MEMORIAL OF SAINT ROMUALD, ABBOT; SAINT JULIANA OF FALCONIERI, RELIGIOUS AND SAINTS GERVASE AND PROTASE, MARTYRS ~ FEAST DAY: JUNE 19TH Today, we celebrate the Memorial of
Saint Romuald, Abbot, Saint Juliana of Falconieri, Virgin and Religious and Saint Gervase and Protase, Martyrs. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints on this special feast day, we humbly pray for the poor and the needy, for the sick and dying, particularly those who are sick with cancers and other terminal diseases, we pray for peace, love and unity in our families and our world. And we continue to pray for the Church, the Clergy, with special intention for all Priests, for persecuted Christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world.🙏🏽
SAINT ROMUALD, ABBOT: St. Romuald (956 – 1027) was the Founder of the Camaldolese monks – one of the Italian branches of the Benedictines – in which the eremitical life is combined with life in community. St. Romuald spent about 30 years traversing Italy, founding and reforming monasteries and hermitages.
St. Romuald was born at Ravenna about the year 956 to a a noble family. In spite of an innate desire for virtue and sanctity, his early life was wasted in the service of the world and its pleasures. Then one day, obliged by his father, Sergius, to be present at duel fought by him, he beheld him slay his adversary. The crime made such an impression upon him that he determined to expiate it for forty days, as though it were entirely his own. For this purpose he retired to a Benedictine monastery of San Apollinare, near Ravenna, where he became Abbot (996-999). After founding several monasteries he laid the foundations of the austere Order of Camaldoli in Tuscany.
Like all Saints, Romuald fought a lifelong battle against the assaults of devils and humans. In the beginning of his spiritual life he was strongly assailed by numerous temptations, which he conquered by vigilance and prayer. More than one attempt was made on his life, but Divine Providence enabled him to escape from the danger. Like many servants of God, he also became the victim of calumny, which he bore in patience and silence. In his old age he increased his austerities instead of diminishing them. St. Romuald died in the monastery of Castro, which he founded in Marquisate of Ancona, on June 19, about the year 1027, after a life of prayer and rigorous penance. He was canonized in 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII.
PRAYER: O God, who through Saint Romuald renewed the manner of life of hermits in your Church, grant that, denying ourselves and following Christ, we may merit to reach the heavenly realms on high. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever… Amen🙏🏽
SAINT JULIANA OF FALCONIERI, RELIGIOUS: Saint Juliana Falconieri, Religious and Virgin (1270-1340) was born in 1270, in answer to prayer to a wealthy Florentine family. Her father was the builder of the splendid church of the Annunziata in Florence, while her uncle, Saint Alexis Falconieri, became one of the seven Founders of the Servite Order. Under his surveillance Juliana grew up more like an angel than a human being, as he said. Her great modesty was remarkable; never during her entire lifetime did she look at her reflection in a mirror. The mere mention of sin made her shudder and tremble, and once, on hearing of a scandal, she fainted. Her devotion to the sorrows of Our Lady drew her to the Servants of Mary or Servite Order, and at the age of fourteen, after refusing an offer of marriage, at the end of 1284, St. Philip Benizi, General of the Servite Order, received her among the Mantellatae, the female branch of the Order. She had a great devotion to the Holy Eucharist and practiced to a rare degree the Servite devotion to the Sorrows of our Lady. Her sanctity attracted many novices, for whose direction she was bidden to draw up a rule, and thus she became foundress of the Mantellate. She was the servant of her Sisters rather than their mistress, while outside her convent she led a life of apostolic charity, converting sinners, reconciling enemies, and healing the sick. She was sometimes rapt for whole days in ecstasy, and her prayers saved the Servite Order when it was in danger of being suppressed.
Saint Juliana in her old age suffered various painful illnesses. She was wasting away through a disease of the stomach which prevented her taking food, and bore her silent agony with constant cheerfulness, grieving only for the privation of Holy Communion. At last, when in her seventieth year she was at the point of death, she begged to be allowed once more to see and adore the Blessed Sacrament. It was brought to her cell and reverently laid on a corporal, which was placed over her heart. At this moment she expired, and the Sacred Host disappeared. After her death the form of the Host was found stamped upon her heart, at the exact spot over which the Blessed Sacrament had been placed. Saint Juliana died in her convent in Florence, Italy on June 19, 1341. Miracles have been frequently effected through her intercession. She was Canonized on June 16, 1737, Rome, Papal States by Pope Clement XII. She’s the Patron Saint of Bodily ills; sick people; sickness.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Juliana Falconieri as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the love of You she showed in choosing to consecrate her life to You”…Amen🙏🏽
SAINTS GERVASE AND PROTASE, MARTYRS: Sts. Gervase and Protase (2nd century) were twin brothers born in the Roman Empire to Christian parents, sons of St. Vitalis and St. Valeria. Their parents were killed for their Christian faith, and the brothers likewise suffered martyrdom. They were imprisoned, scourged, and martyred in Milan, Italy under the brutal persecutions of the Roman Emperor. St. Gervase was beaten to death, and St. Protase, after having been scourged, was beheaded. In the year 386 A.D. St. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan discovered their bodies, the location of their relics was revealed in a dream to St. Ambrose, just as he completed the building of the magnificent Milan basilica. He had the sacred relics moved to the new basilica, today called the Basilica of St. Ambrose, for veneration by the faithful. They rest now, with the body of St. Ambrose himself on the altar of the crypt of St. Ambrose church at Milan. The relics established that the brothers were indeed beheaded as tradition had handed down. Many miracles occurred at their finding, confirmed by St. Ambrose and his disciple St. Augustine. Sts. Gervase and Protase are invoked in the Litany of the Saints. They are Patron Saints of discovery of thieves; haymakers; Milan, Italy. Their feast day is June 19.
PRAYER: O God, who year by year dost gladden us by the solemnity of Thy holy martyrs Gervase and Protase, mercifully grant that we, who rejoice in their merits, may be inspired by their examples… Amen🙏🏽