SAINT FEAST DAY 25 OCTOBER: ST GAUDENTIUS, BISHOP OF BRESCIA

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN OCTOBER

Saints celebrated on the 25th of October

WELCOME!

SAINT GAUDENTIUS, BISHOP OF BRESCIA

[On]25th October, one of the saints remembered by the church is Saint Gaudentius of Brescia. He was born in the third century and, as a young shy priest, he went on pilgrimage to Jerusalem in 386, as much to escape attention as to visit the holy sites. While away the local bishop died and the people were unanimous in wanting St Gaudentius to be their new bishop, saying that they would accept no other. St Gaudentius tried to shirk the appointment, but other bishops threatened to excommunicate St Gaudentius if he did not accept the office as a call from God.

HE WAS CONSECRATED BISHOP

So he relented and was consecrated the Bishop in 390. Later the Pope, Innocent I, commissioned St Gaudentius as one of the western bishops sent to the emperor in Constantinople to plead in the defence of St John Chrysostom, who had been exiled. On their return home the Bishops were deliberately given an unseaworthy ship, but after difficulties St Gaudentius returned home to Brescia. About four years later, around the year 410, St Gaudentius died.

"THREE BIRTHDAYS"

Twenty-one of St Gaudentius’ sermons survive. One of his sermons contained the following words: ‘There are three birthdays bestowed by the eternal Trinity on humankind. One is that of the body, which is common to all people. There are two that are spiritual, in proportion to the merit of each one’s faith. Our first birth is that in which we are brought forth from nothingness into the life of this world. Our second is that in which we are born again in Baptism from sin and from errors, into the reality of charity. The third is that in which the most blessed martyrs who, because of their confession of Christ’s name, are born again of their torments into the kingdom of heaven.'

From: Spiritual Thought from Fr Chris 

PRAYER:

May the intercession of the holy bishop Gaudentius commend us to you, O God, so that through his merits we may obtain that which we cannot accomplish by our own. 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.