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August 7th - BBs. Agathangelo and Cassian, Martyrs
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Aug 7, 2014, 1:46:21 PM8/7/14
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August 7th - BBs. Agathangelo and Cassian, Martyrs
A Capuchin mission for Abyssinia-or Ethiopia, as it is better called-had been planned in 1637, and Agathangelo and Cassian had been awaiting orders to go and establish it. For some years Father Cassian had been destined for Ethiopia, and with this in view had set himself while in Cairo to learn Amharic, the principal language in use in that country he therefore now took the leading place, as Father Agathangelo knew little of the language. They were, of course, fully informed about the dangerous state for Catholics in Ethiopia brought about by recent political and ecclesiastical events there, and they had made certain provisions in view of it. What they did not know was that a certain German Lutheran physician, Peter Heyling, notorious for his hostility to Catholics, had been at work to upset their plans. Accordingly, when they got to Dibarua, an unidentified place beyond Suakim, in early summer of 1638, they were arrested and taken, manacled and on foot, to Goadar.
The day after their arrival they were brought, chained and in muddy and torn Franciscan habits, before King Basilides and his court. In reply to his questions Bl. Cassian replied, "We are Catholics and religious, natives of France. We have come to invite you to reunion with the Roman Church. We are well known to Abuna Mark, who has had a letter from the Patriarch of Alexandria, and we should like to speak with him." Mark was the newly elected primate of the dissident Church of Ethiopia, who had been friendly with Father Agathangelo in Cairo. But Heyling had been talking to him, and Mark now refused to see the friars, saying, I indeed knew this Agathangelo in Egypt and he is an evil and dangerous man. He tried to draw the people there to his religion, and has come to do the same here. I do not wish to see him. I recommend you to hang them both." A Mohammedan remonstrated with the archbishop, but he repeated his words, with abuse. Basilides was inclined to banish the friars, but Peter Heyling with Mark and the king's mother worked on the mob to demand their death, and so they were sentenced after they had been given the opportunity to save themselves by abjuring the Catholic faith in favour of that of the monophysites.
When the two martyrs were brought beneath the trees from which they were to be hanged there was some delay. "Why are you so slow? What are we waiting for?" asked Bl. Cassian. "We have had to send for ropes", answered the executioner. "But have we not ropes round our clothes?" And so they were hanged with the cords of their Franciscan habits. But before they were dead the traitor Mark appeared before the crowd, crying out, "Stone these enemies of the faith of Alexandria, or I will excommunicate you!" Volleys of stones were immediately flung at the swinging bodies, and thus Bl. Agathangelo and Bl. Cassian died, the one being forty years old, the other thirty. For four nights miraculous light was reported to be seen above the bodies, and Basilides in terror ordered them to be buried; but some Catholics took them away by stealth and their resting-place is to this day unknown. In 1905, Agathangelo of Vendome, one of the most remarkable missionaries of the seventeenth century, and his faithful companion, Cassian of Nantes, were declared blessed by Pope Pius X.
A sufficient account of these martyrs is provided in Ladislas de Vannes, Deux martyrs capucins (1905); and Antonio da Pontedera, Vita e martirio dei BB. Agatangelo e Cassiano (1904).
Saint Quote:
Charity is a love of friendship, a friendship of choice, a choice of preference, but an incomparable, a sovereign, and supernatural preference which is like a sun in the whole soul, to embellish it with its rays; in all our spiritual faculties to perfect them; in all our powers to moderate them; but in the will, as its seat, to reside there, and to make it cherish and love its God above all things.
-- St. Francis of Sales
Bible Quote:
With all thy strength love him that made thee: and forsake not his ministers. Honour God with all thy soul and give honour to the priests, and purify thyself with thy arms. Give them their portion, as it is commanded thee, of the first-fruits and of purifications: and for thy negligences purify thyself with a few. Offer to the Lord the gift of thy shoulders, and the sacrifice of sanctification, and the first-fruits of the holy things: [Sirach 7: 32-36] D.V.
<><><><>
He did all things well. [Mark 7:37 ] August: Diligence
18. Much more is accomplished by a single word of the Pater Noster said, now and then, from the heart, than by the whole prayer repeated many times in haste and without attention.
--St. Teresa
The Lord one day revealed to St. Bridget that He was more pleased with one who would recite with perfect faith and earnestness these three words: "Jesu, miserere mei--Jesus, have mercy on me," than with another who might recite a thousand verses without attention.
(Taken from the book "A Year with the Saints".)
<><><><>
Jesus! my Lord, my God, my All! How can I love Thee as I ought?
And how revere this wondrous gift, So far surpassing hope or thought?
Had I but Mary's sinless heart To love Thee with, my dearest King!
O, with what bursts of fervent praise Thy goodness, Jesus, would I sing!
