#Church of St. Simon and Jude

[edwardian-girl-next-door]

Feast Days: St. Bartholomew

Saint Bartholomew, workshop of Simone Martini (c.1317-1319)

Happy St. Bartholomew's Day!

Today marks the feast day of St. Bartholomew the Apostle -- that's right, one of the OG followers of Jesus! Although he has a pretty miniscule role in Biblical narratives, he is one of the twelve apostles, and so has a heavy load when it comes to patronage. He is the patron saint of butchers, Florentine salt and cheese merchants, house painters, book binders, leather workers, neurological diseases, skin diseases, dermatology, shoemakers, glove makers, farmers, curriers, tanners, trappers, and twitching.

A fair warning: this one isnt' so cheerful. Bart's demise, like many of the saints, is pretty gnarly, and it does have something to do with all this skin/leather stuff going on in his patronage. This day is also associated with an infamous example of religious violence, Catholic vs. Protestant. Read on at your own peril.

His Life

Not a lot is known about Bartholomew's life within Biblical canon. He is believed to be same person as the apostle Nathaniel, who appears in John 1:45-51 and 21:2. He is also mentioned in the Book of Acts.

Much of the tradition around Bartholomew details his trips to spread Christianity. This man sure got around! Two ancient texts cite a trip to India, specifically the Bombay region, where he left a copy of the Gospel of Matthew. However, many scholars doubt that this actually happened, and say that he actually went to Ethiopia or modern-day Yemen. Still other traditions hold that he was a missionary in Mesopotamia, northeastern Iran, and/or central Turkey.

Arguably his most eventful missions trip was to the Armenia/Azerbaijan area in the 1st century CE. Along with his fellow apostle Jude (also called Thaddeus), he is credited with bringing Christianity to the region; and as such, both are venerated as the patron saints of the Apostolic Church of Armenia. His luck ran out here, however, and he was martyred in the region in horrific fashion. Legend holds that he converted the king of Albania, Polymius, to Christianity. Polymius's brother was not a fan of this, and fearing a Roman backlash, and ordered Bartholomew's torture and execution. There are three main stories about his manner of death. The most popular says that he was executed in Albonopolis in Armenia by being flayed (skinned) alive and beheaded. The second account says he was crucified upside-down, and the third that he was beaten unconscious and thrown into the sea to drown. The first legend captures the imagination much more vividly, and as such Bartholomew is most frequently depicted holding his skin -- sometimes he has grown a new skin, other times he is still a skin-less meat man. Many times the old skin still has his face. Woof.

Bartholomew has also come to be associated with the field of medicine, for two main reasons. Firstly, artists past and present have taken advantage of Bartholomew's flayed state to execute detailed anatomical studies of the human body. Secondly, a portion of his relics are stored at the basilica of San Bartolomeo all'Isola in Rome. This was the old site of a temple to Asclepius, which was an important Roman medical site (Asclepius is the Greek god of medicine). Thus, over time, Bartholomew and medicine came to be connected.

The St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre

A depiction by Huguenot painter François Dubois, who was possibly an eyewitness (c.1572-1584)

This series mainly focuses on saints' days in the UK, but one does not simply discuss St. Bartholomew's Day without discussing the massacre. This outbreak of bloodletting was part of the decades-long French Wars of Religion, which was fought on and off between Catholics and Huguenots (French Calvinist Protestants). As religion held such an essential role in society and in the machinations of power, the 'type' of Christianity embraced by the state was literally and frequently a matter of life and death. With autocratic governments, unity of church and state, and much less effective means of communication and law enforcement, it was only too easy for hate and violence to take over, and for those in power to turn a blind eye or even participate. There are many contemporary examples we can look to as parallels to this event, and I think with the same conditions, it could happen a lot more often.

The massacre took place in Paris on the night of August 23rd-24th, 1572. Although the causes for the riots are complex and deep-rooted, the main inciting factor was the marriage of Henry III of Navarre, a Catholic, to Margaret of Valois, a Huguenot. They were married on August 18th, and many rich and famous Huguenots gathered in largely-Catholic Paris to attend the wedding. Tensions erupted in scenes of horrific violence, with Catholic mobs attacking, trapping, and hunting down Huguenots in the streets. The violence lasted for several weeks, spreading out through the provinces and other urban areas. Sir Francis Walsingham, Elizabeth I's ambassador to France at the time, was in Paris during the violence and barely managed to escape with his life. Modern estimates cite the casualties from anywhere between 5,000 and 30,000 people. Although the Catholic reaction to the slaughter ranged from outward glee to sickened horror, Protestant countries obviously panicked, and the massacre was used as anti-Catholic propaganda for centuries, 'justifying' Protestant reprisals against uninvolved Catholics. It was yet another terrible event in the brutal European Wars of Religion.

St. Bartholomew's Day and its Traditions

On to more cheerful things!

This day is also called Bartlemas or Bartelmytide.

Emma, the wife of King Canute, supposedly brought one of Bartholomew's arms to England in the 11th century, and it was venerated in Canterbury Cathedral for many years. Most of the information on this is in the past tense, so I assume it is no longer there.

Depiction of Bartholomew Fair, Rowlandson et. al., c.1808

August and the time around St. Bartholomew's Day is the traditional time for markets and fairs. One of the most famous was Bartholomew Fair in West Smithfield, London. A massive spectacle, it served as a place for serious trade, becoming the main cloth trading event in the country; but it also offered entertainment like dances, tournaments, musicians, international curiosities, food vendors, conjurers, wild animals, circus acts, and an all-around good time. It began in 1133 by a charter from Henry I, and originally lasted three days, but during the 1600s it could go for two full weeks! With the change in the calendar in 1753, the fair was moved to September 3rd, and in 1791 they decided four days was quite enough time. It was ended in 1855 for causing public disturbance and the criminal activity it attracted. A less rowdy street fair is still held in Crewkerne, Somerset, at the beginning of September. It dates back to Saxon times and is even recorded in the Doomesday Book of 1086!

There is also some delightful weather wisdom about St. Bartholomew's Day. One rhyme says, "If St. Bartholomew's be fair and clear / Then a prosperous autumn comes that year". Another is connected to St. Swithin's Day (July 15th), and claims "All the tears St. Swithin can cry / St Bartelmy's mantle wipes them dry". Traditional wisdom holds that rain on St. Swithin's Day means rain for the next 40 days, or until August 24th.

Many areas have their own unique ways of celebrating the holiday, such as blessing mead or baking special bread. It's nice to know that a holiday associated with such terrible things can be made into a nice occasion!

If You're Still Interested

There are a few famous depictions of the saint, including Michelangelo's rendering in "The Last Judgement". However, the whole flayed skin thing makes it pretty gruesome, and I didn't want to spring that on y'all without warning. If you'd like to see it, feel free to Google!

History Today's article that details some specific exhibitions from Bartholomew's Fair, including ventriloquists and a pig that could tell time!

Sources

Please forgive the excess of Wikipedia! It's hard to find info on the internet about this holiday, and Wikipedia has been the most forthcoming. It really can be helpful sometimes.

Wikipedia (Bartholomew the Apostle)

Wikipedia (Bartholomew Fair)

Wikipedia (St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre)

My AP European History class (woot)

aclerkofoxford

The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady by Edith Holden

The Encyclopedia of Saints by Rosemary Ellen Guiley

[jamesjbkim]

Several of Jesus' siblings are considered saints in various Christian traditions:

## St. James the Just

James, often referred to as "the brother of the Lord," is the most prominent of Jesus' siblings[4]. He became a leader of the early Christian church in Jerusalem and is considered a saint in multiple Christian denominations. He is traditionally identified as the author of the Epistle of James in the New Testament.

## St. Jude Thaddeus

Jude, also called Thaddeus, is another brother of Jesus recognized as a saint[4]. He is traditionally credited as the author of the Epistle of Jude in the New Testament.

## St. Simon

Simon, another brother of Jesus, is also venerated as a saint in some traditions[4]. However, less is known about him compared to James and Jude.

