SAINT FEAST DAY FOR EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR

  WELCOME! SERVANT OF GOD AARON EKWU, PRIEST Aaron Ejikemeuwa Ekwu was born to Peter and Alice Ekwu on September 24 , 1936 in Owerre Ezukala (Ougala village), Orumba South Local Government Area, Anambra State, Nigeria. From 1951 to 1958, he attended All Hallows Seminary, Onitsha, and went on to study philosophy at Bigard Memorial Seminary, Enugu (1958 to 1960). From 1961 onwards he continued his education in Austria, earning a Ph.D. in Dogmatic Theology from the University of Vienna (1968). He also obtained an M.Ed. from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, USA. His priestly ordination took place on June 29 , 1965, in Vienna, Austria. Father Ekwu served as a vicar in Vienna (1965 to 1970) and actively mobilized food and humanitarian relief during the Nigeria-Biafra War. From 1971 to 1977, he worked as a formator and professor at Bigard Memorial Seminary, Enugu. He also served as a founding presbyterium member and education commissioner of the Awka Diocese, and ministered as ...

  WELCOME! There follow the feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary, arranged according to the dates on which they fall:  1. The Betrothal of the Blessed Virgin Mary ( Desponsatio B. M. V. ) - or, more accurately, the designation S. Conjugium B. Mariae Deiparae et S. Josephi (The Holy Marriage of the Blessed Mary, Mother of God, and Saint Joseph) - since the term desponsatio strictly refers to betrothal. This feast has been celebrated almost everywhere since 1725 and is based on Matthew 1:20, 23.  2. The Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, or Candlemas ( Purificatio B. M. V. - also known as Occursus Domini or Festum Praesentationis Domini , which indicates that this was originally a feast of the Lord). Because of the blessing of candles and the candlelight procession associated with it, the Church makes reference to the "light for the enlightening of the Gentiles" (Luke 2:32); for this same reason, it is also called the Festum candelarum (Feast of Candles). The feast...

  WELCOME! Maria Laach Abbey, Oil on Canvas   Our Lady is the patron of many places, for instance: Aachen, Aire, Alet, Amiens, Antwerp, Anvers, the Patriarchate of Aquileia, Arras, Ascoli, Ethiopia, Auch, the Diocese of Augsburg, the city of Baden, the Diocese of Bamberg, the city of Basel, Batenburg, Bavaria, the County of Berg (near Zutphen), Bingen, Blois, Bologna, Boulogne, Boulogne-sur-Mer, the Principality of Bozzolo, the Duchy of Brunswick, the Lordship of Brederode, Bremen, Bruchsal, the Duchy of Burgundy, the Archdiocese and city of Cambrai, Casale, the Principality of Castiglione, the Diocese of Chalon-sur-Marne, Chartres, the Diocese of Chur, Civitavecchia, the Diocese of Clermont, the Duchy of Cleves, Cologne, Constance, the County of Correggio, Corsica, Corvey Abbey, Danzig, Dax, Dendermonde, the Teutonic Order, Die, Dinant, the Diocese of Eichstätt, Einbeck, Einsiedeln Abbey, England, the Abbey of Essen, Fano, Fermo, Ferrara, Florence, Foligno, France, Freiburg i...

  WELCOME! As for artistic depictions - whether as a solitary figure or as part of a group - they are inexhaustible in both variety and number. Consequently, only a few examples can be mentioned here: as the Mother of the Lord, with the Divine Child on her lap or in her arms; as an intercessor for Christendom ( orante ); wearing a garment adorned with ears of wheat, signifying her role as the Mother of the Holy Eucharist; as a Queen, bearing a sceptre and crown; as " Help of Christians ," with the head of a Turk atop a crescent moon at her feet; surrounded by the sun, as described in Revelation 12:1; holding a book, representing her as the " Seat of Wisdom "; holding an apple, in contrast to Eve; accompanied by flowers or a lily; holding a cluster of grapes, in reference to the Holy Eucharist; with a goldfinch - a bird that sings even though it feeds on thistles; revealing her breasts to the Heavenly Father, much as the Saviour reveals His five wounds (a motif often...

  WELCOME! Mary, the most blessed Virgin and Mother of God - the mother of Jesus Christ and Queen of all the saints - shares in the prehistory of the Redeemer, as she is his mother. She is included, either implicitly or explicitly, in all the prophecies concerning him. The name Mary (Maria - Hebrew: Miryam ) is interpreted by some as meaning " exalted ," " strong ," or " powerful " - or even " lady " and " mistress ." Others suggest an Egyptian origin, meaning " beloved of Yahweh " (the Hebrew name for God); according to modern exegetes, this latter interpretation is the more probable one. Other explanations - such as " star of the sea ," " enlightener ," or " bitterness " - serve only devotional or homiletic purposes. Her life story, as recounted in the Holy Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles, is well known. The final events of Mary’s life, as well as the time and circumstances of her death ar...

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN MARCH Saints celebrated on the 12th of March WELCOME! SAINT BOSSULA, WIDOW Saint Bossula, commemorated on March 12 , was the mother-in-law of the holy Archbishop  Sulpitius Severus of Bourges. (Information from Stadler 's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, Volume  1, Augsburg, 1858, p. 509) Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints - Sources and Abbreviations PRAYER: Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Saint Bossula may increase our devotion and promote our salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen. Sources of these articles (in the original German): books.google.co.uk, de-academic.com, zeno.org, openlibrary.org