• June 2nd - SS. Marcellinus and Peter, Martyrs

    From rich@1:396/4 to All on Mon Jun 1 09:21:02 2020
    From: rich <richarra@gmail.com>

    June 2nd - SS. Marcellinus and Peter, Martyrs

    Priest and Exorcist (martyred in 304).

    While very little is known today about the lives of these holy men,
    Marcellinus and Peter were prominent enough in the early Church to be
    included amongst the saints of the Roman Canon and their names
    continue to be mentioned during celebration of the Eucharist. Further
    evidence of the veneration and respect of the Church lives on in the
    basilica that Emperor Constantine built over their tombs in Rome.

    The story of the lives and martyrdom of Marcellinus and Peter was
    recorded by Pope Saint Damasus, who learned of their heroic acts
    directly from their executioner=E2=80=94a man who converted to Christianity shortly after their deaths.=C2 According to the saintly pope, the
    executioner was deeply troubled following his role in the martyrdom
    and could not shake the feeling that a faith that had given
    Marcellinus and Peter such peace of mind and steady joy in the face of
    death must be authentic.

    Marcellinus was a priest and Peter was an exorcist (authorised by the
    Church to work against demonic possession in individuals) who worked
    alongside him. Imprisoned during the persecution of Christians under
    the reign of Diocletian, Marcellinus and Peter embraced their
    suffering, seeing it as an opportunity for evangelisation and quickly
    had converted the majority of prisoners in jail with them=E2=80=94including
    the jailor and his entire family. This was accomplished when Peter set
    the daughter of the jailer free from an evil spirit which possessed
    her. Shortly thereafter, the jailor, his wife and their other children
    were baptised into the faith=E2=80=94right in the cell of Peter and Marcellinus.

    When Diocletian heard of their activities, he was greatly incensed and
    had them tortured, stripped naked and thrown into cells filled with
    only broken shards of glass. When it was observed that this only
    served to increase their faith and joy in suffering, he had them taken
    to the forest of Silva Nigra and dig their own graves. Then, he had
    them beheaded in the forest, so that other Christians would not find
    their bodies, bury them properly, and then subsequently venerate them.
    However, that was not to be the case. Shortly following their death, a Christian matron by the name of Lucilla learned of their martyrdom
    through a dream (or possibly a prophetic vision) and came with some
    fellow faithful to the gravesite. The relics of the holy martyrs were
    removed and translated to a more proper burial place, a set of
    catacombs in Rome. When Christianity was restored as a =E2=80=9Clegal=E2=80= =9D faith
    tradition under Constantine, he had a great basilica built in their
    honour over their tomb.

    =C2 By Anastpaul 2017


    Saint Quote:
    The reason why sometimes you have asked and not received, is because
    you have asked amiss, either inconsistently, or lightly, or because
    you have asked for what was not good for you, or because you have
    ceased asking.
    --Saint Basil the Great

    Bible Quote:
    For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life
    through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)


    Thought for the Day =E2=80=93 2 June

    Why are these men included in our Eucharistic prayer and given their
    own feast day, in spite of the fact that almost nothing is known about
    them?
    Probably because the Church respects its collective memory. They once
    sent an impulse of encouragement through the whole Church. They made
    the ultimate step of faith=E2=80=A6=E2=80=A6Fr. Don Miller, OFM

    The foundation of our faith rests on the lives of these holy men and
    women of the early Church who willingly gave themselves over to the
    faith, courageous and joyful in their martyrdom.=C2 When we consider the struggles of today and our own personal difficulties in daily life, we
    might pause to consider the sacrifice of these early martyrs and be
    inspired to greater faith, trust and love and be filled with that
    impulse of encouragement!
    Sts Marcellinus and Peter, pray for us!

    <><><><>
    Prayer to the Holy Ghost

    Come, O Holy Ghost, fill the hearts of Thy faithful, and enkindle in
    them the fire of Thy love. Send forth Thy Spirit and they shall be
    created, and Thou shalt renew the face of the earth. Oh God Who didst
    instruct the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Ghost,
    grant us in the same Spirit to be truly wise and to ever rejoice in
    His consolations, through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

    --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
    * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)