December 1st - St. Natalia of Nicomedia
Trudie
Died on December 1, c. 311. The story is told that after a turbulent life, Saint
Natalia died peacefully in Argyropolis near Constantinople. She was the young
Christian wife of an imperial officer of Nicomedia named Adrian. Her husband was
so impressed by the patient suffering of some persecuted Christians that he
openly declared he was a Christian himself, though he had not yet been baptized.
Adrian was at once thrown in jail, where Natalia visited him and arranged for
his instruction in the faith. It is said the Natalia also ministered bravely to
other imprisoned Christians during the persecution of Diocletian. After Adrian
had been sentenced to death visitors were forbidden to him, but Natalia
disguised herself as a boy and bribed her way in to ask him to pray for her in
heaven.
At Adrian's execution, Natalia watched as her husband was broken limb by limb.
After his death on September 8 about the year 304, a fire was built to burn the
bodies of the martyrs, so that there would be nothing left for burial. Natalia
had to be restrained from casting herself into the fire when Adrian's body was
burned. A rain storm put out the fire, and Christians gathered the remains and
buried them.
Natalia managed to recover Adrian's hand, then fled to Argyropolis, on the
Bosporus, to escape the importune wooing of another imperial official. When
Natalia died she was buried among the martyrs. It is not known what, if any,
truth lies behind this romantic tale. There were apparently two Adrians martyred
at Nicomedia, one under Diocletian, the other under Licinius. In art she is
shown holding her husband's hand (Attwater, Benedictines, Delaney, Roeder).
Saint Quote:
Every time that God converts a hardened sinner he is working a far greater
miracle.
--Saint John Regis
Bible Quote:
If anyone does not offend in word, he is a perfect man. (James 3:2)
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Litany of December Saints
Editor's Note: Need a little extra devotional prayer to add to your daily
Rosary during this month of Advent leading into Christmastide? Need some impetus
to prepare for the Coming of Emmanuel? What follows is a litany to all of the
saints whose feast days are celebrated in the month of December. Many of these
saints are little-known and often are not, for that reason, invoked in our
prayers.
If you add this short litany to your daily Rosary, you will have the
benefit of invoking the prayers of some of these lesser-known saints for
December.
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy, Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
Jesus Christ, King of glory, born in Bethlehem of the Immaculate Virgin Mary,
have mercy on us
Holy Mary, pray for us.
* pray for us
St. Edmund Campion, Holy Martyr and Priestly Patron of the Press *
St. Florence *
St. Eligius * St. Bibiana, Virgin and Holy Martyr *
St. Francis Xavier, Holy Confessor and Missionary *
St. Peter Chrysologos, Holy Bishop and Doctor of the Church *
St. Barbara, Virgin and Holy Martyr *
St. Sabbas, Holy Abbot *
St. Gerald, Holy Bishop *
St. Nicholas, Holy Bishop and Patron of Children *
St. Ambrose, Holy Bishop and Doctor of the Church *
Holy Mary, Immaculate Ark of the Covenant *
Pope St. Melchiades, Successor of Peter and Holy Martyr *
St. Romaric, Holy Abbot *
Holy Mary, Our Lady of Loretto *
Pope St. Damasus I, Holy Successor of Peter *
Holy Mary, Queen of the Angels *
Holy Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe *
St. Odilia, Holy Virgin and Patron invoked against blindness *
St. Lucy, Virgin and Holy Martyr and Patroness of the blind *
St. Nicasius, Holy Archbishop *
St. Eutropia *
St. Venantius Fortunatus, Holy Bishop *
St. Christiana, Holy Virgin *
St. Eusabius of Vercelli, Bishop and Holy Martyr *
St. Adelaide, Holy Queen of Italy *
Sts. Ananias, Azarius & Misael, Companions of Daniel *
St. Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead *
St. Olympias, Holy Widow *
St. Gatian, Holy Bishop *
Blessed Urban V, Holy Sovereign Pontiff *
Sts. Abraham, Isaac & Jacob, Old Covenant Patriarchs *
St. Dominic of Silos, Abbot and Patron of Captives *
St. Thomas, Holy Apostle who baptized the Magi *
St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin and Religious, Patron of Immigrants *
Sts. Chaeremon & Ischyrion, Holy Martyrs *
St. Servulus, Holy Beggar *
St. Yvo of Chartres, Holy Bishop *
Sts. Adam and Eve, First Parents *
St. Adele, Holy Widow *
St. Chrysogonus, Martyr *
St. Anastasia, Holy Martyr *
St. Stephen, Holy Protomartyr and Patron of Stonemasons *
St. John the Evangelist, Holy Apostle *
Holy Innocents, Blessed Martyrs *
St. Thomas Beckett, Archbishop of Canterbury and Holy Martyr *
St. David, Holy King of the Old Testament *
St. Sabinus, Bishop and Holy Martyr *
St. Anysius, Holy Bishop of Thessalonica *
Pope St. Sylvester I, Holy Successor of Peter *
All you holy saints and angels, pray for us.