Sweet Sacrament! We Thee adore! O, make us love Thee more and more!
F. Faber: Corpus Christi. (19th cent.)
A Capuchin mission for Abyssinia-or Ethiopia, as it is better called-had been planned in 1637, and Agathangelo and Cassian had been awaiting orders to go and establish it. For some years Father Cassian had been destined for Ethiopia, and with this in view had set himself while in Cairo to learn Amharic, the principal language in use in that country he therefore now took the leading place, as Father Agathangelo knew little of the language. They were, of course, fully informed about the dangerous state for Catholics in Ethiopia brought about by recent political and ecclesiastical events there, and they had made certain provisions in view of it. What they did not know was that a certain German Lutheran physician, Peter Heyling, notorious for his hostility to Catholics, had been at work to upset their plans. Accordingly, when they got to Dibarua, an unidentified place beyond Suakim, in early summer of 1638, they were arrested and taken, manacled and on foot, to Goadar.
The day after their arrival they were brought, chained and in muddy and torn Franciscan habits, before King Basilides and his court. In reply to his questions Bl. Cassian replied, "We are Catholics and religious, natives of France. We have come to invite you to reunion with the Roman Church. We are well known to Abuna Mark, who has had a letter from the Patriarch of Alexandria, and we should like to speak with him." Mark was the newly elected primate of the dissident Church of Ethiopia, who had been friendly with Father Agathangelo in Cairo. But Heyling had been talking to him, and Mark now refused to see the friars, saying, I indeed knew this Agathangelo in Egypt and he is an evil and dangerous man. He tried to draw the people there to his religion, and has come to do the same here. I do not wish to see him. I recommend you to hang them both." A Mohammedan remonstrated with the archbishop, but he repeated his words, with abuse. Basilides was inclined to banish the friars, but Peter Heyling with Mark and the king's mother worked on the mob to demand their death, and so they were sentenced after they had been given the opportunity to save themselves by abjuring the Catholic faith in favour of that of the monophysites.
When the two martyrs were brought beneath the trees from which they were to be hanged there was some delay. "Why are you so slow? What are we waiting for?" asked Bl. Cassian. "We have had to send for ropes", answered the executioner. "But have we not ropes round our clothes?" And so they were hanged with the cords of their Franciscan habits. But before they were dead the traitor Mark appeared before the crowd, crying out, "Stone these enemies of the faith of Alexandria, or I will excommunicate you!" Volleys of stones were immediately flung at the swinging bodies, and thus Bl. Agathangelo and Bl. Cassian died, the one being forty years old, the other thirty. For four nights miraculous light was reported to be seen above the bodies, and Basilides in terror ordered them to be buried; but some Catholics took them away by stealth and their resting-place is to this day unknown. In 1905, Agathangelo of Vendome, one of the most remarkable missionaries of the seventeenth century, and his faithful companion, Cassian of Nantes, were declared blessed by Pope Pius X.
A sufficient account of these martyrs is provided in Ladislas de Vannes, Deux martyrs capucins (1905); and Antonio da Pontedera, Vita e martirio dei BB. Agatangelo e Cassiano (1904).
Saint Quote:
Charity is a love of friendship, a friendship of choice, a choice of preference, but an incomparable, a sovereign, and supernatural preference which is like a sun in the whole soul, to embellish it with its rays; in all our spiritual faculties to perfect them; in all our powers to moderate them; but in the will, as its seat, to reside there, and to make it cherish and love its God above all things.
-- St. Francis of Sales
Bible Quote:
With all thy strength love him that made thee: and forsake not his ministers. Honour God with all thy soul and give honour to the priests, and purify thyself with thy arms. Give them their portion, as it is commanded thee, of the first-fruits and of purifications: and for thy negligences purify thyself with a few. Offer to the Lord the gift of thy shoulders, and the sacrifice of sanctification, and the first-fruits of the holy things: [Sirach 7: 32-36] D.V.
<><><><>
He did all things well. [Mark 7:37 ] August: Diligence
18. Much more is accomplished by a single word of the Pater Noster said, now and then, from the heart, than by the whole prayer repeated many times in haste and without attention.
--St. Teresa
The Lord one day revealed to St. Bridget that He was more pleased with one who would recite with perfect faith and earnestness these three words: "Jesu, miserere mei--Jesus, have mercy on me," than with another who might recite a thousand verses without attention.
(Taken from the book "A Year with the Saints".)
<><><><>
Jesus! my Lord, my God, my All! How can I love Thee as I ought?
And how revere this wondrous gift, So far surpassing hope or thought?
Had I but Mary's sinless heart To love Thee with, my dearest King!
O, with what bursts of fervent praise Thy goodness, Jesus, would I sing!
Sweet Sacrament! We Thee adore! O, make us love Thee more and more!
F. Faber: Corpus Christi. (19th cent.)
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