Old Stuff

The Twenty-sixth Day of February

At Perga in Pamphylia, the birthday of Blessed Nestor, bishop. Unremitting in his prayer day and night that the flock of Christ might protected, he was seized in the persecution of Decius. Confessing the name of the Lord with wonderful zeal and readiness, he was most cruelly, tortured on the rack by order of Pollio the governor. At last, when he firmly declared that he would always remain loyal to Christ, he was crucified and thus passed as victor to Heaven.

In the same place, the suffering of SS. Papias, Diodorus, Conon, and Claudian; they preceded St. Nestor in martyrdom.

Likewise the holy martyrs Fortunatus, Felix, and twenty-seven others.

At Alexandria, St. Alexander, a glorious old man[1]. He was one of the successors of Blessed Peter as bishop of that see. It was he who cast out of the Church the priest Arius when he had become tainted with heresy and convicted by divine truth. He afterwards was one of the three hundred and eighteen Fathers who condemned Arius in the Council of Nicaca.

At Bologna, St. Faustinian, bishop. By his preaching of the Word of God, he strengthened and increased the Church when it was being persecuted in the reign of Diocletian.

At Gaza in Palestine, St. Porphyrius, bishop who, in the time of the Emperor Arcadius, overthrew the idol Marna and its temple. After enduring many sufferings, he died a peaceful death in the Lord.

At Florence, St. Andrew, bishop and confessor.

In the province of Champagne in Gaul, St. Victor, confessor, whose eulogy was written by St. Bernard.

The death of the venerable brother Antoninus Cloche of France, 60th master general of the Order.

V. And elsewhere many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins.

R. Thanks be to God.

Footnotes: [1] When he became bishop of Constantinople (in 313 Or 317), he was seventy-three years old. With astonishing vigor he fought the enemies of the Church to the day of his death -- twenty-three years later.

Posted by billw at February 26, 2003 01:46 AM