May 6, 2025

Feast of San Giovanni a Porta Latina

San Giovanni Apostolo ed Evangelista,
ora pro nobis!
May 6th is the Feast of St. John at the Latin Gate, a secondary feast to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist. Invoked against oil burns, poison and food poisoning, he is the patron saint of virgins, widows, theologians, writers, artists, armorers, alchemists, oil mills, and lamp oil. His principal feast is kept on September 26th.

According to tradition, an elderly St. John was arrested at Ephesus and brought to Rome in 95 AD. Emperor Domitian sentenced him to be boiled in a huge vat of oil outside the Porta Latina, but like the three children in the fiery furnace of Babylon, he miraculously emerged from the blistering cauldron cleansed and refreshed as if he took an invigorating bath. The Emperor seeing this had the holy man banished to the Isle of Patmos. Returning to Ephesus, St. John wrote his Gospel and three Epistles.

In celebration, we’re posting a prayer St. John at the Latin Gate. The accompanying photo of The Martyrdom of St. John the Evangelist by Charles le Brun (1641-42) is from the church of St. Nicholas du Chardonnet in Paris. Evviva San Giovanni Apostolo ed Evangelista!

Prayer St. John at the Latin Gate

O God, Which seest that sins and sufferings do on every side rise up to trouble us, grant, we beseech thee, that we may find a shield in time of need through the glorious intercession of thy blessed Apostle and Evangelist John. Through our Lord.

Photo of the Week: Silver Sculpture of the Madonna dell’Assunta, Reale Cappella del Tesoro di San Gennaro

Silver Sculpture of the Madonna dell’Assunta in the Reale Cappella del Tesoro di San Gennaro, Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary (Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta), commonly known as the Cathedral of St. Januarius (Cattedrale di San Gennaro), Napoli, Campania. Photo courtesy of Patrick O’Boyle

Feast of Our Lady of Fatima at St. Josaphat Church in Bayside, New York

May 5, 2025

Feast of San Nunzio Sulprizio

San Nunzio Sulprizio, ora pro nobis
May 5th is the Feast of St. Nunzio Sulprizio (Pescosansonesco 1817–Napoli 1836), orphan and young layman. Losing his parents at an early age, the pious boy was taken in by his cruel and abusive uncle. Beaten and starved, the child was made to do back-breaking labor in his uncle’s blacksmith shop. Nunzio was hospitalized in Aquila, then Naples, suffering from bone cancer and gangrene in one leg. In Naples, the boy was cared for and raised by Colonel Felice Wochinger, a kindly soldier known as “the father of the poor.” During his time in the hospital, Nunzio teaches the other sick children catechism and prepares them for their first confessions. Despite his sickness, the boy is recognized as a living saint by St. Gaetano Errico and welcomed into the incipient congregation of the Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary; however, Nunzio’s health took a turn for the worse and died at the age of 19. St. Nunzio Sulprizio is the patron saint of workers, blacksmiths, the disabled, and Pescosansonesco, Abruzzo.

In celebration, we’re posting a prayer to St. Nunzio Sulprizio. The Accompanying photo was taken in the rectory of St. Rita’s Church in Staten Island, New York. Evviva San Nunzio Sulprizio!


Prayer to St. Nunzio Sulprizio


Lord Jesus Christ, help us to trust always in you even when life is difficult, as St. Nunzio did. Although he endured so much suffering, he remained a person of faith. May we reach out to other people who need a caring word or gesture. Help us to love you as St. Nunzio did and know that you are with us in all times and places of our lives. Amen.

Feast of the Blessed Martyrs of Motril

Blessed Martyrs of Motril, orate pro nobis

"Since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God ... and we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God" (Rom 5:1-2). Today, in beatifying the martyrs of Motril, the Church puts these words of St. Paul on her lips. In fact, Vicente Soler, his six Augustinian Recollect companions and the diocesan priest, Manuel Martín, obtained access to "the glory of the sons of God" by the heroic witness of their faith. They did not die for an ideology but freely gave their lives for the One who had first died for them. They offered Christ the gift they had received from him. ~ Pope John Paul II*