## Other Siblings

While not officially canonized, Jesus' other siblings mentioned in the Bible include:

- Joses (or Joseph)

- Unnamed sisters (at least two are mentioned)

It's important to note that the exact nature of these sibling relationships is debated among different Christian denominations. Some traditions interpret "brothers" to mean cousins or step-siblings, while others consider them to be biological siblings[4].

Sources

[1] Saints Who Were Siblings - Cora Evans https://www.coraevans.com/blog/article/saints-who-were-siblings

[2] Sibling Saints - nunspeak - WordPress.com https://nunspeak.wordpress.com/2011/05/16/sibling-saints/

[3] Saints who were Religious Brothers https://religiousbrotherhood.com/blog/2019/1/14/saints-who-were-religious-brothers

[4] Brothers of Jesus - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brothers_of_Jesus

[5] James, brother of Jesus - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James,_brother_of_Jesus

[6] Did Jesus have any siblings? | Notes and Queries - The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/notesandqueries/query/0,,-11906,00.html

[7] When Holiness Runs in the Family: Stories of Siblings Who Became ... https://www.holyart.co.uk/blog/saints-and-blessed/when-holiness-runs-in-the-family-stories-of-siblings-who-became-saints-together/

[8] 3 Sets of Brother and Sister Saints You Should Know About https://owlcation.com/humanities/Brother-and-Sister-Sibling-Saints

[nekropsii]

small nitpick but catholics don’t worship saints ^^ st. joseph of cupertino is really neat though! i’ve also seen st. jude/thaddeus and st. valentine. anything that’s not simon peter is cool, considering most of the psiioniic - peter association just came from him being well known and close to jesus and not much else. and peter was the first pope, which doesn’t fit with the psiioniic like at all. mind if i ask what’s your opinion on signless as moses rather than jesus?

Oh yeah, I know "Worship" isn't really the right term for it, it's just the easiest shorthand without needing to explain further. Not a lot of people really "get" the difference between Veneration and Worship outside of previous experience with the Catholic Church. You know how it is. It's a less accurate term, but people question it less. You'd be surprised how often people will ask me what easily searchable words mean...

St. Jude and St. Valentine are interesting choices! I can see where it comes from. I stand by the St. Joseph of Cupertino take, because there's just more in common there from my perspective, even if he's lesser known... Which, honestly, the "lesser known" factor ties into the theming pretty nicely. That's kind of just a personal taste thing, though.

Were people really trying to tie The Psiioniic to St. Peter? I haven't heard that one before... Nothing about St. Peter's patronage rings true to anything we know about The Psiioniic. He's more than just his relationship to The Sufferer. Things don't need to be that linear. Remix it! Consider the person rather than the affiliations.

And... Hm! I've never thought of The Sufferer having much relation to Moses. I'd honestly have to think about that. It wouldn't surprise me if he was kind of just... An amalgamation of several different important Biblical figures. Hussie doesn't exactly seem to come from a religious background, I wouldn't be surprised if things kind of blurred together. He's pretty obviously based on Jesus at least, but there's a vibe to the Ancestors that doesn't particularly read like Hussie has ever participated in any form of Christianity much outside of what you're naturally fed by being US American.

[thepastisalreadywritten]

SAINTS OF THE DAY (October 28)

St. Jude Thaddaeus

St. Jude, known as Thaddaeus, was a brother of St. James the Lesser and a relative of Jesus.

Ancient writers tell us that he preached the Gospel in Judea, Samaria, Idumaea, Syria, Mesopotamia, and Lybia.

According to Eusebius, he returned to Jerusalem in the year 62 and assisted at the election of his brother, St. Simeon, as Bishop of Jerusalem.

He is an author of an epistle (letter) to the Churches of the East, in particular the Jewish converts, directed against the heresies of the Simonians, Nicolaites, and Gnostics.

This Apostle is said to have suffered martyrdom in Armenia, which was then subject to Persia.

The final conversion of the Armenian nation to Christianity did not take place until the third century A.D.

St. Jude was the one who asked Jesus at the Last Supper why He would not manifest Himself to the whole world after His resurrection.

Little else is known of his life, but legend claims that he visited Beirut and Edessa.

He was beaten to death with a club, then beheaded post-mortem in 1st century Persia.

His relics reside at Saint Peter's in Rome, at Rheims, and at Toulouse, France.

Saint Jude Thaddeus is not the same person as Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Our Lord and despaired because of his great sin and lack of trust in God's mercy.

St. Jude Thaddeus is invoked in desperate situations because his New Testament letter stresses that the faithful should persevere in the environment of harsh, difficult circumstances, just as their forefathers had done before them.

Therefore, he is the patron of desperate situations, forgotten causes, hospital workers, hospitals, impossible causes, lost causes, and the diocese of Saint Petersburg, Florida.

He is represented as bearded man holding an oar, a boat, boat hook, a club, an axe or a book.

Nearly every image of him depicts him wearing a medallion with a profile of Jesus.

He usually has a small flame above his head and often carries a pen.

We remember him on October 28 in Roman Church and June 19 in Eastern Church.

St. Simon the Zealot

Little is known about the post-Pentecost life of St. Simon, who had been called a Zealot.

He is thought to have preached in Egypt and then to have joined St. Jude in Persia.

Here, he was supposedly martyred by being cut in half with a saw, a tool he is often depicted with.

However, the 4th-century St. Basil the Great says he died in Edessa, peacefully.

[shadowredfeline]

On this Day August 14th 2016

I made a drawing of Murukir @murumokirby360 and he's playing as a Bishop. Which are these people who tell the Priests what to do. They always choose which Priest to do the Mass every Sunday depending on who's doing the Mass Services at the Church. And I remember our former Bishop retired over at a Cathedral in my State AZ, and we got ourselves a New Bishop, but we don't know the name. But my mom and I remember when we went to a Cathedral called St. Simon and Jude, their Cathedral showed the New Bishop and he's pretty cool about talking about art and stuff. Much like how Pope Francis likes to talk about normal Stuff. I'm sure for Murukir like if he's with the Speedsters and the Ramcats, I bet they might enjoy getting to meet with the Bishop like how Spot and Riya met up with the Pope.

People I tagged @bryan360 and @rafacaz4lisam2k4

[silvestromedia]

SAINTS OCTOBER 28 "There is only one tragedy in this life, not to have been a saint."- Leon Bloy

St. John Dat, Roman Catholic Priest and Martyr of Vietnam. He was a native of that land, ordained in 1798, and arrested in that same year and imprisoned for three months before being beheaded.

St. Joachim Royo, Roman Catholic Priest and Dominican martyr in China. A Spaniard, Joachim was sent to China with Blessed Peter Sanz and was ordained there. He was strangled to death in a prison after horrible atrocities.

STS. SIMON AND JUDE (TADDEO), APOSTLES, Two Saints and two Apostles of Christ, according to tradition both martyrs of the Gospel in Mesopotamia. The Church remembers Saint Simon, known as the “Zealot” and Saint Jude Thaddeus, on the 28th of October.

St. Eadsin, 1050 A.D. Archbishop of Canterbury, England, who crowned King St. Edward the Confessor.

[pamphletstoinspire]

Commentary on the Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to St. Mark – Chapter 6

St. Mark, the disciple and interpreter of St. Peter (as noted by St. Jerome.) according to what he heard from St. Peter himself, wrote at Rome a brief Gospel at the request of the Brethren (fellow Christians), about ten years after our Lord's Ascension; which when St. Peter had heard, he approved of it, and with his authority he published it to the Church to be read. Baronius and others maintain, that the original was written in Latin: but the more general opinion is that the Evangelist wrote it in Greek.

First, the Nazarenes reject Jesus and His preaching, since He is their countryman and the son of the carpenter. Second (v. 7), Jesus sends the Apostles in pairs to preach, having given them power to cure the sick and expel demons. Third (v. 14), Herod, having heard of Jesus’ miracles, suspects that John the Baptist, whom he killed, was risen in Jesus; for this reason the death of John is recounted. Fourth (v. 30), the Apostles return to Christ, telling of the things that they have done. Christ then feeds five thousand people with five loaves. Fifth (v. 47), He comes to the disciples walking upon the sea, and calms the storm, and cures many with the touch of the hem of His garment.

