Sosipater, Saint; Prosper of Aquitaine, Confessor; Presentation of the Augsburg Confession

Today we commemorate Sosipater, Prosper and the Presentation of the Augsburg Confessions. Sosipater was from the city of Berea, he accompanied Paul along with Aristarchus and Secundus the Thessalonians, Gaius of Derbe, Timothy, and Trichicus and Tromphimus of Asia, out of Macedonia after a group of Jews began to plot against him. They sailed from Philippi to Alexandria Troas where they met Paul who had gone by land.

Prosper of Aquitane was a bishop who well-known both for his learning and his piety. He fought against the Pelagians in defense of the Christian faith.

The Augsburg Confession is the principal doctrinal statement of the Lutheran Church. It confesses the justification of sinners by grace alone, through faith alone, for the sake of Christ alone. It was signed by the leaders of several German cities and provinces and presented to Emperor Charles V on June 25, 1530.

Basil the Great, Bishop, Confessor

Today we commemorate Basil the Great. Cyberbrethren has a nice article about Basil.

Paulinus of Nola, Bishop, Confessor

Today we commemorate Paulinus. According to Butler:

PAULINUS was of a family which boasted of a long line of senators, prefects, and consuls. He was educated with great care, and his genius and eloquence, in prose and verse, were the admiration of St. Jerome and St. Augustine. He had more than doubled his wealth by marriage, and was one of the foremost men of his time. Though he was the chosen friend of Saints, and had a great devotion to St. Felix of Nola, he was still only a catechumen, trying to serve two masters. But God drew him to Himself along the way of sorrows and trials. He received baptism, withdrew into Spain to be alone, and then, in consort with his holy wife, sold all their vast estates in various parts of the empire, distributing their proceeds so prudently that St. Jerome says East and West were filled with his alms. He was then ordained priest, and retired to Nola in Campania. There he rebuilt the Church of St. Felix with great magnificence, and served it night and day, living a life of extreme abstinence and toil. In 409 he was chosen bishop, and for more than thirty years so ruled as to be conspicuous in an age blessed with many great and wise bishops. St. Gregory the Great tells us that when the Vandals of Africa had made a descent on Campania, Paulinus spent all he had in relieving the distress of his people and redeeming them from slavery. At last there came a poor widow; her only son had been carried off by the son-in-law of the Vandal king. "Such as I have I give thee," said the Saint to her; "we will go to Africa, and I will give myself for your son." Having overborne her resistance, they went, and Paulinus was accepted in place of the widow's son, and employed as gardener. After a time the king found out, by divine interposition, that his son-in-law's slave was the great Bishop of Nola. He at once set him free, granting him also the freedom of all the townsmen of Nola who were in slavery. One who knew him well says he was meek as Moses, priestlike as Aaron, innocent as Samuel, tender as David, wise as Solomon, apostolic as Peter, loving as John, cautious as Thomas, keen-sighted as Stephen, fervent as Apollos. He died in 431.

Albanus of Britain, Martyr

Today we commemorate Albanus of Britain. Albanus was a citizen of Verulam, which is now in England and was converted by a persecuted priest whom he had sheltered in his house. He was executed on Holmhurst Hill in 303.

Pudens, Senator, Saint

Today we commemorate Pudens. He is mentioned in 2 Timothy 4:21. According to tradition, he provided lodging for Saint Peter and was baptised by him, and was martyred under Nero (reigned 54-68).

Gervase and Protase, Martyrs

Today we commemorate Gervase and Protase. According to Butler:

ST. AMBROSE calls these saints the protomartyrs of Milan. They seem to have suffered in the first persecution under Nero, or at latest under Domitian, and are said to have been the sons of SS. Vitalis and Valeria, 1 both martyrs, the first at Ravenna, the second at Milan. This latter city was the place which SS. Gervasius and Protasius rendered illustrious by their glorious martyrdom and miracles. St. Ambrose assures us, that the divine grace prepared them a long time for their crown by the good example which they gave, and by the constancy with which they withstood the corruption of the world. He adds they were beheaded for the faith. 2 They are said to have been twin brothers.

Mark and Marcellianus of Rome, Martyrs

Today we commemorate Mark and Marcellianus. According to Butler:

MARCUS and MARCELLIANUS were twin brothers of an illustrious family in Rome, had been converted to the faith in their youth, and were honourably married. Dioclesian ascended the imperial throne in 284; soon after which the heathens raised tumultuary persecutions, though this emperor had not yet published any new edicts against the church. These martyrs were thrown into prison, and condemned by Chromatius, lieutenant of the prefect of Rome, to be beheaded. Their friends obtained a respite of the execution for thirty days, that they might prevail with them to comply with the judge, and they were removed into the house of Nicostratus the public register. Tranquillinus and Martia, their afflicted heathen parents, in company with their sons’ own wives and their little babes at their breasts, endeavoured to move them by the most tender entreaties and tears. St. Sebastian, an officer of the emperor’s household, coming to Rome soon after their commitment, daily visited and encouraged him. The issue of the conferences was the happy conversion of the father, mother, and wives, also of Nicostratus, and soon after of Chromatius, who set the saints at liberty, and abdicating the magistracy retired into the country. Marcus and Marcellianus were hid by Castulus, a Christian officer of the household, in his apartments in the palace; but they were betrayed by an apostate named Torquatus, and retaken. Fabrian who had succeeded Chromatius, condemned them to be bound to two pillars with their feet nailed to the same. In this posture they remained a day and a night, and on the following day were stabbed with lances, and buried in the Arenarium, since called their cemetery, two miles out of Rome, between the Appian and Ardeatine roads.