May 5 is the Feast of the Blessed Martyrs of Motril. Between July 25 and August 15, 1936, a group of seven Augustinian recollect friars and one diocesan priest in Motril, Granada were murdered for their Faith by Communist thugs during the Spanish Civil War. The Blessed Martyrs José Ricardo Díez, Augustinian priest (d. July 25); León Inchausti, Augustinian priest (d. July 25); Julián Benigno Moreno, Augustinian priest (d. July 25); Deogracias Palacios, Augustinian priest (d. July 25); José Rada, Augustinian priest (d. July 25); Vicente Pinilla, Augustinian priest (d. July 26); Manuel Martín Sierra, parish priest at the Church of the Divine Shepherd in Motril (d. July 26); and Vicente Soler, Augustinian priest (d. August 15) were Beatified by Pope John Paul II on 7 March 1999.


In celebration, we’re posting a prayer for the Blessed Martyrs of Motril. Evviva Blessed Martyrs of Motril!


Prayer


Lord, hear the prayers of the martyrs Blessed Vicente Soler and Companions and give us the courage to bear witness to your truth. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen


* From the homily of Pope John Paul II during the Beatification of Eight Spanish Martyrs, Third Sunday of Lent, 7 March 1999

Feast Day Sant'Angelo Martire

Sant'Angelo, ora pro nobis
May 5th is the Feast of St. Angelo, Mystic, Ascetic, Hermit, Priest and Martyr. He is the patron Saint of converts and Licata in Provincia d'Agrigento, Sicily. In celebration, I'm posting a Prayer to Saint Angelo. The accompanying photo of the Saint was taken at Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary–Saint Stephen RCC, located in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn. Evviva Sant'Angelo!
Prayer to Saint Angelo
O glorious St. Angelo, mirror of all heroic virtues, we rely on you. Support our faith, our hope and inflame our desire to copy your virtues in order to give glory to God. Remember, O powerful advocate, your Licata and all Licatesi, at home and scattered around the world, who look to you always as a pillar of strength. Continue to protect us from the scourge and to implore all your devotees to greet the joy of divine mercy. Amen

Fatima Masses and Processions at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Shrine in East Harlem, New York

May 4, 2025

Sargent and Paris at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Capri Girl on a Rooftop, 1878, oil on canvas

After a long week filled with unavoidable doomscrolling, annoying speculation about the upcoming Papal conclave, and everyday interactions with the insufferable denizens of Gotham, visiting the ongoing exhibit Sargent and Paris at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City was exactly what I needed to lift my spirits. Exploring the enchanting early works of painter John Singer Sargent (1856–1925), the exhibition presents a rich array of pieces from his travels and the decade he spent in Paris, including his scandalous portrait of Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau, famously referred to as Madame X.

Rosina Ferrara (Capri Peasant - Study), 1879, oil on canvas
(L) Dan les Oliviers à Capri (Among the Olive Trees, Capri), 1878, oil
on canvas. (R) Young Man in Reverie, ca. 1876-78, oil on canvas

Neapolitan Children Bathing, 1879, oil on canvas
(L) Staircase in Capri, 1878, oil on canvas. (R) Fumée d'Ambre Gris
(Smoke of Ambergris)
1880, oil on canvas
The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit (Portraits d'enfants), 1882, oil on canvas
(L) Madame X (Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau), oil on canvas, 1883-84.
(R) Unfinished Replica (Study of Mme Gautreau), ca. 1884, oil on canvas
(L) "Portrait of Mme***" from Le Monde Illustré, July 5, 1884, woodcut, Charles Baude (French, 1853-1935), after John Singer Sargent. (R) Photograph of "Madame X," from Album of Photographic Reproductions of Paintings by John Singer Sargent, ca. 1884-85, Albumen silver print, unknown artist
Madame Gautreau Drinking a Toast, 1882-83, oil on panel
Virginie Amelie Avegno Gautreau, Study for "Madame X,"
1883-84, charcoal on paper
(L) La Carmencita (Carmen Dauset Moreno), ca. 1890,
oil on canvas. (R) The Sulphur Match, 1882, oil on canvas
Venetian Interior, ca.1880-82, oil on canvas
The Fencing Master Arséne Vigeant (1844-1916), 1885, oil on canvas
In no rush to leave, I took the opportunity to view the Caspar David Friedrich: The Soul of Nature exhibit one more time before it closes on May 11, 2025.

Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog, c.1818, oil on canvas; and The Chasseur
in the Forest
, 1814, oil on canvas, by Caspar David Friedrich
A Walk at Dusk, 1830-1835, oil on canvas, Caspar David Friedrich

Feast of Santissimo Crocifisso Padre di Grazia

Domine, miserere nobis
In Ciminna (PA), Sicily, the first Sunday of May is the Festa del SS. Crocifisso Padre di Grazia, or Feast of the Crucified Father of Grace. In celebration, I'm posting the prayer Together We Call, reprinted from the Societá SS. Crocifisso San Giovanni Bosco di Cimminna of Chicago website. The accompanying photo was taken at the 2015 Festa del Santissimo Crocifisso di Ciminna at St. Athanasius Church in Brooklyn, New York. Evviva Gesù!

Together We Call

Father, your arms are open to everyone. Give us your blessing and grace that we as sinners ask for. We all call out — Viva SS. Crocifisso! Father, you are the healer of the sick. You make the blind see, the deaf hear and the mute speak. We call you — Father of Grace. Forgive our sins and with all our hearts we say — Viva SS. Crocifisso!

Feast of the Madonna di Setteporte

Madonna di Setteporte, ora pro nobis
The first Sunday of May is the Feast of the Madonna di Setteporte, patroness of Rocca di Neto, a small town in the Province of Crotone in Calabria. In celebration, I'm posting Prayer to Mary, Refuge of Sinners by St. Alphonsus Liguori. The accompanying photo of the Madonna di Setteporte was taken at Saint Rocco’s Church in Glen Cove, New York. Evviva Maria!
Prayer to Mary, Refuge of Sinners
O most holy and pure virgin! O my mother! You who are the mother of my Lord, the queen of the world, the advocate and refuge of sinners! I, a most wretched sinner, now come to you. I honor you, great queen, and give you humble thanks for the many favors which have come to me in the past through your intercession. I love you, Lady most worthy of all love, and by the love which I bear you, I promise ever in the future to honor you, and to do what lies in me to win others to your love. Receive me as your servant, and cover me with the mantle of your protection, you who are the mother of mercy! And since you have so much power with God, implore him to deliver me from all temptations, and to give me the grace ever to overcome them. Pray for me that I may love Christ in this world as you love him, and intercede for me that I may have the grace of a good death. O my mother! by your love for God I beseech you to be at all times my helper, but above all at the last moment of my life. Cease not your supplications until you see me safe in heaven, there for countless ages to bless you and, your holy company, to worship and adore your son, for ever and ever. Amen.

Feast of Santa Monica

Santa Monica, ora pro nobis
May 4th is the Feast of Santa Monica (c.322-387AD), mother of St. Augustine of Hippo. She is the patron saint of wives, difficult marriages, victims of adultery and abuse, widows, despondent mothers, and the conversion of relatives. In celebration, we're posting a Prayer to St. Monica. The accompanying photo of Santa Monica, courtesy of Anna Loguercio D'Amato, was taken in the Chapel of the Crucifix in the Chiesa di Santo Stefano on the Isle of Capri in the Bay of Naples. Evviva Santa Monica!
Prayer to St. Monica 
Exemplary Mother of the Great Augustine, you perseveringly pursued your wayward son, not with wild threats but with prayerful cries to heaven. Intercede for all mothers in our day so that they may learn to draw their children to God. Teach them how to remain close to their children, even the prodigal sons and daughters who have sadly gone astray. Amen.

Feast of San Floriano di Lorch

San Floriano di Lorch, ora pro nobis
May 4th is the Feast Day of St. Florian of Lorch, Martyr. Patron saint of firemen, chimneysweeps, innkeepers and brewers he is invoked against fires and floods. 
In celebration, we're posting a Prayer to St. Florian for Firefighters. The accompanying photo was taken at Saint Ephrem Church in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn. Evviva San Floriano di Lorch!
Prayer to St. Florian for Firefighters
O, Almighty God, whose great power and eternal wisdom embraces the universe, watch over all Firefighters. Protect them from harm in the performance of their duty to fight fire, save lives, and preserve property. We pray, help them to keep our homes and all buildings safe day and night. We recommend them to Your loving care because their duty is dangerous. Grant them Your unending strength and courage in their daily assignments. Dear God, protect these brave persons. Grant them Your Almighty protection and unite them safely with their families after duty has ended. Amen.

