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Our Lady of Mount Carmel ist one of the most beloved titles of the Blessed Virgin Mary.The Turtle comes from Mount Carmel a mountain in the Holy Land closely associated with the prophet Elijah,who defended the worship of the one true God and trusted complety in the Lord.

In the Middle Ages,Christian hermits settled on Mount Carmel and dedicated a chapel to the Blessed Virgin Mary.From these hermits grew the Carmelite Order,which has always regarded Mary sa ist Mother,Patroness,and perfect model of prayer and contemplation.According to Carmelite Tradition,on 16 July 1251,the Virgin Mary appears to Saint Simon Stock and gave him the Brown Scapular as a sign of her maternal protection and of a life dedicated to Christ.The scapular is not a magical object,rather is  a reminder to live faithfully as a disciple of Jesus through prayer,trust in God and love of neighbor.

The feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is celebrated each year on 16 July.On this day Catholics thanks Mary for her to lead them ever closer to her Son, Jesus Christ.

 In the middle of July, the liturgical calendar commemorates St Bonaventure, bishop and teacher of the Church. Saint Bonaventure, also known by his birth name John Fidanza, was a respected monk and teacher of the Church. He was born around 1221 in Civita, part of Bagnoregio near Viterbo in Italy, and died on 15 July 1274 in Lyon, France. Among his attributes are a cross and a cardinal’s hat on a tree.

Pope Leo XII. called St. Bonaventure as “prince among all mystics”. Pope Sixtus V gave him the title “Doctor Seraphicus” (Seraphic Doctor) in recognition of his mystical religious activities. Along with Thomas Aquinas, with whom he was reportedly friends, Bonaventure is considered to be the most important theologian of scholasticism.

Bonaventure is also known as the second founder of the Franciscan order because he brought a new spirit to the order and reorganised its activities effectively. According to legend, his name was given to him when his mother brought him, a sick child, to St Francis of Assisi, who blessed and healed him. When he was five years old, his mother brought him to Francis again to thank him, and Francis reportedly exclaimed “Buona ventura” (What a happy event), which became his name.

Bonaventure joined the Franciscan order at a very young age. From 1236 to 1242, he studied in Paris, where he later obtained a doctorate in theology. In 1257, at the age of 36, he was appointed the seventh general of the Franciscan Order. He ran the order in Paris for 17 years, during which time he was known for his foresight and skill.

At the behest of Pope Gregory X, who appointed him cardinal of Albano in 1273, Bonaventure organised the Second Council of Lyon. He presided over the entire proceedings of the council from May to July 1274.

St.Kamilus of Lellis was an Italien priest and  the founder of the Familien Order,devoted to the care of the sick.Born on May 25,1550,in Bucchianico,Italy,he faced a troubled youth,marker by a rebeľlious spirit and a tendenciu Howard gamblling.His life Room a transformative turn after experiencig a serious illnes that led hím to reconsider his life choices.

In 1582,Kamillus dedicated himself to serving the sick in hospitals.He founden the Order of the Servants of the Sick,later knows as the Camillians,which emphasized the importance of providing compassionate care to the ill.The order received official trom the Pope in 1591.

St.Kamillus was know vor bis deep compassion,dedication and innovative approaches to healthcare.He emphasized the spirituel Dimension of care,advocating for the sick not only to receive physical treatment but also spirituel support.

He was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in 1746 and is recognized as the patron saint of the of the sick,hospitals,and healthcare workers.His feast day is celebrated on July 14,a day to honor his contribution to healthcare and the importance of compassion in Dating for others.

st. Henry II.

Henricus II.

BIOGRAPHY

He came from Bavaria and was a prince from the age of two. At the age of 22, he became Duke of Bavaria. At the age of 26, he married Kunigunda (czech Kunhuta), with whom he took a celibate vow. At the age of 29 he became the German king, at the age of 31 he also became the Italian king, at the age of 41 he became the emperor, which he was until his death at the age of 51. And he received his highest title in 1146 – he was declared a saint.

As monarch, Henry II had a tendency towards spiritual values, felt responsible for the faith of his subjects, supported missions and reform movements in the church, gave large gifts to monasteries and for the construction of temples. At the same time, he had to endure misunderstanding and perfidy in his relatives and among the princes of office, even among some bishops.

