Aeshna Lacrymosa

Happy Feast Day

Saint Zachariah and Saint Elizabeth

Parents of St. John the Baptist

Feast Day: September 23 (new), November 5 (trad)

Saint Zachariah, a temple priest and his wife St. Elizabeth are the parents of St. John the Baptist. Elizabeth was thought to be barren and when Zachariah was in the temple offering sacrifice to God, an angel appeared to him informing him that she would bear a son in her old age. Because he didn’t believe this, he was struck mute. After Elizabeth bore St John, he was asked what his son’s name would be and he wrote “His name is John” and his voice came back and he praised God with his canticle.

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase. (website)

Happy Feast Day

40 Martyrs of England and Wales

They are a group of Catholic, lay & religious, men & women, executed between 1535 &1679 for treason & related offenses under various Anti-Catholic laws.

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase. (website)

For Tragedy, I was going to draw Bruno as either Tybalt or Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, but then, I thought it would be nice to share my fic here.

From my Isabela-centric fic "Something Pretty, Something True," Bruno and Camilo produce a zarzuela about San Ignacio de Antioquia (Saint Ignatius of Antioch), whose feast day is the same day as the triplets' birthday, so I made him the dedicated saint of their parish.

Born in Roman Syria, San Ignacio was bishop of Antioch. He coined the term "catholic", meaning "universal." He was mauled to death by lions in the Colosseum.

Happy Feast Day

Saint Denis

Died around 270

Feast Day: October 9

Patronage; France, against headaches, frenzy and possessed people.

Saint Denis, bishop, and martyr, is the patron of France and one of the 14 Holy Helpers. He was beheaded together with his two deacons in connection with the Decian persecution of Christians. After his head was chopped off, Denis is said to have picked it up and walked six miles, preaching a sermon the entire way.

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase. (website)

Saints lore blowing my mind 🤯

Did you know St. Dominic and St. Francis met one day and they became homies?

And it's really cool that even the two orders visit each of their founder's feast day, representing the union of their friendship even years after their passing.

Saint Bruno of Cologne

1030-1101

Feast Day: October 6

Patronage: Germany, Carthusians, Calabria, monastic fraternities, trademarks, help for possessed people

Saint Bruno founded the Carthusians, (by retiring to a hermitage with 6 companions in 1084). They are noted for their strict tradition and the austere rule of St. Benedict’s contemplative life. He was born to a prominent family, taught for 25 years in Reims, was appointed archdiocese Chancellor at 45, and supported Pope Gregory VII and Pope Urban II in the fight against decadent clergy, even helping remove his own scandalous archbishop. He died giving a profession of faith to the Catholic Church’s Sacraments, especially the True Presence.

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase. (website)

Welcoming Hildegard in Heaven

Some of my favorite stories about St. Hildegard von Bingen are about the friendships she had. First was Jutta von Sponheim (left), who taught Hildegard to read and write and probably to sing and play music too. When she passed away, Hildegard succeeded her as abbess of Disibodenberg. Second was monk Volmar (second from left), who encouraged Hildegard in her moments of doubt; his death was especially heartbreaking for Hildegard. Like Jutta and Hildegard, Richardis von Stade (right) was from a noble family and stayed in Disibodenberg and later Rupertsberg under Hildegard. Against Hildegard's wishes, Richardis became an abbess in a separate abbey. Her unexpected death shortly after leaving Rupertsberg broke Hildegard's heart. I could just imagine how happy their reunion in Heaven must have been in September 17, 1179.

Saint Hildegard von Bingen with Volmar and Richardis, inspired by a portrait from Scivias #catholic #benedictine #saint #hildegardvonbingen https://www.instagram.com/p/CglR2URJ6Ui/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

I edited the pic to make the flames more flame-like

Inspired from this image:

St Hildegard von Bingen

oil on carved wood, 2019

9″ x 27″ x .75″ Alex Naszados

Because September 17th is the feast day of Saint Hildegard von Bingen, let me share a "snapshot" of a scene I wrote in Chapter 8 of "La Bruja del Encanto" in which Bruno prays to then Blessed Hildegard.

I headcanon that Bruno prays to her for creativity and comfort. She was a prolific writer and musician as well as a visionary who experienced debilitating migraines.

Artworks of Hildegard’s visions borrowed from the saint's illuminated manuscripts:

Saint John Eudes 1601-1680 Feast day: August 19 Patronage: fallen women and prostitutes, Diocese of Quebec and Baie-Comeau

Saint John Eudes was born in Normandy, France to a farming family. He was ordained a priest in 1625 and was an eloquent preacher and confessor. Seeing a need to improve seminarian formation, he founded the Congregation of Jesus and Mary (the Eudist). Also realizing that Christian care for prostitutes was lacking, he founded the Sisters of Charity of the Refuge. Both he and St. Mary Margaret Alacoque spread devotion to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. He authored the Mass of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary before he died.

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase here: (website)

Saint Maximilian Kolbe

1894 - 1941

Feast day: August 14

Patronage: drug addicts, families, imprisoned people, journalists, pro-life movement

St. Maximilian Kolbe was a Polish Conventual Franciscan friar, who volunteered to die in place of a stranger in the Nazi German death camp of Auschwitz, located in German-occupied Poland during World War II. Due to his efforts to promote consecration and entrustment to Mary, he is also known as the Apostle of Consecration to Mary.

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase here: (website)

Saint Christina the Astonishing

1150-1224

Feast Day: July 24

Patronage: Those who suffer from mental disorders, health care workers for the mentally ill, Millers

Saint Christina the Astonishing was orphaned as a teenager and became a shepherdess. She died when she had a massive seizure and during her funeral, Christina rose and levitated to the roof of the church. Jesus gave her a choice to go to heaven or do penance for those in purgatory. She voluntarily consented to do extreme penances, that were witnessed by many including Cardinal Jacque de Vitry. She entered a Dominican monastery where she died at 74 of natural cause.

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase here: (website)

Happy Feast Day

Saint Mark Ji Tianxiang 1834-1900 Feast Day: July 9

Patronage: Drug addicts

Saint Mark Ji Tianxiang, “the Trier" was a Chinese lay Catholic, doctor and drug addict. He became addicted to opium because of a stomach ailment and suffered for 30 years with the addiction. He went to confession regularly to confess his drug use, but because of the priest’s misunderstanding of addiction he would not give Ji absolution because he believed there was no firm purpose of amendment. Although being denied the Sacraments Ji continued going to Mass and stayed steadfast in his faith for 30 years praying to die a martyr. During the Boxer Rebellion (anti-foreign, Christian persecution) he and his family were martyred. He encouraged all in prison to keep the faith throughout their ordeal and sang the litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary as he was about to be beheaded.

Saint Augustine Zhao Rong  Died 1815 Fest Day: July 9

Martyrs of China

From 1648-1930, Chinese children, parents, catechists, and laborers were martyred. Saint Augustine Zhao Rong was a soldier convert who became a priest and was brutally martyred by having his arm cut off and then flayed. His last words were “Every piece of flesh, every drop of blood will tell you that I am a Christian.” In 2000, 120 martyrs were canonized including 4 Chinese diocesan priests and 34 foreign missionaries.

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase here: (website)

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase here: (website)