MEMORIAL OF SAINT RAYMOND OF PENAFORT (PENYAFORT), PRIEST AND SAINT LUCIAN OF ANTIOCH, MARTYR – FEAST DAY ~ JANUARY 7TH: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Raymond of Penafort (Penyafort), Priest and Saint Lucian of Antioch, Martyr.
SAINT RAYMOND OF PEÑAFORT (PENYAFORT), PRIEST: St. Raymond of Peñafort (1175-1275), referred to as the “Father of : Law” was a Dominican priest who worked to aid Christian captives during the era of the Crusades and also helped organize the Church’s legal code. A contemporary of Saint Thomas Aquinas, he inspired the theologian to write the “Summa Contra Gentiles” for the conversion of non-Catholics. At least 10,000 Muslims reportedly converted as a result of St. Raymond’s evangelistic labors. Born of a noble family in 1175, at the castle of Penafort in Catalonia, St. Raymond was allied to the King of Aragon. At the age of twenty he taught philosophy at Barcelona. Requiring no remuneration for his services, he endeavored to form the heart as well as the intellect of his students. At the age of thirty he went to Bologna to perfect himself in the study of Canon and Civil Law, and received the degree of Doctor. On his return to Barcelona in 1219, the Bishop made him canon, archdeacon, and vicar-general. A few years later, in 1222, he entered the Order of St. Dominic, eight months after the death of its holy founder. During his time in Barcelona, Raymond helped Saint Peter Nolasco and King James of Aragon to establish the Order of Our Lady of Mercy (Our Lady of Ransom), whose members sought to ransom those taken captive in Muslim territory. During this same period Raymond promoted the Crusades through preaching, encouraging the faithful to defend their civilization from foreign threats.
St. Raymond labored zealously for the conversion of the Moors and the Jews, and in the composition of a treatise for the instruction of confessors. Pope Gregory IX summoned him to Rome, appointing him auditor at the apostolic palace, penitentiary, and confessor to himself. While he was the confessor to Pope Gregory IX, the pope asked him to compile the church decrees concerning canon law of the past 80 years into a uniform collection that didn’t change until 1917. He composed his work of Canon Law known as the “Five Decretals.” On his return to his own country St. Raymond was elected general of the Dominican Order to succeed Blessed Jordan of Saxony, who had been the immediate successor of St. Dominic. After arranging and explaining the constitutions of the Order he resigned the office, and began again to apply himself to the exercises of an apostolic life. During this time he was able to focus on the fundamentals of his vocation: praising God in prayer, making him known through preaching, and making his blessings manifest in the world. St. Raymond’s later achievements included the establishment of language schools to aid in the evangelization of non-Christians. He wrote a book of moral theology for confessors, was a Bishop of the capital of Aragon (at 60), the head of the Dominican order (at 63), and his last 35 years combated heresy and prayed and converted 10,000 Muslims. He died on January 6, 1275 at Barcelona, Spain at about one hundred years of age and was canonized on April 29, 1601, Rome by Pope Clement VIII. St. Raymond is the Patron Saint of the Attorneys; barristers; canonists; canon lawyers; lawyers; medical record librarians; Barcelona, Spain; Navarre, Spain. His feast day is January 7th.
“The law, scripture, the Church, and love work harmoniously together”
PRAYER: St. Raymond, teach us to see the law of God and the law of the Church as one harmonious law meant to foster true communion among men and true communion between God and men. May God’s law be our law. And may the law never be an obstacle to true love and devotion.”…Amen
God, You endowed Your Priest, St. Raymond, with the gift of showing mercy to sinners and prisoners. Help us by his intercession to be freed from slavery to sin and with clear consciences to practice those things that are pleasing to You. Amen🙏
SAINT LUCIAN OF ANTIOCH, MARTYR: Saint Lucian of Antioch (c. 240–January 7, 312) also known as Lucian the Syrian was born at Samosata in Syria. Having lost his parents in his youth, he distributed to the poor all his worldly goods, of which he had inherited an abundant share, and withdrew to Edessa, to live near a holy man named Macarius, who imbued his mind with a knowledge of Holy Scripture and led him to the practice of the Christian virtues. Having become a priest, his time was divided between the external duties of his holy state, the performance of works of charity, and the study of sacred writings.
Saint Lucian revised the books of the Old and New Testaments, expunging the errors which had found their way into the text either through the negligence of copyists or the malice of heretics. His translation of the Hebrew Bible into Greek was universally esteemed and was very useful to Saint Jerome, for whom he prepared the way. Soon afterwards the latter was to give to the world the Latin translation of the Bible known as the Vulgate.
Having been denounced as a Christian during the persecution of Maximin, Lucian was thrown into prison and condemned to torture, which was protracted for twelve whole days. A group of Christians visited him in prison on the feast of the Epiphany, and brought bread and wine to him; while bound and chained down on his back, he consecrated the divine mysteries upon his own breast, that the faithful who were present might receive Holy Communion. He finished his glorious career in prison, and died with the words, I am a Christian, on his lips. He died on January 7 312 AD and was buried in Drepanum, The Gulf of Nicomedia, which was later named Helenopolis. He was noted for both his scholarship and ascetic piety.
Saint Lucian of Antioch, Martyr ~ Pray for us 🙏