BIOGRAPHY FOR MEDITATION

HOLY MONARCH AND HUSBAND WITH SUPERNATURAL LOVE

He was born on the 6th. 5. 972 in Bavaria. Abbach, Hildesheim is given as the place. Gisela’s mother was the daughter of a Burgundian prince, and Henry’s father, called Krátký or Svárlivec, was a Bavarian prince. Henry and his sister Gisela (blah., with monument 7. 5.) were raised in Regensburg (Reznu) by Bishop Wolfgang (saint with monument 31. 10.) and Abbot Romuald.

Henry II became Duke of Bavaria after his father’s death in 995. At the beginning of 997, his sister Gisela married Stephen, King of Hungary and later saint (s by monument 16. 8.). Two years after this, the 26-year-old Henry married Kunigunda (Kunhutu), daughter of Count Sigfrid, and at her suggestion that they promise themselves to God, they made a vow of permanent restraint. After the wedding ceremony, Jindřich dedicated a precious cross to her, in memory of the commitment to a celibate life, to which they both managed to be faithful all their lives and showed, that even such an ascetic path is possible out of love for God. Their special marriage was a manifestation of God’s grace and took place in holy supernatural love.

Such a life was not easy, although Kunigunda was a faithful and great Christian helper to the ruling man. Due to his childlessness, he had to fight with relatives and brothers Bruno and Arnulf. He came to a victorious peace with them thanks to his sister Gisela.

Later, for the elevation to the imperial throne, malicious people took care to stir up false rumors about Kunigunde’s infidelity, and in order to put an end to them and prevent general outrage, Henry’s wife graduated from the so-called. “God’s judgment” and barefoot walked over the red-hot plowshares unscathed.

Kunigunda helped her husband at every suitable opportunity during the marriage. To God’s honor and glory, she wanted to be as generous as possible, so she humbled herself as much as possible and lived in considerable humility. With its large share, both built temples, monasteries, houses of Christian mercy in Germany.

Henry did not forget his beloved teacher, Bishop Wolfgang, who died in 994, and went to his tomb in the Regensburg Church of St. Emerana to pray. After about two years, he had an unusual vision. He thought he saw Wolfgang pointing to a wall with the words mysterious: “Six each”. At first he came up with a warning that he was going to die in six days. With that thought, he prepared for six days for an important day with prayers. But nothing happened. The second option was six months. And even after that time, when he was full of health, he decided on the possibility of a third. After six years of pious life, it was clear what the vision meant, he became an important German king.

After the death of Emperor Otto III. Henry II, the last descendant of the Saxon royal family, was crowned in Mainz and then according to custom 3. 9. 1002 installed in Aachen on the throne of Charlemagne. King Henry’s wife was then proclaimed queen in the Paderborn Temple. Some influential princes were dissatisfied with the new government, but Henry won them all over the course of eight months with his balance, purposeful behavior and determination. He ruled wisely and justly.

Soon after ascending the throne, the Polish prince Boleslav the Brave began to cause him great difficulties for a long time. The fight with him dragged on with alternating successes for 6 years. Some reproached Jindřich for using the help of the pagan Lutics and Redars.

The first of three expeditions to Italy occurred in 1004 against Arduino of Ivrea, who claimed the royal crown of Lombardy. At Pavia, Henry defeated him and then became king of Italy. After the coronation with an iron crown, the local people attacked the palace in which Henry was located at night, and he then made his way to the camp of his army in an unusual way. The next day it set out for retaliation, and as a result of both experiences the Christian king was averse to staying again.

On the advice of the Archbishop of Cologne, he hurried back to Němec. The Polabian Slavs, mainly Bodrci, rose with Mečislav and Mstivoj II. against the Germans, they declared obedience to the king and suppressed Christianity in the country. Boleslav the Brave also started to fight again. King Henry was forced to forcefully repel the attacks of enemies and more than once intervene in the political affairs of neighboring countries. Especially when in his court the wrongly affected party begged for help. There were problems with the discordant Přemyslovs in Bohemia after the death of Boleslav II. during the rampage of Boleslav III. Ryšavý, who ordered the mutilation of his brother Jaromír and almost killed his second brother Oldřich. The two pleaded for help in achieving their rights. So far, things have changed rapidly on the Czech princely throne due to other circumstances.

