Optional Memorial of Saints Marcellinus, Priest and Peter the Exorcist, Martyrs
- Mary Jo Barr
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
Reading 1 2 Corinthians 6:4-10
Brothers and sisters: In everything we commend ourselves as ministers of God, through much endurance, in afflictions, hardships, constraints, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, vigils, fasts; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in unfeigned love, in truthful speech, in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness at the right and at the left; through glory and dishonor, insult and praise. We are treated as deceivers and yet are truthful; as unrecognized and yet acknowledged; as dying and behold we live; as chastised and yet not put to death; as sorrowful yet always rejoicing; as poor yet enriching many; as having nothing and yet possessing all things.
REFLECTION
Here lie the bodies of Saints Marcellinus the priest and Peter the exorcist, who by a marvelous inspiration, with the help of the Lord, have brought many unbelievers to the knowledge of the true faith, have taught them the commandments of the law, and at last, by the command of the impious tyrant, have deserved to be crowned with the palm of martyrdom. ~Epitaph written by Pope Damasus I
Saint Mcellinus and Saint Peter were martyred during the reign of the Roman Emperor Diocletian during the years 303 to 311. There was a terrible persecution of Christians during that time. First, there was an edict written to destroy all Christian churches, the scriptures and all legal rights were taken away even their property was confiscated. Then they were ordered to worship the Roman gods. Many were martyred, maybe thousands.
In the year 304, Diocletian started arresting the priests. If they didn't offer sacrifices to the Roman gods, they were tortured and executed. This is what was the fate of Saint Marcellinus and Saint Peter.
Pope Damasus 1 ( 366-384) as a little boy learned of the story of Saint Marcellinus and Saint Peter from one of the executioners. The executioner converted to Christianity. The Pope found out that there bodies were buried secretly by the Romans so no one would venerate them.
Divine Providence sent Lucilla and Firmina, two holy women to the burial site. They recovered the bodies and they are buried in the Catacombs of Marcellinus and Peter.
Later, Constantine built a Basilica over the Catacombs of St. Marcelinnus and Peter. When St. Helena died, Emperor Constantine, her son, built a mausoleum for her next to the Basilica.
Later the relics of the saints were requested by a German Monk named Eginhard and their relics were moved to a Monastery built in their honor in Seligenstadt.
They are now honored by including them in the Roman Canon of the Mass along with the names of the early martyrs and saints.
Let us pray for all priests to be faithful "in unfeigned love, in truthful speech, in the power of God" as they fulfill their vows.
Let us pray the PAPA Prayer for Priests.
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