SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ JANUARY 11TH

MEMORIAL OF SAINT HYGINUS, POPE; SAINT THEODOSIUS, ABBOT AND SAINT PAULINUS, PATRIARCH OF AQUILEIA – FEAST DAY ~ JANUARY 11TH: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Hyginus, Pope; Saint Theodosius, Abbot and Saint Paulinus, Patriarch of Aquileia.

SAINT HYGINUS, POPE: St. Hyginus was a philosopher born in Athens and became the ninth Pope circa 138. He reigned about 138-142; succeeded Pope Telesphorus, who, according to Eusebius died during the first year of the reign of the Emperor Antonius Pius in 138. During the four years of his pontificate (138-142), St. Hyginus had to oppose the heresy of Valentinus who at this period came to propagate his errors in the heart of the Christian community in Rome. He organized church hierarchy of the Clergy and established the order of ecclesiastical precedence among priests and deacons. It is likely that he addressed the Roman Clergy on the subjects of sin in general and of obedience to the Church.

The emergence of Gnosticism is probably the most significant development of Hyginus’ pontificate. According to Irenaeus, the Gnostic Valentinus came to Rome from Egypt in Hyginus’s time, remaining there until Anicetus became pontiff. Cerdo, another Gnostic and predecessor of Marcion, came from Syria and also lived at Rome in the reign of Hyginus. Together they taught this system of mystical belief, which was a combination of Greek philosophy and Oriental superstitions regarding Christ. For years Cerdo vacillated between teaching error and repenting, returning to the Church, then falling from grace, he fell back into the heresies and was expelled from the Church. Valentinus, however, staunchly defended his cause. Hyginus perceived this as heresy, for it deviated greatly from the true teachings of the Apostles. Pope St. Hyginus was said to have suffered gloriously and died four years into his papacy and buried on the Vatican Hill near the tomb of St. Peter.

Saint Hyginus, Pope ~ Pray for us 🙏

SAINT THEODOSIUS, ABBOT: St. Theodosius (423-529) was born to a pious family in 423 A.D., at Cappadocia in the village of Magarisso. Theodosius began his studies at an early age, and became a lector while still an adolescent. St. Theodosius was so inspired by Abraham’s example of leaving his loved ones and homeland for God that he left his homeland of Cappadocia to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. He met Saint Simeon Stylites in Antioch, and Simeon recognized him as a holy man and leader, and invited Theodosius onto his pillar for prayer, blessing, and advice. He then traveled to Jerusalem where legend says he worked with Saint Longinus, who would have been nearly 500 years old at the time. After a time, he was given charge of a small church near Bethlehem, however his time there did not last long. Dreading the vanity that comes from the esteem of men and unable to live in solitude with the multitude of admirers, he retired to a cave in the desert of Judah where he led a hermit’s life. Word of his holiness began to attract disciples, and Theodosius built a monastery at Cathismus to house them. So many came that there had to be sections built for Greeks, for Armenians, for Persions, etc., but they all happily worked and prayed together. Next to the monastery he built a hospital for the sick, a hospice for the aged, and a mental hospital. He became a friend of and co-worker with Saint Sabbas, and was later appointed visitor to all cenobitical communities of Palestine, the patriarch of Jerusalem.

He opposed heresies, including Eutychianism and Monophysitism. Emperor Anastatius was a supporter of Eutychianism and Emperor Anastasius was persecuting Christians who did not accept the Eutychian heresy, which states that Christ has only one nature, St. Theodosius preached orthodoxy throughout Palestine, even stating from the pulpit in Jerusalem: “If anyone receives not the four general councils as the four gospels, let him be anathema.” The Saint renewed the courage of those in whom the Emperor’s edicts had instilled fear. Emperor Anastatius, once sent Theodosius a large bribe, hoping to sway the influential monk to his thinking, however Theodosius distributed the money to the poor, and continued to preach against heresy. Because of his orthodox views, Anastatius removed him from his position in 513 and banished but he soon resumed his duties under Anastasius’ successor, Emperor Justinian. St. Theodosius, the holy abbot who after having endured great sufferings for the Catholic faith suffered a long and painful illness and refused to pray to be cured, calling it a salutary penance for his former successes. He took his rest in peace at the monastery which he had erected on a lonely hill in the diocese of Jerusalem at the age of a hundred and six (106);  many miracles occurred at his funeral. He’s the Patron Saint of file-makers.

PRAYER: “God of strength, grant me courage to live out the vision of the good life that you have planted in me. Help me to be strong in doing right in the face of opposition.”Amen🙏

SAINT PAULINUS, PATRIARCH OF AQUILEIA: St. Paulinus was born about 726 on a country farm in Premariacco near Cividale del Friuli, Italy. He spent his youth tilling the soil for engage in scholarly pursuits. So adept did he became at these pursuits that he gained a reputation as a grammarian and professor, and was invited by Charlemagne to come to his court, around 776. Here he met the noted Alcuin of York, and the two became fast friends.

In 787, the Emperor appointed Paulinus Patriarch of Aquileia near his birthplace in northern Italy, and he gave great luster to that Church by his outstanding zeal, solid piety, and extraordinary talents. He attended all the great councils that were convoked in his day, and he himself called a synod at Friuli in 791 (or 796) to combat the errors than circulating against the mystery of the Incarnation. He even wrote two tracts against the more serious of these errors, Adoptionism, which maintained that Christ as man is only the adoptive Son of God. He also wrote hymns, poems, and other works.

When Pepin conquered the Avars, St. Paulinus immediately dispatched missionaries to convert these pagans who were now accessible to the Faith. However, he vigorously condemned the practice that in vogue of baptizing uninstructed converts or imposing Faith by force on unwilling ones. On January 11, 802, the earthly life of this holy man came to an end. Died of natural causes and relics are under the altar of the crypt of the basilica of Cividale del Friuli, Italy

PRAYER: God, You made St. Paulinus an outstanding exemplar of Divine love and the Faith that conquers the world, and added him to the roll of saintly Pastors. Grant by his intercession that we may persevere in Faith and love and become sharers of his glory. Amen🙏