In 1004, Henry was able to restore the activities of the Magdeburg bishopric and later in 1007 also in Bamberg. At the same time, he led an active spiritual life and also tried to reform in some monasteries.

During the second expedition to Italy in 1014, he helped Pope Benedict VIII. organize affairs and received the imperial crown from him and his wife Kunigunda. He made his third and final expedition to Italy at the request of the Pope in 1022 to suppress the rebellion of the Greeks living there against papal fiefdoms. On the way, he also visited the monastery of Monte Cassino, where he probably interceded with St. Benedikta achieved recovery from kidney disease.

To explain Henry’s interventions in church matters (, which in his case used to be only for the benefit of the Church) –, at that time the German emperors used to have the title “Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire”, therefore, their wider scope. Henry II also prevented the sale of slaves not only in the empire, but also in the surrounding Slavic lands.

In 1023, he met for the second time with King Robert of France, son of Hugo, to consult on important secular and spiritual matters, including reasons for the Ecclesiastical Assembly. Even more significant was their earlier meeting over the Moselle River, especially when remembering Otto I’s prediction that France would belong to Germany. At that time, although the troops prepared for battle, on the right side of the German river, on the left French, met against each other and the emperor was to exercise his right over the kingdom of France, the expected violence did not occur. On the fourth day, Henry II swam across the river with a small entourage and renounced his claims against the vassal. There was then talk of a “visit to the Carthusian emperor”. The next day, the 11th. 7., Robert retaliated against Henry’s friendly visit, and so the war between Germany and France ended before it began, because this emperor really lived Christianity.

His death occurred quite suddenly and prematurely, at the age of 52, at his own estate Gróna near Halberštad (Göttingenu) in lower Saxony. Nevertheless, he managed to penitently prepare for death even with a request for forgiveness of an already abandoned suspicion, and after receiving the sacraments, he peacefully fell asleep on the way to eternity.

According to his wishes, he was taken to the bishop’s cathedral in Bamberg for burial, which he had built in. 1002. Later, Kunigunda was buried next to him, who died on 3. 3. 1033 (or 1039) in Kaufunga, Hesse, near Kasel. The ceremonial transfer of her remains to the imperial husband took place on the 9th. 9. 1201.

Emperor Henry II, to whom history gave the epithet Pious, was canonized in 1146 by Pope Eugene III. and his wife’s canonization took place on the 29th. 3. 1200.

In 1372, the church of St. Víta in Prague and our ancestors of Henry II. included among the provincial patrons due to his merits in maintaining the Přemyslov family and returning peace in the country.

In 1513, a sarcophagus was created by Tilmann Riemenschneider in Bamberg Cathedral over the remains of the imperial couple and decorated with their larger-than-life figures.

St. Benedict of Nursia

July 11, holiday
Position: Abbot and patron saint of Europe
Death: 547
Patron: Europe; teachers, miners, copper engravers and speleologists—cave explorers (since 1957); students, agricultural workers, civil engineers, architects, and the dying; invoked against magic and in temptations; in fever and inflammation, poisoning, and stone disease; also for help in fulfilling religious duties.
Attributes: Benedictine, crutch, small snake or dragon, raven, bread, book, ball, cup, cracked bowl, sieve, thorns
CURRICULUM VITAE

He was an Italian from the Umbrian mountains. He studied briefly in Rome, revered the Virgin Mary and, with her help, kept his heart intact. He left everything and went into solitude. He became an exemplary teacher to the people who followed him. At first he founded small monasteries and later built the extensive monastery of Montecassino. He founded the Western religious movement and contributed to the preservation of classical culture. His advice for creating a spiritual balance in man is reminiscent of the sign of the cross rising above the plow. In the spirit of his rules, prayer was also work, and work was prayer.
CV FOR MEDITATION

FATHER OF WESTERN MONASTICS AND PATRON OF EUROPE
He was born around 480 in Nursia (Norica, near Perugia) in the Umbrian mountains in central Italy as a twin. He had a sister, Scholastica, who also later became a saint, whose memory is celebrated on February 10. Their mother, Abundancia, died in childbirth, and their father, Euprob, who belonged to the rural nobility, entrusted the children to a foster mother.

