SAINT FEAST DAY 11 SEPTEMBER: BL. MANTIUS

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN SEPTEMBER

Saints celebrated on the 11 September

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.

BL. MANTIUS AND COMPANIONS, MARTYRS

Mantius, Martyr (September 11). This Japanese Martyr was a Dominican Friar. He was imprisoned at Satsuma along with his teacher, Bl. Thomas of Zumarraga. 

In prison they met the Franciscan Apollinaris, known as Franco, two laypeople from Japan, [Bl. Francis and Bl. Dominic] and Paul of Nangaixi. The incarceration was very strict and lasted over five years. 

THEY CONTINUED TO PRAY FOR THE SAME GRACE

When all of the imprisoned - with the exception of Mantius and Brother Thomas - had reached the crown of martyrdom, they continued to pray for the same grace. 

Finally, on September 12, the long-awaited death sentence came. It was confirmed to them that theirs would be death by burning on the stake. 

Thanking God and having proclaimed to the Gentiles who had gathered at the entrance to the Martyr's Square the necessity of faith in Jesus Christ, they suffered the slow torment of fire with indescribable patience. Everyone was amazed, because they stood like statues of bronze or marble in the searing embers. Praising God up to the very end, they died to receive the eternal crown of victory.

(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, 1858 - 📷 Martyrs' Monument, Nishizaka Hill, Nagasaki, Japan)

⬅️ Saint Paul Miki and Companions 

➡️ 205 Martyrs of Japan