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Today, 12 April, is the feast of ... Julius I, pope (352) Zeno, bishop of Verona (371): Seemed to be very concerned with "liturgical correctness": Inveighed against the abuses(?) of the *agape* and also against the practice of interrupting funeral masses by loud lamentations. Zeno also makes allusions to the practice of giving medals to the newly baptised. Sabas the Goth, martyr (372): A martyr only after much effort: FIRST TRY: When, at the outset of the persecution, magistrates ordered the Christians to eat meat sacrificed to idols, certain pagans, who had Christian relatives whom they wished to save, persuaded the officials to give Christians meat which had not been offered to idols. Sabas loudly denounced this ambiguous proceeding: not only did he himself refuse to eat, but he declared that those who consented to do so had betrayed the faith. This time he was not martyred by the magistrates but some Christians were so displeased with his behaviour that he was kicked out of town. But he soon returned... SECOND TRY: Another persecution broke out, and some of the principal inhabitants offered to swear that there were no Christians in town. As they were about to make the oath, Sabas presented himself and said: "I am a Christian!" Upon finding that Sabas was poor the officials of the persecution said: "Such a fellow can do us neither harm nor good." And they let him go. THIRD TRY: During another persecution a few years later, Sabas was tied to a rack and tortured. During the tortures' lunchbreak, a woman took pity on Sabas and untied him, but he refused to escape. He then insulted the leader of the soldiers who then ordered Sabas to be drowned. When some soldiers were leading Sabas to the river, they took pity on him and said that he was free to go. FOURTH TRY: Sabas, however, upbraided the soldiers for not carrying out their orders. The executioners then plunged him in to the river. THE END. Alferius and others, Abbots of La Cava (Eleventh - Thirteenth Centuries) Andrew of Montereale, Preacher (1480): Joined the Hermits of St Augustine at the age of fourteen. For fifty years he preached in Italy and in France. It is recorded of him that he never went to see any public show or spectacle, and that he never laughed. Angelo of Chivasso, Franciscan (1495): Educated at the University of Bologna in civil and canon law. Upon returning to his native Piedmont he was made a senator. As long as his mother was alive he did not join a religious order and immersed himself in his magisterial duties. But when his mother died he divided his possessions between his elder brother and the poor, and retired to a Franciscan friary at Genoa. Catherine of Genoa consulted him and Charles I, Duke of Savoy chose him to be his confessor. ******************* Dr Carolyn Muessig Department of Theology and Religious Studies University of Bristol Bristol BS8 1TB UK phone: +44(0)117-928-8168 fax: +44(0)117-929-7850 e-mail: [log in to unmask] %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%