XV Week after Pentecost

XXIII Week Tempus per Annum (“Ordinary Time”)

9.7 - MONDAY

· “At Nicomedia, the birthday of blessed John, Martyr, who, being enkindled with zeal for the faith, on seeing the cruel edicts against Christians hanging in the Forum, tore them down with his own hands and scattered them in fragments. When this was related to the Emperors Diocletian and Maximian, who were dwelling in that city, they commanded that all kinds of punishments should be inflicted on him; but this noble man endured them with such eagerness of face and mind that he seemed not even to be saddened by them” (Roman Martyrology).

· “At Alise-Sainte-Reine in the district of Autun, St Regina, Virgin and Martyr; under Olybrius the proconsul she endured torments by imprisonment, the rack, and burning torches, and at last, being condemned to death, she passed to the Bridegroom” (Roman Martyrology).

· Josyf Slipyi (17 February 1892 – 7 September 1984), Major Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and a cardinal of the Catholic Church, Confessor under the Nazis and Soviets. Robert Royal, The Catholic Martyrs of the Twentieth Century, 79-80.

9.8 TUESDAY – Birthday of the Theotokos (4:22)

9.9 - WEDNESDAY (5:31)

· “At Cartagena in South America, St Peter Claver, Priest of the Society of Jesus and Confessor (‘birthday’ September 8). He devoted himself for more than forty years to a life of wonderful self-denial and love for the Negroes who had been enslaved, and with his own hands he baptized almost 300,000 of them. Pope Leo XIII added him to the list of the saints, and then declared him to be the special patron in heaven of the Missions to the Negro races” (Roman Martyrology).

· (Byzantine) – Synaxis of Ss. Joachim & Anna

9.10 - THURSDAY (7:22)

· St. Nicholas of Tolentino, patron of mariners

· “At Constantinople, St Pulcheria, Virgin, Empress, famous for religion and piety” (Roman Martyrology).

· 205 Martyrs of Japan (September 10, 1622 – the Great Genna Martyrdom)

One of several large groups of Japanese martyrs martyred by crucifixion, burning at the stake, beheading, and other tortures.

55 Christians executed on this day

Part of a greater number of 205 beatified by Pius IX in 1867.

After this the Church of Japan went underground and preserved the faith without priests for more than 200 years from 1638-1873.

9.11 - FRIDAY (13:08)

· “At Alexandria, St Theodora, who through want of caution fell into sin but, repenting of her deed, persevered in the religious habit, unknown, practising wondrous abstinence and patience, until her death” (Roman Martyrology).

· Siege of Vienna (victory the next day)

9.12 - SATURDAY (13:08)

· “The Feast of the Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which Pope Innocent XI commanded should be celebrated by reason of the famous victory obtained over the Turks at Vienna in Austria by the help of the Blessed Virgin” (Roman Martyrology).

· (Byzantine) Saturday Before the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

9.13 – SUNDAY - Grandparents’ Day (coincides with Birth of the Theotokos in USA, or the same in July according to Pope Francis’s 4th Sunday in July) (17:08)

· St. John Chrysostom (new) – “birthday” September 14