Catholic Saints

"She became most fervent, continually risking her life by harbouring and maintaining priests, was frequently imprisoned, sometimes for two years at a time, yet never daunted, and was a model of all virtues."

"There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. In a vision, the Lord said to him, “Ananias.” He answered, “Here I am, Lord.” The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the Street called Straight, to the house of Judas, and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying, and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he may regain his sight.”"

"‘Brother Saul, regain your sight.’ Instantly, I saw him."

"And so Ananias went forth and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on your way has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."

"“And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write,"

"Greet Apelles, approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus."

"Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God."

"At the top of all the saints in Naples is he, Saint Januarius of the blood. If Naples is a “city of blood,” an “ir haddammìm” as we read in the sacred stories about Nineveh and Jerusalem, it is thanks to him. [...] He, Saint Gennaro of the blood, known in the dialect as simply “sangennà,” is the fertility of the sacred in the middle of the Gulf of Naples, the menstruation of the sky that must flow and give power to women, to the soil, to the sea, to the red sauce of tomatoes and fish that makes up the soup of our own blood."

"The miracle of San Gennaro has always been and will continue to be for a long time to come a major event for the great family of the Neapolitan people. All the governments that have ruled over that land, where it is easier to tyrannize men than to emancipate them, know this."

"Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need; 26 since he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. For indeed he was sick almost unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such men in esteem; because for the work of Christ he came close to death, not regarding his life, to supply what was lacking in your service toward me."

"The Neapolitan is outside history; or rather, he has been so deeply involved in it and so mistreated, mocked, and ridiculed that he has ended up stepping out of time, creating his own eternal environment dominated, of course, by Saint Januarius and the Kabbalah. What else could he do with his problems unresolved and postponed indefinitely?"

"That blessed Blood remains frozen and hard all year round, as if it were stone, and then, on the first Saturday of May, it is brought in procession to collide with the Head, whereupon it liquefies and turns red, so that it seems to have just flowed from a vein, and it is considered a bad omen in Naples every time this miraculous effect does not occur, as it has been observed that some kind of misfortune always befalls the city, as if that saint took the city of Naples under his protection and, foreseeing its misfortunes, signaled them in this way."

"It has been said that Saint Januarius is the soul of Naples. One could say even more. Saint Januarius is the sentiment of a people who, despite the defeats, disappointments, and bitterness suffered throughout their long and painful history, still find the strength to hope, to fight, and to live."

"I know that the religious sentiment of our people is often, and wrongly, labeled as colorful folklore, in which legend and magic, sacred and profane, merge in our millennial history, which, in the eyes of cold secularism, appears incapable of distinguishing superstition from faith. It is true that much superstition still creeps into the authentic Christian message, but I believe that superstition should not be confused with popular piety. This people, who, since the first liquefaction of blood, have taken St. Januarius as the protector of their city, know how to grasp, in the manifestation of the miracle, the profound meaning of faith: the hope of resurrection. It is an inexpressible mystery which, in order to be conceived, requires symbols capable of representing the link between pain and redemption. The blood that has miraculously come back to life is a sign that refers to the immortality of the soul, to life beyond death, to the resurrection of the flesh."

"With the kings, their heirs, relatives, in-laws, and friends discarded, the Neapolitans were left with their patron saint, in the very sense of a father from whom they could hope not for miracles, but for bread in the wild. From this legitimate desire to "a barbaric cult of blood." There is a big difference. San Gennaro, largely manipulated by the clergy to keep the unwary in check, became a weapon of blackmail in their hands in the unyielding hope of taming those who had and could."

"Every divine feast, when celebrated, fills the faithful with spiritual joy, drawing from treasures and sources that come from God."

"Together we run to gather the beloved flowers of the meadow that belongs to the Mother of God."

"(About Mary, mother of Jesus) The heavenly drop generated by her – an immense sea – revealed her greatness."

"Everyone can be satisfied in all things; but in the songs and feasts in her honour, the banquet is inexhaustible in its sweetness."

