Saints celebrated on the 29th of May
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 CYRIL OF CAESAREA, MARTYR
Saint Cyril was as yet a child when he glorified God by martyrdom at Caesarea in Cappadocia. His father, being an idolater, seeing his young son, who had been privately made a Christian, refuse to adore his idols, after all manner of severe usage, turned him out of doors.
HIS FATHER THREW HIM OUT BECAUSE CYRIL WAS A CHRISTIAN
The governor of Caesarea being informed of it, gave orders that Cyril should be brought before him. Enraged to hear him never cease to proclaim the name of Jesus, he told him with many caresses, that he ought to detest that name, and promised him the pardon of his faults, a reconciliation with his father, and the inheritance of his estate, if he obeyed.
The courageous child answered, “I rejoice in suffering reproaches for what I have done. God will receive me, with whom I shall be better than with my father. I cheerfully renounce earthly estates and house, that I may be made rich in heaven. I am not afraid of death, because it will procure me a better life.” This he said with a courage which showed that God spoke in him.
"GOD WILL RECEIVE ME"
The judge commanded him to be publicly bound, and to be led as if it had been to execution, but he gave orders in private that they should only frighten him. Being placed before a great fire, and threatened to be thrown into it, yet he was not daunted. He was then carried back to the judge, who said to him, “My child, you have seen both the fire and the sword. Be wise, and return to your house and fortune.” The martyr answered, “You have done me a real prejudice in calling me back. I neither fear the fire nor the sword; God will receive me. Put me to death without delay, that I may the sooner go to him.” All the assistants wept to hear him speak in this manner.
"MY HOPE"
But he said to them, “You ought rather to rejoice; you know not what is my hope, nor what kind of kingdom I am going to possess.” With these sentiments he went joyfully to his death. He seems to have died by the sword. His name occurs in the Martyrology which bears the name of St Jerome, and in that of Florus. He suffered under Decius or Valerian. See his authentic acts in Ruinart and Henschenius, probably compiled by St Firmilian, bishop of Caesarea.
(From Fr Butler's Lives of the Saints)
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