August 30, 2024
Feast of St. Fiacre
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| San Fiacrio, ora pro nobis |
August 30th is the Feast of St. Fiacre (607-668), Priest, abbot, hermit, and wonderworker. Invoked against hemorrhoids and venereal diseases, St. Fiacre is the patron saint of gardeners, horticulturists, florists, greengrocers, herbalists, coachmen and taxi drivers. Traveling from Kilkenny, Ireland to Meaux, France, the holy anchorite founded a Benedictine hermitage and hospice for the poor in the Forest of Brodilium, now called Breuil. Many healing miracles are attributed to his intercession.
In celebration, we’re posting a prayer to St. Fiacre. The accompanying photo of a 13th century silver reliquary of St. Fiacre was taken at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Evviva San Fiacrio!
Prayer to St. Fiacre
Dear God our Father, Giver of all good, we lift up our hearts to You in thanksgiving for who You are and for the power and majesty You manifest in the earth. We thank You for the sun, the rain, and the abundant fruits, flowers, vegetables and herbs You cause to spring forth in our gardens, fields, and flowerpots, all signs of Your never-ending love. Through the intercession of Saint Fiacre, patron of gardeners, please bless our fields and gardens with Your verdant blessings. Give us the strength and wisdom to tend our plants and all living things with care, diligence, and joy. May we bring forth a good harvest in due season. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Feast of the Holy Martyrs of Salerno (San Fortunato, San Gaio, and Sant'Ante)
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| Holy Martyrs of Salerno, orate pro nobis |
In celebration, I’m posting a prayer to the Martyrs of Salerno in Italian. The accompanying photos, courtesy of Andrew Giordano, were taken at the Basilica Cattedrale SS. Matteo e Gregorio in Salerno during the 2019 Feast of San Matteo. The silver busts of the Holy Martyrs were made in 1680 by the great Neapolitan polymath, Giovan Domenico Vinaccia (1625-1695). Evviva San Fortunato, San Gaio, and Sant’Ante!
Preghiera a SS. Martiri Fortunato, Gaio e Ante
O nostri gloriosi Protettori, SS. Fortunato, Gaio e Ante, che pur di non abbandonare la fede nel Cristo, appresa dal presbitero salernitano S.Felice, preferiste insieme con lui affrontare il martirio, otteneteci dal Signore che la fede in Lui rifulga nella nostra vita pubblica e privata. Intercedete a che noi felici di essere stati chiamati alla fede, la rendiamo evidente in noi con l'obbedienza a quanto il Vangelo c'insegna. Pater, Ave, e Gloria
O santi nostri Patroni, illuminate le nostre menti! Fate che il vostro eroico esempio insegni a noi la coerenza nella nostra vita. Aiutateci ad essere cristiani con le opere, senza farci allettare dalle lusinghe del mondo. Che possiamo vivere, seguendo Gesù nell'amore del Padre e nell'essere d'esempio al nostro prossimo! Pater, Ave, e Gloria
O nostri celesti Patroni, che prima del martirio esortaste tutti ad abbandonare le dottrine false e bugiarde, pregate l'Altissimo, affinché un giorno, come voi foste nostri concittadini su questa terra, così noi possiamo divenire vostri concittadini nel cielo. Pater, Ave, e Gloria
Feast of Santa Rosa da Lima
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| Santa Rosa da Lima, ora pro nobis |
Without the burden of afflictions it is impossible to reach the height of grace. The gift of grace increases as the struggles increase. ~ St. Rose of Lima
August 30th is the feast of Santa Rosa da Lima (born Isabel Flores de Oliva), Virgin and Mystic. The first saint of the Americas, Santa Rosa da Lima is the patron saint of embroiderers, florists and gardeners. She is also invoked against vanity, by those who are derided for their piety, and for the resolution of family quarrels. In celebration, I’m posting a prayer to St. Rose of Lima. Pictured is St. Rose of Lima with the Child Jesus by Luca Giordano. Evviva Santa Rosa da Lima!
Prayer to St. Rose of Lima
Loving God, Saint Rose was a mystic and visionary who received invisible stigmata, and yet she often suffered from the feeling that You were distant. Despite how lonely this felt, she persisted in believing that You were indeed with her all the time, and she continually prayed to grow stronger in her ability to trust You. I ask her to intercede for me when my feelings tell me You are not near, and to pray most powerfully for all those I know who are right now experiencing loneliness because they are unaware of how close You are to them. Open our hearts to the reality of Your intimacy. Saint Rose, pray for us. Amen.
