350 years ago, on October 20, 1672, the solemn feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, with the approval of many Bishops in France, was observed for the first time.[1] The liturgical worship began with the priest born in Normandy, St. John Eudes (†1680), who was responsible for the first liturgical office celebrated in honor…
Two centuries ago, on the morning of October 13, 1822, in Venice “died a sublime Christian” the artist for whose work “the sculpture came out renewed”, as we read on the memorial tablet placed on the door of his Roman studio: Antonio Canova.[1] He was born 65 years earlier, on November 1, 1757 in Possagno,…
Above: St. Francis bids farewell to his children to enter the Society of Jesus. Four hundred and fifty years ago, on September 30, 1572, a “prince among the saints, because he was a saint among the princes” died in Rome: Saint Francis Borgia.[1] Life The fourth duke of Gandía was born in this city in…
Pope John Paul I, whose original name was Albino Luciani, is beatified. That is, according to Benedict XIV, he can “be venerated in certain province, diocese, city or religious institute with a limited and typical of the Blesseds worship, until the solemn canonization is achieved.”[1] We leave aside the modern controversy regarding canonizations, and direct…
Six centuries have passed since that August 31, 1422, when, struck by a serious illness, an unrepentant libertine who became one of the greatest kings of his people died at the age of 35 in the château of Vincennes, at the gates of Paris: Henry V of England. The prince of Wales was born in…
Today is the Feast of St. James the Greater, the apostle “friend of the Lord” together with Peter and John. Nine hundred years ago, in 1122, while the last stone of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela was being laid, Pope Calixtus II (†1124) announced the first Holy Year of Compostela for 1126, establishing that…
450 years ago, on May 13, 1572, after a conclave lasted less than a day, a man, to whom we owe our calendar and the scrupulous implementation of the decrees of the Council of Trent (1545-1563), was unanimously elected to the Chair of Peter: Gregory XIII, whose original name was Ugo Boncompagni. There’s so much…
450 years ago, on May 1, 1572, the great Pope of the Catholic Reform promoted by the Council of Trent, the “Pope of the Rosary”, glorious in crushing the enemies of the Church – external, like the Ottoman Turks, and internal, such as the followers of Luther and Calvin or as the exponents of the…
Photo: Catedral de Santa María de la Sede, Seville, Spain. Three hundred years ago yesterday, on April 25, 1722, the last of the Christian Fathers of antiquity was proclaimed Doctor of the Church by Pope Innocent XIII: St. Isidore of Seville. Seventeen years after his death in 636, he was recognized by the the 8th…
Art: The Blood Miracle of Saint Januarius in the Cathedral of Naples (1780) by Louis Jean Desprez (1743-1804). 1750 years ago, on April 21, 272, he who is venerated as the main patron of Naples, southern Italy, famous in the world, was born: Saint Januarius, bishop and martyr. In Pozzuoli, just west of Naples, on…
Let’s honor “the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Messiah” (Mt 1:16). On the day of the Immaculate Conception more than 150 years ago, December 8, 1870, Blessed Pope Pius IX, with the decree Quemadmodum Deus (As almighty God) by the Sacred Congregation of Rites, solemnly declared St. Joseph…
