Posted on 12/31/2010 12:00:18 AM PST by dangus
Blessed Alan de Solminihac
Born to a noble, pious and patriotic family, Alan wanted to join the Knights of Malta, to serve God while in the military. Instead, however, he became an Augustinian Regular at Chancelade Abbey, Périgueux, France at age twenty. Superior of the abbey in 1623. He worked to restore order and piety to his men, and was so successful that the reforms spread to other local houses. Bishop of Cahors, France for 23 years from 1636 until his death. There he continued his reforms of the religious houses, and evangelization of his parishioners. Noted for his face-to-face meetings with the laity, Alan visited each of his 800 parishes at least nine times during his espicopate. He held a synod, episcopal council, founded a seminary, sponsored home missions and charities, brought back traditional devotions, and promoted adoration of the Eucharist. Attended the Council of Trent, and followed the lead of Saint Charles Borromeo in enforcing the Council’s decrees in his home diocese. Saint Columba of Sens (257-273) Noble family. At age 16 she and other Christians fled Spain for Gaul (modern France) to escape the persecutions of Emperor Aurelian. They were located, however, and imprisoned. Legend says that while she was in prison, one of the jailers tried to rape her; a bear that was being used at a nearby amphitheatre attacked the guard and rescued her. However, she and the rest of the group were later martyred.
Tradition says that almost immediately upon her death a blind man named Aubertus asked for her intervention and had his sight restored. His first act was to run to her execution site and give her body a decent burial. A chapel was soon built at the grave, followed later by the Abbey of Sens. Other churches in France have borne her name, and in times past she had a strong devotion. This inevitably led to her association with pious fictions and legend.
Bl. Giuseppa Nicoli
Joined the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul at the San Salvario house in Turin, Italy on 24 September 1883. In 1885 she was assigned to the island of Sardegna; she spent most of her life ministering to the poor there.
In June of 1899 she became the director of the Sassari orphanage, and spent her free time teaching catechism to the poor, the illiterate, and the daughters of rich people whose children went to fine schools with no religious education. She encouraged Eucharistic Adoration, supported the Associazione dei Figli di Maria (Association of the Sons of Mary), and was director of the Associazione delle Figlie di Maria (Association of the Daughters of Mary).
From 1910 to August 1914 she was recalled to Turin to serve as provincial administrator and then as director of the seminary, but her superiors finally understood the level of work she had done in Sardegna, and returned her there. Though the civil government had become decidedly anti-clerical, she continued her good work, and even opened a School of Religion for young people. Worked with sick infants and children at the Marina Colony of the Poetto for several years, and turned part of the building into a hospital for wounded soldiers during World War I.
During the whole of her time on the island she worked whenever possible with the Monelli di Maria (Urchins of Mary), children who were orphaned, homeless, abandoned, or thrown out of the house by their families. She got them to Mass, taught them catechism, to read and to write, and made sure they learned a trade so they could leave life on the streets. All this was done with the secret admiration of, but the open scorn of most authorities who did not think such children could be reformed or saved.