Novena to Our Lady of Fátima

Madonna di Fátima, ora pro nobis

Pray Novena to Our Lady of Fátima for nine consecutive days, May 4th to May 12th, in preparation for the Feast on May 13th. Ave Maria!

Novena Prayer


O Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, you deigned to come to Fátima to reveal to the three shepherd children the treasures of graces hidden in the recitation of the Rosary. Inspire our hearts with a sincere love of this devotion, so that by meditating on the mysteries of our redemption that are recalled in it, we may gather its fruits, obtain peace for the world, the conversion of sinners, the conversion of Russia, and the favor which I ask of you in this Novena (state your request here). I ask it for the greater glory of God, for your own honor, and for the good of all souls, especially those most in need of thy mercy. Amen. 

Our Father (x3)
Hail Mary (x3)
Glory Be to the Father (x3) 

Litany to Our Lady of Fatima

Our Lady of Fátima, pray for our dear country.
Our Lady of F
átima, sanctify our clergy.
Our Lady of F
átima, make our Catholics more fervent.
Our Lady of F
átima, guide and inspire those who govern us.
Our Lady of F
átima, cure the sick who confide in thee.
Our Lady of F
átima, console the sorrowful who trust in thee.
Our Lady of F
átima, help those who invoke your aid.
Our Lady of F
átima, deliver us from all dangers.
Our Lady of F
átima, help us to resist temptation.
Our Lady of F
átima, obtain for us all that we lovingly ask thee.
Our Lady of F
átima, help those who are dear to us.
Our Lady of F
átima, bring back to the right road our erring brothers.
Our Lady of F
átima, give us back our ancient fervor.
Our Lady of F
átima, obtain for us pardon of our manifold sins and offenses.
Our Lady of F
átima, bring all men to the feet of thy Divine Child.
Our Lady of F
átima, obtain peace for the world.

O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee. Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us now and at the hour of our death. Amen. 

Let us Pray: O God of infinite goodness and mercy, fill our hearts with a great confidence in Thy Dear Mother, whom we invoke under the title of Our Lady of the Rosary and our Lady of Fátima, and grant us by her powerful intercession all the graces, spiritual and temporal, which we need. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

 * Pictured: My collection of stamps issued by Portugal in 1950 for the Holy Year of Our Lady of Fátima.

Sung Traditional Latin Mass Pro Eligendo Papa at the Shrine Church of the Blessed Sacrament in Raritan, NJ

May 3, 2025

Feast of the Madonna di Castello

Madonna di Castello, ora pro nobis
May 3rd is the Feast of the Madonna di Castello, one of the so-called "Seven Sisters of Campania,” an appellation given to the region's major Marian devotions under different titles. Patroness of Somma Vesuviana, she gets her title from the castle built on the summit of Mount Somma by Charles of Anjou in 1269. The fête is the culmination of the famed “Celebration of the Mountain,” which begins on the Saturday after Easter with bonfires and torchlight processions (the “Saturday of Fires”). The festivities for Mamma Pacchiana (of the people), as the miraculous image is affectionately called, harken back to the restoration of the statue, which was heavily damaged during an eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 1631. According to tradition, Our Lady appeared in a dream to the paralyzed daughter of the procrastinating artist commissioned to restore the statue. She commanded the girl to rise and place the neglected statue on her father’s worktable. The next morning, the astonished artist got the message and promptly completed the job. In celebration, we're posting a prayer to the Madonna di Castello. The accompanying photo is from the 2018 calendar from the Santuarrio di S. Maria a Castello. Evviva Maria!
Prayer to the Madonna di Castello
O Holy Virgin, Mother of Jesus and I, listen to my fervent prayer and grant me that I am among those you love and keep in your heart. Purify, Virgin of Castle, my soul from every sinful desire; turn away from me all that is displeasing in your pure eyes. You know my needs because you are the Mother of the needy; you have always manifested the power of your maternal protection, hear my prayer. I promise to live in a Christian way and to spread your devotion. Bless, O Mother, my family and my work, and do not abandon me at the hour of death. Madonna di Castello, pray for me. Amen

Feast of the Finding of the Holy Cross

God the Son, Redeemer of the World,
Have mercy on us

Fili Redemptor mundi, Deus, miserere nobis

May 3rd is the Feast of the Finding of the Holy Cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ by Sant’Elena (St. Helen of the Cross), Empress dowager and mother of Constantine the Great.


