Mamuold of Regensburg, Abbot

Today we commemorate Mamuold also know as Rambold or Ramnold. He was a monk at St Maximinus in Trier in Germany. He died in 1001 at the age of one hundred

Julitta and Quirinus, Martyrs

Today we commemorate Julitta and Quirinus. According to Butler:

DOMITIAN, the governor of Lycaonia, executing with great cruelty the edicts of Dioclesian against the Christians, Julitta, a lady of Iconium in that country, withdrew to Seleucia with her little son Cyr or Quiricus, only three years old, and two maids. Alexander, the governor of Seleucia, was not less a persecutor than the prefect of Iconium. Wherefore Julitta went on to Tarsus in Cilicia. Alexander happened to enter that city about the same time with her, and she was immediately apprehended holding her infant in her arms, and conducted to the tribunal of this governor. She was of royal blood, the granddaughter of illustrious kings, and she possessed great estates and riches; out of all which she carried nothing with her but present necessaries. Her two maids, seeing her in the hands of the persecutors, fled and hid themselves. Alexander demanded her name, quality, and country; to all which questions she answered only—“I am a Christian.” The judge, enraged, ordered her child to be taken from her, and that she should be extended and cruelly whipt with thongs; which was accordingly executed. Nothing could be more amiable than the little Cyr, a certain air of dignity spoke his illustrious birth; and this, joined to the sweetness and innocence of his tender age and looks, moved all present exceedingly. It was a difficult thing to tear him from the arms of his mother; and he continued still continually to stretch his little hands towards her. The governor held the infant on his knees, and endeavoured to kiss him to pacify him. But the innocent babe having his eyes still fixed upon his mother, and striving to get back to her, scratched the face of the inhuman judge. And when the mother, under her torments, cried out that she was a Christian, he repeated as loud as he was able—“I am a Christian.” The governor being enraged, took him by the foot, and throwing him to the ground from off his tribunal, dashed out his brains against the edge of the steps, and all the place round about was sprinkled with blood. Julitta seeing him thus expire, rejoiced at his happy martyrdom, and gave thanks to God. Her joy increased the rage of the governor, who commanded her sides to be torn with hooks, and scalding pitch to be poured on her feet, while proclamation was made by a crier—“Julitta, take pity on thyself and sacrifice to the gods, lest thou come to the like unfortunate end with thy son.” She always answered “I do not sacrifice to devils or to dumb and deaf statues; but I worship Christ, the only begotten Son of God. by whom the Father hath made all things.” Whereupon the governor commanded her head to be struck off, and the body of the child to be carried out of the city, and thrown where the carcasses of malefactors were usually cast. Remorse and confusion at his own cruelty, and disappointed malice, in the murder of the innocent babe, made him appear more raging than the most furious wild beast. Julitta being led to the place of execution, prayed aloud, thanking God for having given her son a place in his kingdom, and begging the same mercy for herself. She concluded by adding Amen: at which word her head was severed from her body. She suffered in the year 304 or 305. The two maids came privately and buried the remains of both the martyrs in a field near the city.

Vitus, Modestus, and Crescentia of Lucania, Martyrs

Today we commemorate Vitus, Modestus, and Crescentia. According to Butler:

THESE saints are mentioned with distinction in the ancient Martyrologies. According to their acts they were natives of Sicily. Vitus or Guy was a child nobly born, who had the happiness to be instructed in the faith, and inspired with the most perfect sentiments of his religion by his Christian nurse, named Crescentia, and her faithful husband Modestus. His father Hylas was extremely incensed when he discovered the child’s invincible aversion to idolatry; and finding him not to be overcome by stripes and such like chastisements, he delivered him up to Valerian, the governor, who in vain tried all his arts to work him into compliance with his father’s will and the emperor’s edicts. He escaped out of their hands, and, together with Crescentia and Modestus, fled into Italy. They there met with the crown of martyrdom in Lucania, in the persecution of Dioclesian. The heroic spirit of martyrdom which we admire in St. Vitus, was owing to the early impressions of piety which he received from the lessons and example of a virtuous nurse: of such infinite importance is the choice of virtuous preceptors, nurses, and servants about children.

Elisha, Prophet

Today we commemorate the prophet Elisha. According to the OCA website:

