MEMORIAL OF SAINTS NEREUS AND ACHILLEUS, MARTYRS; SAINT PANCRAS, MARTYR; BLESSED IMELDA LAMBERTINI, VIRGIN; SAINT LEOPOLD  MANDIC, PRIEST AND  SAINT  EPIPHANIUS, BISHOP ~ FEAST DAY: MAY 12: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saints Nereus and Achilleus, Martyrs; Saint Pancras, Martyr; Blessed Imelda Lambertini, Virgin; Saint Leopold, Priest and Saint Epiphanius, Bishop. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for justice, peace, love and unity in our families and our world. We also pray for the Church, the Clergy, for persecuted christians, for the conversion of sinners, for the sick and dying especially those suffering from cancer, for the poor and needy and Christians all over the world.🙏

SAINTS NEREUS AND ACHILLEUS, MARTYRS: Sts. Nereus and Achilleus were martyrs of the faith during the time of the early Roman Empire. According to Pope St. Damasus, Sts. Nereus and Achilleus were Roman soldiers of the 3rd century who became Christians and refused to remain in the service. They were martyred for courageously standing by their faith and buried in the cemetery of Domitilla on the Via Ardeatina. The bas-relief of Achilleus being stricken is the oldest known representation of martyrdom.

The legendary Acts of these martyrs state on the other hand that they were servant of Flavia Domitilla, a niece of the Emperors Titus and Domitian, who became a Christian. They further relate that she was banished to the island of Pontia and was finally martyred at Terracina together with Nereus and Achilleus. During the reign of the Roman Emperor Domitian at that time, Christians went through a period of harsh persecution, and many including St. Nereus and St. Achilleus were martyred, both of them by beheading. This legend probably originated in the fact that the martyrs were buried in what was later known as the cemetery of Domitilla.

PRAYER: Saints Achilleus and Nereus, pray for those in the military and armed forces throughout the world that they may always see God as their authority and obey God’s orders first. Amen. O Lord, we honor Sts. Nereus and Achilleus for their courage in dying to profess their Faith in Christ. May we experience the help of their prayers at the throne of Your mercy. Amen🙏

SAINT PANCRAS, MARTYR: St. Pancras  was another martyr of the faith who was only a young boy at the time when he was martyred. Saint Pancras was a Roman citizen who converted to Christianity, and was beheaded for his faith at the age of fourteen, around the year 304. His name is Greek and means “the one that holds everything”. St. Pancras was a Phrygian of noble birth, born to Roman citizens in the region of Phrygia in Asia Minor, his parents passed on early and he was taken care of by a relative. He was baptized at the age of fourteen and proceeded to give all his possessions to the poor. This drew the attention of the authorities to him and ultimately to the fact that he was a Christian. And then during the great persecution of Christians by the Roman Emperor Diocletian, as everyone were forced to offer sacrifices to the pagan gods, St. Pancras resisted and refused to do as ordered with determination. The Emperor, impressed with the young man’s determination, attempted to persuade him with wealth and power, but these were refused to renounce his Christianity and thus St. Pancras was martyred, he was decapitated under Diocletian about 304. He’s Patron Saint against false witness; against perjury; children; cramps; headaches; fidelity to oaths; treaties.

PRAYER: God, give Your Church joy and confidence through the prayers of St. Pancras. Keep us faithful to You and steadfast in Your service. Amen🙏

BLESSED IMELDA LAMBERTINI, VIRGIN: Bl. Imelda Lambertini (1322–1333) was born to a noble and devout family in Bologna, Italy. She was a daughter of Count Egano Lambertini of Bologna and Castora Galuzzi. Her parents doted on her and she was the joy of their lives. As a child she developed a great love for prayer, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and the Holy Eucharist. From the very beginning, prayer was at the centre of her home life. Both parents taught her all they knew about God and the saints, and from a very early age, her holiness and prayerfulness were obvious to those who knew her. She even made a little oratory, that is, a prayer room, for herself in her home and she would often go there to pray. Imelda loved to spend many hours in prayer, talking to her Jesus. She dearly loved to think about the Child Jesus and His life and she then tried to be like Him in all that she did. God rewarded her love for Him and filled her with Divine Grace and He made her into a very spiritual child indeed. She felt drawn to religious life, and planned to become a nun.