And going out from thence, he went into his own country; and his disciples followed him. 2 And when the Sabbath was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were in admiration at his doctrine, saying: How came this man by all these things? And what wisdom is this that is given to him, and such mighty works as are wrought by his hands? 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joseph, and Jude, and Simon? Are not also his sisters here with us? And they were scandalized in regard of him. 4 And Jesus said to them: A prophet is not without honor, but in his own country, and in his own house, and among his own kindred. 5 And he could not do any miracles there, only that he cured a few that were sick, laying his hands upon them. 6 And he wondered because of their unbelief, and he went through the villages round about teaching. 7 And he called the twelve; and began to send them two and two, and gave them power over unclean spirits. 8 And he commanded them that they should take nothing for the way, but a staff only: no scrip, no bread, nor money in their purse, 9 But to be shod with sandals, and that they should not put on two coats. 10 And he said to them: Wheresoever you shall enter into a house, there abide till you depart from that place. 11 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you; going forth from thence, shake off the dust from your feet for a testimony to them. 12 And going forth they preached that men should do penance: 13 And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them. 14 And king Herod heard, (for his name was made manifest,) and he said: John the Baptist is risen again from the dead, and therefore mighty works show forth themselves in him. 15 And others said: It is Elias. But others said: It is a prophet, as one of the prophets. 16 Which Herod hearing, said: John whom I beheaded, he is risen again from the dead. 17 For Herod himself had sent and apprehended John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias the wife of Philip his brother, because he had married her. 18 For John said to Herod: It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother’s wife. 19 Now Herodias laid snares for him: and was desirous to put him to death, and could not. 20 For Herod feared John, knowing him to be a just and holy man: and kept him, and when he heard him, did many things: and he heard him willingly.

21 And when a convenient day was come, Herod made a supper for his birthday, for the princes, and tribunes, and chief men of Galilee. 22 And when the daughter of the same Herodias had come in, and had danced, and pleased Herod, and them that were at table with him, the king said to the damsel: Ask of me what thou wilt, and I will give it thee. 23 And he swore to her: Whatsoever thou shalt ask I will give thee, though it be the half of my kingdom. 24 Who when she was gone out, said to her mother, What shall I ask? But she said: The head of John the Baptist. 25 And when she was come in immediately with haste to the king, she asked, saying: I will that forthwith thou give me in a dish, the head of John the Baptist. 26 And the king was struck sad. Yet because of his oath, and because of them that were with him at table, he would not displease her: 27 But sending an executioner, he commanded that his head should be brought in a dish. 28 And he beheaded him in the prison, and brought his head in a dish: and gave it to the damsel, and the damsel gave it to her mother. 29 Which his disciples hearing came, and took his body, and laid it in a tomb. 30 And the apostles coming together unto Jesus, related to him all things that they had done and taught. 31 And he said to them: Come apart into a desert place, and rest a little. For there were many coming and going: and they had not so much as time to eat. 32 And going up into a ship, they went into a desert place apart. 33 And they saw them going away, and many knew: and they ran flocking thither on foot from all the cities, and were there before them. 34 And Jesus going out saw a great multitude: and he had compassion on them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things. 35 And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came to him, saying: This is a desert place, and the hour is now past: 36 Send them away, that going into the next villages and towns, they may buy themselves meat to eat. 37 And he answering said to them: Give you them to eat. And they said to him: Let us go and buy bread for two hundred pence, and we will give them to eat. 38 And he saith to them: How many loaves have you? Go and see. And when they knew, they say: Five, and two fishes 39 And he commanded them that they should make them all sit down by companies upon the green grass. 40 And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds and by fifties. 41 And when he had taken the five loaves, and the two fishes: looking up to heaven, he blessed, and broke the loaves, and gave to his disciples to set before them: and the two fishes he divided among them all. 42 And they all did eat, and had their fill. 43 And they took up the leavings, twelve full baskets of fragments, and of the fishes. 44 And they that did eat, were five thousand men. 45 And immediately he obliged his disciples to go up into the ship, that they might go before him over the water to Bethsaida, whilst he dismissed the people. 46 And when he had dismissed them, he went up to the mountain to pray. 47 And when it was late, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and himself alone on the land. 48 And seeing them laboring in rowing, (for the wind was against them,) and about the fourth watch of the night, he cometh to them walking upon the sea, and he would have passed by them. 49 But they seeing him walking upon the sea, thought it was an apparition, and they cried out. 50 For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he spoke with them, and said to them: Have a good heart, it is I, fear ye not. 51 And he went up to them into the ship, and the wind ceased: and they were far more astonished within themselves:

52 For they understood not concerning the loaves; for their heart was blinded. 53 And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Genesareth, and set to the shore. 54 And when they were gone out of the ship, immediately they knew him: 55 And running through that whole country, they began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was. 56 And whithersoever he entered, into towns or into villages or cities, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch but the hem of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole.

Commentary: Saint Mark - Chapter 6

Verse 1. And going out from thence (from the town of Capharnaum, where He had raised Jairus’ daughter), he went into his own country. To Nazareth, where Christ was not born, but was brought up, and where his brothers and sisters, i.e., relatives, lived, as is clear from verse 3. Thus Bede.

Verse 2. They were in admiration at his doctrine. That is, they admired His teaching, which was so holy, sublime and divine, as well as efficacious; especially since Christ confirmed it by so many mighty deeds, i.e., miracles. Vulgate: “They admired in His doctrine.” This is a Hebraism. For the Hebrews use ב beth as a preposition of contact either corporal or mental in the place of an accusative. Thus they say, “I touch in the hand,” instead of, “I touch the hand; I believe in God,” instead of, “I believe God; I admire in wisdom,” for “I admire wisdom.”

Verse 5. And he could not do any miracles there. Could not, that is, “would not,” because He did not think it proper to give what was holy to dogs, that is, to force His miracles upon unbelieving and ungrateful citizens. Could not is used for would not in this way in Genesis 37:4 and John 7:7. Thus we commonly say, “I cannot bring myself to do a favor for that unworthy man,” whereby “cannot” means, “it is difficult for me, because I am reluctant and do not want to.” “Because,” says Victor of Antioch on this passage, “two things must coincide for the attaining of health, namely, the faith of those who need healing, and the power of him who will heal; therefore, if either of these be wanting, the blessing of a cure will not readily be attained.” Thus, for the suitable working of a miracle, two things are required, namely power in the one working it, and faith in the one receiving it; if either is missing, it is said to be impossible. Thus Theophylact and Euthymius.

Verse 6. And he wondered because of their unbelief. This seems to conflict with what is said in Luke 4:22, And all gave testimony to him. And they wondered at the words of grace that proceeded from his mouth. I answer, that the inhabitants of Nazareth wondered, indeed, that Jesus, the son of a carpenter, their well known neighbor, should nevertheless be so wise and eloquent, and yet were incredulous with respect to His doctrine and person, that He was indeed the Messias or Christ. And that this was so is plain from what Luke goes on to say.

Verse 13. They anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them. Some are of opinion that this anointing was the same as that of which S. James speaks in his epistle (5:14), that is to say, the sacrament of extreme unction. So Bede, Theophylact, Lyra, Dionysius the Carthusian, Franz Lucas, and others, who think that the sacrament of extreme unction was at this time instituted by Christ, and that the Apostles by His command conferred it upon the sick, although they had not as yet been ordained priests.

But the contrary seems more probable: 1. Because the priest alone is the minister of the sacrament of extreme unction; but the Apostles were not yet priests, for Christ created them priests at the Last Supper, saying, Do this for a commemoration of Me.

Because the Apostles here anointed all sorts of sick persons, including those not baptized, and those not about to die. But extreme unction is conferred only upon those who are baptized, and in danger of death.

All who were here anointed by the Apostles were healed. But this is not the case in extreme unction, which has primary reference to the health and strength of the soul.

