January 26 St. Paula of Rome

Patron Saint of Widows

St. Paula was a lovely woman, a Roman domestic goddess of the fourth century. The Martha Stewart of her time. Born into and married within the Roman aristocracy, she had five children, hosted numerous social functions, raised money for the poor and was a perfect politician’s wife. Unfortunately her husband died at a relatively young age and St. Paula was a widow at the age of 32. After making sure her children were settled, she began a new career as champion of the poor – both in Rome and Jerusalem. Eventually settling in Bethlehem, she established a church, hospital, monastery and convent. She is buried under the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.

January 20 St. Sebastian

Patron Saint of Acireale,Italy; against cattle disease; against enemies of religion; against plague; archers; armourers; arrowsmiths; athletes; Bacolod, Philippines diocese; bookbinders; Borgonuovo-Pontecchio, Italy; Bracciano, Italy; Caserta, Italy; Castel Gandolfo, Italy; Cropani,Italy; diseased cattle; dying people; fletchers; Gallipoli, Italy; gardeners; Grondona, Italy; gunsmiths; Huelva, Spain; Hünxe, Germany; hardware stores; ironmongers; La Seu d’Urgell, Spain; lace makers; lace workers; lead workers; stone masons; Palma, Spain; Mallorca, Spain; plague victims; police officers; Pontifical Swiss Guards; Qormi, Malta; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Rocca Priora Italy; Puerto Rico; Savigliano, Italy; Solarolo, Italy; soldiers; stonecutters; Tarlac, Philippines diocese.

That is quite the list. There is a reason. St. Sebastian lived during the rule of the Roman Emperor Diocletian in the late 200s. This was one of those times where thousands were murdered for being Christian. Long lists of martyrs and gruesome deaths. But St. Sebastian was no ordinary Joe Schmoe. He was from a wealthy family, good looking, the Roman ideal. A soldier who was making his way up through the ranks. A golden boy. He had been noticed by Diocletian himself. When he converted to Christianity, he kept his job, and upward mobility, but in his spare time he took food and creature comforts to those Christians imprisoned in Rome. Given the paranoia and fear in the upper levels of the government and military during this period, it was only a matter of time before he was discovered. Diocletian had him tied to a tree and shot him with arrows. He was left to die. But he didn’t die. He survived. After a lengthy recovery, he decided to go to Diocletian to discuss his new-found religion. The Emperor couldn’t believe his good fortune that one of his failed murder attempts walked into his office unarmed. He promptly had St. Sebastian beaten to death.

Fast forward a few short years. There is a new emperor,the great Constantine the First. Christianity is now in style. Where to find an ideal Roman example when Romans have been taught to fear and hate Christians? Why the Golden Boy, the perfect example of the ideal Roman, Sebastian! The PR campaign soon had everyone clamoring to claim Sebastian as their own. From towns to careers to diseased cows – they all wanted a piece of him. Constantine was no dummy. He knew a great ad campaign for his new religion. Sebastian once again became the golden boy of an emperor.

Some of the patronages make sense – arrows, armourers, dying people, fletchers (ok, had to look that one up. They are arrow makers). All part of his life story. There is a reason for the plague. People suffering from the Black Plague often compared it to being shot with arrows. But hardware stores?

January 1 – Saint Telemachus

“One Person Can Make A Difference”

BOOK V CHAPTER XXVI: Of Honorius the Emperor and Telemachus the monk.

“Honorius, who inherited the empire of Europe, put a stop to the gladiatorial combats which had long been held at Rome. The occasion of his doing so arose from the following circumstance. A certain man of the name of Telemachus had embraced the ascetic life. He had set out from the East and for this reason had repaired to Rome. There, when the abominable spectacle was being exhibited, he went himself into the stadium, and, stepping down into the arena, endeavoured to stop the men who were wielding their weapons against one another. The spectators of the slaughter were indignant. and inspired by the triad fury of the demon who delights in those bloody deeds, stoned the peacemaker to death.

When the admirable emperor was informed of this he numbered Telemachus in the array of victorious martyrs, and put an end to that impious spectacle.”

I am forever reminding my boys that their individual actions can make difference in the world; how they, as individuals, can change history. I will not, ever, while I breathe and am capable of smacking them across the back of the head, encourage them to step into the middle of a gladiator ring and ask the combatants to politely stop fighting. And stand by passively while being stone to death. Not going to happen. If that makes me a bad Christian mother, so be it. I will go to confession and say endless Hail Mary’s, but I will never teach my boys about St. Telemachus.