She spent much of her time in the Dominican monastery praying with the nuns, and at nine years of age requested to enter there as a postulant. Her parents and the nuns allowed her to enter, however, in that era children her age were not permitted to receive Holy Communion. Bl. Imelda repeatedly pleaded to receive Communion, but each time she was denied. Nevertheless, she developed a close relationship with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. As a student at Dominican Convent of Valdi-Pietra in  Bologna, Italy, partly in preparation for religious life, she had a great devotion to Saint Agnes of Rome, of whom she may have had visions, to Mary as Queen of Angels, and to the Holy Eucharist. When the feast of the Ascension approached, Bl. Imelda begged to make her First Holy Communion on this feast. Again, she was denied. On the Vigil of the Feast of the Ascension she was in the chapel praying, as usual, as the other Sisters received Holy Communion. Afterwards a glowing host was seen suspended in the air above the child. The priest understood this as a sign that the child should be permitted to receive, and he ministered the Holy Eucharist to her. Bl. Imelda remained kneeling in prayer in thanksgiving as the nuns left the chapel. When they returned for her, they found her just as they had left her, but her body was lifeless. It was understood that Bl. Imelda died of pure ecstatic joy after receiving Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, as she had so ardently desired. She died in ecstasy of love and joy on May 12, 1333. Bl. Imelda Lambertini is the patron saint of First Communicants. Her feast day is May 12th.

Blessed Imelda Lambertini, Virgin ~ Pray for us🙏

SAINT LEOPOLD  MANDIC, PRIEST: St. Leopold, also known as Leopold of Castelnuovo ( May 12, 1866 – July 30, 1942), was a Croatian Capuchin friar and Franciscan priest, who suffered from disabilities that would plague his speech and stature. He spent most of his priestly life in Padua, Italy and developed tremendous spiritual strength in spite of his disabilities and became extremely popular in his ministry as a confessor, often spending 12–15 hours in the confessional. On May 12, 1866, in Dalmatia Croatia, a twelfth child was born to Pietro Mandić and Carolina Zarević (Peter and Caroline Mandic). He was named and baptised Bogdan, ‘the God-given-one’. Although physically frail, from his youth he showed signs of great spiritual strength and integrity. At the age of 16 years, Bogdan left home for Italy to attend the Seraphic School where he was taught by the Capuchins at Udine and was also an aspirant to the order. Life was not easy for him there, since he was physically malformed and still delicate in health. At the age of 18, Bogdan entered the Capuchin Order as a novice at Bassano del Grappa and took the religious name of Brother Leopold. After his Profession of Vows at 23, he embarked on a course of clerical studies first at Padua and then at Venice. Finally, he was ordained in Venice at the age of 28. In the mid-1880s, Bishop Joseph Juraj Strossmayer began an ecumenical movement which focused on unity in diversity, consecrating the cathedral of Djakovo i Srijem (Bosnia) “for the glory of God, church ecumenism, and the peace and love of my people.”Father Leopold dedicated himself to the same end. Refusing to renounce his Croatian nationality during World War I, Leopold was forced to go to southern Italy, where he spent one year in an Italian prison. He wanted to be a missionary in Eastern Europe, torn apart by much religious strife, but was denied by his superiors because of his frailty and general ill-health (In addition to physical deformities, Father Leopold suffered from stomach ailments, poor eyesight, and arthritis.) For 34 years he heard confessions. He was always quick, serene, affable, available for any sacrifice for the good and service of others. Wherever he was assigned over the years, St. Leopold was greatly admired and loved by the people. Father Leopold gave tremendous encouragement to many people, especially those despairing of hope because of an enslavement to sin.