Because the Council of Trent (session 14) says that the sacrament of extreme unction was hinted at in S. Mark, but was commended and promulgated to the faithful by S. James, the Apostle and the Lord’s brother. This anointing, therefore, was a type, and as it were a prelude, of the institution of the sacrament of extreme unction, not the sacrament itself. This, then, was a miraculous anointing, or a gift of miracles, bestowed upon the Apostles for a time, that they might thereby confirm their preaching of Christ. It was not the sacrament, which would remain forever. So S. Genoveva and many holy anchorites were wont to heal the sick by means of oil blessed by them and sent to the sick, as is evident from the Lives of the Fathers. Victor of Antioch gives the reason why they used oil rather than wine: “Oil, amongst other things, assuages the affliction of labors, fosters vitality, and promotes gladness.” Oil, therefore, which is used in the holy anointing, signifies the mercy of God, the healing of disease, and the enlightenment of the heart. Theophylact and Euthymius say the same. In a similar way the baptism of John was not a sacrament, but a type and prelude of the sacrament of baptism, which Christ would soon institute. Thus the Commentators, passim.

Verse 16. Which Herod hearing, said: John whom I beheaded, he is risen again from the dead in Jesus, who was working so many miracles. It was as if he said, “The soul of John has passed into Jesus, and so there, as it were, by rising again, has become more divine, and works such great and stupendous miracles in Him.” Luke 9:7 says that Herod doubted at first, but afterward, on account of the universal fame of the miracles of Jesus, believed that John had risen again in Him, as Mark says here, and Matthew in chapter 14. So S. Chrysostom, Theophylact, Euthymius, S. Augustine, and others. For the opinion of Pythagoras was then very prevalent concerning the metempsychosis or transmigration of souls from one body to another. Hence Pythagoras used to say about himself:

I remember myself, at the time of the Trojan War,

I was Pantoides Euphorbus, in whose breast once

Was lodged the heavy spear of the lesser Atrida,

That is, of Menelaus, who was the brother of King Agamemnon and son of Atreus. Plainly preposterous [see ref. on page 419 at Luke 9:8] and unheard-of is the report of [the legendary] S. Athanasius, first bishop of Saragossa, [supposedly] created by S. James the Apostle, concerning his fellow disciple S. Peter, the first bishop of Braga, that this Peter was the same man as Samuel, the son of Urias. For Urias was slain by Joakim, king of Juda, during the time of the Babylonian captivity, according to Jeremias 26:20, leaving a son, Samuel, who with other Jews came to Spain, died and was buried there. After six hundred years S. James [the Elder], coming to Spain, raised him from the tomb and named him Peter and made him the first bishop of Braga, who then gained the crown of martyrdom for his faith in Christ. This is related by Bl. Caledonius, bishop of Braga, who died in A.D. 260 See Franciscus Biravius, commenting on the Chronicle of L. Dexter for the year of Our Lord 37 (num. 2 comment. 1). Is it any wonder, then, if Herod thought that John, whom he had recently put to death, had risen in Christ? Note here how holy John the Baptist was, and how great was his reputation for sanctity, given that Herod, based on common opinion, believed that he had arisen in Christ and, furthermore, that John was the Messias or Christ, and, therefore, he now feared the man whom he had slain, lest arising he take revenge for his death. S. Chrysostom, commenting on chapter 14 of Matthew, says, “How great a thing is virtue! For Herod fears even the dead man.” For, as Rabanus says (in loco), “It is agreed by all that the saints shall have greater power when they rise again.” So also Bede.

Verse 17. For Herod himself had sent (guards) and apprehended John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, the wife of Philip his brother, because he had married her. This Herod was not the first, or “the Great,” who was called Herod of Ascalon after his place of origin, during whose reign Christ was born, who slew the infants of Bethlehem, but rather his son, surnamed Antipas, who arrayed Christ in a white robe and mocked Him and sent Him back to Pilate. He it was who imprisoned and beheaded John the Baptist.

You will say, Herod Antipas was only a tetrarch, for so Matthew calls him (14:1). Why, then, does Mark here in verse 14 call him a king? I reply, he calls him king because he was the chief potentate in his treachery, as a king is in his kingdom. Hence he assumed the name of king, and it was given him by others, even by S. Matthew himself (14:9).

In prison. Josephus adds that John was incarcerated in the fortress of Macher, on the border between Galilee and Arabia, where he was beheaded. This prison was made famous by S. John, for the place, says Philo (lib. de Joseph), was not so much a prison as a school of discipline. Seneca says (in Consolatione ad Albinam), “When Socrates entered his prison, he was about to deprive the very place of ignominy, for that could not seem to be a prison where Socrates was.” Whence S. Cyprian, doctor of the Church (lib. 4, epist. 1 ad Martyres in the old edition) says, “O blessed prison, which your presence has made illustrious: O darkness, brighter than the sun himself, where the temples of God have been!” The same author (lib. 3 epist. 25) says concerning the chains of the martyrs, “They are ornaments, not bonds. They do not link the feet of Christians to infamy, but glorify them for the crown.” Hence S. Ambrose says (lib. de Joseph cap. 5), “Let not the innocent be distressed when they are the victims of false accusations. God visits His own, even in their prison. Consequently, more help is there, where is the greater peril. And what marvel is it if God visits those who are in prison, who speaks of Himself as shut up with His people in prison? I was in prison, He says, and ye visited me not” (Matth. 25:44).

For the sake of Herodias. This Herodias was the daughter of Aristobulus, Herod’s brother. Herod, then, had married her who was his niece, being his brother’s daughter. So Josephus. Herodias, therefore, was the sister of Herod Agrippa, who killed James, and who in turn was slain himself by an angel (Acts 12). Hence Ruffinus, and following him SS. Jerome, Eusebius, and Bede, are in error, who say that she was a daughter of Aretas, a king of the Arabians. For they confound Herod’s first wife, who was the daughter of Aretas, with Herodias, his second wife. For Herod repudiated the daughter of Aretas to marry Herodias. For this reason Aretas made war upon him, and cut his army to pieces, as Josephus relates (lib. 18 Antiq. cap. 7), adding, “It was an opinion among the Jews that Herod’s army was destroyed by the just vengeance of the Almighty because of John the Baptist, a holy man, whom he had slain.”

His brother’s wife. You will say that Josephus (lib. 18 Antiq. cap. 6, 7, 9) says that she was the wife of another Herod, who was the brother of Philip and Herod Antipas. I reply that Josephus is in error in this matter, as well as in many others; unless you suppose that Herodias was previously married to Herod Antipas. Josephus falls into another mistake in the same place, when he says that John was put to death not because of Herodias, but because Herod was afraid lest, on account of John’s following among the people, an insurrection might occur.

Whether Herodias married Herod while her husband Philip was alive, or after his death, commentators are not agreed. But it is certain that either way it was an illicit marriage, and involved incest, to which was added adultery, if Philip were still alive. For by Leviticus 18:16 it is forbidden for a brother to marry his brother’s wife if there were offspring of the marriage, and Philip had left this dancing daughter, whom Josephus calls Salome. But I say that Herod did marry Herodias during his brother’s lifetime, and against his will, and so committed a three-fold sin. The first, adultery; the second, incest; the third, violence. This is proved: 1. Because Josephus expressly asserts it (lib. 18 Antiq. cap. 7). 2. Because the incestuous marriage took place about the fifteenth year of Tiberius Cæsar; for that was when John began to preach, as is plain from Luke 3:1; but Philip died in the twentieth year of Tiberius, as Josephus affirms (lib. 18 cap. 6), where he praises him for his justice and modesty. 3. Because the fathers everywhere accuse Herod of adultery, because he took away his wife from his brother, who was of a meek disposition, while he was yet living. Thus Herod took advantage of his gentleness.

Verse 20. For Herod feared John, knowing him to be a just and holy man. At first, therefore, it was only Herodias who wished to kill John, as the rebuker of her adultery and incest; Herod did not assent, as Mark here indicates (cf. Luke 9). But afterward she persuaded Herod, her husband, which she did the more easily, because, as Josephus asserts (lib. 19 Antiq. cap. 7), he was of a malignant disposition, and prone to cruelty; and he was incensed against John on account of his frequent reproofs. For the latter was a voice of one crying in the desert (Isaias 40:3, Matth. 3:3). “Herodias was afraid,” says Bede, “lest Herod should some time or other come to a proper mind under John’s rebuke, and dissolve the marriage, and restore Herodias to his brother Philip.”

