Saint Cyriacus and his Companions

Martyrs
(† 303)

Saint Cyriacus, born of a noble patrician family, embraced the Christian religion and gave all his wealth to the poor. He was ordained a deacon at Rome, under Pope Marcellinus. Diocletian was emperor at that time, assisted by Maximian, his favourite. The latter decided to build a beautiful palace for the emperor, with magnificent baths, and to make the Christians work at the construction. Among the new slaves were elderly gentlemen and persons of the highest rank, clerics and priests. The labour was hard and the food scanty. A Roman nobleman desired to relieve the sufferings of these laborers and sent four Christians with alms and encouragements; these were Saint Cyriacus, Saint Sisinius, Saint Largus and Saint Smaragdus. They pursued their charities at the risk of their lives, and they worked vigorously alongside those who were growing very weak. When Maximian heard of it, he had Saint Sisinius and an old gentleman whom he had helped, decapitated.

Saint Cyriacus was well known to Diocletian, who was fond of him. Suddenly Diocletian’s daughter became possessed by a furious demon, and she announced that only Cyriacus could deliver her. Diocletian sent for him, and he cured her. She became a Christian like her mother, who is today Saint Serena. A short time later the daughter of the king of Persia also became possessed, and cried out like Diocletian’s daughter that she could be delivered only by Cyriacus, who was in Rome. A message was sent to Diocletian, who asked his wife to persuade the deacon to go to Persia for this purpose. He did so with his two remaining Christian companions, and again cast out the demon, thus bringing about the conversion of the king, his family and four hundred persons, whom he baptized. The three confessors returned to Rome, having refused all compensation for their services, saying that they had received the gifts of God gratuitously and wished to share them gratuitously, not deriving profit from them. The barbarous Maximian, hearing of their return in 303, had them seized, imprisoned and tortured, and finally decapitated with twenty other courageous Christians. Their bodies were first buried near the place of their execution on the Salarian Way, but were later removed to the city. An abbey in France, at Altorf in Alsace, possesses relics of Saint Cyriacus and bears his name.

Reflection: To honour the martyrs and duly celebrate their feasts, we must learn their spirit and study to imitate them according to our state of life. We must, like them, resist evil, subdue our passions, suffer afflictions with patience, and bear with others without murmuring or complaining. The cross is the ladder by which we must ascend to heaven.

Les Petits Bollandistes: Vies des Saints, by Msgr. Paul Guérin (Bloud et Barral: Paris, 1882), Vol. 9; Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints, a compilation based on Butler’s Lives of the Saints and other sources by John Gilmary Shea (Benziger Brothers: New York, 1894)

Also today…

Blessed Peter Favre of Villaret

First Jesuit Priest
(1506-1546)

Born in 1506 of poor Savoyard shepherds, Peter placed himself under the protection of the Blessed Virgin. At his earnest request, he was sent to school, and in later years to the University of Paris. There he became acquainted first with Saint Francis Xavier, then with Saint Ignatius Loyola and his other first companions. Ordained in 1534, it was he who received their vows at Montmartre on the day of the Assumption, 1534. He joined them and was sent first by the Pope to two cities of Italy, then to Germany, where he supported the Faith with gentleness and founded several secondary schools.

Until the end of his brief life he was ever on the front lines of the Church’s battles with falsehood and sin. Facing the ravages of heresy in Germany, he laboured primarily through the Exercises of Saint Ignatius to arouse the dormant faith and charity of Catholic courts in Catholic lands. The odour of Blessed Peter’s virtues drew after him into religion the Duke of Gandia, Francis Borgia, and a young German student, Peter Canisius, both of whom became canonized Saints like their master.

Pope Paul III had chosen Blessed Favre to be his theologian at the Council of Trent, and King John III of Portugal was hoping to send him as patriarch and apostle to Abyssinia. Sick and worn with his labours in Germany, Portugal and Spain, but obedient unto death, the good priest hastened to Rome, and there his last illness came upon him. He died in his fortieth year, as one would wish to die, in the arms of his best friend and spiritual father, Saint Ignatius. His companions called him Blessed at once and invoked him. Saint Peter was formally beatified by Pope Pius IX in 1872.

Reflection: As the body sinks under fatigue unless supported by food, so external works, however holy, wear out the soul which is not regularly nourished by prayer. In the most crowded day we can still make time secretly to lift our soul up to God and draw new strength from Him.

Les Petits Bollandistes: Vies des Saints, by Msgr. Paul Guérin (Bloud et Barral: Paris, 1882), Vol. 9; The Catholic Encyclopedia, edited by C. G. Herbermann with numerous collaborators (Appleton Company: New York, 1908);Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints, a compilation based on Butler’s Lives of the Saints and other sources by John Gilmary Shea (Benziger Brothers: New York, 1894).