Due to his above-average intellectual abilities and the nobility of his family, he was sent to Rome to study law. He was satisfied with the school, but not with the morality of the Roman students. The moral side of these classmates led him to interrupt his studies and go east to the settlement of Affile in the hilly region near Subiaco. There, a small group of ascetics lived in prayer and self-denial, whose company suited him better. Nevertheless, he soon took refuge a little farther away, in a lonely cave near the Ania River in Subiaco, and began to live a harsh hermit’s life. He was soon beset by temptations from which solitude does not protect, and Benedict, in order to overcome sensual desires, sometimes threw himself into thorns. Even then, he had extraordinary experiences and miraculous abilities that accompanied him throughout his life. He tried to live in such solitude and concentration on God that he did not notice time. He only discovered that Easter had arrived during a chance meeting with a priest.

After three years of solitary life, he came into contact with a monk, who gave him a habit and who occasionally brought him food. His other guests were shepherds, and as news of his life spread, other visitors appeared. After the death of the superior of a nearby monastic community, the monks came to Benedict to urge him to take his place. With considerable hesitation, Benedict accepted and began to establish the order according to what he considered best. The monks, accustomed to a relatively simpler life, disliked the practice introduced by Benedict, and according to legend, one of them tried to poison him with poison mixed in wine. Benedict, as was his custom, made the sign of the cross over the drink, and at that moment the poisoned cup broke.

After this show of hostility, Benedict left the monks and continued his life in a cave above Subiaco. However, he did not close himself off from people and when young people who wanted to live according to his example of work and prayer sought him out, he received them. Twelve new small monastic communities were then established in the hills of Subiaco, which submitted to Benedict’s leadership.

In addition to the admiration of the nearby inhabitants, there was also the jealous hostility of a priest who tried to destroy Benedict’s work through intrigues. Probably for this reason, Benedict and some monks set off in a southeasterly direction and chose a suitable place for the future monastery, the ruins of the temple of Jupiter above the city of Cassino. Then he dedicated the pagan-marked area to the service of God and, together with his brothers, began to build the cradle of Benedictine monasticism for the glory of God.

They built the monastery on Montecassino Hill between 529 and 532 and made it a center from which a living faith and Christian culture later radiated throughout Europe.

After his life experiences, Benedict saw that a strict rule was necessary for monks to govern their communal life. He compiled the “Regula” for them, rules that justify his title “Father of Western Monasticism.”

The “Regula Benedicti” became the basis of all Benedictine monasteries in the West that adopted its model. The Order of St. Benedict also has later branches and offshoots. These include the Carthusians (who supplemented his order with Camaldolese regulations originating from the so-called White Benedictines), the Cistercians and the Celestines. Many houses according to the Benedictine order were also organized into several congregations.

Benedict, while working on the order, consistently drew on the Bible and established the basic rules of monastic life. He placed the main emphasis on consistency in the service of God, perfect obedience, humility, and diligent and conscientious work. He determined the main tasks to be a contemplative life, a common choir, work in spiritual administration, teaching students, and manual work, especially cultivating the land. Therefore, the Benedictine motto became “Ora et labora” (“Pray and work”). It denotes the search for God through prayer and through physical and mental work.

In drawing up the rule, Benedict considered both Eastern and Western traditions and personal experience. He also remembered the need to adapt to various circumstances to some extent while maintaining a clear organizational structure.

In the life of Benedict, we can observe how his ideal of monasticism developed. At first, he was influenced by Eastern models, such as Egyptian and Syrian hermits. To this was added the concept of monastic life, as understood by Basil the Great. Experience and charisma then led him to a type of life in which he combined the glorification of God with all-round service to people. This is the most beautiful and attractive thing about his order. He excluded from it a wandering life and isolated asceticism that does not look at the needs of other people, but focuses only on personal perfection. All this leads to the all-round usefulness of the Benedictine monasteries, the model of which was created at Montecassino. The noble titles later conferred on Benedict, as well as his elevation, are connected to all this.

After completing his monastery on Montecassino, Benedict helped his sister Scholastica establish the first Benedictine monastery beneath the same mountain. They met once a year in the courtyard between the two monasteries for advice and spiritual conversation. Three days after their last meeting, Benedict had a vision of his sister’s soul ascending to heaven in the form of a dove. He then had Scholastica’s body transferred to a tomb prepared for him in the Montecassino monastery. Soon after, on Holy Thursday, March 21, 547, while praying before the altar with outstretched hands, Benedict also died and was buried in the same tomb next to his sister. Above their grave is the main altar of the Montecassino basilica.