Verse 22. And when the daughter of the same Herodias (by Philip, her former husband) had come in, and had danced, and pleased Herod. That female dancers were formerly introduced into their feasts by the Jews out of luxuriousness appears from Josephus (lib. 12 Antiq. cap. 4). That there was a similar fashion among the Greeks we learn from Xenophon’s Symposium, and from Lucian’s dialogue de Saltatricibus, where he shows by many examples, and by the opinions of philosophers, that dancing to music enervates even a firm, manly mind and makes it pliable. Truly saith Ecclesiasticus (9:4), Use not much the company of her that is a dancer, and hearken not to her, lest thou perish by the force of her charms. Truly saith Remigius on Matthew 14, “The shameless woman brought up a shameless daughter, teaching her to dance instead of to be modest. Nor was Herod less to be blamed for allowing a woman to make a theater of his palace hall.”

Verse 25. I will that forthwith thou give me in a dish the head of John the Baptist. You will say John the Baptist was not, then, a martyr, because Herod slew him not because of his faith, nor because of his rebuking him for his adultery, but for the sake of pleasing this dancing girl, and fulfilling his promise. I answer by denying the conclusion. For, 1. This girl asked the head of John at the instigation of her mother, who wished to cut off John for reproving her adultery. Herodias, therefore, was the moral cause of John’s death, because she impelled Herod to behead him, and thus made him a martyr. 2. Herod assented to her. Knowing the malignant disposition of his wife, he gave way to her, and killed John. 3. Herod himself desired to kill John, as Matthew says expressly (14:5); but he did not dare to do it through fear of the people, who approved of John as a holy man. Lastly, many are of opinion that probably all was done collusively and of set purpose: namely, that Herod had suggested to Herodias that she should send her dancing daughter in to supper, and that she should ask for the head of John; that thus he might have from his promise a colorable pretext for killing him; and that this is the reason why Christ calls him a fox (Luke 13:32). S. John, therefore, was a victim of chastity, because he died a martyr for it, like S. Paul, S. Matthew, S. Clement, S. Lambert, and many others.

Moreover, S. Gregory Nazianzen (orat. 20) assigns a loftier cause for the early death of John from the hidden counsel of God. “Who,” saith he, “was the precursor of Jesus? John, as a voice of speech, as a lantern of light; before whom also he leapt forth in strength, and was sent forward to Hades by Herod, that there likewise he might preach Him who was shortly to come.” The same Nazianzen (orat. 39) teaches that S. John, by the spirit of prophecy, was aware of this his martyrdom. “For he says, ‘I ought, O Christ, to be baptized by Thee; yes, and for Thee.’ For he had found out that he was to be baptized by martyrdom. For he knew what was to come; that as after Herod, Pilate would reign, so Christ would follow him after life was over.”

Verse 26. The king was struck sad. That is, he pretended to be sad, say S. Hilary and S. Jerome (in cap. 14 Matth.). For he really wished to kill John, as Matthew says. Hence the Gloss on Matthew 14 says, “Herod’s sorrow was like Pharaoh’s repentance.”

And the Interlinear, “The dissembler showed sorrow in his face, but was glad in his heart.”

But more simply S. Chrysostom, Euthymius, and Theophylact think that Herod was really sorry, as Matthew and Mark state. For though he wished John to die, yet he was sorry for his cruelty and death, which was shameful to himself: that he should have killed so great a prophet for the gratification of a dancing girl. Because of his oath. For the death of John, Herod made a pretext of his oath given to the girl; for he knew that in such a case, that is, at such an unworthy, unjust, and sacrilegious request of the girl, it was not binding. However, he thought it a king’s part not to retract it before the nobles, according to the saying, “The word of the king is the king.” Thus this worldling acted. Hence S. Augustine says (serm. 116 in novis), “A girl dances, and a mother rages, and in the midst of the luxurious feast there is rash swearing, and an impious fulfilment of what was sworn.” For, as S. Isidore says, “Faith ought to be broken in wicked promises; that is, an impious promise which is fulfilled by a crime.” S. Jerome, too, says, “Under the pretext of piety he was impious, since he excuses a crime by an oath.”

Verse 27. But sending an executioner (Vulg., spiculatore). That is, a hangman; for soldiers were executioners and attendants of the praetors, and were armed with javelins (spicula). Hence they were called spiculators, according to Calepinus. But our Jacob Gretzer (lib. 1 de Cruce cap. 25) is of opinion, from Suidas and Julius Firmicus, that hangmen (carnifices) were called speculatores (for the Greek has σπεκουλάτωρα, which is really a Latin word, and the same as “speculator”), in Greek ὀπτῆρας, because it was their office to spy out the plans and movements of an enemy, to attend princes as their bodyguard, and to execute those whom they condemned. So also Franz Lucas on this passage, Lipsius on Tacitus, Brissonius, and some others. These assert that Suetonius and Tacitus call a carnifex, “speculator.” But they cite no passage in support of what they say, nor have I been able to find any in which the word “speculator” is used by Latin or Greek authors for “executioner” (carnifex), with the exception of this one in the Greek of S. Mark. Spiculator in Latin, then, becomes σπεκουλάτωρ in Greek. For the Greeks often change the vowel i into e (as the Italians also do), and instead of spiculator they said “speculator,” as the lexicographer maintains.

He commanded that his head should be brought in a dish. Thus did the barbarian season his feast with this horrible spectacle of cruelty. Bede adds, he wished all his guests to be associated with him in his crime, so that the bloody feast might be brought off in luxurious company. Moreover, S. Gregory says (lib. 3 Moral. cap. 4), “God afflicts His own with infirmities, because He knows how to reward them in the highest. If God exposes to anguish those whom He loves, what are those about to suffer whom He rejects?”

Verse 28. And he beheaded him in prison. That is, the executioner sent by Herod to do it. Hence the Greek and Syriac say, “who, when he had gone off, beheaded him.”

S. John, then, has many laurels. First, that of a doctor; second, of a virgin; third, of a martyr; fourth, of a prophet; fifth, of a hermit; sixth, of an apostle; seventh, of the precursor, herald, and baptizer of Christ. Truly S. Augustine says (serm. 36 de Sanctis): “John lost his life for the sake of justice, but he gained glory, because with full and perfect freedom he preferred to suffer injustice rather than to refrain from speaking what is just.”

You will ask, At what time was John put to death? 1. Abulensis says it cannot be determined. So he states in commenting on Matth. 4:14.

Bede, and from him Baronius (anno Christi 33 n. 8), Maldonatus, and Barradi (S. Augustine also seems to favor this opinion, lib. 2 de Consensu Evang. cap. 45), think that John was slain about the time of the Passover in Christ’s thirty-third year. They support this view, because Matthew 14:13 says that Christ departed into the wilderness when He heard of the death of John, and there fed the five thousand, an event which happened about the time of the Passover (John 6:4).

And very probably, our Salianus (in Annal. tom. 6 in fin. ad annum Christi 32. n. 20) thinks that John suffered at the end of the thirty-second year of the life of Christ, probably in December. He proves this, because Nicephorus (lib. 1 cap. 19 in fine) says that John at his death was thirty-two and a half years old; that is, at the completion of Christ’s thirty-second year. For John was born on June 24, and was a half- year or six months older than Christ, who was born on December 25 of the same year. He gives us a second reason, because although Christ’s departing into the desert (cf. Matth. 14) occurred about the time of the Passover, yet John’s death preceded it by some considerable time. For Christ departed not so much on account of John’s death, as because the fame of His own miracles had so greatly increased that many thought John had risen again in Him (as Theophylact and Jansen state explicitly). But this took place when some considerable time, comparatively speaking, had elapsed after John’s death. It appears, then, that John’s execution took place in December, and Christ’s retiring into the desert about the following March, before the next Passover. And the intervening period must have been taken up by the miracles which Christ wrought after John’s death, and by the fame of them being so widely spread abroad as to lead Herod to suspect that John had risen again in Jesus. Hearing this, Jesus withdrew to the desert, lest Herod should kill Him also.

