ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN MARCH
Saints celebrated on the 8th of March
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.
SS. APOLLONIUS AND PHILEMON, MARTYRS
Saint Apollonius was a zealous holy anchoret, and was apprehended by the persecutors at Antinous in Egypt.
Many heathens came to insult and affront him while in chains; and among others one Philemon, a musician, very famous, and much admired by the people. He treated the martyr as an impious person and a seducer, and one that deserved the public hatred.
HIS MEEKNESS HAD A POWERFUL EFFECT
To his injuries the saint only answered, “My son, may God have mercy on thee, and not lay these reproaches to thy charge.” This his meekness wrought so powerfully on Philemon, that he forthwith confessed himself a Christian.
BOTH WERE BROUGHT BEFORE THE JUDGE
Both were brought before the judge whom Metaphrastes and Usuard call Arian, and who had already put to death SS. Asclas, Timothy, Paphnutius, and several other martyrs: after making them suffer all manner of tortures, he condemned them to be burnt alive.
AT HIS PRAYER, THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED
When the fire was kindled about them, Apollonius prayed: “Lord, deliver not to beasts the souls who confess thee; but manifest thy power.” At that instant a cloud of dew encompassed the martyrs, and put out the fire.
THE JUDGE AND THE PEOPLE WERE AMAZED
The judge and people cried out at this miracle: “The God of the Christian is the great and only God.” The prefect of Egypt being informed of it, caused the judge and the two confessors to be brought, loaded with irons, to Alexandria.
THEY CONFESSED THEMSELVES TO BE CHRISTIANS
During the journey, Apollonius, by his instructions, prevailed so far upon those who conducted him, that they presented themselves also to the judge with their prisoners, and confessed themselves likewise to be Christians.
IN THE END, THEY WERE ALL CAST INTO THE SEA
The prefect finding their constancy invincible, caused them all to be thrown into the sea, about the year 311. Their bodies were afterwards found on the shore, and were all put into one sepulchre. “By whom,” says Rufinus, “many miracles are wrought to the present time, and the vows and prayers of all are received, and are accomplished. Hither the Lord was pleased to bring me, and to fulfil my requests.”
(From Fr Butler's Lives of the Saints)
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