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On August 15, the Church celebrates the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, the moment when Mary was taken up into Heaven, body and soul, by God. For Christians, Mary is the first human being to enter fully into God’s eternal glory, without experiencing bodily corruption after death.
Founder of the Kingdom of Hungary in the year 1000 and evangelizer of his people, King Stephen I is not only the patron saint of the Hungarian nation but also a central figure in the identity of the Magyar people.
The cross she bore was not symbolic, but real—a sign of her deep union with Christ and her solidarity with the sufferings of all humanity. Clare of Montefalco carried it imprinted on her heart, as her fellow sisters discovered after her death.
Little is known about the young Roman man Agapitus, except that he was martyred in Praeneste (today Palestrina, outside Rome) and that his veneration has been documented since ancient times. He is mentioned in several liturgical books and about two kilometers from Palestrina one can still see the remains of a basilica dedicated to him, along with an inscription bearing his name. During the 9th century, numerous churches were built in his honor. He is recognized as the patron saint of the Diocese of Palestrina.
An untiring apostle of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary, founder of the Congregation of Jesus and Mary, known as the Eudists, his life was marked by intense missionary activity and profound spirituality, making him a prominent figure in the history of the 17th-century Church.
Proclaiming the Word of God “to the most abandoned and spiritually neglected” was the mission and charism of Saint Alphonsus Maria de’ Liguori. A man of broad culture in the humanities, law, theology, and philosophy, he was a fervent Christian layman before becoming a priest.
Pierre-Julien Eymard was born in France, on February 4, 1811, in La Mure (Isère), into a modest and devout Christian family. From a young age, he demonstrated a deep devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and aspired to become a priest, though his father initially opposed the idea.
“If the waves of pride, ambition, slander, and envy toss you here and there, look to the star, call upon Mary! If anger, greed, or sensual urges shake the little boat of your soul, turn your thoughts to Mary!
He is known for having compiled the Catechism that bears his name, for granting Communion to children from the age of seven and for promoting important reforms within the Church. This is Saint Pius X, born Giuseppe Sarto.
On the octave of the Assumption, the Church celebrates the memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This feast was instituted by Pope Pius XII in 1955, originally set for May 31, but later moved to August 22 to highlight more clearly the connection between Mary’s queenship and her Assumption into heaven in body and soul.
She was the first canonized saint to be born in the Americas. A great mystic, she sought to imitate the example of Saint Catherine of Siena and entered the Dominican Third Order. She is Saint Rose of Lima, whose birth name was Isabel de Flores.
Bartholomew is one of the twelve Apostles chosen by Jesus to continue His mission and proclaim the Gospel to all nations. He is mentioned in the Synoptic Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, as well as in the Acts of the Apostles. Christian tradition also identifies him with the Apostle Nathanael, mentioned in the Gospel of John, although this identification is debated by some contemporary scholars.
He is known as a just and prudent king, so much so that he earned the nickname prud’homme (“wise man”). He was also a reformer of institutions and often acted as a mediator in international conflicts. This is Louis IX, King of France. He was born on April 25, 1214, and became king at only twelve years old.
According to the Acts of his martyrdom, Alexander was a Roman imperial centurion commander belonging to the Theban Legion, a military unit composed of Christian soldiers. When the legion was transferred to the West to face incursions by the Germanic tribes of the Quadi and Marcomanni, during the crossing of the Valais region, they received orders to persecute Christians, against whom a new wave of persecutions had broken out. The Christian soldiers, refusing to obey, were massacred. Alexander was one of the few survivors and managed to flee to Italy.
In the history of the Church, the name of Saint Monica is closely linked to that of her son, Saint Augustine, for whom she prayed and sacrificed herself in order to obtain his conversion from God. Her life, marked by steadfast faith and constant perseverance under God’s guidance, demonstrates how essential prayer and living in God’s grace truly are.
In the Golden Legend by Jacobus de Voragine, there is an episode testifying to the numerous conversions brought about by Saint Augustine and his decisive victory against heresy. According to the account, some Christians invited him to publicly debate matters of faith with a Manichaean priest named Fortunatus, who at that time was preaching in Hippo.
The memorial of Saint John the Baptist in the Latin Church has very ancient origins. Evidence of it can already be found in fifth century France and sixth century Rome, and is connected to the dedication of a church built in Sebaste, in Samaria, on the site believed to be the tomb of the Forerunner of Jesus.The feast is observed on August 29 and, according to the Roman Martyrology, this date corresponds to the second discovery of the head of Saint John the Baptist, which was later brought to Rome.
Lydia is a saint whose name does not appear in any official martyrology, yet she is mentioned in a well-known passage from the Acts of the Apostles, written by the evangelist Luke.
A contemplative at the service of the ecclesial community, committed to promoting reforms and pastoral initiatives, faithful to the Benedictine Rule and to Ora et labora. This was Cardinal Ildefonso Schuster, born Alfredo Schuster in Rome on January 18, 1880, into a family of Bavarian origin.
He feared neither threats nor torture in his mission to ransom imprisoned Christians who risked losing their faith. Saint Raymond, known as “Nonnatus” (meaning “not born”), was a courageous friar of the Order of Mercy who lived in 13th century Spain. He received this nickname because he was delivered by Caesarean section after his mother’s death.
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