Lastly, some think that John was executed on August 29, because the Church keeps the feast of the Beheading of S. John the Baptist on that day. Baronius in his Martyrology, however, citing Bede, thinks that this day celebrated by the Church commemorates the finding of the head of S. John the Baptist.

Verse 28. And brought his head in a dish: and gave it to the damsel, and the damsel gave it to her mother. S. Chrysostom (in Matth. Homil. 49), S. Augustine (serm. 36 de Sanctis; serm. 116 in novis), and S. Ambrose (lib. 3 de Virgin. sub initium) demonstrate by many proofs the indignity, yea, the sacrilege, of this murder. The latter says, “The reward of the dancing girl is the death of the prophet. . . . Cruelty demanded this course [platter], upon which insatiable savagery was fed at that feast.” Addressing Herod, the author cries, “Behold his eyes, even in death the witnesses of thy cruelty! He turns them away from the sight of thy dainties. His eyes are closed, not so much by the constraint of death, as by horror at thy luxury. That lifeless golden mouth, whose sentence thou couldst not endure, is silent, and yet it is dreaded.”

S. Jerome, writing about Ruffinus, relates that Herodias insulted the severed head, and punctured his most holy tongue with a needle; upon which the father exclaims, “Do not boast thyself so much because thou hast done what scorpions and flies do. So did Fulvia to Cicero, and Herodias to John, because they could not bear the truth; they pierced the tongue that spoke the truth with a needle” (S. Jerome, Apologia contra Ruffin. in fine).

Hence the just vengeance of God burned against all who were concerned in this crime. Herod was defeated by Aretas. Afterward he was banished with Herodias to Lyons, and deprived of his tetrarchy and everything by Emperor Caius Caligula, at the instigation and accusation of Agrippa, the brother of Herodias, as Josephus relates (lib. 18 cap. 10). Moreover, the head of the dancing daughter was cut off by a shard of ice and danced by itself upon the ice. Hear what Nicephorus says (lib. 1 cap. 20),

“As she was journeying once in the winter-time, and a frozen river had to be crossed on foot, the ice broke beneath her, not without the providence of God. Straightway she sank down up to her neck. This made her dance and wriggle about with all the lower parts of her body, not on land, but in the water. Her wicked head was glazed with ice, and at length severed from her body by the sharp edges, not of iron, but of the frozen water. Thus in the very ice she displayed the dance of death, and furnished a spectacle to all who beheld it, which brought to mind what she had done.” Hear also Lucius Dexter (in Chron. anno Christi 34), “Herod Antipas, with Herodias his incestuous mistress, was banished first to Gaul, and afterward to Herda in Spain, and there died unhappily. Herodias dancing upon the river Sicoris when it was frozen, fell through the ice, and perished miserably.”

[They] laid it in a tomb. S. Jerome (loc. cit.) says that the body of S. John was buried at Sebaste, which was previously called Samaria, where also the prophets Eliseus and Abdias were buried. Moreover, S. John wrought so many miracles at Sebaste that Julian the Apostate ordered his body to be burnt, but the Christians secretly conveyed away his relics. About the discovery of the head of S. John, see Historia Ecclesiastica lib. 11 cap. 28, Baronius and others. Among the works of S. Cyprian, too, there is a treatise, de Revelatione Capitis Sancti Joannis. Finally, Sozomen (lib. 7 cap. 24) relates that Emperor Theodosius, going to war against the tyrant Eugenius, went to the church of S. John, and prayed to him for victory; whereupon a devil going out of the church cried out, “Thou shalt conquer me and overthrow my army,” and so it was.

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[troybeecham]

Today, the Church honors Sts. Simon and Jude, Apostles and Martyrs.

Orate pro nobis.

St. Simon and St. Jude were both Apostles of Jesus.

Jude, also called Thaddeus, is so named by Luke in his Gospel and Acts of the Apostles (originally a single book, later divided). Matthew and Mark call him Thaddeus. He is not mentioned elsewhere individually in the Gospels, except where all the apostles are mentioned. Jude has the same name as Judas Iscariot. Evidently because of the disgrace of that name, it was later shortened to “Jude” in English translations of the Bible. In Church tradition, Jude is known for performing many miracles, and has a great following as “the saint of the impossible.” In Hebrew, his name is Yehudah, meaning “praised”, a popular name as it was the name of the founder of the tribe of Judah, Judah the son of Jacob and Leah, and by extension, the eponym of the Kingdom of Judah, the land of Judea, and the word Jew (Yehud).

In all probability, he spoke both Greek and Aramaic, like almost all of his contemporaries, and was a farmer by trade.

At the Last Supper, Jude is mentioned specifically, asking Jesus:

“Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, ‘Lord, how is it that you will reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?’ Jesus answered him, ‘Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me.

I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate,the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.” (St. John 14:22-27)

Saint Jude is credited with writing the Letter of Jude, a very short epistle preceding the Book of Revelation. Jude’s letter is wrought with exhortation to remain faithful to Christ and avoid false teachers encouraging lust and corruption, leading to damnation. He challenges the faithful to showing mercy and correction of those who have gone astray, saying, “Have mercy on some who are wavering ... snatching them out of the fire” (Jude 22-23).

Saint Jude was very possibly a relative of our Lord, referenced in Acts 1:13 and Luke 6:16 as “son of James” (the Just, the “brother of Jesus”), as opposed to James, the son of Zebedee and brother of John. [“Son” of James could also be translated here as “brother”] James the Just was the son of Alphaeus (who was probably brother to St. Joseph, the husband of Mary); therefore Jude, whether son or brother to James, probably was a cousin of Jesus. According to tradition, Jude was the son of Clopas, the brother of Joseph, and Mary Cleophus. Traditionally, Alpheus and Clopas are the same man. Tradition also whas it that Jude's father, Clopas, was martyred because of his forthright and outspoken devotion to the risen Jesus.

Simon is mentioned on all four lists of the apostles. On two of them he is called “the Zealot.” The Zealots were a Jewish sect that represented an extreme of Jewish nationalism. For them, the messianic promise of the Old Testament meant that the Jews were to be a free and independent nation. God alone was their king, and any payment of taxes to the Romans—in effect participating and funding the domination of the Romans—was a blasphemy against God. No doubt some of the Zealots were the spiritual heirs of the Maccabees, carrying on their ideals of religion and independence. They were fierce freedom fighters, often extreme, in that they not only raided and killed the Roman occupiers but also “collaborating” Jews. This would have put Simon at the opposite end of the political spectrum from Matthew, who, as a tax collector, was part of the Roman government. Only the love of Christ could unite two men who were so incredibly different.

The Zealots were among the many militaristic independence groups whose guerrilla tactics were chiefly responsible for the rebellion against Rome which ended in the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in A.D. 70. Josephus wrote that 1.1 million people, the majority of them Jewish, were killed during the siege – a death toll he attributes to the masses having journeyed from around the Roman Empire and beyond for the celebration of Passover. Josephus goes on to report that after the Romans killed the armed and elderly people, 97,000 were enslaved. He goes on to say that of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, 40,000 individuals survived, but were impoverished, injured, starving, and diseased, and the emperor let them to go wherever they chose, knowing that few would survive.

The most widespread tradition is that after proclaiming the gospel of Jesus in Egypt, Simon joined Jude in Persia and Armenia. In Beirut, Lebanon, both were martyred in 65 A.D.

O God, we thank you for the glorious company of the apostles, and especially on this day for Simon and Jude; and we pray that, as they were faithful and zealous in their mission to proclaim the gospel of Jesus to all peoples, so we may with ardent devotion make known the love and mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

Amen.

[maypoleman1]

28th October

St Simon’s and St Jude’s Day

St Simon Zealotes Holding a Book and St Jude Thaddaeus. Sources: National Library of the Netherlands/ Catholic News Agency website

Today is St Simon’s and St Jude’s Day. Both Simon and Jude were former Apostles and after Christ’s resurrection and ascension, they pursued missionary work in Persia on behalf of the early church. The native Zoroastrians were not convinced and Simon and Jude were murdered. Sadly for Jude, he remains one of the least remembered of the Apostles and attracted few prayers for intercession, given the similarity of his name to that of the traitor, Judas Iscariot. For this reason, rather poignantly, Jude has become the patron saint of lost causes.