The Holy Prophet Elisha lived in the ninth century before the Birth of Christ, and was a native of the village of Abelmaum, near Jordan. By the command of the Lord he was called to prophetic service by the holy Prophet Elias (July 20). When it became time for the Prophet Elias to be taken up to Heaven, he said to Elisha, "Ask what shall I do for you, before I am taken from you." Elisha boldly asked for a double portion of the grace of God: "Let there be a double portion of your spirit upon me." The Prophet Elias said, "You have asked a hard thing; if you see me when I am taken from you, then so shall it be for you; but if you don't see me, it wilt not be" (4 [2] Kings 2: 12). As they went along the way talking, there appeared a fiery chariot and horses and separated them both. Elisha cried out, "My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horse!" (4 Kings 2: 12). Picking up the mantle of his teacher which fell from the sky, Elisha received the power and prophetic gift of Elias. He spent more than 65 years in prophetic service, under six Israelite kings (from Ahab to Joash). While Elisha lived, he did not tremble before any prince, and no word could overcome him (Sirach 48: 13 ["Sirach" is alled "Ecclesiasticus" in Catholic Bibles ]). The holy prophet worked numerous miracles. He divided the waters of the Jordan, having struck it with the mantle of the Prophet Elias; he made the waters of a Jericho spring fit for drinking; he saved the armies of the kings of Israel and Judah that stood in an arid wilderness by bringing forth abundant water by his prayer; he delivered a poor widow from death by starvation through a miraculous increase of oil in a vessel. The Shunamite woman showing hospitality to the prophet was gladdened by the birth of a son through his prayer, and when the child died, he was raised back to life by the prophet. The Syrian military-commander Namaan was healed from leprosy but the prophet's servant Gehazi was afflicted since he disobeyed the prophet and took money from Namaan on the sly. Elisha predicted to the Israelite king Joash the victory over his enemies, and by the power of his prayer he worked many other miracles (4 Kings 3-13). The holy Prophet Elisha died in old age at Samaria. "In his life he worked miracles, and at death his works were marvellous" (Sir. 48: 15). A year after his death, a corpse was thrown into the prophet's grave. As soon as the dead man touched Elisha's bones, he came to life and stood up (4 Kings 13: 20-21). The Prophet Elisha and his teacher, the Prophet Elias, left no books behind them, since their prophetic preaching was oral. Jesus, son of Sirach, praised both great prophets (Sir. 48:1-15).

Tobias, Prophet

Today we commemorate Tobias. We learn about Tobias in the Old Testament Apocryphal book of Tobit. In the book of Tobit, Tobias is sent by his father (Tobit) to collect some money that his father had deposited in the land of Media. The archangel Raphael disguises himself as a human and protects and aids Tobias on his journey. While Tobias is on his journey, he is attacked by a large fish. Raphael instructs Tobias to catch the fish and save its organs so that he can use them as medicine. Tobias ate some of the fish and kept some for the journey. When they get to Ecbatana, a woman named Sarah who had several husbands that were all killed by demons when they tried to consummate the marriage was living there. Raphael reminds Tobias that he is Sarah's closest living male relative and that it was his duty to marry her. Tobias explains that he does not want to end up dead like all the other men. But Raphael instructs Tobias on how to use the fish to perform an exorcism on Sarah. Tobias follows the instructions and performs an exorcism on Sarah and Raphael bound the demon. Instead of consummating the marriage, Tobias asks Sarah to pray with him. After a 14 day marriage feast, Tobias returns home and uses parts of the fish to cure his father's blindness.

The church fathers saw a picture of Christ both in the fish and in the marriage. Christ exorcises His church and marries her.

Onuphrius of Thebais, Hermit; Basilides and His Companions, Martyrs; Ecumenical Council of Nicea, AD 325

Today we commemorate Onuphrius, Basilides, and the Council of Nicea.

In reference to Onuphrius, Butler says:

HE lived some time in an austere monastery of one hundred monks, near Thebes in Egypt. A desire of imitating the solitude of St. John Baptist moved him to seek a retreat in the most solitary wilderness of that country. He for some years struggled with grievous temptations; but by perseverance overcame them, and by the exercises of holy solitude prepared his soul for the closest communications with God, in which he found the repose of his heart, the comfort of his earthly pilgrimage, and a kind of anticipation of the eternal enjoyment of heaven. He spent in this retirement sixty years, unknown to the world; but by his prayers never ceased to implore the divine mercy in its behalf, and for the protection of the church under the persecutions of the two Arian emperors, Constantius and Valens. A date-tree and a palm-tree which grew near his cell furnished him with food. He died on the 12th of June.

Basilides and his companions were soldiers in the army of Maxentius. They were tortured for the faith and beheaded by the command of Aurelius.

The Council of Nicea was the first ecumenical council and settled disputes over the divinity of Christ. After much debate, the Council eventually adopted the teaching handed down by the Apostles that Jesus is true God, begotten not made and of the same substance of the Father. Here is the Creed that came out of this Council:

We believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of all things visible and invisible; and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten of the Father, that is, of the substance of the Father, God of God, light of light, true God of true God, begotten not made, of the same substance with the Father, through whom all things were made both in heaven and on earth; who for us men and our salvation descended, was incarnate, and was made man, suffered and rose again the third day, ascended into heaven and cometh to judge the living and the dead. And in the Holy Ghost. Those who say: There was a time when He was not, and He was not before He was begotten; and that He was made out of nothing; or who maintain that He is of another hypostasis or another substance, or that the Son of God is created, or mutable, or subject to change, the catholic church anathematizes.

Landerich of Paris, Bishop

Today we commemorate Landerich of Paris. According to Butler:

HE succeeded Audobert in that see, in the reign of Clovis II. about the year 650. In a great famine he distributed among the poor all his own little furniture, and melted down for their use the sacred vessels of the church.