ST RUFUS, BISHOP AND MARTYR - 26 AUGUST

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN AUGUST

Saints celebrated on the 26th of August

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.

ST RUFUS, BISHOP AND MARTYR

This holy Bishop at Capua is believed to have died a martyr. 

In fact, the Proprium of Capua contains the following legend of him: Rufus, a patrician ex-consul and war chief at Capua, was miraculously converted to the faith. 

HIS DAUGHTER FELL ILL

Indeed, after he had decided to drive Apollinaris out of the city, his beloved daughter fell ill. The holy Bishop was called back. In the meantime, however, God had arranged that she should die. St Apollinaris called the daughter back to life through his prayer. 

HE WAS BAPTISED WITH HIS WHOLE FAMILY

This resulted in Rufus being baptised with his entire family. After living in exile for a while, he was appointed as the successor of St Sinotus, Bishop of Capua. 

When he converted many to Christ, the governor Messalinus had him picked up and beheaded. He is thought to have completed his martyrdom on August 27, about or after the year 80. 

(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints)