a Confessor-shall henceforeward be venerated also as a Martyr!

"Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of his faithful ones!" Amen

St. Lawrence:Deacon, Martyr and Patron Saint of Comedians

Source: Catholic Memes

Martyr for the Faith

Little is known about St. Lawrence, but most accounts indicate he was martyred in 258AD and celebration of his feast day spread rapidly. St. Lawrence "has been one of the most honoured martyrs of the Roman Church" since the 4th Century (Catholic Encyclopedia).

Burned Alive on a Grill
Lawrence was a Roman deacon who served under Pope Sixtus II. According to New Advent's Catholic Encyclopedia, Sixtus and later Lawrence were victims of the persecution of Valerian. St. Ambrose of Milan wrote an account of St. Lawrence's martyrdom and described him being burned on a gridiron.

Patron of Comedians
St. Lawrence is that he is considered the patron of comedians. The reason is that according to St. Ambrose's account, Lawrence was executed by being placed on a gridiron over coals of fire. While he was literally being cooked alive, he called to his persecutors, "I'm done on that side. Flip me over." This account is confirmed in several early painting depicting his martyrdom. One other funny note - St. Lawrence is also the patron of grilling and Bar-B-Q'ing.

Proof of Love
St. Lawrence teaches us a valuable lesson that in times of adversity we too should trust so much in God's love for us that we can face anything with cheerfulness. Pope Gregory the Great wrote that fire that burned within Lawrence's heart was great than that from the outside burning his flesh. The Second Vatican Council in discussing the universal call to holiness, highlighted martyrdom as the "fullest proof of love." In Lumen Gentium the Council exhorted:

The Church, then, considers martyrdom as an exceptional gift and as the fullest proof of love. By martyrdom a disciple is transformed into an image of his Master by freely accepting death for the salvation of the world—as well as his conformity to Christ in the shedding of his blood. Though few are presented such an opportunity, nevertheless all must be prepared to confess Christ before men. They must be prepared to make this profession of faith even in the midst of persecutions, which will never be lacking to the Church, in following the way of the cross (LG, 42).

 Video - Apostleship of Prayer

St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross

Source: Ignatius Insight

Take Up the Cross
It is fitting that today the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross because in today's Gospel reading Jesus says, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." What better way to demonstrate this than to lay down your life as a martyr for the faith?

Jew, Atheist, Philosopher and Convert
St. Teresa Benedicta was born born on October 12, 1891 as Edith Stein. She grew up Jewish, but as she entered her teens, she stopped believing in God. Stein was extremely intelligent and studied philosophy, specifically phenomenology, at the University of Göttingen. During her studies she encountered some Catholic classmates and was moved by the "strength of their faith". These encounters sparked Stein's interest and she began to study a catechism on Catholicism. Stein went on to earn a doctorate in philosophy with highest honors from the University of Freiburg. Her study of philosophy – the study or search for truth – fueled her intellectual curiosity. Edith would read the autobiography of St. Teresa of Avila. Studying the life of this great Carmelite ignited a renewed awareness of God and Stein entered the Catholic Church in 1922. After her conversion, Stein spent her time as an academic - writing, researching and teaching. She became a Carmelite nun in 1934 and began teaching at the Educational Institute of Munich. She was forced to give this up during the reign of the Nazi's and moved to a Carmelite Monastery in the Netherlands. In 1940, along with other Dutch Jews, including her sister Rose, Stein was sent to Auschwitz where she would die in a gas chamber on August 9, 1942. 

Lessons:

1. Intelligent people can believe in God.

2. Faith and reason go hand in hand.

3. God often uses the lives of other Christians to reflect His own love for us.

4. Catechesis and study of the saints can lead to sanctity.

800+ Canonized Today

Largest Canonization
Pope Francis in one weekend has canonized more saints than any other Pope in history and the single most in one day. By the time this is posted, Pope Francis will have canonized the 813 Martyrs of Otranto. I just learned about this group yesterday morning during one of my IPT classes.

800 > 300
The events surrounding the martyrdom of Antonio Primaldo and the other 800+ men is fascinating and relevant to events of today. On August 14, 1480, the northern Italian town of Otranto was besieged by a massive invading army of Ottoman Turks. Their leader, offered the men of Otranto the choice of converting to Islam or death. If you are having trouble visualizing this, think of the soldiers in 300 only these were just regular guys from the town, not soldiers. Primaldo, who is the only member of the martyrs whose name is known, is recorded as saying in :

My brothers, until today we have fought in defense of our country, to save our lives, and for our lords; now it is time that we fight to save our souls for our Lord, so that having died on the cross for us, it is good that we should die for him, standing firm and constant in the faith, and with this earthly death we shall win eternal life and the glory of martyrs. (Obtained from Catholic Answers)

Last Man Standing
Primaldo was the first to be beheaded, but his body would not fall. This is portrayed in the painting above. One after another, each of the men of Otranto was told to convert to Islam and each declined All suffered the same fate as Primaldo of being beheaded, yet only his headless body remained standing despite the Turks' efforts to knock him over. Finally, when the last man from the city was slain, Primaldo's body fell to ground with his fellow martyrs. Some of the Muslim soldiers were so moved by the faith of the men that they converted to Catholicism.

