 |
 |
Today, 20 May, is the feast of ... Thalelaeus, martyr (284) Basilla, or Basilissa, martyr (304) Baudelius, martyr (380): Little is known about Baudelius except that he was martyred in Nimes, hence he is the principal patron of Nimes. Austregisilus, or Outril, bishop of Bourges (624): When urged by King Guntramnus to marry, he said: "If I had a good wife I should be afraid of losing her; if I had a bad one, I should be better with none." Ethelbert, martyr (794) Bernardino of Siena, Franciscan (1444): Among preachers a mega-star. Bernardino made several preaching tours throughout the whole of Italy, with the exception of the Kingdom of Naples. He travelled always on foot and would sometimes preach non-stop for three or four hours. In large cities he had to speak from an open-air pulpit because no church could hold the multitudes who came to hear him. He preached penance and cultivated the devotion of the holy name. At the end of every sermon he would hold up a tablet inscribed with the letters I.H.S. surrounded by rays of light, and urge people to implore God's mercy and to live in peace. Columba of Rieti, Dominican tertiary (1501): At nineteen Columba received the Dominican tertiary habit and was actively involved in caring for the sick and needy of Rieti. She eventually moved to Perugia where her mediation was often sought by magistrates in times of danger and quarrel. Carolyn Muessig [log in to unmask] %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%