Today used to be the commencement of the early morning calls of the Bellman in Stamford who at dawn from late October to Christmas would proclaim ‘Good morning, worthy masters and mistresses all - past one - fine morning!’ to the sleep deprived townspeople of Stamford in Lincolnshire. He was sometimes accompanied by musicians called The Waits, who continued their serenading into the New Year. The proclamations was probably a survival of an old winter curfew, but the Bellman was retired in 1835 by the local council thus ensuring Stamfordians could have a winter lie-in if they wanted one.

[suetravelblog]

Mozart and Haydn in the Church of St. Simon and Jude Prague

Mozart and Haydn in the Church of St. Simon and Jude Prague

[ltwilliammowett]

Milton-under-Wychwood, Oxfordshire von Rex Harris Über Flickr: Nave, west windows, by James Powell and Sons, 1929 - south west window : Saints George and David : tracery detail

[anastpaul]

Saints of the Day – 28 October – Feast of Saints Simon and Jude

Saints of the Day – 28 October – Feast of Saints Simon and Jude

Saints of the Day – 28 October – Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles of Christ The Holy Apostles Simon and Jude (Excerpt) By Father Francis Xavier Weninger SJ (1805-1888) St Simon, whose festival the Church commemorates to-day, was surnamed the Cananaean or Canaanite because he was born at Cana, a town in Galilee. In this town, Jesus wrought His first miracle, by changing water into wine,…

[dwellordream]

“As with monasteries and military orders, guilds and confraternities enshrined notions of brotherhood in their regulations and records. These organizations frequently were called fraternities (fraternitates, confréries, Brüderschaften, among many other terms), and their members were brothers (fratres, confrères, Brüder). For example, the Cologne textile guild registered its members’ names as “brother of the brotherhood” [bruder der bruderschaft]. …A letter book of the city of London records that in 1417, the Fraternity of Yeomen Tailors of London sought permission from the mayor and aldermen to gather to commemorate “the brethren and sisters of their fraternity deceased.”

This nomenclature reinforced the sense that each member was to think of his fellows not just as members of a social group, fictive kinship group, or even surrogate family, but as his brothers, a far more specific relationship.The language of fraternity employed by these guilds also served to define an ideal to which the members should aspire, built on the qualities of fairness, respectability, charity, and care after death. Idealized brotherhood was thus a model and a metaphor for guildsmen, and both uses testify to its influence on the medieval imaginary.

It is evident from surviving guild regulations that the members were to treat each other with fairness and respect in matters relating to the guild itself, to the exercise of their craft, and to each other. Brothers of the garment-cutters’ fraternity of Stendal were not permitted to cut cloth in their houses, on pain of ejection from the fraternity, as doing so would have offered an unfair competitive advantage over the other members of the guild.

The curriers of London emphasized loyalty in the opening statement of their late fourteenth-century regulations, declaring, “This is the charge of the oath of the brotherhood: whatever man that is received in it shall be good and true thereto.” In the event of a conflict between guild members, guild regulations delineated the procedure for attaining a fair and equitable resolution, as in the ordinances of the pouchmakers of London: “Also if any discord falls between any of our brethren, which God forbids, the parties shall come to the wardens and show their grievance, and the wardens shall do their diligence to bring them to a fair accord.”

The ideal brotherhood of the guilds included support of fellow guild brothers, who might easily fall on hard times in the “great wars, famines, and mortalities and other pestilences” of the age. The guild of St. Katharine in Norwich provided for the needs of impoverished members by requiring that “if any brother or sister falls into poverty, through accident of this world, his condition shall be helped by every brother and sister of the guild with a farthing a week.” The fraternity of carpenters in London included a similar measure, as well as one that provided financial aid for “any brother or sister who might fall into ... sickness or any other disease ... making it so that he may not help himself.” The belt makers of Paris stipulated that “if any orphan is poor and the child of a belt maker, and he wishes to learn the craft, the masters will be required to supervise him in the said craft,” for which they would receive funds from the confraternity.

The spiritual life of the guild members and the health of their souls were key concerns for the confraternities associated with Paris’ métiers as well as those of fourteenth-century England. The confraternity of the embroiderers was to perform “at the hôtel of the confraternity, in the church of Saint Opportuna in Paris, a low mass, for those [of the craft] and their successors.” The Parisian fullers’ confraternity received dues and fines from the craftsmen for “masses, candles, and its other business,” and the grain haulers’ confraternity of the Virgin Mary and St. Louis was charged with performing three masses each week. Its members were to meet annually to decide on “what they could [do] for the health of their souls.” …Norwich’s guild of St. Katharine required that “all the brothers and sisters shall come to the aforesaid church [of St. Simon and St. Jude], and there sing a requiem mass for the souls of the brothers and sisters of this guild, and for all Christian souls, and each offer there a farthing.”

Just as guild brothers aided each other throughout life and in the afterlife, they were expected to support each other at the moment of death. A twelfth-century German carpenters’ guild stipulated that whatever man or woman of the fraternity [fraternitatis] should depart this life, there will be given for his obsequies at death four pounds of wax; and for his vigil, six men, who will watch diligently, are appointed; and to his burial the men and women who are of the fraternity [fraternitatis] shall all be compelled to come. …In the event that a deceased member could not afford burial, some confraternities were prepared to pay the costs from the organization’s treasury, thereby underlining the importance placed on caring for the members..

The recurrent references to brothers and brotherhood found in guild ordinances show the extent to which the language of brotherhood was embedded within craftworker society throughout northwestern Europe. It is possible, of course, that the terms “confrère” and “confrérie,” for example, lost their familial specificity at some point during the Middle Ages, just as our “borough” no longer signifies a fortified town and “decimate” no longer means to kill one-tenth of a group. I suggest, however, that the guild members who used the terms of fraternity would have recognized the connection of “confrère” and “confrèrie” to the brothers and brotherhood of the family, just as we understand that “borough” refers to a town (if not fortified) and “decimate” involves death or destruction (if not at a precisely mathematical rate).

While the milieu of the craftworker was, in most respects, quite different from that of the martial elites who are the focus of this dissertation, guildsmen and noblemen alike (in theory) lived within the fellowship of Christian brotherhood. The guilds’ extensive use of the language of fraternity in guild statutes simply shows the ubiquity of that language, and the ideal of brotherhood, in medieval life. For craftworkers, ideal brotherhood was to be fair, honorable, charitable, and faithful even after death, making it much like the ideals in the religious and elite martial contexts.”

- Cameron Wade Bradley, “Brotherhood at Work: Guilds and Confraternities.” in Between Brothers: Brotherhood and Masculinity in the Later Middle Ages

[engelspolitics]

Twelve Apostles

https://www.grunge.com/158946/the-untold-truth-of-the-twelve-apostles/

Simon Peter the Rock

· Son of Jonah; called Kipha or Cephas by Jesus

· Briefly walks on water, cuts off someone’s ear to keep Jesus from getting arrested

· First pope for Catholics, first patriarch of Antioch for Eastern Orthodox church

· Extracanonical Acts of Peter shows Peter in battle with evil Simon Magus, being told by Jesus’ ghost to go to Rome, and was crucified upside down

o Upside down cross is now called cross of St Peter

Andrew the First Called

· Brother of Simon Peter; Andrew followed John the Baptist and was the first to recognise Jesus’ Divinity

· The one to find the child with the loaves and fishes for the feeding of the 5000

· Acts of Andrew tells us Andrew raises the dead, defeats entire armies on his own, escapes wild animals, performing abortion, summoning an earthquake

· According to tradition, he was crucified on an X-shaped cross, known as a St. Andrew's Cross, like the one found on the Scottish flag

James the Son of Thunder

· Together with John the son of Zebedee; sons of Thunder (relates to temper)

· James and John were also fishermen called by Jesus on the seashore

· The Acts of the Apostles records that King Herod Agrippa had James sworded to death, making him the first of the Twelve Apostles to be martyred.

