#Ss. Perpetua and Felicitas

[loveantoniolove-blog]

➡️🌺🙏Giovedì 7 Marzo 2024

Ss. Perpetua e Felicita; S. Gaudioso; S. Teresa M. Redi

3.a di Quaresima

Ger 7,23-28; Sal 94; Lc 11,14-23

Ascoltate oggi la voce del Signore: non indurite il vostro cuore

👉🕍📖❤️VANGELO

Chi non è con me, è contro di me.

+ Dal Vangelo secondo Luca 11,14-23

In quel tempo, Gesù stava scacciando un demonio che era muto. Uscito il demonio, il muto cominciò a parlare e le folle furono prese da stupore. Ma alcuni dissero: «È per mezzo di Beelzebùl, capo dei demòni, che egli scaccia i demòni». Altri poi, per metterlo alla prova, gli domandavano un segno dal cielo. Egli, conoscendo le loro intenzioni, disse: «Ogni regno diviso in se stesso va in rovina e una casa cade sull’altra. Ora, se anche satana è diviso in se stesso, come potrà stare in piedi il suo regno? Voi dite che io scaccio i demòni per mezzo di Beelzebùl. Ma se io scaccio i demòni per mezzo di Beelzebùl, i vostri figli per mezzo di chi li scacciano? Per questo saranno loro i vostri giudici. Se invece io scaccio i demòni con il dito di Dio, allora è giunto a voi il regno di Dio. Quando un uomo forte, bene armato, fa la guardia al suo palazzo, ciò che possiede è al sicuro. Ma se arriva uno più forte di lui e lo vince, gli strappa via le armi nelle quali confidava e ne spartisce il bottino. Chi non è con me è contro di me, e chi non raccoglie con me, disperde».

Parola del Signore.❤️🙏

[purplestudentcopshark]

➡️Domenica 7 Marzo 2021

Ss Perpetua e Felicita; S. Gaudioso

3.a di Quaresima – Anno B

Signore, tu hai parole di vita eterna

Es 20,1-17; Sal 18; 1Cor 1,22-25; Gv 2,13-25

👉⛪️📖⚓️VANGELO

Distruggete questo tempio e in tre giorni lo farò risorgere.

+ Dal Vangelo secondo Giovanni 2,13-25

Si avvicinava la Pasqua dei Giudei e Gesù salì a Gerusalemme. Trovò nel tempio gente che vendeva buoi, pecore e colombe e, là seduti, i cambiamonete. Allora fece una frusta di cordicelle e scacciò tutti fuori dal tempio, con le pecore e i buoi; gettò a terra il denaro dei cambiamonete e ne rovesciò i banchi, e ai venditori di colombe disse: «Portate via di qui queste cose e non fate della casa del Padre mio un mercato!». I suoi discepoli si ricordarono che sta scritto: Lo zelo per la tua casa mi divorerà. Allora i Giudei presero la parola e gli dissero: «Quale segno ci mostri per fare queste cose?». Rispose loro Gesù: «Distruggete questo tempio e in tre giorni lo farò risorgere». Gli dissero allora i Giudei: «Questo tempio è stato costruito in quarantasei anni e tu in tre giorni lo farai risorgere?». Ma egli parlava del tempio del suo corpo. Quando poi fu risuscitato dai morti, i suoi discepoli si ricordarono che aveva detto questo, e credettero alla Scrittura e alla parola detta da Gesù.

Parola del Signore.🌺🙏

[pamphletstoinspire]

An Explanation of the Gospel Reading For The Second Sunday After Easter - (Latin Calendar) - By An Early Father of The Church - Story 1

Downloadable pamphlet below:

https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/a84285_1d5ea45314277cd47127f87a28e61dda.pdf

S e r m o n on The Lamb in Early Christian Symbolism

***

One of the few Christian symbols dating from the first century is that of the Good Shepherd carrying on His shoulders a lamb or a sheep, with two other sheep at his side. Between the first and the fourth century eighty-eight frescoes of this type were depicted in the Roman catacombs.

The signification which may be attached to this symbol, according to Wilpert's interpretation, is as follows. The lamb or sheep on the shoulders of the Good Shepherd is a symbol of the soul of the deceased being borne by Our Lord into heaven; whereas the two sheep accompanying the Shepherd represent the saints already en-joying eternal bliss.

This interpretation is in harmony with an ancient liturgical prayer for the dead of the following tenor: "We pray God . . . to be merciful to him in judgment, having redeemed him by His death, freed him from sin, and reconciled him with the Father. May He be to him the Good Shepherd and carry him on His shoulders [to the fold] May He receive him in the following of the King, and grant him to participate in eternal joy in the Society of the saints" (Muratori, "Lit. Rom. Vet.", I, 751). In catacomb frescoes this petition is represented as already granted; the deceased is in the company of the saints.

