From: rich <richarra@gmail.com>

June 26th - St. Pelagius of Cordova, Boy-Martyr
=E2=80 925)

Muslims=E2=80=93Arabs and Moors=E2=80=93suddenly invaded Spain from North A= frica in
A.D. 711. From that date on to the end of the 15th century,
Mohammedans ruled at least the southern reaches of the Spanish
peninsula. During the era of the first Crusade (1095-99), in which
European Christians sought to wrest the Holy Land from Muslim control,
the Christians of northern Spain launched their own campaign to =E2=80=9Creconquer=E2=80=9D their country and oust the Moors from its shore=
s. As a
result, the last remaining Muslim outpost, the Kingdom of Granada, was
finally overturned in 1492. At last the Spanish peninsula could once
more call itself Christian.

At least in their earlier centuries of control, the Islamic overlords
of Spain were fairly tolerant. They were wise enough to interfere as
little as possible with local governments and church affairs. But
under Muslim control, religious conflicts were bound to arise. There
were, for instance, doctrinal problems. Again, while some of the Moors
became Christians, some Christians also embraced Islam. Particularly
at Cordova, the Muslim capital, a number of Christians died for their
faith.

St. Pelagius was perhaps the youngest of these 40 or 50 martyrs. He
lived in the days of Abd-ar-Rahman III, the most notable of the
caliphs of Cordova. We first meet Pelagius at the age of ten when he
was left with the caliph by his uncle to be a hostage. What occasioned
the arrangement does not seem to be known. Anyhow, it was understood
that the boy would eventually be released through an exchange of
hostages.

For some reason, however, the exchange prisoners never arrived, and
for 3 years the poor youngster remained captive. Not that he was
treated badly. Indeed, as he grew into his teens and proved to be a
handsome, self-possessed youth, those who had charge of him brought
good reports about him to the caliph.

Caliph Abd-ar-Rahman eventually summoned Pelagius into his presence.
He, too, was impressed by the lad's potential. He even announced to
him that he would willingly liberate him and confer upon him many
favors. He would give him money, fine clothes, fine horses to ride,
and increasing honors, but on one condition: that he renounce his
Catholic faith and accept Mohammed as his prophet.

The prospect of freedom and riches would ordinarily have enchanted the
average thirteen-year-old, as the caliph well knew. But the young
hostage to whom he was talking was no ordinary boy. Throughout his
captivity, Pelagius had kept his faith strong by prayer. His jail
companions could have become a corrupting influence, but he had
preserved himself from the effects of their bad example.

Would this youth accept the ruler's offer? No, he would not. =E2=80=
=9CAll that
means nothing to me,=E2=80=9D he said. =E2=80=9CA Christian I have been, Ch= ristian I
am, and Christian I shall continue to be.=E2=80=9D

Having thus failed with bribes, Abd-ar-Rahman turned to threats.
Pelagius was no more moved by threats than by the promises. At length
he was condemned to death. Accounts of the manner of his death vary,
but it seems clear that his execution was preceded by cruel and
humiliating tortures.

The Christians of Cordova rescued the boy's poor, torn limbs and
preserved them with all reverence due to a martyr. Eventually they
enshrined the relics in Oviedo. His story captured a permanent place
in the hearts of Spanish Catholics, and thereafter many a boy was
baptized =E2=80=9CPelayo=E2=80=9D in memory of the young hero, and many a c= hurch was
given his name. In pictures and statues the youthful martyr is
depicted either as a youth bearing red hot tongs, or as without a
right hand and carrying a sword in his left.

Indeed, the youngster's fame had spread even to Germany within the
century of his death. That remarkable poet, the devout and learned
Abbess Roswitha of Gandersheim,, was so touched by the story of his
heroism that she wrote a long Latin eulogy of =E2=80=9Cthe youthful Pelagiu= s.=E2=80=9D
=E2=80=93Father Robert


Saint Quote:
At Judgment Time have pity upon every man, Lord, in that hour when he
has finished his task and stands before Thee like a child, whose hands
are being examined. - Amen.
--Paul Claudel

Bible Quote
Let your spirits be renewed so that you can put on the new self that
has been created in God's way, in the goodness and holiness of the
truth.=C2 (Ephesians 4:23-24)


<><><><>
Acquiring Patience in the Fight Against Concupiscence=C2 [2]

=C2 =C2 Do you think that men of the world have no suffering, or perha=
ps
but little? Ask even those who enjoy the most delights and you will
learn otherwise. =E2=80=9CBut,=E2=80=9D you will say, =E2=80=9Cthey enjoy m= any pleasures and
follow their own wishes; therefore they do not feel their troubles
very much.=E2=80=9D Granted that they do have whatever they wish, how long =
do
you think it will last? Behold, they who prosper in the world shall
perish as smoke, and there shall be no memory of their past joys.
Even in this life they do not find rest in these pleasures without
bitterness, weariness, and fear. For they often receive the penalty of
sorrow from the very thing whence they believe their happiness comes.
And it is just. Since they seek and follow after pleasures without
reason, they should not enjoy them without shame and bitterness.
--Thomas =C3 Kempis --Imitation of Christ Bk 3 Ch 12
--- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
* Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)