SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ JANUARY 9TH:

MEMORIAL OF SAINT ADRIAN OF CANTERBURY, ABBOT AND SAINTS JULIAN AND BASILISSA, MARTYRS – FEAST DAY ~ JANUARY 9TH: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Adrian of Canterbury, Abbot and Saints Julian and Basilissa, Martyrs.

SAINT ADRIAN OF CANTERBURY, ABBOT: St. Adrian of Canterbury (d. 710 A.D.), also known as St. Hadrian, was a native of North Africa who was sent to England to accompany his friend, Theodore of Tarsus, who was appointed to the prestigious archbishopric of Canterbury. This learned and saintly man, St. Adrian became Abbot of monastery near Monte Casino, Italy. Pope St. Vitalian judged him to be the best person to fill the vacant post of Archbishop of Canterbury, for his talents were most suitable for instructing and nurturing a nation still young in the Faith. But St. Adrian, deeming himself unworthy, suggested St. Theodore of Tarsus in his place. The Pope agreed but sent him along to be the assistant and adviser of the Archbishop. Setting out in 668, the two holy men proceeding by way of France. There, St. Adrian was arrested by Ebroin, Mayor of Neustria, as an agent of the Eastern Emperor; and St. Theodore alone was able to go on. When St. Adrian was finally able to reach England, he found St. Theodore already confirmed in his See, and was named Abbot of the monastery of St. Augustine’s Abbey at Canterbury (originally called the Monastery of Sts. Peter and Paul at Canterbury).

Under St. Adrian’s administration, this monastic school attracted students from all over and had a far-reaching influence. The monastic school grew and thrived under his leadership, and became an important center of learning where many future scholars, bishops, and abbots were educated in Latin, Greek, scripture, theology, Roman law, arithmetic, and other subjects. Saint Adrian himself was learned in the Scriptures, was well known for being a great teacher of religion, math, science, and literature, well versed in the Fathers of the Church, and a fine Greek and Latin scholar. All these subject were taught there, as well as poetry, astronomy, and calendar calculation. He also served as the Holy Father’s assistant and adviser. During the lives of Adrian and Theodore, education and learning flourished in England. After his death, his tomb became famous for miracles. St. Adrian died on January 9, 710. His feast day is January 9th.

PRAYER: Lord, amid the things of this world, let us be wholeheartedly committed to heavenly things in imitation of the example of evangelical perfection You have given us in St. Adrian the Abbot. Amen🙏

SAINTS JULIAN AND BASILISSA, MARTYRS: Saint Julian, Martyr (died 313) and Saint Basilissa, his wife (died 4th century), though married, lived by mutual consent in perpetual chastity. They sanctified themselves by the most perfect exercises of an ascetic life, and employed their revenues in relieving the poor and the sick. For this purpose they converted their house into a kind of hospital, in which they sheltered up to a thousand poor people. Basilissa attended those of her sex in separate lodgings, and Julian, who for his charity is known as the Hospitaler, cared for the men.

Egypt, where they lived, was in those days blessed with persons who, either in the cities or in the deserts, devoted themselves to the most perfect exercises of charity, penance, and mortification. Conversions were numerous, and persecutions by furious pagans followed as the numbers of Christians increased. St. Basilissa, after having survived seven of those, died in peace, foretelling to her husband that he would die a martyr. St. Julian lived afterwards for a number of years, but eventually received the crown of a glorious martyrdom in 313. His interrogation and his tortures were accompanied by astonishing prodigies and numerous conversions. With him died thirty-one other persons, including a priest named Anthony, a new Christian named Anastasius, Celsus, the seven-year-old son of the judge who sentenced Julian, Marcianilla, the mother of Celsus, who when she came to visit her son was won over to the faith, and many other Christians. Spared by fire and wild beasts, Saint Julian finally was decapitated. His tomb became illustrious by many great miracles, including the cure of ten lepers on the same day. Many churches and hospitals, in both the East and in the West, bear the name of one or another of these martyrs. Four churches at Rome and three in Paris are dedicated to Saint Julian.

Reflection: God often rewards men for works that are pleasing in His sight by giving them grace and opportunity to do other works higher still. Such was the case for Saint Julian, whose posthumous miracles attained prodigious numbers. Saints Julian and Basilissa, Martyrs ~ Pray for us 🙏