Benedict’s feast day has been celebrated on this day since the 8th century as the anniversary of the alleged transfer of his relics. Pope Pius XII called him the “father of Europe” and Pope Paul VI solemnly proclaimed him the patron saint of Europe on 24 October 1964. The title was also confirmed by John Paul II, who proclaimed other co-patrons.

It is interesting to note that by the eighteenth century, the Benedictine order had produced 42 popes, 200 cardinals, and almost 6,000 archbishops and bishops, as well as numerous saints and prominent scholars and writers.

Circumstances of growth …

“The sower went out to sow” (Mt 13, 3). One of the most famous parables of Jesus Christ begins with these words. We know perfectly well that the sower of the gospel is God himself, who sows the seed of his sanctifying grace in the fields of human hearts. Every grain of God is valuable and life-giving. There is no chaff or low-value grain. God constantly goes out to the flower bed of human hearts with the sowing of his word, which leads to the knowledge of God’s love and the achievement of eternal salvation: “For the word of God is living, effective, and sharper than any two-edged sword; it penetrates to the separation of the soul from the spirit and the joints from the marrow and judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4, 12). Today, the seed of God’s word is sown on the field of the Church of Christ by priests when they fulfill their teaching mission. God’s Word is still up-to-date, alive and indicates what we should do in order to achieve eternal salvation and live in love and harmony here on earth.

The heart of each of us is God’s horn, on which the sowing of God’s word constantly falls. The Lord, on his part, is doing everything possible to make it bear a rich harvest. And there will come a day in the life of each of us when we will have to account for the harvest of the sowing of God’s love. John the Baptist predicts it: “He has a winnowing winch in his hand to clear the threshing floor and gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn the chaff in unquenchable fire” (Luke 3:17). Accepting the teachings of the Lord Jesus in life leads to the achievement of life fulfillment and eternal salvation. Waste of this priceless gift will result in eternal damnation. And none of us will then be able to say that we didn’t have a chance, an opportunity, or a way to get to know Christ, His holy Gospel, and to live according to it.

But as Jesus himself predicted in today’s Gospel, God’s sowing brings a different harvest. May there be a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold harvest as much as possible. But the Savior, knowing human nature, foresaw that, unfortunately, there would always be people who would waste the gift of God’s grace. For some, the reason for this will be looking at the things of this world; for others, a lack of perseverance and readiness to make sacrifices. Still others will trivialize God’s love as they choose convenient selfishness. But we must not forget one more factor that affects crop yield. This is the other person who can help or greatly hinder himself.

Even the most fertile soil needs tilling to produce a harvest. Even the best grain, sown in uncultivated black soil, has little chance of sprouting and growing. It is the same with the human heart. Each of us present here owes our faith experienced and realized in our everyday lives to the people who brought us to Jesus and helped us grow in faith. Without their direct involvement, efforts as well as personal testimony of a life of faith in Christ Crucified and Risen, we would not be here in the sanctuary today. It was our parents and grandparents who taught us about God and faith and, above all, showed by their example that faith is not folklore or tradition or an addition to everyday life, but a value that guides our daily behavior. We owe our faith to our catechists, priests who prepared us for the reception of individual sacraments and who preached God’s word to us for years. We enrich and develop our faith with content drawn from the press, Catholic books, and Catholic media. Without all those people, we would not be here today, and the grain of God’s grace could not bring the Lord’s desired harvest in our hearts. So when we owe our faith to another person to a great extent, let us try to help so that the lives of other people also bear the fruit of faith and holiness.

When we travel to the Holy Land, we stop in the Judean Desert, in the places where Jesus fasted for 40 days. We see all sorts of things on the ground after heavy rains. The land of the Judean Desert is very fertile. But there is no water. Even the best grain sown on that parched land has no chance of bearing a harvest. Similarly, you sow grain on a beaten dirt road, which may even be the most fertile soil, but not at all ready for sowing. In other places, we see what is happening to the fallow fields, which formerly produced a great harvest but, deprived of the hands of the harvester, have become overgrown with weeds that are difficult to pull up. If each of these lands were cultivated responsibly and the harvester took care of it, it would yield multiple harvests. The quality of the soil is very important, no less important than the quality of the grain. But the work of those who work the land cannot be overestimated.

