Friends at Court.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVI, Issue 7, 20 February 1908, Page 3

Friends at Court.

February 23, Sunday.— Sexagesima Sunday. „ 24, Monday.— St. Peter Damian, Bishop, Con*fessor, and Doctor. ' „ 25, Tuesday.— St. Matthias, Apostle. „ 26, Wednesday.— St. Felix 111., Pope and Confessor. „ 27, Thursday.— St. Margaret of Cortona, Penitent. „ 28, Friday.— St. Marcellus, Pope anid Martyr. „ 29, Saturday.— St. Ignatius, Bishop and Martyr.

St. Peter Damian, Bishop, Confessor, and Doctor. St. Peter was born at Ravenna, in the north of Italy, about 988. After a youth of hardship, he entered a Benedictine monastery at the foot of the Appenines, where for many years he led a life of austerity, prayer, and study. His great piety and learning having brought him under the notice of his ecclesiastical superiors, he was employed by • more than one Pope in important, all airs, and displayed great zeal and prudence. In 1057 he was created Cardinal and Bishop of Ostia, but five years later he succeeded in obtaining permission to resign his bishopric and return to his monastery. His death occurred in 1072. St. Matthias, Apostle. After the ascension of Our Lord, St. Matthias was chosen by lot to Jill the place which the treachery and suicide of Judas had feft vacant. Tradition assigns as the place of his labors and martyrdom Cappadocia and the countries bordering on the Black and Caspian Seas.