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ST MARY, VIRGIN OF ANTIOCH - 29 MAY

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN MAY

Saints celebrated on the 29th of May

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SAINT MARY, VIRGIN OF ANTIOCH


Saint Mary, Virgin is commemorated on May 29. Regarding this holy lady, the only thing we know with certainty is that she is venerated in the Eastern Church. When and where she lived, as well as the specific details of her life, remain unknown. While so-called "Acts" concerning her do exist, they are so unreliable and vague that the Bollandists* are compelled to state that, although they offer useful moral instruction, they contain little or nothing of historical reliability. The essence of the legend is as follows: In the city of Antioch (likely the Syrian metropolis), there lived a woman of modest means but great Christian virtue and moral rectitude. Her husband had died, leaving Mary as her only daughter. She devoted herself entirely to the girl's upbringing, striving above all to plant divine love deep within her heart. The good seed fell on fertile soil, and, at her mother's urging, the daughter resolved to consecrate her virginity to Christ forever. A nobleman named Anthemius sought to ensnare her; when his attempts failed, he made a pact with the Devil, hoping that with his aid the virgin would be delivered into his lustful grasp. Yet she was protected by the power of Jesus Christ, who had conquered the Devil and stripped him of his armour. Anthemius, too, was converted; he renounced his pact through rigorous penance and voluntary poverty. Here the narrative breaks off, offering no further details regarding the end of Saint Mary’s life. In Migne’s* saints' collection, too, she is mentioned by name only.

(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, Volume 4, Augsburg, 1875)

*A hagiography source used by the authors 

Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints - Sources and Abbreviations

PRAYER:

Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Saint Mary 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.

Sources of these articles (in the original German): books.google.co.uk, de-academic.com, zeno.org, openlibrary.org

























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