SAINT GABINIUS, PRIEST AND MARTYR - 19 FEBRUARY

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN FEBRUARY

 Saints celebrated on the 19th of February

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 GABINIUS, PRIEST AND MARTYR

Saint Gabinius, also called Gabinus and Gavinus [Saint Gavin] by others, was the father of the martyr St Susanna and brother of the holy pope Caius. He was very learned and is said to have written some treatises against the Gentiles. 

A VERY EDUCATED MAN

After the death of his wife he became a priest and dedicated himself mainly to teaching catechumens. His name is in the Roman Martyrology*. also on the said day, with the addition that he had suffered under Diocletian. 

HE LANGUISHED IN PRISON FOR BEING A CHRISTIAN

For a long time he languished in prison, until he won eternal rest by a precious death. This happened in Rome around the year 296. 

HIS ETHNIC ORIGIN

According to Butler he came from Dalmatia. Others call him a Spaniard by birth. Both are incorrect. Incidentally, it is certain from the records that he was related to Emperor Diocletian. His relics rest in Piazza.

(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints)

*ST GABINIUS' ENTRY IN THE ROMAN MARTYROLOGY

"At Rome, the birthday of Saint Gabinus, priest and martyr, brother of the blessed Pope Caius. Being loaded with chains and kept a long time in prison by Diocletian, he obtained the joys of Heaven by a precious death."