St. Joan of Arc, known as the Maid of Orleans, was a young French peasant girl who led her nation to a decisive victory during the Hundred Years’ War. Born in Domremy, France, in 1412, she began receiving visions from saints at age fifteen, urging her to save France. After gaining the trust of the future King Charles VII, she led the French army to victory at Orleans in 1429, paving the way for his coronation. Captured in 1430, she was condemned for heresy and burned at the stake in 1431. Declared innocent in 1456, Joan was canonized in 1920 and named patroness of France. St. Joan of Arc Time Period: 1412-1431 Feast Day: May 30 Title/Attributes: Virgin, Martyr Location of Relic: Back Left Reliquary - Left Section Type of Relic: Earth where St. Joan of Arc was burned at the stake St. Joan of Arc is known as the Maid of Orleans, or La Pucelle. She is the patron saint of France and she emerged from absolute obscurity to lead the armies of France to victory against the English at Orleans. Joan of Arc was born at Domremy, France, she was the daughter of Jacques d’Arc and was the youngest of five children. At fifteen she had her first vision, identified later as one of many in which she saw a light and heard the voices of Sts. Michael the Archangel, Catherine of Alexandria, Margaret of Antioch, and others who commanded her to save France. In 1428, she was initially unsuccessful in convincing the commanding offer of Vaucouleurs that she was sincere and genuine, she foretold the defeat of France in a battle in February 1429. She was able to use the fulfilled prophecies to gain an audience at the royal court of the uncrowned King Charles VII of France. In the famous episode, she stupefied the disguised dauphin by picking him out of a crowd where he had hidden himself and soon after won the approval of theologians at Poitiers. In return, she was given command of an army with the mission to free the besieged city of Orleans. Donning white armor, she led the French to shattering victory, and her relief of the city permitted Charles to be crowned king at Reims on July 17, 1429. The victory was also a major turning point in the Hundred Years’ War (1337-1453), which was eventually won by France. Joan continued other military operations, but, as she predicted, she was captured by the Burgundians near Compiegne and sold to the English. Tried before a tribunal at Rouen under Bishop Pierre Cauchon, she was condemned for heresy and witchcraft on May 30, 1431, and burned at the stake. In 1456, Pope Callistus III ordered her trial to be reopened, and she was declared innocent of all charges. Popularly venerated throughout France for centuries, she was finally canonized in 1920; two years later she was declared the patron saint of France. Next Item Previous Item

When Constantine the Great seized control of Rome in 312, he soon converted to Christianity. His mother, Helena, also converted, and on her son’s authority, she traveled to Palestine to search for the sacred site of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Details regarding her discovery of the True Cross are lacking and often contradictory among many ancient writers, but the wood that was deemed to be the Cross of Jesus became coveted for centuries. Today only a few fragments of wood remain but are venerated as the ultimate symbol of love through the supreme sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Wood of the True Cross Time Period: 1st Century Feast Day: September 14 Title/Attributes: Wood of the True Cross Location of Relic: Main Reliquary - Center Section Type of Relic: A piece of Wood from the True Cross According to ancient historians, mass crucifixions occurred multiple times around the world, but by far the most famous crucifixion in the history of mankind took place in 1st century Judea, when Jesus Christ, a Nazarene, carried the heavy pinewood up to Golgotha, was nailed upon the cross, and then lifted, to lift humanity out of eternal damnation. As Catholics, we know what happens next. What you may not know, is what happened to that empty, bloodstained cross. The Roman Emperor Hadrian, who reigned A.D. 117-138, abolished the name Judea and renamed the area “Syria Palaestina” after a Jewish insurrection around the year 132. Hadrian forbade Jews from entering the area, and demolished any remaining temples, deciding instead to erect temples to pagan gods and goddesses on the top of Mount Calvary. It was this destruction and ensuing construction of new buildings on the landscape that ensured the preservation of the holy and sacred sites of Jesus’ crucifixion, deep below the ground. More than 40 Roman Emperors later, Constantine the Great seized control of Rome in 312. It was not a smooth transition of power though, and one of the emperors, Maxentius, declared war and marched into battle with an army twice the size of Constantine’s. When Maxentius and his forces arrived on the battlefield, they were greeted by an unfamiliar symbol facing them: a cross. Most historians tell of Constantine reportedly praying before the battle that the true God might “reveal to him who he is and stretch forth his right hand to save him.” Then, marching at midday, he suddenly looked up at the noonday sky to see a bright cross of light flash among the heavens, with an inscription upon it: “In Hoc Signo Vinces” or “In this Sign Conquer.” Constantine, bolstered with the assurance that the True God had indeed heard him, inscribed the cross on their shields before advancing on Maxentius, who held a much better position for the battle near the Milvian Bridge in Rome. Maxentius’ troops were broken before the first charge had completed and he was among those who were pushed into the Tiber River and drowned. After the battle, Constantine didn’t forget who helped earn him the victory. In 313, the Edict of Milan was created as an agreement among the Roman Empire to treat Christians benevolently. This was a monumental shift, since for almost 250 years, the persecution of Christians was the norm for Roman emperors. All that changed by Constantine issuing an order that not only should the Christian Church be tolerated just as other religions are, but he went so far as to build places of worship for Christians and be baptized himself. Around the same time of Constantine’s conversion, his mother Helena also became a Christian, and she traveled to Palestine in the year 324 to search for sacred sites and relics to be reverenced. Details regarding the discovery the True Cross are lacking and often contradictory among many ancient writers, but the basis of the story is generally accepted as this: Around 326, Helena was traveling the area when an aged Jewish man who had inherited traditional knowledge of the location of the True Cross heard of Helena’s searching. He guided her to a cistern that the Cross had purportedly been thrown into. But oddly enough, after a brief excavation, laying before Helena were three crosses. But which one had held Christ? Theodoret, a biblical commentator and Christian Bishop of Cyrrhus in the 400’s, wrote a detailed account of how it was determined which was the True Cross: A woman who was either close to death or who had long been suffering an affliction of sorts was brought from the city. She touched each cross in earnest prayer, attempting to “discern the virtue residing in that of the Savior.” Nothing happened upon touching the first and second cross, but as she touched the third and final cross, she was immediately healed. It was determined that this was the True Cross of Jesus Christ, upon which His precious Blood had spilled. According to tradition, this discovery took place on May 3, 326 A.D. The Wood of the True Cross would change hands multiple times over the centuries, with the last officially recorded mention of its location in 1219, when the True Cross was offered to the Knights Templar by the Sultan of Egypt, in exchange for a siege on the city of Damietta being lifted. However, the True Cross was never delivered; the Sultan did not actually have it. Last seen in the city of Damascus, the wood upon which Jesus had hung disappeared from historical records. Luckily, many relics of the True Cross remain in the world today. In those early years following the discovery of the True Cross, fragments had been divided and distributed widely among churches. “The whole earth is full of the relics of the Cross of Christ,” wrote Cyril of Jerusalem. By the Middle Ages, there were so many churches that claimed to possess a piece of the True Cross, that John Calvin famously quipped “if all the pieces that could be found were collected together, they would make a big ship-load.” While indeed forged relics were a common occurrence around the 11th century, a study conducted by Charles Rohault de Fleury, a French architect, compared the supposed weight of the cross carried by Jesus compared to the combined volume of all known relics. He concluded that the remaining fragments together again wouldn’t reach even one-third of the size of the original Cross. His calculations placed the original volume of the True Cross at 178 million cubic millimeters. However, the combined volume of all known relics of the True Cross amount to just about 4 million cubic millimeters, meaning that almost 98% of the True Cross is lost, destroyed, or otherwise unaccounted for. Today, the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross on September 14, the anniversary of when the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was dedicated by Constantine. On Good Friday, Catholics around the world venerate the cross, the symbol of their salvation. Next Item Previous Item

St. Rocco, patron saint of plague victims, was born in Montpellier, France, and bore a red cross on his chest from birth. Devoting his life to caring for plague sufferers, he healed many in Italian towns like Aquapendente, Modena, and Mantua. After falling ill in Piacenza, he returned home but was unrecognized and imprisoned as a spy. He died in captivity, and his identity was revealed by his red cross. Revered for protection against plagues, his relics were moved to Venice. He is often depicted with a dog and dressed as a pilgrim. St. Rocco (Roch) Time Period: 1295-1378 Feast Day: August 16 Title/Attributes: Confessor, Franciscan Location of Relic: Back Right Reliquary - Left Section Type of Relic: Bones St. Rocco, is the patron saint of plague victims and is also called Roch, Rock, Rollock, Seemie-Rookie, and Roque. Perhaps born in Montpellier, France, he was a source of amazement to his family because of the red cross found on his chest at birth. He subsequently devoted his life to the care of victims of pestilence. According to custom, he was journeying through Italy when, in the town of Aquapendente, he found the community ravaged by the plague. He healed the afflicted and then moved on to Modena, Parma, and Mantua, where he repeated the miraculous event. After falling ill at Piacenza, he returned home to Montpellier but was not recognized by his own family. Hurled into prison for being a spy, he died in captivity, whereupon his identity was discovered when the distinctive red cross was seen by the townspeople. In 1414, Roch’s intercession was invoked during the Council of Constance when plague threatened the city. His relics were subsequently translated to Venice. Revered as a protection against plagues and diseases, especially in France and parts of Italy, he is depicted in art in the company of a dog and dressed as a pilgrim, wearing a hat, cloak and boots and baring a staff. Next Item Previous Item

St. Timothy was a disciple of St. Paul and the first Bishop of Ephesus. Born in Lystra to a Jewish mother, Eunice, and a Greek father, he was converted by Paul, who valued him as a close companion. Timothy assisted Paul in journeys to cities like Corinth and Thessalonica and is mentioned in the greetings of several of Paul’s epistles. He was also the recipient of two pastoral letters. Tradition holds that Timothy was martyred in 97 A.D. by a pagan mob in Ephesus for opposing the festival honoring the Roman goddess Diana. His feast day is January 22. St. Timothy Time Period: 1st Century Feast Day: January 26 Title/Attributes: Companion of St. Paul Location of Relic: Main Reliquary - Left Section Type of Relic: Bones St. Timothy was the first Bishop of Ephesus (Modern Turkey), and a companion of St. Paul. He was a native of Lystra and was the son of. Jewish woman named Eunice and a Greek Gentile. Timothy was converted to the faith by St. Paul. Paul found Timothy to be a very valuable companion, taking him on several missions, such as those to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 4:17) and the Thessalonians (1 Thes 3:2-3). According to tradition, he was the first bishop of Ephesus, the basis for this being his journey to the city at the command of Paul to act as his representative (1 Timothy 1:3). e is mentioned with St. paul in the salutations of seven epistles in the New Testament and was the addressee of two of the three pastoral letters - 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus. He was martyred on January 22, 97 by a mob of angry pagans because of Timothy's opposition to the celebrations of the feast of Diana (Roman goddess). Next Item Previous Item

Bishop and Martyr, also called Dizier. A native of Genoa, Italy, he became bishop of Langres, in France. When the Visigoths invaded the region, Desiderius pleaded for his people and was slain. His feast day is May 23. St. Desiderius of Langres Time Period: d. 407 Feast Day: May 23 Title/Attributes: Bishop, Martyr Location of Relic: Back Left Reliquary - Left Section Type of Relic: Bones Bishop and Martyr, also called Dizier. A native of Genoa, Italy, he became bishop of Langres, in France. When the Visigoths invaded the region, Desiderius pleaded for his people and was slain. His feast day is May 23. Next Item Previous Item

St. Angela Merici, born in 1470 in Lombardy, Italy, founded the Ursulines and was a mystic. Orphaned young, she became a Franciscan tertiary and devoted herself to prayer. After a vision, she began educating girls in her hometown and later opened a school in Brescia. In 1524, while on a pilgrimage, she was temporarily blinded but regained her sight through prayer. In 1535, she founded the Ursulines, dedicated to the religious education of young women. Angela served as their superior until her death in 1540. Her order received papal approval in 1544, and she is venerated in Ursuline communities. Her feast day is January 27. St. Angela Merici Time Period: 1474-1540 Feast Day: January 27 Title/Attributes: Virgin, Founder of Ursuline Order, Incorrupt Location of Relic: Back Right Reliquary - Center Section Type of Relic: Bones St. Angela Merici is the foundress of the Ursulines and a mystic. Born on March 21, 1470, at Disenzano, Lombardy, Italy, she was orphaned at age 10. She and her sister went to nearby Salo, where they were raised by her uncle's family with loving care. Her sister died suddenly without the last sacraments, an event that distressed Angela. She then became a Franciscan tertiary (Third Order) and prayed for the repose of her sister's soul. When Angela was 20, her uncle died, and she returned to her home in Disenzano. There she converted her house into a school for teaching local girls the catechism. In a vision, she learned that she was to found a congregation dedicated to the religious training of young women. She started this work by opening a second school in Brescia, Italy. In 1524, Angela made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and was stricken blind while on the island of Crete. She finished her pilgrimage and returned to Crete, where she regained her sight while in prayer. The following year she went to Rome and was received by Pope Clement VII. The Holy Father asked her to remain in Rome, but she felt compelled to return to Brescia to continue her work. On November 25, 1535, Angela laid the foundation of the Ursulines, then called "The Cooperative of St. Ursula." They lived in a small house near St. Afra's Church in Brescia. She served as superior for five years, dying on January 27, 1540. Her body lies in the church of St. Afra, and she is sometime Ursulines received papal approval in 1544. St. Angela is especially venerated in Brescia and in Ursuline communities. She is depicted in liturgical art in her Ursuline habit. Bunson, Matthew E. Our Sunday Visitor's Encyclopedia of Saints. 2nd ed., Our Sunday Visitor Inc.,u.s., 2014. Next Item Previous Item

St. Cecilia, a noble Roman virgin, was forced to marry a pagan named Valerianus, who later converted and respected her vow of virginity. He and his brother Tiburtius were martyred for burying fellow Christians. As Cecilia was trying to bury her husband and his brother, she was then arrested and sentenced to death. Surviving an attempt to behead her, she suffered in prayer for three days, symbolizing the Trinity with her fingers. Cecilia's unwavering faith and final silent witness inspired devotion. As patroness of musicians, she is honored for singing to God in her heart amid worldly music on her wedding night. St. Cecilia Time Period: 180-230 Feast Day: November 22 Title/Attributes: Virgin, Martyr Location of Relic: Main Reliquary - Right Section Type of Relic: Bones St. Cecilia is one of the most famous virgin martyrs. She was a member of a patrician family, married against her will to a pagan noble named Valerianus. Valerianus was convinced to respect Cecilia’s virginity and later became a Christian. Valerianus and Tiburtius (Cecilia’s brother) were arrested for burying the bodies of martyrs. As punishment for their crimes, they were beheaded at Pagus Tropius, near Rome, with Maximus. Cecilia then tried to bury her husband, her brother, and Maximus after their martyrdom. Cecilia was arrested and tried by Almachius, the prefect, who condemned her to death. Cecilia was to be smothered to death, but when this was miraculously prevented. An experienced executioner was then sent to behead St Cecilia, but due to a loss of courage at having to kill Cecilia, he failed to sever her head with the three blows required by law. He ultimately fled, leaving the Saint on the pavement of her bath, alive and fully conscious, with her head half severed. Cecilia was lying on her right side, her hands crossed in prayer before her. She turned her face to the floor and remained praying in that position for three days and nights. The position of her fingers, three extended on her right hand and one on the left, were her final silent profession of faith in the Holy Trinity. Cecilia is patroness of musicians and societies bearing her name were founded to promote church music. This patronage is attributed to the legend that on her wedding night Cecilia did not hear the secular music but sang to the Lord in her own heart. Saint names in Eucharistic Prayer I The first list begins with Mary and Joseph and then the blessed Apostles and Martyrs, including Peter, Paul, Andrew (Peter's brother), James (James the Greater: the brother of John), John, Thomas, James (James the Lesser: the son of Alpheus), Matthew, Bartholomew, Simon (Simon the Zealot), and Jude (also called Thaddeus). The First List of Saint Names Continuing this first list of saints in Eucharistic Prayer I, as Charles Belmonte notes, Five popes head the list: St. Peter's first three successors, Linus, Cletus, Clement; then two popes of the third century, Sixtus II and Cornelius; Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, the intrepid defender of Catholic unity; the deacon Lawrence, who when his persecutor demanded from him the treasures of the Church, showed him hundreds of poor people; Chrysogonus, a Roman priest who carried out the holy work of comforting the Christians who were in prison; two brothers, John and Paul, both officers of the [Roman] imperial palace, who were put to death under [the emperor] Julian the Apostate; and lastly, Cosmas and Damian, two Oriental physicians who gave their aid freely, and at whose graves there occurred yet more cures than they had effected in their lives (Understanding the Mass, p. 158). The Second List of Saint Names As for the second list of saints in Eucharistic Prayer I, we ask for some share in the fellowship of several saints who were martyrs. Belmonte continues, It mentions, in the first place, John (here obviously St. John the Baptist), and then seven men, followed by seven women, all martyrs. Stephen is the first deacon, whose glorious martyrdom is recounted in the Acts of the Apostles (6:8-7:60). Two apostles come next: Matthias, elected to take the place of Judas (Acts 1:15-16) and probably left out of the first list so as not to exceed the number of twelve, and Barnabas, St. Paul's companion in his first missionary journey. Ignatius is the famous bishop of Antioch, sentenced to be fed to the wild beasts in Rome under [emperor] Trajano. Besides their names and the place of their martyrdom, little else is known of Alexander, the priest Marcellinus, and the exorcist Peter, who were all put to death in the great persecution of [emperor] Diocletian. The list continues with the names of the two young girls, Felicity and Perpetua (their names form the expression everlasting happiness), who confessed their faith at Carthage [in North Africa]; and of Agatha and Lucy in Sicily. It concludes with the names of two young martyrs beloved by the Romans, Agnes and Cecelia; and of Anastasia, martyred at Sirmium and later honored in Rome (Understanding the Mass, pp. 159-160). All these saints are important because they were among the many early witnesses to Jesus Christ and the Christian faith. These are our spiritual fathers, our older brothers and sisters in Christ, who showed us that our faith was worth living and dying for. They showed us that, strengthened by the true presence of Christ in the Eucharist and the presence of the Holy Spirit in their hearts, they could overcome any persecutions and sufferings, even to the point of being killed. These saints give us great hope, and their prayers for us give us confidence that we, too, can live out the faith as they did, that we can live our life in Christ every day and look forward to the glory of heaven! https://www.eucharisticrevival.org/post/do-this-in-remembrance-of-me-part-55-saint-names-epi Next Item Previous Item

Illuminatus was likely martyred during the reign of Emperor Diocletian. The Roman Emperor Diocletian (r. 284-305) was severely anti-Christian and persecuted the Church and the early Christians. Many saints were martyred during this time and suffered greatly for their faith. Modern historians estimate that between 3,000 and 3,500 Christians were martyred during the reign of Emperor Diocletian. St. Illuminatus Time Period: 3rd-4th Century Feast Day: No Assigned Date Title/Attributes: Martyr Location of Relic: Back Left Reliquary - Left Section Type of Relic: Bones Illuminatus was likely martyred during the Reign of Diocletian. There were many martyrs during the “Diocletianic Era”. The Diocletianic Era was the unusual practice of reckoning time from the start of the reign of the bitterly anti-Christian Emperor Diocletian (r. 284–305). This is in recognition of the severe persecution of the Church under Diocletian and his colleagues in rule, Maximian (r. 286-305) and Galerius (r. 305-311), although the formal universal oppression did not commence until 303, the so-called Great Oppression. Another colleague, or junior emperor, Caesar Constantius I Chlorus (r. 293-306), was conspicuous for his leniency toward Christians. Next Item Previous Item

Giving Tax Advantaged Giving Your generosity can go even further when you take advantage of the tax-advantaged ways to give. Certain types of gifts not only support the mission of our parish but may also reduce your taxable income, increase available deductions, or provide other financial advantages for you and your family. The most common options are presented below. These methods often allow you to maximize the impact of your giving while being good stewards of your financial resources. For more information about legacy giving tax advantaged giving opportunities, please contact: Joe Corona at jcorona@ap.church Contact Us Questions BACK TO TOP IRA - Qualified Charitable Distribution A Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) (also referred to as Charitable IRA Rollover Gifts) is an excellent way to show your support for St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church and receive tax benefits in return. More Information Donor-Advised Fund A Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) is a flexible and tax-efficient way to support charitable causes. It functions as a charitable giving account that allows donors to contribute assets—such as cash or stocks—receive a tax deduction and then give to charities over time. More Information Stock Gifts To transfer a gift of securities submit a completed LETTER OF INTENT form to your broker, and to assure that your gift will be properly identified and applied to your intended purpose please send a copy to the Archdiocese. More Information

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