SAINT FEAST DAY 22 JANUARY: ST VINCENT OF SARAGOSSA

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN JANUARY

Saints celebrated on the 22nd of January

Prayer to the Angels and the Saints

Heavenly Father, in praising Your Angels and Saints we praise Your glory, for by honouring them we honour You, their Creator. Their splendour shows us Your greatness, which infinitely surpasses that of all creation.

In Your loving providence, You saw fit to send Your Angels to watch over us. Grant that we may always be under their protection and one day enjoy their company in heaven.

Heavenly Father, You are glorified in Your Saints, for their glory is the crowning of Your gifts. You provide an example for us by their lives on earth, You give us their friendship by our communion with them, You grant us strength and protection through their prayer for the Church, and You spur us on to victory over evil and the prize of eternal glory by this great company of witnesses.

Grant that we who aspire to take part in their joy may be filled with the Spirit that blessed their lives, so that, after sharing their faith on earth, we may also experience their peace in heaven. Amen.

SAINT VINCENT OF SARAGOSSA, DEACON AND MARTYR

Saint Vincent of Saragossa was born [in the later 3rd century] at Saragossa; his father was Eutricius (Euthicius), and his mother, Enola, a native of Osca. 

Under the direction of Valerius, Bishop of Sargossa, Vincent made great progress in his studies. He was ordained deacon and commissioned to do the preaching in the diocese, the bishop having an impediment of speech. 

HE WAS ORDAINED 

By order of the Governor Dacian he and his bishop were dragged in chains to Valencia and kept in prison for a long time. 

Then Valerius was banished, but Vincent was subjected to many cruel torments, the rack, the gridiron, and scourgings. He was again imprisoned, in a cell strewn with potsherds. He was next placed in a soft and luxurious bed, to shake his constancy, but here he expired.

[This happened in A.D. 304.]

A CHAPEL WAS BUILT OVER HIS REMAINS

His body was then thrown to be devoured by vultures, but it was defended by a raven. Dacian had the body cast into the sea, but it came to shore and was buried by a pious widow. After peace was restored to the Church, a chapel was built over the remains outside the walls of Valencia, Spain.

 (Excerpts from Catholic Encyclopedia, 1913) 

PRAYER:

Eternal Father,

you gave Saint Vincent

the courage to endure

torture and death for the gospel:

fill us with your Spirit

and strengthen us in your love.

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.