Father Leopold also had a deep devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary whom he referred to as “my holy boss”. He was known to pray the rosary quite often, and celebrated the Eucharist daily at the side altar in the Little Office of the Virgin Mary. He would then visit the sick in nursing homes, hospitals and homes all over Padua. He visited the Capuchin infirmary to comfort the sick friars, giving them words of advice and reminding them to have faith. He was an outspoken on issues with children, and being pro-life and especially fond of expectant mothers and young children. He did great work in setting up orphanages for children without parents. Father Leopold suffered from esophageal cancer, which would ultimately lead to his death at age 76. On July 30, 1942, while preparing for the liturgy, he collapsed on the floor. He was then brought to his cell, where he was given the last rites. Friars that had gathered at his bed sang “Salve Regina,” and when they got to the words, “O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary,” St. Leopold died. During the bombing of World War II the church and part of the friary where Leopold lived were demolished, but St. Leopold’s cell and confessional were left unharmed. St. Leopold had predicted this before his death, saying, “The church and the friary will be hit by the bombs, but not this little cell. Here God exercised so much mercy for people, it must remain as a monument to God’s goodness.” Paul VI beatified Leopold on May 2, 1976. He was canonized by Pope John Paul II during the Synod of Bishops on October 16, 1983. St. Leopold is hailed as the “Apostle of Unity.” He is a patron of the Diocese of Phoenix Croation Community that worships at St. Pius X.

“We have in heaven the heart of a mother, The Virgin, our Mother, who at the foot of the Cross suffered as much as possible for a human creature, understands our troubles and consoles us.” ~ St. Leopold 

PRAYER: O God, source of life and love, you gave Saint Leopold a tremendous compassion for sinners and a desire for church unity. Through his prayers, grant that we may acknowledge our need of forgiveness, show love to others, and strive to bring about a living unity among Christians. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen🙏

SAINT  EPIPHANIUS, BISHOP: Saint Epiphanius of Salamis, an early monk, bishop and Church Father known for his extensive learning and defense of Catholic teachings in the fourth century. During a 2007 visit with the Orthodox Archbishop of Cyprus, Pope Benedict XVI praised Epiphanius as “a good pastor” who “pointed out to the flock entrusted to him by Christ, the truth in which to believe, the way to take and the pitfalls to avoid.” At the beginning of this third millennium, the Pope reflected during the visit, “the Church finds herself facing challenges and problems not at all unlike those which Bishop Epiphanius had to tackle.” Besides the bishop’s primary responsibilities of protecting his flock from those who might lead them astray, St. Epiphanius is also honored for his deep spirituality, and for his almsgiving. No one surpassed him in his tenderness and charity to the poor, and he gave vast sums of money to those in need. St. Epiphanius was born in Palestine around 310 or 315, the son of Greek-speaking Jewish parents. He is said to have been drawn to the Church after seeing a monk give away his clothing to a person in need. Not long after his conversion, he became a monk himself, spending time in the Egyptian deserts. Around 333 he returned to the Holy Land and built a monastery near his birthplace in Judea. St. Epiphanius showed great dedication to the rigors of monasticism, which some of his contemporaries considered excessive, although he insisted he was only seeking to work faithfully for God’s kingdom. The devoted monk was also a man of extraordinary learning, versed in the Hebrew, Egyptian, Syrian, Greek, and Latin languages and literature. For over two decades, until 356, St. Epiphanius was a disciple and close companion of Saint Hilarion the Great, a monk known for his wisdom and miracles. The spiritual bond between them remained unbroken after Hilarion left Palestine around 356. Hilarion’s influence within the Church of Salamis, in present-day Cyprus, led to its choice of Epiphanius as bishop in 367.

During his years in Palestine, St.  Epiphanius had frequently offered guidance and help in the Church’s struggle against Arianism, the heresy which denied Jesus’ eternal existence as God. As a bishop, he went on to write several works arguing for orthodox teaching on subjects like the Trinity and the Resurrection. Determined to protect the Church from error, Epiphanius became involved in various controversies and was known as a strong voice for orthodoxy. In some instances, however, his zeal was misguided or uninformed, as when he inadvertently became involved in a plot against Saint John Chrysostom. Likewise, some of St. Epiphanius’ apologetic works are regarded today as inaccurate or flawed on certain points. Nonetheless, he is revered among the early Church Fathers, and his writings – which contain important formulations of orthodox belief – are cited in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. St. Epiphanius of Salamis died in 403, while returning from Constantinople after distancing himself from the attempt to depose St. John Chrysostom. Sensing the approach of death, he gave his disciples two final pieces of advice: to keep God’s commandments, and guard their thoughts against temptation. He was buried on May 12, 403, after his ship’s return to Salamis. They buried him in a new church which he himself had built. The Seventh Ecumenical Council, in 787, confirmed his reputation as a Church Father worthy of veneration. St. Epiphanius is the Patron Saint of cancer sufferers.

Saint Epiphanius, Bishop ~ Pray for us🙏