Once the artist Dante Gabriel Rossetti was stopped by an elderly man who had painted several paintings and wanted Dante to appreciate them, as well as give an opinion on the talent of the author of those paintings. Rossetti looked at them carefully. After the first few, the artist realized the paintings were worthless and that their author lacked talent. Dante, being a delicate person, did not want to hurt the elderly person, so he respectfully said that the paintings were not of much value, but their author had some talent. He was uncomfortable, but he couldn’t fool him. The assessment also froze the older man, but it looked like he expected it. Then, apologizing to Rossetti for taking up his time, he asked if the artist could paint the young student. Dante looked at them, brightened considerably, and enthusiastically said, “These are good. The young man has great talent. He must be given every help to develop his talent. He has a great future if he works hard and persevering”. Rossetti saw the great excitement of the older man and asked, “Who is that young, talented artist? Your son?” “No – replied the older man sadly. That’s me from 40 years ago. If I had heard that praise then, I wouldn’t have wasted my talent, I wouldn’t have given up so easily”.

God sows the grain of his grace, but if I trample it in the heart of my neighbor, when I am a source of doubt about the meaning of faith for him, then there will be no harvest. If my presence in the sanctuary as a confession of faith in Jesus Christ has no reflection in everyday life, then what attitude do I teach others? I saw an eloquent film on social media: “I salute all the Catholics who go to Holy Mass every Sunday and lie at work.” Did our parents and catechists teach us such a faith? Does God’s word preached by priests prepare us for such behavior? Would it be possible to encourage anyone to get to know Jesus more closely and live the faith in the Catholic Church with such behavior?

The effectiveness of the grain of God’s grace sown in another person’s soul depends on each of our testimonies. Jesus says: “He who has received much, much will be required of him, and to whom they have entrusted much, of him they will require more” (Lk 12, 48). The most depends on how the priests implement in their lives the doctrine they preach from the pulpit in the church. The greatest responsibility rests on them, for in their hands God places the deposit of faith. But none of us is exempt from the obligation to bear witness to our faith, which will help all those who, for various reasons, are far from Christ. The angry ground can be plowed through the grace of prayer, conversation, and the witness of one’s own faith. Weeds of sins can be pulled out when we show the joy of living in friendship with God and our neighbors. We will not water the scorched soil of our neighbor’s heart with anything other than our understanding and kindness. The harvest of our faith is the joint fruit of the grace of the grain of God’s word, the help and testimony of those who brought us to Jesus, and our own efforts. Out of gratitude for the gift and fruit of our own faith, let us strive to help others so that they may bring forth the harvest of eternal life that day. Amen

Canutus, m. in Dania

BIOGRAPHY

From 1080 he was king in his native Denmark. He had a family, lived devoutly, and strove to expand and consolidate the Christian life in his empire, in which pagan customs still prevailed in places. His government’s support for the church did not please some nobles, led by his treacherous brother Olaf, who longed for regency. King Kanut (Knut) was murdered while praying in front of the altar of the Odense temple.

BIOGRAPHY FOR MEDITATION

THE PIOUS MONARCH AND PATRON SAINT OF DENMARK

He was born in Denmark around 1040, the illegitimate son of King Sven III Estridsson. He received a Christian upbringing and paid great attention to the advice of the gospel. He later married the daughter of Count Robert of Flanders, Adéla, and with her had a son, Charles, who was nicknamed the Pious.

He was king from 1080. So he became one at about the age of 40, and his reign lasted only 6 years. In many ways, he is compared to the Czech monarch St. Wenceslaus, especially in piety, love, justice, and martyrdom, in which his own brother participated.

From the beginning of his reign, he very actively supported the spread of Christianity in the country and sought to root out paganism with its customs. Although he was a king, he tried to live simply, fasted sternly, and wore a harsh penitential garment beneath his kingly clothing as an ascetic. He was still helping him become conscious of love and adopt the right attitude towards God and people. Before God, he accepted responsibility for managing the earth and leading its inhabitants.

He was generous in granting alms to the poor, building hospitals and temples. In his humility, he dedicated his royal crown to the temple at Roskilde, saying, “This jewel is more fitting to be used to adorn a sacred place than to vanity and worldly pride:” After passing the royal badges in front of the image of the Crucified One, he also issued a statement, in connection with the victory over the enemies who invaded the earth, that he was subjecting himself and the entire empire to Jesus Christ, King of all kings and lord of all rulers, and has no other wish than for the Christian faith to flourish in his country and be preserved for all time.

