SAINT FEAST DAY FOR EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN JULY Saints celebrated on the 7th of July WELCOME! SAINT MARK JI TIANXIANG, DOCTOR AND MARTYR Saint Mark Ji Tianxiang (馬克冀天祥)  was born in Jizhou District, Hengshui, Zhili (now Hebei), China in 1834. He was an affluent acupuncturist; a Catholic all his life. Known for treating poor people for free, everybody loved him. In his forties he went down with stomach illness involving severe discomfort. He successfully kept numbing the pain with opium for a prolonged period of time, and duly got addicted.  Mark made frequent confessions, admitting to and regretting his addiction, but he was denied absolution and Holy Communion because the parish priest thought he lacked true sorrow for his addiction since he did not amend it by kicking the habit. Mark ended up not receiving the Sacrament for decades, but eventually, after many years of being a faithful and regular church-goer, he was given the Sacraments once more due to his sincere perseverance in fait...

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN APRIL Saints celebrated on the 25th of April WELCOME! SAINT MARK THE EVANGELIST Mark the Evangelist is traditionally thought to be the interpreter of the Apostle Peter, who went on to write the Gospel of Mark, founded the Church of Africa and became Bishop of Alexandria. According to the New Testament theologian William Lane an ‘unbroken tradition’ identifies Mark the Evangelist with John Mark and John Mark as the cousin of Barnabas. This identification means that Mark is identified as the man who carried water to the house where the Last Supper took place or the man who ran away naked when Jesus was arrested. In the first year of Herod Agrippa’s reign over Judaea (A.D. 41) the king killed James, son of Zebedee, and arrested Peter, planning to kill him after Passover. Peter was saved miraculously by angels and escaped (Acts 12:1-19). Peter travelled to Antioch, then through Asia Minor and arrived in Rome in the second year of Emperor Claudius’s reign. At ...

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN MARCH Saints celebrated on the 13th of March   WELCOME! SAINT MARK, MARTYR OF NICAEA A companion of  Saint Theusetas , Saint Mark (Marcus)  was martyred in Nicaea . (Information from  Stadler 's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints) Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints - Sources and Abbreviations PRAYER: Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Saint Mark 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. ➡️ More information about these holy martyrs Sources of these articles (in the original German): books.google.co.uk,  de-academic.com, zeno.org, openlibrary.org

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN APRIL Saints celebrated on the 12th of April WELCOME! SAINT MARK, MARTYR Saint Mark was killed for the Christian faith along with a large group of holy men and women, headed by  Saint Quartus . They most probably suffered at Cappadocia; their names survive; but the exact details about their lives and martyrdom have been lost .  (Information from  Stadler 's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints) Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints - Sources and Abbreviations PRAYER: Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Saint Mark 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

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN MARCH Saints celebrated on the 5th of March SAINT MARK OF APOLLONIA, HERMIT According to the Meneae *, Saint Mark (Marcus) withdrew into the wilderness at the age of 40, where he lived another 60 years. He is said to have restored the sight to a blind hyena cub, impressing on it was healed under the condition that it left poor people's sheep unharmed. Even this short anecdote shows how respected this saint was in the opinion of the people.  Already as a youth he had distinguished himself by great gentleness and temperance. He read the holy scriptures so diligently that he knew a part of them by heart. People talked about him far and wide, therefore the Bollandists * refer to Mark as multorum sermone (Sozomenus VI. 29). His name indicates that he originally came from Apollonia. There existed, however, at least 32 cities of this name in antiquity; probably Cyrenean Apollonia was his native city.  When he had withdrawn to the desert of Scete and ...

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN NOVEMBER   Saints celebrated on the 22nd of November SAINTS MARK AND STEPHEN, MARTYRS OF ANTIOCH Today, we also commemorate Saints Mark and Stephen. The Roman Martyrology states:  "At Antioch, in Pisidia, the martyrdom of the Saints Mark and Stephen, under the emperor Diocletian." PRAYER: Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Saints Mark and Stephen 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.

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN OCTOBER Saints celebrated on the 25th of October SAINT THEODOSIUS AND COMPANIONS, MARTYRS Today, we also commemorate Saint Theodosius and Companions. The Roman Martyrology states:  "Also, at Rome, the birthday of forty-six holy soldiers, who were baptised together by pope Denis, and soon after beheaded by order of the emperor Claudius. They were buried on the Salarian way, with one hundred and twenty-one other martyrs. Among them are named four soldiers of Christ: Theodosius, Lucius, Mark and Peter." PRAYER: Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Saints Theodosius, Lucius, Mark, Peter, and Companions 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.

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN OCTOBER   Saints celebrated on the 24th of October SAINT MARK, HERMIT Today, we also commemorate Saint Mark. The Roman Martyrology states:  "In Campania, Saint Mark, solitary, whose renowned actions have been recorded by  Saint Gregory ." PRAYER: Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Saint Mark 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.

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN OCTOBER Saints celebrated on the 22nd of October SAINT MARK, BISHOP OF JERUSALEM, MARTYR Today, we also commemorate Saint Mark . The Roman Martyrology states:  "At Jerusalem, the blessed bishop Mark, a celebrated and learned man, who was the first Gentile that governed the church of Jerusalem. His brief episcopate was rewarded by the palm of martyrdom, under the emperor Antoninus." PRAYER: Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Saint Mark 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.

