Friends at Court

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVI, Issue 3, 30 January 1908, Page 3

Friends at Court

GLEANINGS FOR NEXT WEEK'S CALENDAR February 2, .Sunday-Fourth 'Sunday *»« Jg" any. Purification of the tfiessea "Virgin Mary. _ 3 Monday— St. Denis, Pope and Confessor. - - " 4, Tuesday.— St. Andrew Corsini, Bishop ana Confessor. 5, Wednesday.— St. Agatha, Virgin and Martyr. 6, Thursday.— St. Hyacinth Mariscotti, Virgin. 7 Friday.— St. Romuald, Ablot. -**' \\ 8, Saturday.— St. John of Matha, Confessor. -St. Agatha, Virgin and Martyr. St Agatha belonged to a rich and illustrious Sicilian family. During the persecution of- Decius, rhe- displayed great constancy in suffering the bitter i-nd protracted tortures which were inflicted on her by the orders of a pagan judge, and which eventually caused her death in 251. The city of Catania, situated at the foot of Mt. Etna, honors her as patron, and attributes lo her protection its- safety on this occasion of many violent volcanic eruptions. - St. Hyacinth Mariscotti, Virgin. St Hyacinth was a native of Italy. Though untarnished by any grievous fa:lt, she was, in her youth, fond of earthly vanities, and gave but half-hearted response to the graces by which God called her to a ~ more perfect life. Having embraced the religious s-tate, she atoned for the ease and luxury of her early life by the austerity of her later years. She. died in 1640, at the age of 55. St. John of Matha, Confessor. St. John was born in Provence towards the middle of the twelfth, century. Even in boyhood he was remarkable for the perfect manner in which he practised fraternal charity, his chief rl p asure beina; to assist the sick in a neighboring hospital. In conjunction with St. Felix of Valois, he founded the Order of Trinitarians for the ransoming' of Christiins enslaved by 'the Moors. He died in Rome, A.D. 1213.