In his respectful behavior towards the clergy, he set an example for his subjects and did not allow anyone in his court anything that would be at the expense of the church. He removed the clergy from the authority of secular courts and subjected them fully to the power of the bishop and his court. He gave eight bishops the rank of imperial princes with a leading parliamentary seat. He sent missionaries to neighboring nations, not seeking fighting, but striving for peace. He defended himself valiantly against pagan invaders and tried to lean the defeated towards Christianity.

Kanut’s apostolic activities also stimulated many enemies in his nation. His own brother Olaf envied him a place on the throne and craved the crown. Kanut, eager to ensure the future coverage of the needs of temples and clergy, began to think aloud about introducing church tithes, which aroused opposition and dissatisfaction with the king’s Christian rule among the greedy nobles. His brother Olaf was looking for a way to overthrow the king. An opportunity arose when a plea for help against enemies came from England to Denmark in 1085. Kanut therefore ordered a navy to be prepared for help and entrusted the high command over it to his brother Olaf. He betrayed and incited the army of which he became the commander against his king Kanut. The conspirators’ efforts led to the army’s dissolution, which ceased to heed the monarch’s appeals.

In his merciful justice, Kanut did not want to punish the conspirators with death under the law; he just imposed a conditional fine on them, which they did not have to pay if they committed to church tithes. The magnates rejected the offer, and when the fine they had verbally favored was enforced, they launched a general revolt that they led across the country.

Anticipating his killing, King Canute fled to the island of Funen (Fionia) to Odense, where, in the temple of St. Albana he received the sacraments. Then he prayed aloud in front of the altar: “Lord and God! To you, I like to sacrifice my life, for honor and glory and for the protection of your Church. Accept my sacrifice and grant the enemies the grace to know the truth and to regret. Forgive them as I forgive them.” Meanwhile, the attackers tried in vain to pry open the gate, so the stones broke the windows and attacked the king with arrows from their bows and spears from the ladders. They also attacked his brother Benedict and 17 persons loyal to him.

Kanut’s grave was glorified by miracles. In 1101, Kanut was canonized by Pope Paschal II.

BIOGRAPHY

These martyrs include the previous Francis Fernandez de Capillas, including four Dominican missionaries, with introductory information to the entire group of 120 martyrs.

The others are listed in the subsequent five sections of the ( order 4-8). They were all canonized together 1. 10. 2000.

Priest Augustin Zhao Rong was martyred on 21. 3. 1815.

Petr Sans and Jordán were martyred 26. 5. 1747. He was born on 1. 9. 1680 in Asco, Spain, and was given the name Joseph at his baptism. At the age of 17, he joined the Dominican Order and took the name Peter. After his priestly ordination in 1704, he worked for 4 years in the monastery in Zaragoza. At the age of 32, he applied to go to Far East missions. Together with his brother Jáchym Royo, they traveled to the Philippines in 1712. At the stop in Hospice St. Gabriela in Manila, Petr Sans learned Chinese and became familiar with the local mentality. Then his place of work was the province of Fu-tien, where he tried to restore and expand the third order of St. Dominic. In time, he gathered around him 70 laymen who participated in missionary activities.

Petr Sanz gained respect and recognition among the natives. In 1716 he became deputy provincial and was put in charge of all missionaries in the area.

In China, after the death of Emperor Kangxi, who did not defend the Christian religion, persecution of Catholic religious practitioners broke out in Fujian Province in 1723. At that difficult time, Petr Sanz was promoted to auxiliary bishop with the right of succession. After his ordination, however, he had to retreat to Macau with other missionaries, but already in 1738 he returned to Fu-tien and renewed communion, encouraged with the word of God, administered the sacraments, and helped the poor. At the same time, he still had to hide. Presented in the Philippines, he pleaded for help in ensuring the education of indigenous young priests, whose movement would not be so difficult in China.

Despite all caution, Bishop Peter was arrested and imprisoned in 1746. Other Dominican priests were imprisoned with him: Francis Serrano, Jáchym Royo, Jan Alcober, and Francis Díaz del Rincón. More laymen who helped them also went to prison with them. The trial began on the 22nd. On the 11th, and after six months, he was sentenced to death in Beijing and executed on the 26th. 5. 1748. Other Dominican fellow prisoners waited until October 28 to die by suffocation. The redeemed remains of the martyrs were taken to the Philippines and placed in St. John’s Church. Dominica in Manila.