"O Lady, all-chaste, all-good, rich in mercy, comfort of Christians, tender consoler of the afflicted, the ever-open refuge of the sinners, do not leave us destitute of thy assistance...Shelter us under the wings of thy goodness. By thy intercession watch over us. O unfailing hope of Christians, hold forth us to eternal life...For no one, Lady all-holy, is saved except through thee, all-holy one...No one, Lady most chaste, is favored with any gift except through thee. No one, Lady most venerable, is given the merciful gift of grace except through thee... After thy Son, who more than thee has the interest of mankind at heart? Who more than thee protects and sustains us in our bitter sorrow?...Who like to thee excels as suppliannt for sinners?...At the very invocation of thy holy name, thou dost turn aside from thy servants the attacks of that most evil enemy, and keep them safe and unharmed."

"When Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him to the judgment seat, 13 saying, “This fellow persuades men to worship God contrary to the law.”"

"Georges Gharib (editor), Testi mariani del primo millennio. Volume 2: Padri e altri autori bizantini, Città Nuova, Roma, 1989. ISBN 88-311-9216-7 (in Italian)."

"Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:"

"Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized."

"Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; 37 and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem."

"Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,"

"The Holy Spirit descends upon you, who are the Immaculate, to make you purer and give you the virtue of fertility."

"And surely what joy, what delight can ever be found that far surpasses the announcement made to that blessed Virgin and Mother of joy? Rejoice, O mother of supernatural joy! Rejoice, O nurturer of sublime joy! Rejoice, capital seat of the joy of salvation! Rejoice, co-operator of immortal joy! Rejoice, O mystical dwelling place of ineffable joy! Rejoice, O most blessed source of inexhaustible joy! Rejoice, O treasure of eternal joy who bears God! Rejoice, O most luxuriant tree of life-giving joy!"

"(To the ever Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus) You have made the nature of men beautiful; you have surpassed the hosts of angels; you have overshadowed the dazzling splendour of the archangels; you have shown the seats of thrones to be inferior to you; you have lowered the height of dominions; you have surpassed the commands of the principalities; you have weakened the power of the powers; you have gone forth as a virtue more powerful than the virtues themselves; you, with earthly eyes, have surpassed the keenest sight of the cherubim; you, with divinely moved wings, have flown beyond the flights of the soul of the seraphim."

"I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius..."

"Then, when she was beheaded, milk flowed from her body instead of blood. The angels took her body and carried it from that place to Mount Sinai, a journey of more than twenty days, and there they buried her with full honors. From her bones flows an oil that heals the limbs of all the sick. Her passion took place under the tyrant Maxentius or Maximinus, who ascended the throne around 310. How Maximinus was punished for this crime, and for many others, can be read in the story of the Invention of the Holy Cross."

"(To the Roman emperor) Why do you want to lose this crowd with the worship of gods? Learn about God, Creator of the world, and His only Son Jesus Christ, who freed humanity from hell with the cross!"

"(To the governor who asked for her hand in marriage) Can you expect me to renounce heaven and choose instead the dust of the earth?"

"Then the prefect had her stripped and taken to the brothel. But the Lord made Agnes' hair so thick that it covered her better than a dress, and when she entered that vile place, she found the angel of the Lord waiting for her, who illuminated the room with a shining light and prepared a pure white stole for her. Thus the place of sin became a place of prayer, so much so that Agnes came out purer than when she had entered, when that great light had honored her."

"Agnese, a young woman full of wisdom, as Ambrogio tells us in his “Passione,” left death behind and found life at the age of thirteen. Her young age was evident, but the maturity of her mind was extraordinary: young in body, but mature in soul, beautiful in appearance but even more beautiful in faith. It happened that while she was returning from school, the prefect's son fell in love with her. He promised her endless jewels and riches if she agreed to marry him. Agnes replied: "Stay away from me, get out of sin, food of evil deeds, nourishment of death! Another loved me before you."

"[January 21] Memorial of St. Agnes, virgin and martyr, who, while still a girl in Rome, offered the supreme testimony of faith and consecrated the virtue of chastity with martyrdom; in fact, she overcame both her young age and the tyranny of the tyrant and thus acquired great admiration among the people, obtaining even greater glory with God. On this day, we celebrate the deposition of her mortal remains."

"[July 20] In Antioch in Pisidia (Asia Minor), commemoration of St. Marina (or Margaret), who is said to have consecrated her body to Christ in virginity and martyrdom."

"In Rome, in the cemetery of Callixtus on the Appian Way, memory of St. Cecilia, virgin and martyr, who, as tradition has it, achieved this double palm for the love of Christ, and to whose name the ancient church of Trastevere is dedicated."

