Most days of the year have several, if not dozens, of saints who are all remembered on that day. The Church has a long history, and a long memory, and has treasured the saints since the beginning, so there are good odds that we have amazing stories of heroism and holiness to portray the Gospel for us each and every day.
December 22nd is no different, though we do not have many saints, and we do not have many details about them. Here’s what the martyrology recounts:
- At Rome, between the two bay trees on the Lavican road, the birthday of thirty holy martyrs, who were all on one day crowned with martyrdom, in the persecution of Diocletian.
- In the same city, St. Flavian, ex-prefect, who, under Julian the Apostate, was condemned to be branded for Christ, and banished to Aquae Taurinae, where he gave up his soul to God in prayer.
- At Ostia, the holy martyrs Demetrius, Honoratus and Florus.
- At Alexandria, the holy martyr Ischyrion. Because he despised all the cruelties they made him suffer to force him to sacrifice to idols, they transpierced his bowels with a sharp-pointed stake, and thus put him to death.
- In Egypt, the Saint Chaeremon, bishop of Nilopolis, and many other martyrs. Some of them fled whilst the persecution of Decius was raging, and wandering in different directions through deserts, were killed by wild beasts; others perished by famine, cold and sickness; others again were murdered by barbarians and robbers, and thus all were crowned with a glorious martyrdom.
- At Nicomedia, St. Zeno, soldier, who derided Diocletian for sacrificing to Ceres, wherefore he had his jawbones fractured, his teeth plucked out and his head struck off.
These are the sufferings borne by our predecessors in the faith. We know little more than where, and how, they were killed for the sake of Christ. But perhaps this puts our own lives in context. Two thousand years from now, God willing, people will be praying for our intercession on the day of our death. Our graves may have long since been forgotten, the ups and downs and victories and defeats of our lives will have vanished into history, but maybe billions of Christians will look up which of their predecessors in the faith died on that day, and your name or mine will be before them. Maybe they’ll just know the place, and century, and that you or I lived and died for Christ. Does anything else matter?
Secondly, I’d like to briefly connect this to these final days of Advent. On the last week before Christmas, the Church centers her Evening Prayer upon a set of antiphons drawn from all throughout the Old Testament, how Christ fulfills all the hopes and hungers of the world. On December 22nd that antiphon goes like this: “O King of the Gentiles, and the Desired of all nations; the Cornerstone who makest both one: Come and save man, whom Thou formedst from the dust of the earth.” If our world is divided, it is only because of sin, and only needs Christ to heal and make-whole. And the saints are a witness to us not only of persevering with Christ in the face of absolute violence and division, but also of the unity that He does bring. Look back at their names, and the cities where they died, these are individuals from all over the world, and from every possible level of society. Such is Christ’s Body in all ages, and such is the promise He offers us, and our world, as well.
– Fr. Dominic got off easy this week! The Church had already compiled the list, and essential details, for him. BUT, this gives more time for the Christmas article, so – trusting on the Holy Spirit there as well – get ready for something splendid.