She died on 31 December 1924 in Cagliari, Italy of bronchial pneumonia; her birth family wanted to bury her next to her parents in Casatisma, but the people of Cagliari begged that she not leave them, and the family agreed; in October 1932 her body was moved to the chapel at the Asilo della Marina, Cagliari
St. Marius Aventicus
Bishop of Avenches (Switzerland) and chronicler, born about 530 in the present Diocese of Autun; died at Lausanne, 31 December, 594. Of the events of his life little is known. From an inscription on his tomb in the church of St. Thyrsius in Lausanne (published in the "Monumenta Germ. Scriptores", XXIV, 795), we learn that he came of a distinguished, rich and probably Roman family, and at an early age embraced the ecclesiastical state. In 574 he was made Bishop of Avenches, took part in the Council of Mâcon in 585, and shortly afterwards transferred his episcopal see from Avenches, which was rapidly declining, to Lausanne. He is extolled as an ideal bishop; as a skilled goldsmith who made the sacred vessels with his own hands; as a protector and benefactor of the poor; as a man of prayer, and as a scholar full of enthusiasm for serious intellectual studies. In 587 he consecrated St. Mary's church at Payerne, which had been built at his expense and through his efforts. After his death he was venerated in the Diocese of Lausanne as a saint, and his feast was celebrated on 9 or 12 February. The church of St. Thyrsius received at an early date the name of St. Marius. A chronicle of his is still preserved, and purports to be a continuation of the chronicle of Prosper Tiro, or rather of the "Chronicon Imperiale". It extends from 455 to 581, and, although consisting only of dry, annalistic notes, it is valuable for Burgundian and Franconian history, especially for the second half of the sixth century. This explains the fact that, notwithstanding its brevity, it has been frequently published — first by Chifflet in André Duchesne's "Historiæ Francorum Scriptores", I (1636), 210-214; again by Migne in P.L., LXXII, 793-802, and finally by Mommsen in "Mon. Germ., Auctores antiqui", XI (1893), 232-9. Saint Melania the Younger and Saint Pinian Melania was a wealthy Roman patrician noble and granddaughter of Saint Melania the Elder. Married against her will to Valerius Pinianus (Saint Pinian) at age 13. After the death of their two children, both of whom died young, and to flee invasions of the Visigoths, they fled to Tagaste, North Africa in 410 where they had estates, and where they met Saint Augustine of Hippo. Though they stayed married, the two took vows of celibacy, freed their slaves, sold their lands and goods in Spain and Gaul, and gave the proceeds to the poor. Built two monasteries for Saint Augustine, then the couple moved to Jerusalem and entered a monastery and convent around 417. Friends of Saint Paulinus of Nola and Saint Jerome. Widowed in 432. Directed the convent on the Mount of Olives for several years.
Saint Zoticus of Constantinople
Wealthy noble Roman citizen. He first surrended his position to become a priest, and then gave away his worldly wealth to the poor and lived to work for his parishioners. When Emperor Constantine the Great transferred the capital of his empire from Rome to Constantinople, Zoticus went along. There he built a hospital for the poor and orphans. He preached the orthodox faith against the heretical Arian Emperor Constantius, for which preaching he was martyred.
Marius is a common name here — Mariusz. But Zoticus sounds cool! Imagine having a name like that in modern-day USA!
Zoticus is the name of the RC Viking Kitteh, no?
I’m going to name my 6th kid Zoticus (right now the count is 0 ;-P)
This is great, dangus. I, too like Zoticus. Sounds very cool. My question is, what would be a good middle name to go with Zoticus?
The Hieromartyr Zoticus, Protector of Orphans, an illustrious and rich Roman, was in the service of St Constantine the Great (306-337). When the emperor transferred the capital from Rome to Constantinople, Zoticus also moved there. Soon, however, spurning worldly honors, Zoticus was ordained to the holy priesthood, and he began to provide for the destitute and orphaned in his own home. Then, receiving funds from St Constantine, he built a place of treatment for the sick, a shelter for the homeless, where he took in those afflicted with leprosy, rescuing them from the soldiers, who had been ordered to drown them in the sea.
When St Constantine's son, Constantius (337-361), an adherent of the Arian heresy, succeeded his father, St Zoticus was accused of receiving a large sum of money from the deceased emperor. When asked about this, Zoticus showed the emperor the homeless and sick home he had built. Constantius became angry, for he thought that Zoticus had purchased jewels with the money received
He ordered St Zoticus to be tied to wild mules, which dragged the saint over the stones. His whole body was lacerated, and the saint gave up his soul to God. A stream of pure water sprang forth at the place of his death, from which many received healing.
The Orthodox Church commemorates him today.
Yes, thank you. I saw yours so I didn’t include St. Sylvester in mine, so as not to compete.
Niiiiice. Thanks.
Contratrolli?
Excellent. I’d go with it. Hey Cronos, I already have five. If we have some more, I promise, I’ll wait a couple kids before I use it. Fair is fair, and you said it first. But I love it. I can hear it now: Zoticus Contratrolli, you get in here! lol.
What a great thread!
Zoticus Contratrolli! No doubt he REAL NAME of the Religion Mod!
Thou hast become like the Apostles in their states, a successor to their throne, finding indeed the intelligential ladder, O thou God-inspired. Therefore, thou hast followed the Word of God in righteousness, and striven unto blood for the Faith. O Martyr among Priests Zoticus, intercede with Christ God to save our souls.
Don’t worry about competition, just put all the saints out there.
LOL!
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