In celebration, I’m posting the Church’s Salutation to the Holy Cross. The accompanying photo of reliquary with relic of the True Cross was taken at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Newark, New Jersey.


Salutation to the Holy Cross


O glorious and venerable Cross! O most precious wood! O wonderful sign by which sin, the devil and hell were conquered, and the world redeemed by Jesus Christ! Great art thou above all trees of the cedars of the forest, for on thee hung the Life of the world! On thee Christ triumphed and by His death conquered death forever. Alleluia. 

La Festa di I Tri da Cruci — The Feast of the Three Crosses

Tropea (VV), Calabria
Coinciding with the Feast of the Finding of the Holy Cross by St. Helena on May 3rd, Tropea's annual Festa di I Tri da Cruci (Feast of The Three Crosses) commemorates the discovery of three crosses that survived the destruction of an old church by a violent hurricane and their translation to the Chiesa di San Michele Arcangelo (delle anime del Purgatorio)
During the celebration, the Trupiani also recall the expulsion of the Saracens from Tropea, "The pearl of the Tyrrhenian Sea," who for centuries harried the Coast of the Gods, Calabria's northern seaboard, for tribute and slaves. In what's facetiously called, il camiuzzi I focu, or "the dance of the burning camel," an effigy of the hated Moslem tribute-collector is paraded around town then set aflame with fireworks to the delight of the revelers.
The festival also evokes the memory of the town's victorious soldiers, particularly the heroic Colonel Gaspare Toraldo, who captured a Turkish ship and her crew—including its captain, Rais Zesbinassan, at the Battle of Lepanto on October 7th, 1571. The Holy League's miraculous triumph over the menacing Ottoman Empire during the famous sea-battle dealt a crushing blow to Turkish designs on conquering the Italian peninsula. 

In celebration, I'm posting a Prayer in Honor of the Holy Cross.

Prayer in Honor of the Holy Cross

O God, Who didst will to hallow the standard of the life-giving Cross by the Precious Blood of Thine only-begotten Son; grant, we beseech Thee, that they who rejoice in honoring the same holy Cross, may rejoice also in Thine ever-present protection. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Remembering El Tres de Mayo

The Third of May, 1808 in Madrid (1814) by Francisco José de Goya

Following the Spanish uprising in Madrid against Napoleon on 2 May 1808 (Dos de Mayo), the brave and loyal sons and daughters of Spain were rounded up on 3 May (Tres de Mayo) and massacred en masse. We pray for the happy repose of their souls. ¡Viva la Contrarrevolución!

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Sung Traditional Latin Mass Every First Tuesday at St. Mary of Mt. Virgin Church in New Brunswick, NJ

May 2, 2025

Review — The Lions of Sicily on Hulu

In my recent review of M. Il figlio del secolo, I noted my regret at not watching The Lions of Sicily (I leoni di Sicilia) instead. However, despite my strong dislike for M, it turns out that it was the better option. I found The Lions of Sicily so disappointing that I couldn’t even get past the first episode.

Released on Disney+ on October 25, 2023, this historical drama is adapted from Stefania Auci's 2019 novel about the Florio family. Utterly bored with the show’s lack of depth and character development, I found the overly simplistic depiction of class conflict and the trials and tribulations of the merchant class and the nouveau riche in nineteenth-century Sicily uncompelling.

The performances fell flat, and the choice of using modern pop music for the soundtrack was ill-advised. Unfortunately, even the exquisite period costumes and stunning Sicilian backdrop couldn’t redeem the show. In hindsight, its association with Disney should have raised a red flag for me.