Prayer to St. Rose of Lima
Loving God, Saint Rose was a mystic and visionary who received invisible stigmata, and yet she often suffered from the feeling that You were distant. Despite how lonely this felt, she persisted in believing that You were indeed with her all the time, and she continually prayed to grow stronger in her ability to trust You. I ask her to intercede for me when my feelings tell me You are not near, and to pray most powerfully for all those I know who are right now experiencing loneliness because they are unaware of how close You are to them. Open our hearts to the reality of Your intimacy. Saint Rose, pray for us. Amen.
August 29, 2024
The Passion of San Giovanni Battista
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San Giovanni Battista, ora pro nobis
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Sancti Joánnis Baptístæ Præcursóris, et Mártyris tui quæsumus, Dómine, veneránda festívitas salutáris auxílii nobis præstet efféctum: Qui vivis.*August 29th is the Feast of the Passion of San Giovanni Battista (St. John the Baptist), Prophet and Martyr. Beheaded circa 28 AD by Herod the Tetrarch, Saint John’s relics were entombed by his disciples in Samaria. [An alternative tradition says his head was buried on Mount Olive near Jerusalem.]
Desecrated by pagans in 362 AD, the Saint's holy relics were recovered by monks and scattered throughout Christendom.
Confirmed by a miracle, the venerable head was first found some three hundred years later and brought to the city of Emesa in Syria.
In time, Arian heretics moved the relic to a monastery in nearby Spelaion. Discovered again in 453 AD, the Saint's head was translated to Constantinople.
Hidden again during the Iconoclast Controversy in the eighth century, the head was discovered for the third time in the city of Comana in Pontus and returned to the Imperial Capital in 857 AD.
Today several church's claim to possess the skull, including the Amiens Cathedral in France. According to tradition, after the Fourth Crusade (1202-1204) and the sacking of Constantinople, a portion of the Saint’s skull was moved to the Cathedral. Hidden by the Mayor of Amiens during the wanton destruction of the French Revolution (1789-1799), it was eventually returned in 1816.
In addition to the Passion of St. John the Baptist, the Church commemorates his nativity on June 24th.
In celebration, I’m posting the Collect of the Day. The accompanying photo was taken in the Madonna Incoronata Chapel inside Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Pontifical Shrine in East Harlem, New York. Evviva San Giovanni!
Collect of the Day
O God, who willed that Saint John the Baptist should go ahead of your Son both in his birth and in his death, grant that, as he died a Martyr for truth and justice, we, too, may fight hard for the confession of what you teach. 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.
* May the august festival of St. John the Baptist, Thy precursor and martyr, we beseech Thee, O Lord, effect for us the furtherance of our salvation. Who Livest.
August 28, 2024
Feast of Sant’Agostino di Ippona
August 28th is the Feast of Sant’Agostino di Ippona (St. Augustine of Hippo), Bishop monk, mystic, wonderworker, and Doctor of the Church. A Romanized Berber from the Province of Numidia, he received a Christian education from his mother, Santa Monica. Converting from a life of sin, St. Augustine became one of the great theologians of the Church. Thus he is the patron saint of theologians and printers.Adésto supplicatiónibus nostris, omnípotens Deus: et, quibus fidúciam sperándæ pietátis indúlges, intercedénte beáto Augustíno, Confessóre tuo atque Pontifice, consuétæ misericórdiæ tribune benignus efféctum. Per Dóminum.
Sant'Agostino di Ippona, ora pro nobis
In celebration, I’m posting a prayer to St. Augustine in Latin and English. Pictured is my makeshift shrine. Evviva Sant'Agostino di Ippona!
Prayer to St. Augustine
Give ear to our prayers, O almighty God, and, by the intercession of blessed Augustine, Thy confessor and bishop, graciously grant the effect of Thine accustomed mercy to those in whom Thou dost encourage a strong trust in the kindness which is their hope. Through our Lord.
August 27, 2024
Feast of the Madonna Addolorata Del Romitello
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August 27th is the Feast of the Madonna Addolorata del Romitello (Our Lady of Sorrows of Romitello), patroness of Borgetto, Sicily. The Feast recalls the Papal Coronation of the miraculous image on August 27, 1922. In celebration, I’m posting a prayer to Our Lady of Sorrows by St. Alphonsus de Liguori. The accompanying photo was taken in 2014 at St. Luke’s Church in Whitestone, Queens when the sacred image was visiting New York from the Santuario Santa Maria Addolorata del Romitello, Sicily. Evviva Madonna Addolorata del Romitello!