He was beatified by Pope Leo XIII on 6.1.1893 and canonized (the community of 120 martyrs murdered in China) on 1.10.2000 by Pope John Paul II.

CURRICULUM VITAE

He came from Ireland and as a bishop he went to preach the Gospel to Herbipolis (Würzburg) in Austrasia (today’s Saxony in Germany). Like John the Baptist, he rebuked the local Duke Gosbert. And like John, for his exhortation to faithful observance of Christian morals, he achieved martyrdom by being excommunicated from the guidance of a sinful woman.

CV FOR MEDITATION

HE PAID WITH HIS HEAD FOR CHURCHING MORALS

He was born in Mullagh, in an Irish-Scottish family. He was reportedly educated in an Anglo-Saxon monastery and received the sacrament of priesthood as a monk. He longed for missionary work. 11 companions, including the priest Coloman (or Kolonat) and the deacon Donat (Tatnat), set out with him on a journey to preach the Gospel to the pagans. Kilian set out with them on a journey through France and what was then Austrasia, where 9 companions remained. The other three then sailed from Aschaffenburg on the Rhine to Würzburg in Bavaria. They arrived at the castle on the left bank of the Main, where the Thuringian Duke Gosbert ruled, in 686.

The place seemed most suitable to Kilian, but he considered it necessary to have a papal commission and blessing. That same year he therefore set out for Rome with Coloman and Donatus. Kilian obtained Pope Colonus’s willing permission and blessing and returned as a bishop.

Kilian began to work very zealously in Würzburg and its surroundings. Gosbert converted to Christianity and other nobles followed him. This was not enough for Kilian, he especially demanded that the monarch lead an orderly Christian life. But Duke Gosbert lived with his brother’s wife, Gailana, according to pagan custom, which Kilian reproached him for. Although it was difficult for the duke, he decided to release her. Before this could happen, Gosbert had to go into battle. Gailana decided to have Kilian murdered out of revenge. She entrusted the task to two hired assassins, and the night of July 8 was agreed upon for the execution. The saint, praying with his companions, told them at midnight that the longed-for hour of meeting with the Lord had come, so that they would be obedient to his voice and not fear those who kill the body because they cannot kill the soul. At that moment, an ambush occurred.

After committing the crime, the murderers dug a pit in which they buried the bodies of the martyrs on the spot, along with liturgical books, vessels and robes, as Gailana had wished. Some sources give the year of Kilian’s death as 689, but since this information is not considered reliable by experts, only the 7th century is given in the martyrology.

The legend details Kilian’s biography beyond the scope of possible historical evidence. This probably partly concerns his companions, who are not named in the martyrology today. The legend states that although the martyrs’ deaths remained a secret from the people, God revealed the murderers. After Gosbert’s return from the war, Gailana lied to him that she did not know where the missionaries had gone. However, one of the murderers, tormented by his conscience, had a mental breakdown and revealed the crime. The monarch imprisoned him and called on the people to express their opinion on what punishment should be meted out to him. Gailana’s envoy then proposed that he be left free to be punished by the God of the Christians, to prove that he was as powerful and just as he had been proclaimed. And if he did not take revenge, the people should return to the gods their ancestors had served.

Gosbert agreed to the proposal. The murderer, after being freed, is said to have begun to tear his own body in madness until he died. After the horrific scene, the Christians were strengthened in their faith. The second murderer also committed suicide, and Gailana is said to have suffered and died in pain.

The tomb of St. Kilian and his companions was discovered after about fifty years. Bishop Burkhard collected Kilian’s remains on July 8, 752, or, according to others, in 743, and had them transferred to the Church of Our Lady at Würzburg Castle. Later, perhaps in 788, they were transferred to the Würzburg Cathedral of St. Salvatore under the castle. This is said to be the place of their martyrdom. Charlemagne also participated in the transfer.

In the rebuilt church, the heads of his alleged co-martyrs are placed in a reliquary on the main altar with Kilian’s head. Kilian’s sarcophagus is located in the crypt there. Charles IV obtained two of Kilian’s shoulder bones for St. Vitus Cathedral.