This Day in the Church

“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. “Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

St. John was born at Kenty in Poland in 1390; and studied at Cracow with great industry and success. Meanwhile, his modesty and virtue drew many hearts to the Lord.

He was, for a short time, in charge of a parish; but he shrank from the burden of responsibility, and returned to his life as professor at Cracow. There, for many years, he lived a life of unobtrusive virtue, self-denial, and charity.

ISCHYRION was an inferior officer who attended on a magistrate of a certain city in Egypt, which St. Dionysius has not named. His master commanded him to offer sacrifice to the idols; and because he refused to commit that sacrilege, reproached him with the most contumelious and threatening speeches. By giving way to his passion and superstition, he at length worked himself up to that degree of frenzy, as to run a stake into the bowels of the meek servant of Christ, who, by his patient constancy attained to the glory of martyrdom.

St. Peter Canisius was born in 1521, at Nijmegen in Holland. He entered the Society of Jesus, was ordained in 1546, and went to Cologne, where he founded a Jesuit house. He was a vigorous defender of Catholicism, and published a catechism which was very influential in the Counter-Reformation.
He passed away in 1597.

In the persecution of Decius, Nemesion, an Egyptian, was apprehended at Alexandria upon an indictment for theft. The servant of Christ easily cleared himself of that charge, but was immediately accused of being a Christian, and after being scourged and tormented more than the thieves, was condemned to be burnt with the robbers and other malefactors. There stood at the same time near the prefect’s tribunal four soldiers and another person, who, being Christians, boldly encouraged a confessor who was hanging on the rack. They were taken before the judge, who condemned them to be beheaded, but was astonished to see the joy with which they walked to the place of execution. Heron, Ater, and Isidore, all Egyptians, with Dioscorus, a youth only fifteen years old, were committed at Alexandria in the same persecution. After enduring the most cruel rending and disjointing of their limbs, they were burnt alive, with the exception of Dioscorus, whom the judge discharged on account of the tenderness of his years.

Giulia Valle was born in Aosta on 26 June 1847 to Anselmo Valle and Cristina Dalbar; she was the oldest sibling of Vincenzo however her parents had lost two sons before her birth.[2] Valle was baptized hours after her birth in the Church of Saint Orso in the names of Maddalena Teresa Giulia. She worked in her parents’ milliner shop during her childhood.

St. Jose Manyanet y Vives was born on January 7, 1883 in Catalonia, Spain. At the age of five, José’s mother dedicated him to the Virgin Mary, and later entered the seminary while still a youth. He was ordained in 1859 and served as the secretary of the bishop of Urgell, the seminary librarian, and the chancery administrator before responding to the call to found two religious congregations.

Historically it is the feast of St. Adelaide, daughter of the king of Burgundy. Throughout her life, she received strong support from the abbots of Cluny, with whom she was on terms of close friendship.

Today the feast of St. Virginia Bracelli is celebrated in Italy. She was born in 1587 and entered into an arranged marriage in 1602. She bore two daughters and was widowed in 1607 aged 20. She refused another marriage and took up a vow of chastity. She devoted the rest of her life to helping the needy and the sick and died in 1651 aged 64. She was canonized by Pope John Paul II on May 18, 2003.

St. John of the Cross (1542-1591) was born and died in Spain. His parents were poor and could not give him training in any trade. Hence he became the servant of the sick in the hospital of Medina. In 1563 he offered himself as a lay brother to the Carmelite friars, who, however, perceiving his unusual talents, had him ordained a priest. When he was about to join the more severe Order of the Carthusians, the saintly Teresa persuaded him to remain and help her in the reform of the Carmelite Order. This reform of his order caused him such sufferings and brought him many trials. But his sufferings served only to detach him from creatures. He had a great devotion to Our Lord’s Passion and voluntarily sought out humiliations. When Our Lord asked him what reward he would ask for his labors, John answered: “To suffer and to be despised for Thee.” He died of a cruel disease, embracing the crucifix. Because of his profound treatises on mystical theology Pope Pius XI proclaimed him Doctor of the Church. According to the 1962 Missal of St. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite St. John of Cross’ feast is celebrated on November 24.