Your Daily Martyr

YOUR DAILY MARTYR
Living With The Daily Martyrology of the Church

“Can you drink the chalice that I shall drink? … My chalice indeed you shall drink!” (Matthew 20:22-23).

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

"The Roman Martyrology is an official and accredited record, on the pages of which are set forth in simple and brief, but impressive words, the glorious deeds of the Soldiers of Christ in all ages of the Church ; of the illustrious Heroes and Heroines of the Cross, whom her solemn verdict has beatified or canonized" (Taken from the "Introduction" from The Roman Martyrology).

The Roman Martyrology is, like the Roman Missal and the Roman Breviary, an official liturgical book of the Catholic Church. It provides an extensive but not exhaustive list of the saints recognized by the Church. The Roman Martyrology was first published in 1583 by Pope Gregory XIII, who in the year before had decreed the revision of the calendar that is called, after him, the Gregorian Calendar. A second edition was published in the same year. The third edition was made obligatory wherever the Roman Rite was in use.

In 1630 Pope Urban VIII ordered a new edition. 1748 saw the appearance of a revised edition by Pope Benedict XIV, who personally worked on the corrections: he suppressed some names, such as those of Clement of Alexandria and Sulpicius Severus, but kept others that had been objected to, such as that of Pope Siricius. Since then, the Martyrology has remained essentially unchanged, save for the addition of new saints canonized during the intervening years.

THE HONOR ROLL OF MARTYRS
for November 6th
taken from the entry for the day
from the Roman Martyrology

At Thinissa, in Africa, in the fourth century, the holy martyr St. Felix, who had made his confession and was reserved for the torture, when on the next day he was found dead in prison, as is told by holy Augustine in his exposition of Psalm 127, made to the people upon his festival.

At Antioch, ten holy martyrs who are recorded to have suffered at the hands of the Saracens.

At Barcelona, the holy martyr St. Severus, bishop of that see, who for the Catholic Faith’s sake had a nail driven into his head, and so received the crown of martyrdom.

In Phrygia, St. Atticus.

At Bergues, before the middle of the eighth century, St. Winock, abbot of Wormhout, famous for graces and miracles, who ministered for a long time to the brethren subject unto him.

At Fondi, in Latium, in the sixth century, the holy monk St. Felix.

At Limoges, in Aquitaine, in the sixth century, the holy confessor St. Leonard, a disciple of blessed bishop St. Remy. He was noble by birth, but chose the life of a hermit, and is famous for his holiness and miracles, but his power hath been most chiefly shown in the freeing of prisoners.

NOVEMBER 6th
The Martyr of the Day

ST. SEVERUS

Martyred in the Fourth Century, around the year 304

Severus was born in Barcelona to a noble family and received a good education. In a hymn associated with his office, it is stated explicitly that he was a citizen of Barcelona. A variant of the legend status that he was a humble weaver upon whose head a dove landed. The people of the city saw this as a sign and elected him bishop.

He was chosen bishop of Barcelona around 290. During the persecution of Diocletian, Severus fled to Castrum Octavianum (Sant Cugat), where he encountered a fellow Christian, named Emeterius, sowing beans in the field. Severus instructed the man that if the soldiers, sent to kill him, asked the farmer where he had gone, to tell them that he had passed this way.

A miracle made the beans he was cultivating sprout immediately after Severus left. When the soldiers came across Emeterius and asked him if he had seen the bishop, Emeterius replied that he had and it was when he was sowing the fields. Angry at this lie and believing that Emeterius was mocking them, the soldiers arrested the man and took him to Castrum Octavianum.

Severus meanwhile appeared to the soldiers, along with four other priests from Barcelona who had fled with him. The four priests were flogged and then killed with a sword. Emeterius also suffered this fate. Severus was beaten with a “cat o’ nine tails” (nine-thonged-whip), and nails were driven into his head. The soldiers left the bishop on the ground. However, he did not die and when Christians from Barcelona heard that Severus was still alive, they attempted to revive him. However, he expired in the arms of one of them.