ST VENERANDUS OF TROYES - 14 NOVEMBER

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN NOVEMBER

Saints celebrated on the 14th of November 

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 VENERANDUS OF TROYES, MARTYR

Saint Venerandus was a martyr at Troyes who died for the faith under the emperor Aurelianus. 

His legend in the ancient proprium of the Church of Troyes tells that he was born of pagan parents and, through reading the psalm verse: "Sprinkle me with hyssop and I will be purified," which an angel explained to him as signifying the holy Sacrament of Baptism, converted. 

"SPRINKLE ME WITH HYSSOP AND I WILL BE PURIFIED"

Immediately he was determined that he would become a Christian and be baptised. Since there was at the time no one in the predominantly pagan area who could have performed the Sacrament on him, he strolled up and down the banks of the Seine in thought, constantly praying for the grace of baptism. Thereupon the Lord himself appeared to him and baptised him. 

HE WAS BAPTISED BY OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF

Now St Venerandus began to teach, preach, and work miracles so that many in this area would be converted to Christ. 

When the emperor Aurelianus, who passed through the area about the year 275 on his expedition to Germany, heard this, he had him tortured and burned with red-hot irons, then scourged - which our saint bore steadfastly, praying incessantly - and finally beheaded. St Venerandus' name can also be found in the Roman Martyrology on this day.

(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints)