Irenaeus (June 28) calls the Church at Rome “the greatest and most ancient Church, founded by the two glorious apostles, Peter and Paul.” Irenaeus had been a student of Polycarp (February 23) who knew John (December 27). This story passed along by word of mouth from the earliest days of the Church.
Peter and Paul are often mentioned in the same breath, and both are assigned to this day. The conversion of Paul is celebrated on January 25, where you may read more about his contributions to the Church. The two great Christians were quite different. Paul was a highly educated intellectual, a Jewish Roman citizen who was outside the group that knew Jesus. Paul never held any authority in the Jerusalem Church, but he had a leading role in the development of Christian theology. The writers and councils that defined Christian doctrine turned to Paul’s writing for guidance.
A bronze medal from the first half of the second century provides a rare example of how Peter and Paul looked. The relief portraits are probably based on actual memory and have been models for later artists. The bronze representation of Peter shows a muscular, thickset man with a curly beard. Paul is thin and bald with a long head and a small beard. His eyes are set deeply in his face.
The death and burial of these two inspired church leaders remains a matter of tradition, intense study, and debate. It is likely that both were martyred for their faith.
JUNE 30
First Roman Martyrs (first century)
Sharing Christ’s suffering
After Christ’s resurrection, Christianity rapidly spread throughout the Roman Empire. It only took a few decades for the church to take root in the capital city. At first, the Romans could not distinguish between Christians and Jews. They tolerated Christians as another sect of Judaism, which seemed beyond comprehension to the Roman mind. Tacitus, the Roman historian, wrote, “Among the Jews all things are profane that we hold sacred; on the other hand they regard as permissible what seems to us immoral.”
Nero began serious persecution of Christians in Rome after the great fire in 64, and accused them of arson. Vivid descriptions by Tacitus record the humiliation and agonizing deaths of those first Roman martyrs. Because Peter and Paul were among the many anonymous victims, this day commemorates the others who also died. Tacitus comments, “Despite their guilt as Christians and the ruthless punishment they deserved, the victims were pitied. For it was felt that they were being sacrificed to one man’s brutality rather than to the national interest.”
JULY 1
Oliver Plunket (1629–81)
Brave faith
Irish judges refused to hear the case against Oliver Plunket, a priest who was ordained in Rome in 1654. Oliver had been a professor of theology and was archbishop of Armagh, Ireland. Opponents brought absurd charges against Plunket during an Irish politicoreligious upheaval. The authorities arrested him and took him to London for a more objective trial.
He summarized the accusations against him in a letter from jail: My accusers swore that I had seventy thousand men in Ireland to promote the Catholic cause, that I had the harbor of Carlingford ready to bring in the French, and that I levied monies upon the clergy in Ireland for their maintenance—such romances as would not be believed by any jury in Ireland. Because there was no evidence against him, the court in London dismissed his case. A hastily arranged second trial found him guilty of “propagating the Catholic religion.”
Oliver Plunket had no fear of death and wanted to be an encouraging example for others. Christ by his fears and passion merited for me to be without fear. I daily expect to be brought to the place of execution, where my bowels are to be cut out and burned before my face, and then my head to be cut off, etc. Which death I embrace willingly. He was hanged, drawn, and quartered on July 1, 1681, at Tyburn, the principal location in London for public executions.
JULY 2
John Francis Regis (1597–1640)
Dedicated service
John Francis Regis spent most of his life in and around Fontcouverte, France. After attending school at Béziers, John determined to become a Jesuit and entered Toulouse as a novice in 1616. Before the process was complete, the plague ravaged his community, but he escaped by retreating to a rural area.
In 1630, he finally became an ordained priest and, with a fellow priest, began to care for victims of the plague. When his coworker died, John went to Pamiers as a teacher, and began missionary activity in the area around Montpellier. This region was under Huguenot control, and to protect themselves many Catholics abandoned their unpopular religious affiliation. John Francis Regis devoted the remainder of his life to guiding inactive members back into Catholicism, and to working among the poor and neglected.
John died of pneumonia in 1640 after exposure to harsh conditions while conducting his ministry.
JULY 3
Anatolius of Alexandria (d. 283)
Respected leadership
Anatolius was humble and deeply religious; he was an outstanding scholar, teacher, and writer. As head of a school in Alexandria, Egypt, he devoted himself to educating others as well as himself. Jerome (September 30) heaped praise upon Anatolius for his books.
When Romans laid siege to Alexandria during the rebellion of 263, innocent civilians starved along with those who were opposing Roman occupation. Anatolius negotiated the freedom of women and children, the sick and the elderly. Saving many lives, Anatolius received accolades as a peacemaker. One unexpected result of his success was that the city’s noncombatants no longer exhausted supplies, and the rebels were able to continue their resistance for a long time. When they ultimately lost, Anatolius had few friends on either side and had to leave Alexandria.
Traveling to Palestine, Anatolius settled in Caesarea where he was welcomed with open arms. On his way to a meeting in Antioch, he passed through Laodicea, in Asia Minor. Church leaders in Laodicea were familiar with the writing of Anatolius and asked him to become their next bishop. He agreed and served them for fifteen years, dying a natural death in 283.
JULY 4
Elizabeth of Portugal (1271–1336)
Peaceful arbitration
The Spanish and Portuguese usually call Elizabeth “Isabella.” She was the daughter of King Peter III of Aragon, a kingdom in modern Spain. For political reasons, Elizabeth married King Denis of Portugal when she was twelve years old. They had two children, Alonzo and Constance, but King Denis turned out to be an uncaring and unfaithful husband and father. Their relationship became a public scandal.
Queen Elizabeth kept a regular schedule of prayer, morning and evening. She provided food and lodging for the poor and for travelers on pilgrimages. Her son, Alonzo, angered by the rule of his father, wanted to lead a rebellion against King Denis, but Elizabeth calmed the passions between father and son. People began to call her “the peacemaker.” She once used her ability as a negotiator on personal and rational levels when she prevented a war between Portugal and Castile.
King Denis became seriously ill in 1324, and Elizabeth took an interest in his care, praying for his conversion and never leaving his room, except to attend church. During this long illness, the king repented of his immoral life and asked Elizabeth to forgive him. When he died the next year she became a lay Franciscan, living the final eleven years of her life in a little house she built near the Poor Clare convent she had founded years before at Coimbra. This allowed her to retain control of the royal treasury rather than turn it over to her son, Alonzo, who would have spent it foolishly instead of using it to help the people of Portugal. She loved her son, but she also understood his character. By remaining a layperson, Elizabeth did not take a vow of complete poverty, but only a vow of simplicity.
Elizabeth emerged into the world of power politics on several occasions, usually arbitrating struggles involving her relatives.
JULY 5
Anthony Zaccaria (1502–39)
Wholeness
Anthony studied medicine at Padua University and started a practice in Cremona, Italy, his hometown. He became a secular pri
est, or deacon, in 1528, because he observed that human illness had both a physical and a spiritual dimension.
Anthony Zaccaria founded the Clerks Regular of St. Paul in 1530. They became known as the “Barnabites” because they worked out of St. Barnabas Church in Milan. The priests in the order vowed to “regenerate and revive the love of divine worship and a properly Christian way of life by frequent preaching and faithful ministry of the sacraments.” They emphasized Pauline doctrine and the Eucharist.
Renewal of the Church is a never-ending task, and Anthony devoted himself to the challenge in an era of laxity and abuse. Unfortunately, Anthony wore himself out in his service to Christ, shortening his life to thirty-six years. He died at home in Cremona.
JULY 6
Maria Goretti (1890–1902)
Innocence
Sexual assault is not a subject many religious people want to discuss, but it is more prevalent than we may imagine. The story of Maria Goretti, tragic as it is, serves a double task as a reminder and an inspiration.
Maria was the child of Italian peasants, born near Ancona. Not a bright child, she was nonetheless cheerful and devout. Her father died when she was ten, and her mother went out to work, leaving Maria at home to do housekeeping.
An eighteen-year-old neighbor, Alessandro Serenelli, began to make advances toward her. Maria’s disinterest frustrated Alessandro to the point that he attempted to force her into submission, threatening her with a knife. She fought him with all her strength, but he repeatedly stabbed her during the struggle. Maria was hospitalized, but after forgiving Alessandro and expressing concern for her family, she died the next day. Her story does not end here, however.
Alessandro received a lengthy jail sentence. Eight years after he murdered Maria, he had a dream in which he saw Maria picking flowers to give him. The dream was vivid and disturbing. Alessandro, who had been hostile and unrepentant, became a convert to Christianity. When he was released from prison twenty-seven years later, Alessandro was a changed man.
His first act upon receiving freedom was to visit Maria’s mother and beg her forgiveness. On Christmas Day, 1937, Alessandro and Maria’s mother received communion together. He was standing with a quarter million people in St. Peter’s Square when Maria became a canonized saint in 1950.
JULY 7
Willibald (ca. 700–81)
Faithful service
From Wessex, England, Willibald became familiar with monastic life at an early age and joined his brother on a lengthy journey to Rome, Jerusalem, and Constantinople in 722. The written narrative of his visits to sites associated with Jesus Christ was the first travelogue written in Anglo-Saxon. In 730, he moved into the Italian Montecassino monastery that Petronax (May 6) had renovated, and remained there for a decade.
At the request of Boniface (June 5), Willibald went to Germany where he was ordained and became bishop of Eichstätt in 742. He served as bishop there for forty-five years, dying a natural death in 781. His shrine may be visited in Eichstätt Cathedral.
JULY 8
Aquila and Priscilla (first century)
Working together
Husband and wife, Aquila and Priscilla were companions of Paul (June 29) in Corinth and Ephesus. Aquila was a Jew, but Priscilla may have been Roman. They both have Latin names, suggesting a connection with Rome. Like Paul, they earned a living as professional tentmakers. Some have guessed that Aquila may have earlier subcontracted work to Paul. Aquila and Priscilla’s home was certainly spacious enough to accommodate guests. They labored together with Paul now, not as tentmakers, but as evangelists and Christian teachers.
After a court hearing, Paul left Corinth for Ephesus, taking Aquila and Priscilla with him. When Paul continued on to Jerusalem, this holy couple remained to minister in Ephesus. They encountered Apollos, from Alexandria, an intelligent Christian who knew little of doctrines such as baptism. Aquila and Priscilla taught Apollos the essentials of Christian doctrine. We cannot be sure of the circumstances, but Paul wrote in his Roman letter that Aquila and Priscilla took great risks for him.
There is evidence in Christian tradition that Priscilla was more active and capable than her husband. The order of their paired names reverses over time. A few biblical scholars have even suggested that she may be the author of the book of Hebrews.
JULY 9
Pauline (1865–1942)
Suffering service
Pauline was born near Trent, Italy. Her parents named her Amabile Wisenteiner, and took her to Brazil when she was ten years old. Jesuit missionaries there welcomed the immigrant family and helped form much of her early spiritual development. When she was fifteen, she moved into a cottage near the chapel of St. George at Vigolo, Brazil, to provide nursing care for a woman dying of cancer. The Jesuits made it clear that there was a great need for such services in the community. In response, Amabile and two of her friends, Virginia and Teresa, founded the Little Sisters of the Immaculate Conception in 1895. Amabile now took the religious name, “Pauline of the Suffering Heart of Jesus.”
Though troubled by some internal ecclesiastical maneuvering and leadership struggles, Pauline said, “The presence of God is so intimate to me that it seems impossible to lose it. Such presence gives my soul a joy which I cannot describe.” In 1938 she began to experience complications of diabetes that led to the amputation of a finger, and then her right arm. Pauline was totally blind during the last months of her life. She died July 9, 1942, in Sao Paulo. She became the first canonized saint in Brazil.
JULY 10
John of Dukla (1414–84)
Preaching ministry
John’s birthplace, Dukla, is near Tarnow, Poland. As a young man, he lived as a hermit near his hometown, but joined the Conventual Franciscans at Lemberg (now in Ukraine) in 1440. He served as a preacher and local superior until he joined the Observant Franciscans in 1463. Polish people called this group “Bernardines.”
With great patience and love, John devoted himself to preaching and ministering to German congregations for the remainder of his life. He continued to speak from the pulpit even after losing his eyesight. Political boundary changes in that part of Europe through the next five centuries delayed the canonization of John of Dukla until 1997.
JULY 11
Benedict of Nursia (ca. 480–550)
Prayer and work
A balanced life includes a mixture of prayer, study, work, community activity, and relaxation. Benedict of Nursia demonstrates a life in harmony with God and the world. Few have left a mark as indelible as he did when he wrote the Benedictine Rule.
Benedict grew up in a distinguished Italian family. His sister was St. Scholastica (February 10). A limited amount of detail exists regarding Benedict’s life. A famous biography written about him by Gregory the Great (September 3) is the prime source for biographical material.
Gregory tells us that Benedict began his education in Rome, but the moral laxity of other students there became unbearably offensive to him. Benedict quit school, gave up his family inheritance, and actively began a quest for God. Withdrawing to a cave at Subiaco, Benedict sought peace and quiet. Others on similar quests were gradually attracted to him and pulled him into leadership of a monastic community in the area. The monks there quickly objected to Benedict’s stern discipline and tried, according to Gregory, to put poison in his wine. Benedict miraculously escaped and returned to the solitude of his cave.
Yet others continued to turn to Benedict for guidance. Because of his striking insights into human nature, others credited him with the ability to read minds and souls. Monasticism appealed to him, and he was enthusiastic about hermits or monks living together in a community where they could share prayer and labor. He eventually organized twelve such communities on a small scale. In 529, Benedict founded the famous monastery of Montecassino. His sister, Scholastica, also opened a religious community for women in that vicinity.
The Benedictine Rule he devised puts emphasis on ora et labora (prayer and work). Severe acts of s
elf-discipline were discouraged. As strict as he was, Benedict was gentle and flexible. Self-discipline, he thought, was internal rather than external. The Benedictine Rule emphasizes this, providing a truly workable plan of organized life in cooperative community. Competitive holiness had no place among religious people who were equals and humbly committed to the strength of the group. A modern coach would say he promoted teamwork.
The fact that the Benedictine Rule is beautifully balanced, avoids extremes, and is designed for ordinary people rather than a heroic few, allowed it to grow as the pattern for monastic life throughout Europe and beyond. Ever since Benedict’s time, quiet groups of Benedictine monks have lived orderly and productive lives amid a crumbling civilization.
When Benedict died he was buried beside his saintly sister.
JULY 12
Veronica (first century)
Compassion
Veronica is not mentioned anywhere in the New Testament. The story about Veronica is a pious legend that can be traced back to the fourth or fifth century Gospel of Nicodemus. Some attempts have been made to identify her with the nameless women of the Gospels, but it is likely that she is named for the miracle associated with her. Vera icon means “true image,” and the story goes that she was standing beside the Via Dolorosa as Jesus fell under the weight of his cross on the way to Golgotha. With a tender gesture, she wiped his face with her veil. Later, she noticed that the cloth she used bore a distinct picture of his facial features. The story of Veronica made its way into the Stations of the Cross, a devotional practice that, during the Lenten season that, helps penitents imagine themselves a part of Christ’s passion.
Veronica’s legend does not indicate that she was a disciple of Jesus. She simply responded sympathetically to a suffering man. She had no idea who the criminal being executed might be, discovering his identity in the miraculous icon on her veil.
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