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN SEPTEMBER Saints celebrated on the 27th of September SAINT MARK, BISHOP Today, we also commemorate Saint Mark. The Roman Martyrology states:  "At Byblos, in Phoenicia, Saint Mark, bishop, who is also called John by blessed Luke." PRAYER: Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Saint Mark 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.

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN AUGUST Saints celebrated on the 31st of August SAINTS ROBUSTIAN AND MARK, MARTYRS Today, we also commemorate Saints Robustian and Mark. The Roman Martyrology states:  "Also, the holy martyrs Robustian and Mark." PRAYER: Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Saints Robustian and Mark 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.

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN JULY Saints celebrated on the 3rd of July SAINTS MARK, MUCIAN, AND COMPANIONS, MARTYRS Today, we also commemorate Saints Mark, Mucian, and Companions. The Roman Martyrology states:  "The same day, the holy martyrs Mark and Mucian, who were put to the sword for Christ. As a small boy cried out to them not to sacrifice to idols, he was whipped, but confessing Christ all the more vigorously, he was killed with a man named Paul, who had also exhorted the martyrs." PRAYER: Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Saints Mark, Mucian, and Companions 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.

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN APRIL   Saints celebrated on the 28th of April SAINT MARK, BISHOP AND MARTYR Today, we also commemorate Saint Mark. The Roman Martyrology states:  "At Atino, Saint Mark, who being made bishop by the blessed apostle Peter, was the first to preach the Gospel to the inhabitants of that region, and received the crown of martyrdom in the persecution of Domitian, under the governor Maximus." PRAYER: Grant to your Church, we beseech you, O Lord, through the intercession of Saint Mark, not to think high-mindedly, but to grow in humility pleasing to you; that, despising what is base, she may with unbounded love diligently do whatever is right. 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.

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN MAY Saints celebrated on the 21st of May SAINT MARK, BISHOP Saint Mark (Marcus), a bishop in Egypt, became a "confessor" under the Arian Constantius, and died, expelled from his seat, in the desert of Barca.  The Roman Martyrology * does not name him (as Migne * erroneously says), but generally it does commemorate those saints who suffered during Constantius' persecution of the orthodox Catholic Christians. (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 Mark 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.

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN OCTOBER Saints celebrated on the 22nd of October 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,...

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN MAY Saints celebrated on the 22 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, aft...

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN MARCH Saints celebrated on the 29th of March WELCOME! SAINT MARK, BISHOP OF ARETHUSA Some Greeks rank among the saints on this day Mark, bishop of Arethusa, in Syria, in the fourth age. When Constantius put to death his uncle Julius Constantius, brother of Constantine the Great, with his eldest son; the two younger, Gallus and Julian, narrowly escaped the sword. In that danger Mark concealed Julian, and secretly supplied him with necessaries for his subsistence.  HE CONVERTED A GREAT NUMBER OF PAGANS When Julian became emperor, he commanded that the temples which had been demolished by Christians, during the two preceding reigns, should be rebuilt at their expense. Mark had, by the authority of Constantius, demolished a very magnificent temple which was held in great veneration by the idolaters: he had also built a church, and converted a great number of infidels.  Authorised by the law of Julian, the heathens of Arethusa, when they saw themselv...

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN JUNE Saints celebrated on the 18th of June WELCOME! SAINTS MARCUS AND MARCELLIANUS, MARTYRS Marcus and Marcellianus were twin brothers of an illustrious family in Rome, had been converted to the faith in their youth, and were honourably married. Diocletian ascended the imperial throne in 284; soon after which the heathens raised tumultuary persecutions, though this emperor had not yet published any new edicts against the church.  THEY WERE THROWN INTO PRISON FOR BEING CHRISTIANS These martyrs were thrown into prison, and condemned by Chromatius, lieutenant of the prefect of Rome, to be beheaded.  Their friends obtained a respite of the execution for thirty days, that they might prevail with them to comply with the judge, and they were removed into the house of Nicostratus the public register. Tranquillinus and Martia, their afflicted heathen parents, in company with their sons’ own wives and their little babes at their breasts, endeavoured to mo...

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN APRIL Saints celebrated on the 25th of April WELCOME! SAINT MARK THE EVANGELIST ➡️ More information about Saint Mark the Evangelist Saint Mark, a cousin of Barnabas, accompanied Saint Paul on his first missionary journey and later went with him to Rome. He was a disciple of Saint Peter whose teaching was the basis for Mark’s Gospel. Mark is said to be the founder of the church of Alexandria. PRAYER: O God,  who raised up Saint Mark, your Evangelist, and endowed him with the grace to preach the Gospel, grant, we pray, that we may so profit from his teaching as to follow faithfully in the footsteps of Christ. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen. *** SAINT MARK'S ENTRY IN THE ROMAN MARTYROLOGY "At Alexandria, the birthday of blessed Mark, evangelist, disciple and interpreter of the apostle Saint Peter. He wrote his gospel at the request of the faithful of Rome, and taking it with him, proceeded to ...