ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN JANUARY
Saints celebrated on the 23rd of January
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 MESSALINA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR
The holy virgin and martyr Messalina was born about A.D. 246 in Foligno (Fulginium) in Umbria. Bishop and martyr St Felician included her among the consecrated virgins.
SHE VISITED HIM IN PRISON AND PROVIDED THE NECESSITIES
When he was imprisoned by the order of the Emperor Decius, she had the courage to visit him and provide him with what was necessary. For she too desired to die for Christ, and in fervent devotion sacrificed her life before the executioner took it.
SHE WAS MARTYRED AT FOLIGNO
One day, she was seized and imprisoned. Flattery and promises in an attempt to persuade her to sacrifice to the gods were wasted. Since everything was in vain, they beat her with clubs until she gave up the ghost.
HER BURIAL
Her body was reverently buried by the Christians, but was only rediscovered in 1599. A solemn unearthing of her relics took place on January 19, 1613. The festivities lasted until the 23rd of that month, the anniversary of her death.
(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, 1858 - 🎨 Francesco Solimena - Death of Messalina)
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