ST ZAMBDAS, BISHOP OF JERUSALEM - 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.

ST ZAMBDAS, BISHOP OF JERUSALEM

Saint Zambdas (Zabdas) was bishop of Jerusalem. He also occurs as Labdas, Zapdas and Bazas. The latter designation is found in Epiphanius (haer. XLVI. 20.). 

THE TIME OF THE CRUEL PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS

Living under Diocletian and Maximian at the time of the last cruel persecution, no doubt he will have suffered much hardship, although he held the shepherd's crook for only four years. 

HE IS SAID TO HAVE CONVERTED AND BAPTISED THE THEBAN LEGION

According to the Roman Martyrology. he is said to have been the bishop who converted and baptised the Theban legion. St Zambdas died happily in the Lord in the year 304. 

(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, 1858)

PRAYER:

Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Zambdas, your blessed bishop, may increase our devotion and promote our salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.