ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN AUGUST
Saints celebrated on the 9th 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 SECUNDIANUS, ST MARCELLIANUS AND ST VARIANUS, MARTYRS
Today, Saint Secundianus, Saint Marcellianus and Saint Varianus, three noble Romans, ended their lives by a glorious martyrdom. The first of these, Secundianus, who enjoyed a great reputation in Rome, on account of his learning and eloquence, was, while in the darkness of heathenism in which he was born, a valuable assistant to the Emperor Valerian, in persecuting the Christians. Observing their constancy in their faith and their willingness to suffer for it, he began to consider whence came this fidelity and endurance in suffering.
Whilst he was pondering on this, Marcellianus, his most intimate friend, a heathen like himself, came to see him, and Secundianus without hesitation confided to him the subject of his reflections. Marcellianus said, that he would explain what seemed to be so incomprehensible.
"THIS SILLY PEOPLE"
"This silly people," said he, "believe that, after this life, a much better one awaits them, which they will surely attain if they shed their blood for love of their Christ; while they believe that we shall be eternally lost. Hence, none of them can possibly be persuaded to worship our gods, and all remain obstinately true to their faith."
"ALL REMAIN OBSTINATELY TRUE TO THEIR FAITH"
"If this be their belief," said Secundianus, "they are not silly, but right, rather to let themselves be tortured and killed, than abandon their faith." During this discourse Varianus, a friend of both, entered. Having listened to their remarks, he said: "I believe that something invisible and supernatural sustains these Christians, as what we daily witness is more than human. Therefore, I propose that we should think over the matter carefully, and have these teachings of Christ explained to us, that we may be better able to resolve what to do." Marcellianus and Secundianus agreeing to this proposal, they invited a Christian priest, named Timotheus, to come and expound the Gospel to them. He came, and soon convinced them of the truth of his words, so that they all three received baptism in the church of Christ.
THEY RECEIVED HOLY BAPTISM
Their conduct, after this sacred act, became so edifying and pure, that it was noticed by the heathens themselves, who soon suspected that they had forsaken their gods and joined the Christians. Valerian being informed of this, called Secundianus, who came into his presence, accompanied by Marcellianus and Varianus.
"WHAT HAS COME TO MY EARS?"
"What has come to my ears?" said Valerian. "Can it be possible that you have allowed yourselves to be seduced by the idle fancies of the Christians and have adopted their doctrines?"
"YES, I AM A CHRISTIAN"
"Yes, I am a Christian," replied Secundianus; "and the belief in Christ is no idle fancy, but sound and indisputable truth. The faith which we formerly followed, was a tissue of fables; and we are unspeakably grateful to God that He has deigned to enlighten us."
THEY WERE IMPRISONED
Valerian, unwilling to dispute with the three fearless confessors of Christ, ordered the prefect Promotus either to force them to sacrifice to the gods or execute them in any manner he thought best. Promotus had all three cast into prison, and soon after, holding court in the open marketplace, he ordered them into his presence. When they arrived before him, he commanded them to sacrifice to the god Saturn; but the three holy men refusing to do this, declared they could worship but the one, true God of Heaven.
FOR LOVE OF CHRIST, THEY WERE WILLING TO SUFFER
Enraged at this, the prefect ordered their clothes to be torn off, and their bodies to be so inhumanly beaten with clubs, torn with iron hooks, and burnt with torches, that the executioners themselves were horrified at the cruelty and refused to continue the torments. During this martyrdom, it was observed that they were as fearless and joyful as other Christians had been, who had gone before them. They praised God and were never weary of declaring that, for love of Christ, they were willing to suffer still more. Valerian, infuriated at their constancy, and ashamed of being defied so long before the people, ordered them to be dragged out of the city and beheaded. This happened in the 253rd year of the Christian Era.
(From Fr Weninger's Lives of the Saints)
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