The Martyrology - 17th December

Upon the 17th day of December, were born into the better life:

At Eleutheropolis, in Palestine, the holy martyrs Florian, Calanicus, and fifty-eight others, their Companions, who were slain by the Saracens for Christ's faith's sake in the time of the Emperor Heraclius.

At Marseilles, in Gaul, blessed Lazarus, (called first) Bishop (of that city,) of whom it is written in the Gospel that the Lord raised him from the dead.

At Rome, holy John de la Matha, founder of the Order of the most Holy Trinity for the redemption of captives. (He died in the year 1213.) His feast is kept upon the 8th day of February by order of Innocent XI.

In the monastery of Fulda, (in the year 779,) the holy Abbot Sturmius, (of the Order of St Benedict, and first Abbot of Fulda,) Apostle of Saxony, whose name Innocent II enrolled with those of the saints at the second Council of Lateran.

At Groot-Bijgaarden, near Brussels, in the Brabant, (in the year 1168,) the holy Virgin Wivina, whose eminent holiness is oftentimes attested by miracles. (Foundress of the Abbey of Bijgaarden, in the Archdiocese of Mechelen, of the Order of St. Benedict.)

At Constantinople, the holy widow Olympias, (about the year 410; born about 368.)

In the Ardennes, the blessed Widow Begga, sister of holy Gertrude. (She married Ansegise, son of St. Arnoult, Bishop of Metz. She was born about 368, became a widow in 386, and died about 410.)

Upon the same day is commemorated the translation of the body of the holy martyr Ignatius, Patriarch of Antioch, who was the third to govern that church after the blessed Apostle Peter he suffered at Rome under Trajan, but his body was brought thence to Antioch and laid in the cemetery of the church outside the gate which leadeth unto Daphne, upon the anniversary of the which ceremony holy John Chrysostom preached unto the people. In after-times the body was again brought back to Rome, where it is buried, and highly honoured in the church of St. Clement along with the body of that most blessed Pope and martyr.

And elsewhere many other Holy Martyrs, Confessors and Holy virgins.

R. Thanks be to God

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