Feast of Sant’Atanasio il Grande

Sant'Atanasio il Grande, ora pro nobis
May 2nd is the Feast of Saint Athanasius the Great, Bishop and Doctor of the Church. Widely venerated across Southern Italy, he is the principal protector of Santa Sofia D’Epiro (CS), Firmo (CS), Bellante (TE), and Cellino Attanasio (TE), among others. 
In celebration, we're posting a prayer to St. Athanasius. The accompanying photo of reliquary was taken at Saint Athanasius Church in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. Evviva Sant'Atanasio il Grande!
Prayer to St. Athanasius
Father, you raised up Saint Athanasius to be an outstanding defender of the truth of Christ’s divinity. By his teaching and protection may we grow in your knowledge and love. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Remembering the Dos de Mayo Uprising in Madrid

The Charge of the Mamelukes or The Second of May 1808 by Francisco de Goya
In remembrance of the May 2nd Uprising of Madrid against Napoleon in 1808, we offer a prayer to the brave and loyal people of Spain who fought and died for Dios, Patria, Fueros y Rey. ¡Viva la Contrarrevolución!
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Requiem Mass for the Repose of the Soul of Pope Francis at the Church of St. Rocco in Glen Cove, NY

May 1, 2025

Feast of Saint Joseph the Worker

San Giuseppe, ora pro nobis
May 1st is the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker, spouse of the Blessed Mother and foster father of the Infant Jesus. He is also honored on March 19th. In addition to being the protector of the family and Universal Church, St. Joseph is invoked against Communism and for the grace of a happy death. As his title indicates, he is also the patron saint of workers, and it is his patronage of working men and women that is celebrated today. 
In celebration, I'm posting St. Pius X's prayer to Saint Joseph the Worker. The accompanying photo was taken at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Belleville, New Jersey. Evviva San Giuseppe!
Prayer to Saint Joseph the Worker
Glorious St. Joseph, model of all those who are devoted to labor, obtain for me the grace to work conscientiously, putting the call of duty above my many sins; to work with thankfulness and joy, considering it an honor to employ and develop, by means of labour, the gifts received from God; to work with order, peace, prudence and patience, never surrendering to weariness or difficulties; to work, above all, with purity of intention, and with detachment from self, having always death before my eyes and the account which I must render of time lost, of talents wasted, of good omitted, of vain complacency in success so fatal to the work of God. All for Jesus, all for Mary, all after thy example, O Patriarch Joseph. Such shall be my motto in life and death. Amen.

Festa dei Serpari — Feast of the Snake Handlers

San Domenico Abate, ora pro nobis
Every year on May 1st (formerly the first Thursday in May), the Serpari, or snake-handlers of Cocullo, a small mountain village in the Province of L'Aquila, Abruzzo, dress a wooden statue of San Domenico Abate with snakes outside his shrine. After mass, the statue, with its reptilian shroud, is paraded through the village by a throng of euphoric pilgrims and the curious. In less squeamish times the reptiles were killed, but today they are released back into the wild. His feast day is celebrated on January 22nd. 
Stemma di Cocullo
San Domenico, the abbot of Foligno, was a renowned healer, especially of toothaches. He is also credited with building several monasteries in the region and protecting the people from wolves and snakes, a common motif symbolizing Christianity's triumph over paganism. He is also invoked against hail storms and fever.
Some believe the snake ritual dates back to pre-Christian times when the local Marsi tribes worshiped the telluric snake-goddess Angitia, daughter of Aeëtes, who taught the art of medicine to her devotees. The snake, among other things, is an ancient symbol of healing. Consider the serpent entwined Rod of Asclepius, the staff of the ancient Greek god of medicine and healing still used today by medical institutions.
In celebration, I’m posting a prayer to San Domenico Abate. The accompanying photo of the saint comes courtesy of Made in South Italy TodayEvviva San Domenico Abate!
Prayer to San Domenico Abate
Grant, we beseech Thee, almighty God, that the examples of San Domenico Abate may effectually move us to reform our lives; that while we celebrate his festival, we may also imitate his actions. Look upon our weakness, almighty God, and since the burden of our own deeds weighs heavily upon us, may the glorious intercession of San Domenico protect us. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.