Another cycle of catacomb paintings (not numerous) represents a lamb, or a sheep, with a milk-pail either on its back or suspended from a pastoral staff. A unique fresco of this order shows a shepherd milking a sheep, while still another shows milk-pail on an altar between two sheep. The frescoes of this type (of the sheep and milk-pail) were, until recently, generally regarded as symbols of the Eucharist, but Mgr. Wilpert dissents from the received opinion, and regards all frescoes in which allusions to milk occur as symbolic of the joys of Heaven. Both the earlier and the later interpretations depend on a well-known text of the Acts of SS. Perpetua and Felicitas.

While in prison awaiting martyrdom, St. Perpetua tells us she beheld in a vision an immense garden, and in the center thereof the tall and venerable figure of an old man in the dress of a shepherd, milking a sheep. Raising his head, he looked at me and said, 'Welcome, my daughter.' And he called me to him and he gave me of the milk. I received it with joined hands and partook of it. And all those standing around cried ' Amen'. And at the sound of the voice I awoke, tasting an in-describable sweetness in my mouth." The community of ideas between this description and the catacomb frescoes of the sheep and milk-pail is so apparent that, at first view, the current interpretations of this class of representations would seem to be obviously accurate.

Wilpert, however, calls attention to the fact that the things described in the vision of St. Perpetua took place not on earth, but in heaven, where the Eucharist is no longer received . Hence he regards the frescoes of the milk-pail class as symbolic of the joys which the soul of the deceased possess in paradise The lamb, or sheep, symbol, then, of the first class described, has, in all catacomb paintings and on sarcophagi of the fourth century, always a meaning associated with the condition of the deceased after death. But in the new era ushered in by Constantine the Great the lamb appears in the art of the basilicas with an entirely new signification. The general scheme of apsidal mosaic decoration in the basilicas that everywhere sprang into existence after the conversion of Constantine, conformed in the main to that described by St. Paulinus as existing in the Basilica of St. Felix at Nola. "The Trinity gleams in its full mystery", the saint tells us. "Christ is represented in the form of a lamb; the voice of the Father thunders from heaven; and through the dove the Holy Spirit is poured out. The Cross is en-compassed by a circle of light as by a crown.

The crown of this crown are the apostles themselves, who are represented by a choir of doves. The Divine unity of the Trinity is summarized in Christ. The Trinity has at the same time Its own emblems; God is represented by the paternal voice, and by the Spirit; the Cross and the Lamb denote the Holy Victim. The purple background and the palms indicate royalty and triumph. Upon the rock he stands Who is the Rock of the Church, from which flow the four murmuring springs, the Evangelists, living rivers of Christ" (St. Paulinus, "Ep. xxxii, ad Severum", sect. 10, P.L. LXI, 336).

The Divine Lamb was usually represented in apsidal mosaics standing on the mystic mount whence flow the four streams of Paradise symbolizing the Evangelists; twelve sheep six on either side, were further represented, coming from the cities of Jerusalem and Bethlehem (indicated by small houses at the extremities of the scenes) and proceeding towards the lamb.

The lower zone, no longer in existence, of the famous fourth-century mosaic in the church of St. Pudenziana, Rome, originally represented the lamb on the mountain and probably also the twelve sheep; the existing sixth-century apse mosaic of SS. Cosmas and Damian at Rome gives a good idea of the manner in which this subject was represented.

According to the "Liber Pontificalis", Constantine the Great presented to the Lateran baptistery, which he founded, a golden statue of a lamb pouring water which was placed between two silver statues of Christ and St. John the Baptist; the Baptist is represented holding a scroll inscribed with the words: "Ecce Agnus Dei, ecce qui tollit peccata mundi." From the fifth century the head of the lamb began to be encircled by the nimbus. Several monuments also show the lamb with its head surmounted by various forms of the Cross; one monument discovered by de Vogüé in Central Syria shows the lamb with the Cross on its back.

The next step in the development of this idea of associating the Cross with the lamb was depicted in a sixth-century mosaic of the Vatican Basilica which represented the lamb standing on a throne, at the foot of a Cross studded with gems. From the pierced side of this lamb, blood flowed into a chalice whence again it issued in five streams, thus recalling Christ's five wounds.