Prayer to Our Lady of Sorrows
I compassionate thee, O most sorrowful Mother! Thy heart was pierced with a sword of grief when Simeon foretold to thee in the Temple the ignominious death and the desolation of thy Divine and most dear Son, which thou west destined one day to witness. By the great anguish of thy suffering heart, O gracious Queen of the universe, impress upon my mind, in life and in death, the sacred Passion of Jesus and thine own sorrows. Amen.
Prayer to Our Lady of Sorrows
I compassionate thee, O most sorrowful Mother! Thy heart was pierced with a sword of grief when Simeon foretold to thee in the Temple the ignominious death and the desolation of thy Divine and most dear Son, which thou west destined one day to witness. By the great anguish of thy suffering heart, O gracious Queen of the universe, impress upon my mind, in life and in death, the sacred Passion of Jesus and thine own sorrows. Amen.
Feast of San Baccolo di Sorrento
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| San Baccolo di Sorrento, ora pro nobis |
In celebration, I’m posting a prayer to St. Baculus. The accompanying photo of a copy of Luca Giordano's The Patron Saints of Naples Adoring Christ on the Cross hangs above the Padre Pio confessional at the National Centre for Padre Pio in Barto, Pennsylvania. St. Baculus is the shadowy figure standing behind the kneeling Santa Candida the Elder. Evviva San Baccolo Vescovo!
Prayer to St. Baculus
Grant, we beseech Thee, almighty God, that the examples of St. Baculus of Sorrento may effectually move us to reform our lives; that while we celebrate his festival, we may also imitate his actions. Through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Look upon our Weakness, almighty God, and since the burden of our own deeds weighs heavily upon us, may the glorious intercession of St. Baculus protect us. Through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
August 26, 2024
Feast of San Gianuario Martire
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| San Gianuario, ora pro nobis |
In celebration, I’m posting a prayer to San Gianuario Martire. The accompanying photo, courtesy of Stephen La Rocca, was taken at St. Mary Magdalene dei Pazzi Church (712 Montrose St.) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Evviva San Gianuario!
A Prayer to San Gianuario Martire
O Glorious San Gianuario, protector of Marsico Nuovo, you served God in humility and confidence on earth, now you enjoy His beatific vision in Heaven. Help me to strengthen my faith and protect me in conflict. Obtain for me the grace to live a holy life, so that one day I may join you in the Kingdom of Heaven. Amen
Feast of Sant'Oronzo
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Sant'Oronzo, ora pro nobis
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August 26th is the Feast of Sant'Oronzo di Lecce (St. Orontius of Lecce), Bishop and Martyr. Widely venerated in the Salento region of Apulia, Sant'Oronzo is the principal patron of Lecce (LE), Turi (BA) and Ostuni (BR). In celebration, I'm posting a prayer in Italian to Sant'Oronzo. The accompanying photo of sidewalk chalk drawing of the saint, courtesy of Lucrezia Nardulli, was taken during the 2015 Feast in Lecce. Evviva Sant'Oronzo!
Preghiera a Sant'Oronzo
Gloriosissimo e potentissimo Protettore di questa città, e di chiunque ricorre a Voi Sant’Oronzo, che tanto aveste a cuore la gloria del grande Iddio, e la salute del vostro popolo, sicchè per vedere quella aggrandita, e questa posta in sicuro, non curaste le persecuzioni, né le battiture, neppure l’istessa morte, io benedicendo l’altissimo Iddio, per avervi costituito per Apostolo di queste regioni, per primo cristiano, primo pastore e primo martire, per avervi data tanta possanza di tener lontano dai vostri devoti la peste, i tremuoti, la fame, i morbi e la morte, vi prego prostrato ginocchioni al vostro cospetto, di preservarci da tutti i divini flagelli, e d’impetrarci tutte quelle grazie che bisognano a render tranquilla la nostra vita. Ed in particolare vi prego io umilissimo vostro servo, e divoto del vostro nome che vi degnate, con quella di tanti popoli, di prendere ancora la protezione dell’anima mia, della mia roba, dei parenti, della famiglia ed amici, e specialmente concedetemi la grazia che vi chieggo, di cui vedete la necessità, il desiderio che ne tengo, e il fervore con cui ve ne prego.
(Qui si cerchi la grazia che si desidera)
Ricordatevi, o grande Oronzo, che io son membro della vostra Chiesa, che amaste da sposa in terra, ed oggi proteggete da sopra i cieli, qual amatissimo sposo. Guardatemi qual pecorella di quella greggia, di cui ancora avete la cura, qual gloriosissimo pastore, ed infine come uno di quei figli che voi rigeneraste nella fede e che ancora amate da affettuosissimo pastore. Concedetemi quel tanto di cui vi prego, e fate vedere nella mia persona, e nelle mie cose, che ancora proteggete, e difendete dal cielo, come ci accertaste, tutti coloro che ricorrono alla vostra potentissima intercessione. Così sia.