"“May Saint Lucy preserve your sight”, the Neapolitan beggar has been repeating for centuries, holding out his hand on street corners, and with that phrase he gives the exact measure of the importance attached in Naples to the “faculty of sight”, a primary good that constitutes the extreme wealth of the poor and the ultimate health of the sick."

"Cecilia, an illustrious virgin, born of noble Roman lineage, was raised from the cradle in the faith of Christ. She always carried the image of Christ hidden in her bosom, and never ceased to pray day or night, asking God to preserve her virginity. Having been promised in marriage to a young man named Valeriano, and the wedding day having already been set, Cecilia wore a hair shirt next to her skin, while above it she wore her gold-woven garments. While the choirs sang, she sang alone, to herself, only for the Lord, saying: “Lord, may my heart and my body remain immaculate, so that I may not be confused at the Judgment.”"

"Saint Lucy, condemned to work in a brothel, preferred to face the stake, which left her unharmed; and in Naples, more than one Filumena Marturano, who took to the streets to escape the oppressive heat of a basement flat, imagines harmless blackmailing flames. It is almost surprising that such a saint was born in Syracuse and not at the foot of Vesuvius."

"[13 December] Memorial of Saint Lucy, virgin and martyr, who, while she lived, kept the lamp lit for her coming Bridegroom, and once she was put to death for Christ, she merited to be wedded to Him, thus possessing the Light that never goes out."

"Saint Lucy is, from a strictly historical point of view, the place where the city of Naples was born."

"Almachio then had her taken back to his house and ordered that she be burned by keeping her in a boiling bath night and day. Cecilia remained there as if it were a cold place, and did not even break a sweat. When this was reported to Almachio, he ordered that her head be cut off in the bath. The executioner struck her three times, but failed to sever her head; however, since the law forbade the condemned person from being struck four times, the executioner, covered in blood, left her dying. She lived for three more days, during which she gave all her possessions to the poor and entrusted to Urban all those she had converted to the faith, saying to him: “I have obtained a three-day reprieve for myself, so that I may entrust myself to your blessedness and so that you may consecrate my house as a church.”"

"Her husband had slipped a gold ring set with a fine ruby onto her finger, and her mother-in-law had given her a birth bag which, in her time, she herself had tied to her thigh for the duration of her pregnancy. “It contains a parchment recounting the birth of Margaret of Antioch. It will protect you from a brutal death, just as it protected me.” Swallowed by a dragon, Margaret of Antioch had escaped from the beast's bowels by piercing its spine with her cross. My son, Hades had thought, will not have to resort to violence to come into the world. At the right moment, I will open wide and he will slide out without pain. He will be born with rosy skin and a healthy complexion."

"In Otranto in Puglia, remembrance of the approximately eight hundred BB. martyrs, who received the crown of martyrdom by being beheaded by the Ottoman Turks who had conquered the city: they ordered them to abandon the Christian faith, but the ‘Idruntini’, exhorted by Blessed Antonio Primaldo, an elderly weaver, to persevere in the faith of Christ, achieved the glorious palm. (14 August)"

"Lucia, nimica di ciascun crudele"

"Lucia, a noble maiden from Syracuse, hearing talk throughout Sicily of the fame of Saint Agatha, went to her tomb with her mother Euticia, who had been suffering from blood loss for four years and whom the doctors had been unable to cure. It so happened that during the celebration of Mass that day, the passage from the Gospel was read in which it is said that the Lord healed a woman from that same illness. Lucia then said to her mother: ‘If you believe what has been read, believe that Agatha always has beside her the one for whom she suffered martyrdom. Therefore, if you touch her tomb with faith, you will immediately regain your health.’"

"‘However bad things may go for you, at least may your eyes be spared,’ the beggar wishes, invoking Saint Lucy, patron saint of the eyes."

"Feast of St. Lawrence, deacon and martyr, who, desiring to be a companion of Pope Sixtus even in martyrdom, as St. Leo the Great recalls, having been ordered to hand over the treasures of the Church, he showed the foolish tyrant the poor whom he had fed and clothed with the alms he had collected; three days after Sixtus' martyrdom, he was burned on the gridiron for his faith in Christ, and in honour of his triumph, the instruments of his torture also migrated to heaven. His body was buried in Rome at Verano, in the cemetery that would take his name. (10 August)"