Finally, another sixth-century monument, now forming part of the ciborium of St. Mark's, Venice, presents a crucifixion scene with the two thieves nailed to the cross, while Christ is represented as a lamb, standing erect at the junction of the crossbeams. One of the most interesting monument showing the Divine Lamb in various characters is the sarcophagus of Junius Bassus (d. 358). In four of the spandrels between the niches of raising Lazarus, by means of a rod, from the tomb; being baptized by another lamb, with dove dominating the scene; multiplying loaves, in two baskets, by the touch of a rod; joining three other lambs.

Two other scenes show a lamb receiving the Tables of the Law on Mount Sinai and striking a rock whence issues a stream of water. Thus in this series, the lamb is a symbol, not only of Christ, but also of Moses, the Baptist, and the Three Children in the fiery furnace. The fresco the cemetery of Praetextatus, showing Susanna as a lamb between two wolves (the elders), is another example of the lamb as symbol of one of the ordinary faithful.

#second sunday after easter #i am the good shepherd

[troybeecham]

St. Perpetua and companions, martyrs of Carthage.

Today, the Church remembers St. Perpetua and companions, martyrs of Carthage.

Orate pro nobis.

Perpetua and Felicity (believed to have died in 203 AD) were Christian martyrs of the 3rd century AD. Vibia Perpetua was a married noblewoman, said to have been 22 years old at the time of her death, and mother of an infant she was nursing. Felicity, a slave imprisoned with her and pregnant at the time, was martyred with her. They were put to death along with others at Carthage in the Roman province of Africa.

According to the passion narrative, a slave named Revocatus, his fellow slave Felicitas, the two free men Saturninus and Secundulus, and Perpetua, who were catechumens, that is, Christians being instructed in the faith but not yet baptized, were arrested and executed at the military games in celebration of the Emperor Septimius Severus's birthday. To this group was added a man named Saturus, who voluntarily went before the magistrate and proclaimed himself a Christian.

The traditional view has been that Perpetua, Felicity and the others were martyred owing to a decree of Roman emperor Septimius Severus (193–211 AD). Eusebius' description of Severus as a persecutor likely derives merely from the fact that numerous persecutions occurred during his reign, including those known in the Roman martyrology as the martyrs of Madaura as well as Perpetua and Felicity in the Roman province of Africa, but these were probably as the result of local persecutions rather than empire wide actions or decrees by Severus.

The details of the martyrdoms survive in both Latin and Greek texts. Perpetua's account of events leading to their deaths, apparently historical, is written in the first person. A brief introduction by the editor is followed by the narrative and visions of Perpetua, and the vision of Saturus. The account of their deaths, written by the editor who claims to be an eyewitness, is included at the end.

Perpetua's account opens with conflict between her and her father, who wishes her to recant her belief Perpetua refuses, and is soon baptized before being moved to prison. After the guards are bribed, she is allowed to move to a better portion of the prison, where she nurses her child and gives its charge to her mother and brother, and the child is able to stay in prison with her for the time being.

At the encouragement of her brother, Perpetua asks for and receives a vision, in which she climbs a dangerous ladder to which various weapons are attached. At the foot of a ladder is a serpent, which is faced first by Saturus and later by Perpetua. The serpent does not harm her, and she ascends to a garden. At the conclusion of her dream, Perpetua realizes that the martyrs will suffer.

Perpetua's father visits her in prison and pleads with her, but Perpetua remains steadfast in her faith. She is brought to a hearing before the governor Hilarianus and the martyrs confess their Christian faith. In a second vision, Perpetua sees her brother Dinocrates, who had died unbaptized from cancer at the early age of seven. She prayed for him and later had a vision of him happy and healthy, his facial disfigurement reduced to a scar. Perpetua's father again visits the prison, and Pudens (the warden) shows the martyrs' honor. The day before her martyrdom, Perpetua envisions herself defeating a savage Egyptian gladiator and interprets this to mean that she would have to do battle not merely with wild beasts but with the Devil himself.

Saturus, who is also said to have recorded his own vision, sees himself and Perpetua transported eastward by four angels to a beautiful garden, where they meet Jocundus, Saturninus, Hinda, Artaius, and Dennis Quinntus, four other Christians who are burnt alive during the same persecution. He also sees Bishop Optatus of Carthage and the priest Aspasius, who beseech the martyrs to reconcile the conflicts between them. As the editor resumes the story, Secundulus is said to have died in prison. The slave Felicitas gives birth to a daughter despite her initial concern that she would not be permitted to suffer martyrdom with the others, since the law forbade the execution of pregnant women.