Photo of the Week: Afrodite with Dolphin, Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli
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| Afrodite with Dolphin, Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli |
August 25, 2024
Feast of the Madonna Della Luce
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Madonna della Luce, ora pro nobis |
Preghiera
O Regina dei Martiri, Addolorata Maria, eccomi ai vostri piedi a supplicarvi del vostro patrocinio. O Madre pietosissima, non respingete la mia preghiera, non guardate i miei peccati che piango ai vostri piedi. Io sono indegno dei vostri benefici, ma la bontà vostra, che non ha limiti, mi dà speranza e, Madre vi chiamo, Madre tenerissima e potentissima Regina. Molte lacrime avete asciugate, molti dolori addolciti in virtù dei crudelissimi dolori vostri, in essi dunque ripongo la mia fiducia. Per questi dolori, lenite le mie pene ed impetratemi dal vostro divin Figliuolo Gesù la grazia particolare che qui prostrato vi domando... e di poter meritare una corona di gloria immortale nel S. Paradiso. Amen.
Feast of Santa Patrizia di Costantinopoli
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| Santa Patrizia, ora pro nobis Pocket reliquary with second-class relic |
Interestingly, the popular legend of Santa Patrizia has become conflated with that of Siren Parthenope (the mythical founder of Naples) in what has been described as a Christian "refounding" of the city. In Virgil's Golden Egg and other Neapolitan Miracles (Transaction Publishers, 2011) Michael A. Ledeen writes:
The creative genius of Neapolitan chaos juxtaposes and merges the two female archetypes, and tosses in an element of ancient sorcery for piquancy. Both Parthenope and Saint Patrizia are virgins and have noble ancestry. Both have power to control natural elements. Both came from the East and died on the shores of the Gulf of Naples. Patrizia landed on the island of Megaride, where Virgil cast his saving spell on the Castel dell'Ovo, where the ancient Cumans built the first Neapolitan buildings, and where they believed Parthenope arrived, dead or dying. And in the seventeenth century, at the height of the Baroque, the body of Saint Patrizia was carried to a monastery atop the hill of Caponapoli, where, centuries earlier, the tomb of Parthenope was located. Patrizia was proclaimed a patron saint of Naples from Parthenope's old temple. (p. 38-39)It should be noted that Parthenope herself is a synthesis of the ancient Greek myth about the deadly enchantress who failed to seduce Odysseus (Ulysses) and the charming medieval love story between Cimone and the chaste princess from Greece, whose "finite brow of a goddess" and "huge black eyes" were said to resemble the vigorous beauty of Juno and Minerva. The tale is eloquently retold in Matilde Serao's Leggende napoletane (Neapolitan legends).
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| Fontana della Sirena (Fountain of the Siren) Piazza Sannazaro, Napoli |
Saints bodies in life and after death were considered to have efficacious healing powers, and their blood was believed to be able to transmit grace and virtue, a symbolism that connected aristocratic values and noble blood to the religious fervor of saintly virtue. (p. 204-205)This ancient cult of the blood is peculiarly Neapolitan and still resonates with the devoted people of Naples today.
According to tradition, Santa Patrizia was born in the mid-seventh century. She was the niece of Emperor Constans II (630-668 AD) and was educated at the Imperial Court of Constantinople. Extremely pious, the Byzantine princess dedicated her life to God, taking a vow of celibacy. Ordained a nun, Patrizia was invested with the veil of virginity. Her father had other ideas and arranged for her to marry a powerful nobleman. With the help of Aglaia, her loyal maidservant, the young maiden fled to Rome seeking refuge from the unwanted nuptials.
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| Coat-of-Arms, Naples |
In 668 AD Mezezius the usurper assassinated Constans II in Syracuse for attempting to relocate the Empire’s capital to Sicily. Learning of her uncle's murder Patrizia returned to Constantinople to renounce her temporal titles and worldly possessions. Distributing her inheritance to the poor, she inspired other noblewomen to do the same. Before returning to Rome she made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, visiting many sacred sites. It is said she possessed a fragment of the True Cross, hair and milk of the Virgin, skin and blood of St. Bartholomew, and a blood-stained nail from the Crucifixion, which she wore on her right sleeve and reportedly turned blood red every Good Friday. The sacred relics were passed down from St. Helen, mother of Emperor Constantine.
On her journey back to the Eternal City a violent storm shipwrecked her vessel off the coast of Megaride, an islet in the Bay of Naples. Patrizia and her retinue were given shelter by the island's monks, but after a brief stay in the Neapolitan Duchy the virgin grew ill and died. She was buried at Castrum Lucullanum, an old Roman villa converted into a Basilian monastery and site of the modern-day Castel dell'Ovo (Castle of the egg).
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| Castel dell'Ovo, Megaride |
During the ninth century, fear of Saracen raids forced the Neapolitans to move the treasures of Megaride inland to safer locations. The train of oxen pulling Patrizia's hearse through the city streets instinctively stopped outside the Chiesa dei Santi Nicandro e Marciano and would go no further. It was decided she would be interred there. The monastery has since been commonly known as the Chiesa di Santa Patrizia (Church of Saint Patricia).
The miracle of the blood is said to be over twelve-hundred-years-old, but the oldest record of the phenomenon dates back 'only' to the sixteenth-century (1570). As the story goes, a sick nobleman was miraculously healed while praying at her shrine. Desiring a personal relic, the greedy pilgrim pulled a tooth from her skull causing blood to flow from the empty cavity. Collected in two ampullae the blood is said to liquefy on her feast day (August 25th) and every Tuesday morning. In 1626 she was declared a patron saint of Naples to help ward off calamities. In 1864, a few years after the conquest of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, her reliquary was translated to the Church of St. Gregory of Armenia after the convent church of Saint Patricia was closed down and confiscated by the new Italian government.
In celebration, I’m posting a prayer to Santa Patrizia in Italian. Evviva Santa Patrizia!
Preghiera a Santa Patrizia
O prodigiosa Vergine Santa Patrizia, mia avvocata e protettrice, che negli ultimi momenti della vostra vita otteneste da Gesù consiglio e divina protezione a tutti coloro che a voi si rivolgessero per aiuto, ottenetemi da Dio la salute dell’anima e del corpo, la vittoria sul Demonio e sulle passioni; allontanate le avversità che mi circondano, consolatemi nelle presenti tribolazioni. Ottenetemi il perdono dei peccati e l’ingresso nel regno del Cielo. Siate porto di salvezza ai naviganti e tutela alla nostra città. Diffondete speciale patrocinio sopra di me e su tutti i vostri devoti, affinché il nome santo di Dio sia benedetto, glorificato, esaltato e lodato da tutti nei secoli dei secoli. Così sia
~ Giovanni di Napoli, August 24th, Feast of Sant’Audeno (updated 2021)
Bibliography:
• Naples From Roman Town To City-State by Paul Arthur, The British School at Rome, 2002
• Virgil's Golden Egg and other Neapolitan Miracles by Michael A. Ledeen, Transaction Publishers, 2011
• Leggende napoletane (Neapolitan legends) by Matilde Serao (translated by Jo Di Martino), Lettere Italiane Guida, 2003
• Becoming Neapolitan by John A. Marino, Johns Hopkins University Press, 2011
• The Cronica di Partenope by Samantha Kelly, Brill, 2011
• The Matter of Miracles: Neapolitan Baroque Architecture and Sanctity by Helen Hills, Manchester University Press, 2016
Feast of Sant’Aredio di Limoges
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| Sant'Aredio di Limoges, ora pro nobis |
In celebration, we’re posting a prayer to St. Aredius. The accompanying photo of the walnut and jewel-inlaid silver and gold reliquary busts of St. Yrieix was taken at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.* Evviva Sant’Aredio di Limoges!
Prayer to St. Aredius* Regrettably, the town of Saint-Yrieix-La-Perche, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of France, claims the reliquaries were illegally purchased by the museum in 1906 and has requested that they be returned.
God our Father, enable us who honor the memory of St. Aredius, to share with him in the joy of eternal life, through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen
Feast of San Pellegrino and Companions
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| San Pellegrino Martire and Companions, orate pro nobis |
August 25th is the Feast of San Pellegrino, San Eusebio, San Ponziano and San Vincenzo, early Christian Martyrs. San Pellegrino is the patron saint of Altavilla Irpina in Provincia di Avellino.
Arrested and tortured for their faith and refusal to participate in pagan rituals, the holy men were miraculously healed by an angel. Angered by this, Emperor Commodus condemned them to death. Stripped and bound to columns, they were publicly flogged to death with leaden scourges.
Buried in a crypt outside Rome by a priest, the relics of San Pellegrino were later translated to Altavilla Irpina on April 11, 1780.
In celebration, I’m posting a prayer to San Pellegrino in Italian. The accompanying photo, courtesy of Anthony Scillia, was taken at St. Anthony of Padua Church in the Silver Lake section of Belleville, New Jersey. Evviva San Pellegrino!
Preghiera a San Pellegrino
Glorioso S. Pellegrino, taumaturgo nostro protettore mentre sedete trionfante fra le angeliche schiere del Paradiso, volgetevi propizio ai vostri figli devoti che hanno tanto bisogno del vostro patrocinio, del vostro aiuto. Deh Voi, nostro dolce avvocato e protettore improntateci del vostro zelo e della vostra forza di martire. E poiché dal maestoso tempio di Altavilla avete fatto sentire a tanta gente i benefici influssi delle vostre grazie nella successione di tanti miracoli, continuate l’opera vostra e finché il vostro nome suonerà dolce all’anima dei vostri figli, non venga mai meno nei nostri cuori la fede, nella vostra protezione il miracolo. Salve o gloriosissimo Santo, siate benedetto nella vita di martire e nella vita di gloria, siate benedetto in cielo e in terra, ora e sempre, dai vostri devoti, dal vostro popolo di Altavilla. Così sia.
Feast of St. Louis IX, King of France
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| St. Louis IX, ora pro nobis |
Prayer to St. Louis IX, King of France
O God, Who didst exalt blessed Louis Thy Confessor from an earthly realm to the glory of Thy Heavenly kingdom: grant, we pray Thee, that by his merits and intercession we may be made heirs of the King of Kings, Thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ, Who liveth and reigneth for ever and ever. Amen
Novena to Pope St. Pius X
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| San Pio X, ora pro nobis |
Glorious Pontiff, Saint Pius the X, devoted servant of Our Lord and loving child of Mary, I invoke you as a saint in Heaven. I give myself to you that you may always be my father, my protector and my guide in the way of holiness and salvation. Aid me in observing the duties of my state in life. Obtain for me great purity of heart and a fervent love of the interior life after your own example.
Pope of the Blessed Sacrament, teach me to love Holy Mass and Holy Communion as the source of all grace and holiness and to receive this Sacrament as often as I can. Gentle father of the poor, help me to imitate your charity toward my fellowmen in word and deed. Consoler of the suffering, help me to bear my daily cross patiently and with perfect resignation to the will of God. Loving Shepherd of the flock of Christ obtain for me the grace of being a true child of Holy Mother Church.
Saint Pius the X beloved Holy Father, I humbly implore your powerful intercession in obtaining from the Divine Heart of Jesus all the graces necessary for my spiritual and temporal welfare. I recommend to you in particular this favor… (mention your request)
Great Pontiff, whom Holy Mother Church has raised to the honor of our altars and urged me to invoke and imitate as a Saint, I have great confidence in your prayers. I earnestly trust that if it is God’s Holy Will, my petition will be granted through your intercession for me at the throne of God.
St. Pius the X pray for me and for those I love. I beg of you, by your love for Jesus and Mary, do not abandon us in our needs. May we experience the peace and joy of your holy death. Amen
Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be, 3 x each* The accompanying photo was taken in the sacristy of the Shrine Church of the Holy Innocents (128 West 37th St.) in New York City.
Infant Jesus of Prague Chaplet
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| O Infant Jesus, Whose truth enlightens the darkness of our heart, have mercy on us |
In celebration, I’m posting the Infant Jesus of Prague Chaplet. The accompanying photo was taken at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Newark, New Jersey.
Infant Jesus of Prague Chaplet* www.sistersofcarmel.com
Divine Infant Jesus, I adore Thy Cross and I accept all the crosses Thou wilt be pleased to send me. Adorable Trinity, I offer Thee for the glory of Thy Holy Name of God, all the adorations of the Sacred Heart of the Holy Infant Jesus.
(3x) “And the Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us” and pray The Lord’s Prayer (Our Father)
(12x) “And the Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us” and pray The Angelical Salutation (Hail Mary)
Holy Infant Jesus, bless and protect us. Amen.
August 24, 2024
Feast of Santa Giovanna Antida Thouret
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| Santa Giovanna Antida Thouret, ora pro nobis |
Born on November 27, 1765 in Sancey-le-Long, France, Santa Giovanna Antida was drawn to an austere religious life and entered the Vincentian Daughters of Charity at the age of 22.
When the sisters were banned during the anti-religious repression of the French Revolution, she refused to renounce her vows and was severely beaten by the authorities.
Forced into exile, Santa Giovanna Antida and a handful of religious fled to Switzerland, but due to anti-Catholic intolerance they moved on to the Kingdom of Prussia.
When the persecution subsided, she returned to France in 1797 and founded a school for poor girls. Soon after, with the support of Napoleon’s mother, Letizia Ramolino, she founded the Sisters of Charity in Besançon.
Despite papal recognition, the Archbishop of Besançon refused to approve the order, so in 1810 Santa Giovanna Antida and seven sisters moved south to the Kingdom of Naples and continued their charitable and apostolic works, caring for the sick, poor and infirm at the Hospital of the Incurable.
She died in Naples on August 24, 1826 and is interred at the Chiesa di Santa Maria Regina Coeli.
In celebration, I’m posting a prayer in Italian to Saint Jeanne-Antide Thouret. The accompanying photo was taken at the Reale Cappella del Tesoro di San Gennaro inside the Duomo di Napoli. Evviva Santa Giovanna Antida Thouret!
Prayer to Saint Jeanne-Antide Thouret
O Santissima Trinità, che regni in cielo, noi ti ringraziamo dei doni e delle grazie che hai concesse alla gloriosa Madre Santa Giovanna Antida, e ti preghiamo, per sua intercessione, di concederci la grazia che ti domandiamo. Concedici ancora di imitate le virtu di questa tua Serva fedele, la quale visse amando Te e beneficando il prossimo, e di fare nostra la preghiera che Ella ti indirizzava nei pericoli e nelle avversità della travagliata sua vita; Signore, tu vedi tutto, tu puoi tutto; io spero nella tua bonità e nella tua potenza; i tuoi voleri si compiano su di me per la mia santificazione. Amen.
Feast of Sant'Audeno, Vescovo di Rouen
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Sant'Audeno, ora pro nobis |
August 24th is the Feast of Sant'Audeno (St. Ouen), Vescovo di Rouen. Patron saint of Serra di Pratola in Avellino, the cult of Sant'Audeno was introduced to Southern Italy by the Normans, who founded several churches in his honor, including the small sanctuary in Montaperto, Avellino; the Chiesa di Sant’Audeno in Aversa, Caserta; and the Apulian-Romanesque Church of Sant’Audeno in Bisceglie, Puglia. Built in 1074, the Church in Bisceglie is one of the oldest consecrated to the Frankish Bishop in Southern Italy. An architectural treasure, the church houses a small relic translated from Normandy.
Southern Italian devotion to Sant'Audeno was immortalized in the Miracula Sancti Audoeni, a collection of Saint Ouen’s miracles written after 1047 in Normandy. Included are stories of pilgrims from Andria and Monte Gargano in Apulia who visited the Saint’s shrine in Rouen and were miraculously cured of their ailments. He is the patron saint of the deaf and invoked against hearing loss.
In celebration, I'm posting a Prayer to Sant'Audeno. The accompanying photo was taken at Our Lady of Good Council Church in Inwood, Long Island. Evviva Sant'Audeno!
Prayer to Sant'Audeno
God our Father, enable us who honor the memory of Sant'Audeno, bishop and confessor, to share with him in the joy of eternal life, through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen
Feast of San Bartolomeo
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| San Bartolomeo, ora pro nobis |
Prayer to St. Bartholomew
Almighty and everlasting God, who gave to your apostle Bartholomew grace truly to believe and to preach your Word: Grant that your Church may love what he believed and preach what he taught; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.
August 23, 2024
Babylon's Burning
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| Nero and the Great Fire of Rome, 64 AD |
“We all know our country’s current trajectory isn’t going to end well, but what can we do about it? We need to consider a national divorce, i.e., secession.” ~ Eric Sammons @ EricRSammons, X, Monday, July, 29, 2024 (3:06 PM)The closer we get to the U.S. presidential election, the harder it is to ignore the sheer evil of American politics and by extension the duplicitous legacy media. Bombarded online with every type of propaganda imaginable and surrounded by unhinged ideologues of every stripe everywhere I go, it is utterly impossible not to get caught up in the madness. People attacking me and trying to persuade me one way or the other has only strengthened my resolve to steer clear of the whole bloody mess.
I never believed in the democratic process and the unsavory events of recent years have only served to further vindicate my opprobrium. Even if I were to vote, living in a non-battleground state makes my ballot count for naught anyway. Whatever the results of the election are in November, you can be sure all hell is going to break loose because neither side trusts or likes one another. Accusations of “voter fraud,” “stealing the election,” “tampering,” you name it, will be trumpeted by the losers—and rightfully so. The system is broken and stinks to high Heaven.
So what do we do? Well, as the saying goes, “Drastic times call for drastic measures.” In an ideal world, we would all just finally come to our senses and behave like normal, rational people and work towards national reconciliation. Since we don’t live in an ideal world and delusional left-wing psychoses have reached critical mass, we should realistically consider national divorce, no matter how outlandish it may sound.
