MEMORIAL OF SAINT PETRONILLA (PETRONILLE), VIRGIN AND MARTYR ~ FEAST DAY: MAY 31ST: Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Our Mother Mary who was pregnant with our Lord Jesus visited her cousin, Saint Elizabeth, who was pregnant with John the Baptist. Let us on this feast day reflect on our Mother Mary’s goodness and humility in serving her cousin Elizabeth. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints on this special feast day of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we humbly pray for all expectant mothers and those seeking for the fruit of the womb. We pray for the safety and well-being of all mothers, our children and our families. And we continue to pray for the Church, the Clergy, for persecuted Christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world.🙏🏽
FEAST OF THE VISITATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY: The Feast of the Visitation celebrates the providential meeting of Mary and Elizabeth, when two of the Church’s greatest prayers were first spoken. After being told by the Archangel Gabriel that she would give birth to the Son of God, the Blessed Virgin Mary went to visit her cousin, Elizabeth, in the mountains about six miles west of Jerusalem, who was then pregnant with John the Baptist. In the presence of Jesus in the womb of the Blessed Virgin, Elizabeth exclaimed through the Holy Spirit, “Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb!” ~ Luke 1:42. Mary, overflowing with joy, responded with her Magnificat (Mary’s Song): And Mary said: “My soul doth magnify the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is His name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.” Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home. ~ Luke 1:46-56
The Mass of today salutes her who in her womb bore the King of heaven and earth, the Creator of the world, the Son of the Eternal Father, the Sun of Justice. It narrates the cleansing of John from original sin in his mother’s womb. Hearing herself addressed by the most lofty title of “Mother of the Lord” and realizing what grace her visit had conferred on John, Mary broke out in that sublime canticle of praise proclaiming prophetically that henceforth she would be venerated down through the centuries. In his great Apostolic Letter on Devotion to Mary, Pope Paul VI summarized this feast as follows: “The Liturgy recalls the Blessed Virgin Mary carrying her Son within her, and visiting Elizabeth to offer charitable assistance and to proclaim the mercy of God the Savior.” “Mary set out and journeyed in haste into the hill country to a town of Judah, where she entered Zachariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and cried out in a loud voice: ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. But who am I that the Mother of my Lord should come to me? Behold, the moment your greeting sounded in my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who believed that the Lord’s words to her would be fulfilled.’ “Then Mary said: ‘My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, and my spirit finds joy in God my Savior’ ” (Luke 1:39-47).
The feast of the Visitation was instituted in 1389 by Urban VI to obtain the end of the Western schism, and it was inserted in the Roman Calendar on July 2, the date on which it had already been celebrated by Franciscans since 1263. The feast has now been assigned to the last day of May, between the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord and the Birth of St. John the Baptist, to conform more closely to the Gospel account. Patronage: St. Elizabeth: Expectant mothers.
PRAYER: Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death… Amen🙏🏽
Almighty and eternal God, under Your inspiration the Virgin Mary, pregnant with Your Son, visited St. Elizabeth. Grant that we may follow the guidance of the Spirit and praise You eternally with her in heaven… Amen🙏🏽
MEMORIAL OF SAINT PETRONILLA (PETRONILLE), VIRGIN AND MARTYR: On this special feast day, we also celebrate the Memorial of Saint Petronilla, Virgin and Martyr. St. Aurelia Petronilla, who was guided in the Faith by St. Peter, the first pope. She died three days after refusing to marry a pagan nobleman, Flaccus.
SAINT PETRONILLA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR: St. Aurelia Petronilla also known as St. Petronille (1st c.) is an early Christian Saint, venerated as a virgin martyr in the Church in Rome. She is remembered for being beautiful, for refusing marriage to a pagan king due to her vow of chastity, and for suffering martyrdom for her unwavering faith. According to tradition, it is probable that Aurelia Petronilla was of the imperial family of the Flavii and she was connected to St. Peter the Apostle; she may have been either his natural daughter, servant, convert (spiritual daughter), or co-laborer in the faith. She was guided in the Faith by St. Peter, the first pope. It is also a tradition that St. Petronilla was cured of palsy by St. Peter. The early traditions of the Church speak of her as being the spiritual daughter of the Prince of the Apostles; and though she did not, like Domitilla, lay down her life for the faith, she did offer to Jesus that next richest gift, her virginity. According to tradition, a Roman Patrician, by name Flaccus, having asked her in marriage, she requested three days for consideration, during which she confidently besought the aid of her divine Spouse. Flaccus presented himself on the third day, but found the palace in mourning, and her family busy in preparing the funeral obsequies of the young virgin, who had taken her flight to heaven, as a dove that is startled by an intruder’s approach. She died three days after refusing to marry the pagan nobleman, Flaccus.
In the 8th century the chapel containing her relics became the burial place of French kings. This is due to the fact that she was the supposed daughter of St. Peter, and the French kings were considered the “adopted sons” of St. Peter; therefore, St. Petronille was invoked as an intercessor for all treaties between the Holy See and the French crown. Later in the eighth century, the holy Pope Paul I had the body of Petronilla taken from the cemetery of Domitilla, on the Ardeatine Way. Her relics were found in a marble sarcophagus, the lid of which was adorned, at each corner, with a dolphin. The Pope had the relics of St. Petronilla enshrined in a little church, which he built near the south side of the Vatican Basilica. This church was destroyed in the sixteenth century, in consequence of the alterations needed for the building of the new Basilica of St Peter; and the relics of St Petronilla were translated to one of its altars on the west side of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. It was but just that she should await her glorious resurrection under the shadow of the great Apostle who had initiated her in the faith, and prepared her for her eternal nuptials with the Lamb. On her feast day Mass at St. Peter’s is offered for France and attended by French residents living in Rome. St. Petronille is the Patron Saint of the dauphins of France; mountain travellers; treaties between Popes and Frankish emperors; invoked against fever. Her feast day is May 31st.
PRAYER: “Thy triumph, O Petronilla, is one of our Easter joys. We lovingly venerate thy blessed memory. Thou didst disdain the pleasures and honors of the world, and thy virginal name is one of the first on the list of the Church of Rome, which was thy mother. Aid her now by thy prayers. Protect those who seek thine intercession, and teach us how to celebrate, with holy enthusiasm, the solemnities that are soon to gladden us”… Amen🙏🏽