On the day of the games, the martyrs are led into the amphitheatre. At the demand of the crowd they were first scourged before a line of gladiators; then a boar, a bear, and a leopard were set on the men, and a wild cow on the women. Wounded by the wild animals, they gave each other the kiss of peace and were then put to the sword. The text describes Perpetua's death as follows; "But Perpetua, that she might have some taste of pain, was pierced between the bones and shrieked out; and when the swordsman's hand wandered still (for he was a novice), herself set it upon her own neck. Perchance so great a woman could not else have been slain (being feared of the unclean spirit) had she not herself so willed it". The text ends as the editor extols the acts of the martyrs.

Scholars generally believe that the Passio SS Perpetuae et Felicitatis narrative was in fact, written by Perpetua. If this is true, the text is important because Perpetua is one of the first Christian female writers before the fourth century whose works have survived. The personal account of a female martyr is also rare, as the stories of other female martyrs were recorded collectively. Perpetua's style is described as "emotional", "personal", "fragmented" and "colloquial", which is fitting with the circumstances under which she would have been writing.

In the Passion, Christian faith motivates the martyrs to reject family loyalties and acknowledge a higher authority. In the text, Perpetua's relationship with her father is the most prominently featured of all her familial ties, and she directly interacts with him four times. Perpetua herself may have deemed this relationship to be her most important, given what is known about its importance within Roman society. Fathers expected that their daughters would care for them, honor them, and enhance their family reputation through marriage. In becoming a martyr, Perpetua failed to conform to society's expectations. Perpetua and Felicity also defer their roles as mothers to remain loyal to Christ, leaving behind young children at the time of their death.

Although the narrator does describe Perpetua as "honorably married", no husband appears in the text. Perpetua belonged to an aristocratic family with Roman citizenship, as indicated by her name Vibia Perpetua. Perpetua's execution alongside slaves demonstrated Christianity's ability to transcend social distinctions, in contrast to the inequality that pervaded Roman religion and society. As Perpetua and Felicity were equal in martyrdom despite differences in class, they made the dramatic statement that Christianity transcended social structure.

O God the King of saints, you strengthened your servants Perpetua and Felicitas and their companions to make a good confession, staunchly resisting, for the cause of Christ, the claims of human affection, and encouraging one another in their time of trial: Grant that we who cherish their blessed memory may share their pure and steadfast faith, and win with them the palm of victory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

#father troy beecham #troy beecham episcopal #christianity #saints #father troy beecham episcopal #martyrs

[stiri-noi]

SARBATORI RELIGIOASE - 7 martie

#internationale

[tradcathsermons]

Tweeted

SS. Perpetua and Felicitas "In her diary, St. Perpetua described her day in prison: I was in great fear, because I had never known such darkness. What a day of horror! Rough handling by the soldiers! To crown all I was tormented by anxiety for my baby."https://t.co/sI0QA5bcpA pic.twitter.com/O7xvAYzyjB

— Memento Mori (@TempusFugit4016) March 5, 2020

#SedeVacante

[loveantoniolove-blog]

➡️🌺🙏Martedì 7 Marzo 2023

Ss. Perpetua e Felicita; S. Gaudioso; S. Teresa M. Redi

2.a di Quaresima

Is 1,10.16-20; Sal 49; Mt 23,1-12

A chi cammina per la retta via mostrerò la salvezza di Dio

👉🕍📖❤️VANGELO

Dicono e non fanno.

+ Dal Vangelo secondo Matteo 23,1-12

In quel tempo, Gesù si rivolse alla folla e ai suoi discepoli dicendo: «Sulla cattedra di Mosè si sono seduti gli scribi e i farisei. Praticate e osservate tutto ciò che vi dicono, ma non agite secondo le loro opere, perché essi dicono e non fanno. Legano infatti fardelli pesanti e difficili da portare e li pongono sulle spalle della gente, ma essi non vogliono muoverli neppure con un dito. Tutte le loro opere le fanno per essere ammirati dalla gente: allargano i loro filattèri e allungano le frange; si compiacciono dei posti d’onore nei banchetti, dei primi seggi nelle sinagoghe, dei saluti nelle piazze, come anche di essere chiamati “rabbì” dalla gente. Ma voi non fatevi chiamare “rabbì”, perché uno solo è il vostro Maestro e voi siete tutti fratelli. E non chiamate “padre” nessuno di voi sulla terra, perché uno solo è il Padre vostro, quello celeste. E non fatevi chiamare “guide”, perché uno solo è la vostra Guida, il Cristo. Chi tra voi è più grande, sarà vostro servo; chi invece si esalterà, sarà umiliato e chi si umilierà sarà esaltato».

Parola del Signore.❤️🙏

[stiri-noi]

SARBATORI RELIGIOASE - 7 martie

#justitie

[stiri-noi]

SARBATORI RELIGIOASE - 7 martie

#interne