November 26th - Saint Peter of Alexandria
- From: "Trudie" <trudie.Miller@xxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 26 Nov 2007 11:06:31 -0600
November 26th - Saint Peter of Alexandria, Patriarch and Martyr
(d. 310)
The Church of Alexandria, founded by the Evangelist Saint Mark in the name of
the Apostle Saint Peter, was the head of the churches of Egypt and of several
other provinces; it had lost its Metropolitan when Saint Thomas of Alexandria
died at the end of the third century. Saint Peter, a priest of that city,
replaced him, and soon was governing the church amid the terrors of the
persecution by Diocletian and Maximian. Two bishops and more than six hundred
Christians were in irons and on the verge of torture; he sent to them pastoral
letters to animate them to fervor and perseverance, and rejoiced to learn that a
number of them had won the grace of martyrdom.
Many, however, had preferred apostasy to a cruel death. Saint Peter was obliged
to instigate penances in order for them to return to the communion of the
faithful. When he deposed a bishop who had incensed an idol during the
persecution, his act of justice acquired for him the hostility of a certain
Arius, the bishop's favorite, who became thereafter the author of a schism and
an instrument of the cruel emperor Maximian who persecuted the Christians. He in
fact animated this tyrant against Saint Peter. The sentence of excommunication
which Saint Peter was the first to pronounce against the two schismatics, Arius
and Melitius, and which he strenuously upheld despite the united efforts of
powerful members of their parties, is proof that he possessed firmness as well
as sagacity and zeal.
The Patriarch was soon seized and thrown into prison. There he encouraged the
confessors imprisoned with him to sing the praises of God and pray to their
Saviour in their hearts, without ceasing. Saint Peter never ceased repeating to
the faithful that, in order not to fear death, it is necessary to begin by dying
to oneself, renouncing our self-will and detaching ourselves from all things. He
was soon to give proof of his own perfect detachment in his glorious martyrdom.
While in prison he was advised in an apparition as to his successors in the
Alexandrian church, and he recognized that the day of his eternal liberation was
at hand. He informed these two faithful sons that his martyrdom was imminent. In
effect, the emperor passed sentence of death on him, despite the fact that a
crowd of persons had come to the prison with the intention of preventing by
force the martyrdom of their patriarch; they remained all night for fear he
might be executed in secret. But Saint Peter delivered himself up to his
executioners, and died by the sword on November 26, 310. His appearance on the
scaffold was so majestic that none of them dared to touch him; it was necessary
to pay one of them in gold to strike the fatal blow.
Sources: Les Petits Bollandistes: Vies des Saints, by Msgr. Paul Guérin (Bloud
et Barral: Paris, 1882), Vol. 13; Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints, a
compilation based on Butler's Lives of the Saints and other sources by John
Gilmary Shea (Benziger Brothers: New York, 1894).
Saint Quote:
He who loveth God with all his heart feareth not death, nor punishment, nor
judgment, nor hell, because perfect love giveth sure access to God. But he who
still delighteth in sin, no marvel if he is afraid of death and judgment.
-Thomas à Kempis
Bible Quote:
Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for... he will receive the crown of
life which God has promised to those who love Him. James 1:12
<><><><>
SEVEN OBLATIONS OF THE MOST ADORABLE
BLOOD OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
Eternal Father, I offer Thee the merits
of the most precious Blood of Jesus,
Thy beloved Son, and my divine Redeemer,
for the propagation and exaltation
of our beloved and holy Mother,
the Church; for the preservation
and prosperity of her visible head,
the Sovereign Pontiff and Bishop of Rome;
for the Cardinals, Bishops, and Pastors of souls,
and for all the Ministers of the sanctuary.
Then say Glory Be To The Father... and the following Aspiration:
May benediction and thanks
be always given to Jesus,
Who has saved us by His Blood.
2. Eternal Father, I offer Thee the merits
of the most precious Blood of Jesus,
Thy beloved Son, and my divine Redeemer,
for the peace and concord of Catholic kings and princes,
for the humiliation of the enemies of our holy Faith,
and for the happiness of the christian people.
Glory Be To The Father,... as before.
3. Eternal Father,I offer Thee the merits
of the most precious Blood of Jesus,
Thy beloved Son, and my divine Redeemer,
for the enlightening of infidels,
the extirpation of all heresies,
and the conversion of sinners.
Glory Be To The Father,... as before.
4. Eternal Father, I offer Thee the merits
of the most precious Blood of Jesus,
Thy beloved Son, and my divine Redeemer,
for all my relatives, friends, and enemies;
for the poor, the sick, and the afflicted,
and for all those for whom Thou knowest and willest
that I should pray.
Glory Be To The Father,... as before.
5. Eternal Father, I offer Thee the merits
of the most precious Blood of Jesus,
Thy beloved Son, and my divine Redeemer,
for those, who depart from this life today,
that Thou mayest free them from the pains of hell,
and mayest grant them a speedily admittance
in the presence of Thy glory.
Glory Be To The Father,... as before.
6. Eternal Father, I offer Thee the merits
of the most precious Blood of Jesus,
Thy beloved Son, and my divine Redeemer,
for all those who esteem
this great treasure of His Sacred Blood,
for those who are united with me
in adoring and honouring it,
and finally for those
who endeavour to promote this holy devotion.
Glory Be To The Father,... as before.
7. Eternal Father, I offer Thee the merits
of the most precious Blood of Jesus,
Thy beloved Son, and my divine Redeemer,
for all my spiritual and temporal wants,
for the relief of the holy souls in purgatory,
and especially for those
who have been most devoted
to the price of our Redemption,
and to the dolours and sufferings
of the Blessed Virgin Mary, our beloved Mother.
Glory Be To The Father,... as before.
Glory be to the Sacred Blood
of Jesus Christ, now and at all times,
and for all eternity.
Amen.
.
- Prev by Date: Re: November 25th - St. Catherine of Alexandria, Virgin, Martyr
- Next by Date: November 26th - St. Silvester Gozzolini
- Previous by thread: Walking For Africa
- Next by thread: November 26th - St. Silvester Gozzolini
- Index(es):
Relevant Pages
|