· Secret Book of James àJesus reveals the secrets of salvation to James and Peter

John the Son of Thunder

· According to the tradition of many churches, John the Apostle is the same person as

o John the Evangelist (who wrote the Gospel of John),

o John the Presbyter (who [probably] wrote the three Epistles of John),

o John of Patmos (who wrote the Book of Revelation)

o Mysterious figure from the Gospel of John known as the Disciple Jesus Loved

§ However chance that they are all different people

· According to tradition, John was the youngest of the Twelve Apostles and managed to outlive all the others through a combination of his relative youth and also never being martyred

· The non-canonical Acts of John tell of how someone tried to poison John's wine, but he evaporated the poison by blessing his cup

o Frequently represented in art by John holding a cup with a snake in it.

· Raising a married couple from the dead, destroying an altar of Artemis with mind bullets, and commanding bedbugs to leave his mat until he's finished sleeping.

Philip the Dragonslayer

· Mentioned as being from Peter and Andrew's hometown; otherwise not noticeable

· The fourth-century Acts of Philip help to fill in some blanks

o Philip, together with his biological sister, Mariamne, and his spiritual brother Bartholomew, travels to Greece, Phrygia, and Syria

o While on these travels, he manages to convert a talking goat and a talking leopard to Christianity before killing a dragon.

· However, Philip converts the wife of the wrong magistrate, who has Philip and Bartholomew crucified on upside-down crosses à Bartholomew is released

Bartholomew the Questioner

· The Gospel of John never mentions a Bartholomew, but instead talks about a Nathanael, who many scholars think is the same person.

o Bartholomew is always paired with Philip in the first three Gospels, and John mentions Nathanael as Philip's friend that he introduces to Jesus

· The text The Questions of Bartholomew shows Bart as the only one of the Twelve Apostles willing to ask Jesus tough questions after his resurrection

o Answers involve Jesus peeling back the ground like a blanket to open a portal to Hell and summoning up Satan so Bartholomew can step on his neck

· Many different accounts of his death, but the best known has him being flayed alive by the King of Armenia, so he is typically depicted in art holding his own empty skin

Thomas the Unfaithful

· Thomas is also called by the Greek name Didymus; both names mean "twin," so we can reasonably infer that maybe he was a twin. Whose twin, however, is a mystery

· The notorious Gospel of Thomas and Infancy Gospel of Thomas

· Acts of Thomas à he travels to India and mentally commands a pack of dogs and a lion to eat a guy who slapped him, battles a dragon and several demons.

· Tradition also says that he baptized the Three Kings

· After converting the King of India by raising his brother from the dead, he was killed by being riddled with spheres

Matthew the Evangelist

· The Gospel of Matthew says he was a tax collector who quit his job in the middle of a shift when Jesus asked him to

· Matthew is believed to have been martyred, but there is no consensus on how or where

James the Just

· Also known as James the Less; son of Alphaeus

· Brother/cousin of Jesus

· The credited author of works as far ranging as the canonical Epistle of James and the Infancy Gospel of James, which tells the story of Mary's childhood up to the birth of Jesus at which a midwife's hand gets burned off testing to see if Mary is still a virgin.

· First head of the church in Jerusalem; crucified in Egypt

Jude the Obscure

· Also known as Thaddeus; may have been a brother or cousin of Jesus

· The confusion between Judas Thaddeus and Judas Iscariot has led to St. Jude's famous role as the patron of lost causes

o The idea is that Christians would be unlikely to pray to St. Jude for fear of accidentally praying to Judas Iscariot

· Jude and Bartholomew are both believed to have been the first to bring Christianity to Armenia, so they are patron saints of that country

· Acts of Simon and Jude instead pairs Jude with Simon the Zealot, and the two travel to Persia, where they were both martyred

o Jude is frequently depicted in art holding the axe that killed him.

Simon the Zealot

· Simon was a member of the first-century A.D. political movement known as the Zealots, who wanted to foment rebellion against the Roman occupiers of Judea.

· The problem is that this movement didn't arise for a couple of decades after the events of the Gospels à likely just was really religious

· He is said to have travelled to Persia with Jude, where he got sawed in half

Judas Iscariot

· Judas' motivation for betraying Jesus are not fully known

o Luke and John say he did it under the influence of Satan

o Modern interpreters believe that Judas was disappointed that Jesus was not a more militant political messiah

o Recently recovered Gospel of Judas claims that Judas was in fact Jesus' most loyal follower, and since Jesus' crucifixion was a necessary step toward salvation, Jesus actually asked Judas to betray him so his mission might be fulfilled

[thepastisalreadywritten]

SAINTS OF THE DAY (October 28)

ST. JUDE THADDAEUS

St. Jude, known as Thaddaeus or Thaddeus, was the brother of St. James the Lesser and a relative of Jesus.

Ancient writers tell us that he preached the Gospel in Judea, Samaria, Idumaea, Syria, Mesopotamia, and Lybia.

According to Eusebius, he returned to Jerusalem in the year 62 and assisted at the election of his brother, St. Simeon, as Bishop of Jerusalem.

He is an author of an epistle (letter) to the Churches of the East, in particular the Jewish converts, directed against the heresies of the Simonians, Nicolaites, and Gnostics.

This Apostle is said to have suffered martyrdom in Armenia, which was then subject to Persia.

The final conversion of the Armenian nation to Christianity did not take place until the third century A.D.

St. Jude was the one who asked Jesus at the Last Supper why He would not manifest Himself to the whole world after His resurrection.

Little else is known of his life, but legend claims that he visited Beirut and Edessa.

He was beaten to death with a club, then beheaded post-mortem in 1st century-Persia.

His relics reside at Saint Peter's in Rome, at Rheims, and at Toulouse, France.

Saint Jude Thaddeus is not the same person as Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Our Lord and despaired because of his great sin and lack of trust in God's mercy.

St. Jude Thaddeus is invoked in desperate situations because his New Testament letter stresses that the faithful should persevere in the environment of harsh, difficult circumstances, just as their forefathers had done before them.

Therefore, he is the patron of desperate situations, forgotten causes, hospital workers, hospitals, impossible causes, lost causes, and the diocese of Saint Petersburg, Florida.

He is represented as bearded man holding an oar, a boat, boat hook, a club, an axe or a book.

Nearly every image of him depicts him wearing a medallion with a profile of Jesus.

He usually has a small flame above his head and he often carries a pen.

We remember him on October 28 in Roman Church and June 19 in Eastern Church.

ST. SIMON THE ZEALOT

Little is known about the post-Pentecost life of St. Simon, who had been called a Zealot.

He is thought to have preached in Egypt and then to have joined St. Jude in Persia.

Here, he was supposedly martyred by being cut in half with a saw, a tool he is often depicted with.

However, the 4th-century St. Basil the Great says he died in Edessa, peacefully.

[piouscatholic]

STJUDE&STSIMONFEASTDAY🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻

PRAYER TO ST. JUDE FOR DESPERATE CASES

Oh Glorious Apostle St. Jude, faithful servant and friend of Jesus, the name of the traitor who delivered thy beloved Master into the hands of His enemies has caused thee to be forgotten by many but the Church honors and invokes thee universally as the Patron of hopeless cases and of things despaired of.

Pray for me who am so miserable; make use, I implore thee, of that particular privilege accorded thee of bringing visible and speedy help where help is almost despaired of.

Come to my assistance in this great need that I may receive the consolations and succor of heaven in all my necessities, tribulations and sufferings, particularly

(mention your request)

and that I may bless God with thee and all the elect throughout eternity.

I promise thee, O blessed St. Jude, to be ever mindful of this great favor and I will never cease to honor thee as my special and powerful patron and to do all in my power to encourage devotion to thee.

Amen.

PRAYER TO ST. SIMON

O Glorious St. Simon, you were a cousin of Jesus and a devoted follower as well.

You were called "the Zealot," indicating that you were willing to give your life for your religion and your freedom as a human person.

Obtain for us the grace to be willing to give our lives for Christ and to labor for the freedom and peace that only God can give.

Help us to spend ourselves for God on earth and be received by Him in eternal bliss in Heaven.

Amen.