Just after we celebrate the feast of the Chair of St. Peter, we celebrate one of the Apostolic Fathers of the faith St. Polycarp of Smyrna. St. Polycarp was converted to the faith by St.. John the Evangelist about 80 A.D. and became bishop of Smyrna around 96 A.D.
From the writings of St. Ignatius of Antioch, we learn that Polycarp was a defender of orthodoxy. Polycarp opposed such heretical groups as the Marcionites and Valentinians. Marcionites and Valentinians rejected the writings of the Old Testament and taught that Christ is the Son of God who is different from the God of the Old Testament. As Catholics, we believe that Jesus is the son of God who is the same God in the Old Testament. The Marcionites and Valentinians made up many Christians at the time. They had strength in numbers. As Christians, we are called to defend our faith in Jesus to those around us. Polycarp is a great example of knowing his faith well enough to respond the vast number of people around him who understood the faith incompletely. St. Polycarp wrote an epistle to the Philippians, exhorting them to remain strong in the faith. For those of you who are history buffs, this letter is of great interest because it demonstrates the existence of New Testament texts: with quotes from Matthew and Luke, the Acts of the Apostles, and the first letters of Peter and John. St. Polycarp died a martyr’s death at the hand of the Romans around 155 A.D. Christians did not burn incense at altars because this was considered a form of idolatry. Romans believed that burning incense to the pagan gods was a way of showing allegiance to the empire. After being captured by the Romans, Polycarp refused to renounce the faith, telling the Roman captain that he had served Christ for eighty-six years. The Romans burned him alive with twelve companions. We may not be called to this red martyrdom in our lives. During this liturgical season of Lent, we are called to die to ourselves so that we can draw closer to Christ. The martyrs are great witnesses of Christ and I hope the example of St.. Polycarp helps you draw closer to Christ. St. Polycarp, pray for us!
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Between the years 1225 and 1227 seven young Florentines joined the Confraternity of the Blessed Virgin—popularly known as the 'Laudesi' or Praisers. It was a period when the prosperous city of Florence was being rent by political factions and distracted by the heresy of the Cathari: it was also a time of general relaxation of morals even where devotional practices were retained. These young men were members of the most prominent families of the city. Whether they were all friends before they joined the Laudesi is not clear, but in that confraternity, they became closely allied.
The eldest was Buonfiglio Monaldo, who became their leader. The others were Alexis Falconieri, Benedict dell' Antella, Bartholomew Amidei, Ricovero Uguccione, Gerardino Sostegni, and John Buonagiunta. They had as their spiritual director James of Poggibonsi, who was chaplain of the Laudesi, a man of great holiness and spiritual insight. All of them came to realize the call to a life of renunciation, and they determined to have recourse to our Lady in their perplexity. On the feast of the Assumption, as they were absorbed in prayer, they saw her in a vision, and were inspired by her to withdraw from the world into a solitary place and to live for God alone. There were difficulties, because though three of them were celibates, four had been married and had ties, although two had become widowers. Suitable provision for their dependents was arranged, and with the approval of the bishop they withdrew from the world and betook themselves to a house called La Carmarzia, outside the gates of Florence, twenty-three days after they had received their call. Before long they found themselves so much disturbed by constant visitors from Florence that they decided to withdraw to the wild and deserted slopes of Monte Senario, where they built a simple church and hermitage and lived a life of almost incredible austerity. Visitors sometimes found their way to the hermits and many wished to join them, but they refused to accept recruits. They continued to live for several years, until they were visited by their bishop, Ardingo, and Cardinal Castiglione, who had heard about their sanctity. He was greatly edified but made one adverse criticism: 'You treat yourselves in a manner bordering on barbarity: and you seem more desirous of dying to time than of living for eternity. Take heed: the enemy of souls often hides himself under the appearance of an angel of light . . . Hearken to the counsels of your superiors.' The solitaries gave themselves up to prayer for light, and again they had a vision of our Lady, who bore in her hand a black habit while an angel held a scroll inscribed with the title of Servants of Mary. She told them she had chosen them to be her servants, that she wished them to wear the black habit, and to follow the Rule of St. Augustine. From that date, April 13, 1240, they were known as the Servants of Mary, or Servites. They were clothed by the bishop himself, Buonfiglio being elected their superior. According to custom they selected names by which they should thenceforth be known, and became Brothers Bonfilius, Alexis, Amadeus, Hugh, Sostenes, Manettus and Buonagiunta. By the wish of the bishop, all except St. Alexis, who in his humility begged to be excused, prepared to receive holy orders, and in due time they were fully professed and ordained priests. The new order, which took a form more like that of the mendicant friars than that of the monastic orders, increased amazingly, and it soon became necessary to form new houses. Siena, Pistoia, and Arezzo were the first places chosen, and afterwards the houses at Carfaggio, the convent and church of the Santissima Annunziata in Florence, and the convent at Lucca were established. Meanwhile, although the Servites had the approval of their immediate superiors, they had not been recognized by the Holy See. It was only in 1259 that the order was practically recognized by Pope Alexander IV, and not until 1304 over sixty years after its foundation-that it received the explicit and formal approbation of Bd. Benedict XI. St. Bonfilius had remained as prior general until 1256, when he begged to be relieved owing to old age. He died on new year's night, 1261. St. Buonagiunta, the youngest of the seven, was the second prior general, but not long after his election he breathed his last in chapel while the gospel of the Passion was being read. St. Amadeus ruled over the important convent of Carfaggio but returned to Monte Senario to end his days. St. Manettus became fourth prior general and sent missionaries to Asia, but he retired to make way for St. Philip Benizi, upon whose breast he died. St. Sostenes went to Paris and St. Hugh went to found convents in Germany. They were recalled in 1276, but being attacked by illness, they passed away side by side the same night. St. Alexis, the humble lay brother outlived them all, and he was the only one who survived to see the order fully and finally recognized. He is reported to have died at the age one hundred and ten. (excerpted from "Butler's Lives of the Saints" Concise Edition, edited by Michael Walsh, Harper & Row, Publishers, (c) copyright Burns and Oates 1956, 1985.) |
Saints of LentThis is a column to recall and venerate the saints whom celebrate during the Season of Lent in 2021.. ArchivesCategories
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