Proof of Love
The Second Vatican Council in discussing the universal call to holiness, highlighted martyrdom as the "fullest proof of love." In Lumen Gentium they exhorted:

The Church, then, considers martyrdom as an exceptional gift and as the fullest proof of love. By martyrdom a disciple is transformed into an image of his Master by freely accepting death for the salvation of the world—as well as his conformity to Christ in the shedding of his blood. Though few are presented such an opportunity, nevertheless all must be prepared to confess Christ before men. They must be prepared to make this profession of faith even in the midst of persecutions, which will never be lacking to the Church, in following the way of the cross (LG, 42).

Relics of the Martyrs
The remains of the men were collected and placed in various churches in the area. Many are encased in the walls of the Cathedral of Otranto.

Otranto Cathedral with Relics of the Martyrs

Video From the Canonizations

Saint Talk: St. Stephen, the First Martyr

The Martyr, Swartzruber

Today we celebrate the feast day of St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr and patron of deacons. Stephen is described in the Acts of the Apostles (6:4) as "a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit." Empowered by the Holy Spirit, Stephen "did great wonders and signs among the people" (Acts 6:8). Eventually, his works angered the enemies of the early Church so they trumped up charges against Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. During the trial, Stephen recounted the entire salvation history from Abraham to the crucifixion of Christ, chastising his accusers for failing to believe in Jesus. This enraged his captors and they took him out of Jerusalem to be stoned. As they prepared to stone Stephen, they lay their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. While he was being stoned, Stephen saw Jesus standing at the right of the Father. Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit" and then, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them" (Acts 7:58-60). These prayers are remarkably similar to Christ's words on the cross: "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34) and "Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit!" (Acts 23:46)

From Pope Benedict's Angelus message:

Finally, St. Stephen is a model for all those who want to serve the New Evangelization. He shows that the novelty of proclamation does not primarily consist in the use of original methods or techniques, which certainly have their uses, but in being filled with the Holy Spirit and allowing ourselves to be guided by Him. The novelty of proclamation lies in immerging ourselves deeply in the mystery of Christ, the assimilation of His Word and of His presence in the Eucharist, so that He Himself, the living Jesus, can act and speak through His envoy. In essence, the evangelizer becomes able to bring Christ to others effectively when he lives of Christ, when the newness of the Gospel manifests itself in his own life. We pray to the Virgin Mary, so that the Church, in this Year of Faith, sees more men and women who, like St. Stephen, know how to give a convinced and courageous witness of the Lord Jesus
Read more: National Catholic Register

Stephen's martyrdom is significant in the history of the Church. His faithful example and intercession affected Saul profoundly. (I believe this scene is beautifully portrayed by Anthony Hopkins in the TV mini-series Peter and Paul.) "If Stephen had not prayed to God, the Church would not have had Paul" (St. Augustine, "Sermons", 315, 7).

Saint Talk: St. Maximilian Kolbe

Today we celebrate the feast day of St. Maximlian Kolbe, who like St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross was martyred at Auschwitz. Kolbe was a Polish Franciscan who began the Militia Immaculata movement and helped spread devotion to Mary and promote the wearing of the Miraculous Medal.

In 1941, Maximilian was arrested by the Nazis and sent to Auschwitz. In July of that year, prisoners escaped from the concentration camp.  The commandant of the camp ordered that ten of the men be executed in place of those had escaped. One of the prisoners had a wife and family. Kolbe stepped up to the front and offered to take the man's place. The Nazis attempted to starve Maximilian to death. He last over two weeks without food. Finally, the guards injected him with a poison and he died. This is why he is the patron of drug addicts. He is also the patron of new ministries and the founders of Joe Catholic prayed a novena to St. Maximilian when they were discerning the creation of the group.

Watch the video for some lessons that we can learn from St. Maximilian Kolbe.

Saint Talk: Patron of Comedians: St. Lawrence

Today the Church celebrates the feast day of St. Lawrence, a deacon martyred in the 3rd century, most likely in the year 258. St. Lawrence served under Pope St. Sixtus II who was also martyred days before St. Lawrence. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, "St. Lawrence has been one of the most honoured martyrs of the Roman Church." In fact, Constantine the Great was the first to build an oratory over the saint's tomb.

What I found most interesting about St. Lawrence is that he is considered the patron of comedians. Apparently he was executed by being placed on a gridiron over coals of fire. While he was literally being cooked alive, he called to his persecutors, "I'm done on that side. Flip me over." If you click on the image above you will get a better view of this portrayal. One other funny note - St. Lawrence is also the patron of cooks.

May we call upon St. Lawrence to pray for us in times of adversity that we too may trust so much in the power of God that we can face anything with cheerfulness.

For further reading:

Catholic Encyclopedia: St. Lawrence

Catholic Online: St. Lawrence, Martyr

EWTN: St. Lawrence, Martyr and Deacon