In Christian belief, a saint is a holy person who lived by Jesus Christ’s teachings. As Christians, we recognize their contributions to the faith, and seek their intercession and guidance in our daily life.
On special holidays, Christians remember and celebrate the lives of these holy individuals. They attend Mass, participate in prayer services and processions, and read inspiring stories of the saints. This serves as a time to reflect on the virtues and values these saints embodied, such as love, compassion, humility, and selflessness.
Honoring Christian Saints reminds us Christians to live a life of faith and service to others. The lives of these holy individuals inspire all Christians to lead lives of holiness and devotion to God. As they continue to inspire and guide us in our spiritual journeys, we may also truly understand that the true essence of these celebrations is to honor our God and follow Jesus Christ’s teachings.
Saint Thomas Aquinas is most well-known as a theologian with two specific masterpieces, the Summa Contra Gentiles and the Summa Theologiae. He was also well known as a poet, penning several eucharistic hymns. Considered the greatest of the Scholastic philosophers, Thomas’ writings provided a comprehensive synthesis of Christian theology and Aristotelian philosophy.
The Saint Andrew Christmas Novena Prayer. This is a beautiful prayer about the birth of Christ that can serve as a meditation for Advent. The Saint Andrew Christmas Novena Prayer is customarily prayed up to fifteen times daily from November 30th until Christmas Day.
Lutherans and Roman Catholics celebrated the feast days of St. Philip and St. James the Apostles on May 1st and 3rd. Both church bodies agree on the importance of these Apostles. Philip was called by Jesus in Bethsaida and brought Nathanael to Christ, while St. James is traditionally believed to have been martyred. Ecclesiastical Sewing has introduced “The Apostle Collection” of church vestments, emphasizing these important figures in Christian history.
Today we give thanks for the life of Saint Damasus I. He was Bishop of Rome from 366 A.D. to 384 A.D. During this period, Christianity was declared the official religion, Latin became the official language of the Church (as opposed to Greek), & Saint Damasus encouraged Jerome to translate the Bible into Latin.
St. Anselm, born around 1033 A.D. in northern Italy, later part of the Kingdom of Burgundy, journeyed to Normandy in 1059. Influenced by Lafranc of Pavia, Anselm became the Abbot of Bec in 1078 and transformed it into a center of learning. A skilled administrator, he later succeeded Lafranc as the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1093. Anselm’s contributions extended to philosophy and theology, making him a notable figure in medieval history.
St. Urho’s Day, celebrated on March 16th, the day before the better-known feast of some minor saint from Ireland, who was alleged to have driven the snakes from the island.
Born as Aurelius Ambrosius in 334 A.D., the man we know as St. Ambrose grew up in Gaul where his father held a high post as prefecture. It is said that a swarm of bees visited the infant Ambrose, landing upon his eyes and lips. This tradition claims to be the source of Ambrose’s ability later in life to speak in honeyed, caring words. So, the beehive has become the symbol most frequently associated with St. Ambrose because it is a symbol of eloquence. The symbol for St. Ambrose relate to the ex-communication of Emperor Theodosius for his massacre of the people of Thessalonica.
Each renowned saint has his or her own symbol in ecclesiastical sewing. A church that is named after a blessed saint can place that saint’s symbol on a piece of ecclesiastical vestment. All Saints Day, is the celebration of all of the Christian saints. During the mass persecutions, saints were martyred and there was no way to keep track of them all and mark each day as their own saint’s day. And so All Saints Day is the day we remember them. We decorate our churches in white, which reminds the feasting eyes of the congregation of the triumph of the saints, washed of their sins and made as white as snow by the all-availing sacrifice of Christ Our Saviour.
Saint Jerome, a revered church father born around 342 A.D. in northern Italy. Raised in a Christian family, he renounced worldly pursuits, journeyed to Rome, and was baptized by Pope Liberius. Jerome immersed himself in studying Biblical languages and Scriptures. After traveling, he settled in Bethlehem, devoting his life to Biblical scholarship and translation. Saint Jerome passed away on September 30, 420 A.D.
St. Hubert (656–727 A.D.), Bishop of Liege and patron of hunters, hailed from the Dukedom of Aquitaine. Once a grand master, he turned to hunting and soldiering. On a Good Friday hunt, a stag, bearing a cross, urged him to repent. His wife’s death led him to forsake worldly possessions, becoming a priest in Stavelot, Belgium. Following Lambert’s assassination, Hubert, sent by the Pope, became Bishop. He lived a virtuous life and died as a confessor, confessing the faith, though not a martyr.
. September 13th is the feast day for St. John Chrysostom–born circa 349 A.D., although many dates between 344 A.D. and 354 A.D. have been argued for by various scholars. This man is one of the pillars of the faith, a church father. His early education influenced his ability to lead the Church and give her many gifts in the form of sermons and liturgy.
The Chasuble Percy Dearmer The Chasuble Percy Dearmer: Did you ever look at a poncho and think that it reminded you of something familiar? We know that the poncho,… Read more The Chasuble Percy Dearmer →
Embroidery is a perfect medium for use on banners, a true labor of love, provided there are skilled embroiderers available for the work required. But sadly, there were times when this level of devotion may not have been possible for a banner. When embroidery was not an option, banners were sometimes hand-painted like these Banners located at the Ursuline Center.
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