A longtime proponent of secession, I’m always excited to see the idea bandied about in public forums. While nowhere near as popular as it needs to be to realistically consider it an option, we’ve come a long way from my teenage years when the very suggestion of breaking up these United States was inconceivable and met with derision and scorn. Granted, as crazy as it may sound, back in those days I naïvely championed the idea of a sizable autonomous Italian American ethnostate.
Ah, the folly of youth. Seeing how well we assimilated to the prevailing culture and succumbed to modern decadent Americanism (materialism, secularism, etc.), I’m not entirely sure I would want to be lumped together with many of my ethnic compatriots, with whom I have little or nothing in common, anymore. To be clear, being different per se is not the problem, I appreciate and respect pluralism, but it is leftism in all its pernicious and discordant forms (i.e., feminism, egalitarianism, totalitarianism, etc.) that I abhor.
Demoralized and degraded, I don’t believe the American people have the stomach to entertain such a difficult path, even if it is in our best interest to do so. One thing is for certain, the greedy parasites (rich and poor) won’t give up their reluctant hosts (rich and poor) without a fight. Therefore, if we can’t secede and forge a new nation, the only realistic and tenable options at our disposal are to secede as a community, as a family, or at the very least, as individuals. For a better understanding of what I'm advocating here, see the Benedict (Dreher) and Bernard (Salvo) options.
Babylon's burning and our soi-disant leaders fiddle. Corrupt, inept, and evil, the government actively hates us, let alone represents us. Their actions prove it. If you have to be convinced of these facts today, you are utterly hopeless. Working outside the system (electoral politics), it is our duty as counter-revolutionaries to rebuild healthy communities, raise God-fearing families, and see to the salvation of our eternal souls. In a world gone mad, upholding Altar and Hearth are drastic measures.
~ By Giovanni di Napoli, August 22, Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Remembering S.A.R. Maria Immacolata Luisa di Borbone, Princess of Bourbon Two Sicilies and Countess of Bardi
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| 21 January 1855 – 23 August 1874 |
In memory of S.A.R. Maria Immacolata Luisa di Borbone, Princess of Bourbon Two Sicilies, Countess of Bardi, daughter of King Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies, we pray for the happy repose of her soul.
Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon her. May her soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
August 22, 2024
A Look at the 2024 Feast of Santa Rosalia on 18th Avenue in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn
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| Santa Rosalia, ora pro nobis |
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| (L) Outdoor shrine with reclining statue. (R) Processional statue |
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| I picked up a few prayer cards at the shrine for friends and family |
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| Grilling the Stigghiola at Lucy's Sausage Stand |
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| Calamari alla griglia |
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| Polpo alla griglia |
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| Spiedini di gamberi alla griglia |
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| Ham hocks |
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| Stigghiola |
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| Sfincione |
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| Iris al forno |
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| L'Artigiano Gelato Stand |
Feast of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary
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| Immaculate Heart of Mary, ora pro nobis |
Omnípotens sempiterne Deus, qui in Corde beátæ Maríæ Virginis dignum Spíritus Sancti Habitáculum præparásti: concéde propítius ut ejúsdem immaculáti Cordis festivitátem devóta mente recoléntes, secúndum cortuum vívere valéamus. Per Dóminum ...in unitáte ejúsdem.*August 22nd is the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, our refuge and pathway to God. In celebration, I’m posting the Solemn Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary by Venerable Pope Pius XII. The accompanying photo was taken at Saint Francis of Paola Church (219 Conselyea Street) in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Ave Maria!
Solemn Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Most Holy Virgin Mary, tender Mother of men, to fulfill the desires of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the request of the Vicar of Your Son on earth, we consecrate ourselves and our families to your Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart, O Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, and we recommend to You, all the people of our country and all the world. Please accept our consecration, dearest Mother, and use us as You wish to accomplish Your designs in the world. O Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, and Queen of the World, rule over us, together with the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ, Our King. Save us from the spreading flood of modern paganism; kindle in our hearts and homes the love of purity, the practice of a virtuous life, an ardent zeal for souls, and a desire to pray the Rosary more faithfully. We come with confidence to You, O Throne of Grace and Mother of Fair Love. Inflame us with the same Divine Fire which has inflamed Your own Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart. Make our hearts and homes Your shrine, and through us, make the Heart of Jesus, together with your rule, triumph in every heart and home. Amen.
* Almighty, everlasting God, who didst prepare in the Heart of the Virgin Mary a worthy dwelling-place for the Holy Ghost: mercifully grant that we, devoutly contemplating the festivity of the same immaculate Heart, may be enabled to live according to Thy heart. Through our Lord...in union with the same.
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