Subj : October 3rd - The Two Ewalds, Martyrs
To   : All
From : rich
Date : Tue Oct 02 2018 08:28:01

From: rich <richarra@gmail.com>

October 3rd - The Two Ewalds, Martyrs

Soon after St. Willibrord with 11 companions in the year 690 had
opened the spiritual harvest in Friesland, two brothers, both priests
from Northumbria, followed their example and went over into the
country of the Old Saxons in Westphalia to preach the gospel. They had
previously been for some time in Ireland to improve themselves in
sacred learning. Both had the same name Ewald, or Hewald for
distinction the one was called the Dark, the other the Fair Ewald,
from the colour of their hair. The first was more learned in the Holy
Scriptures, but both were equal in fervour of devotion and zeal. The
two brothers arrived in Germany about the year 694 and met a certain
official, whom they desired to conduct them to his lord, because they
had tidings for his advantage. The man invited them into his house and
kept them there for several days. The missionaries passed the time in
prayer, singing psalms and hymns, and every day offered the sacrifice
of the Mass.

The barbarians observing this, and fearing lest the preachers might
prevail upon their chief to forsake their gods for a new religion,
resolved to murder them both. Fair Ewald they killed by the sword upon
the spot, but inflicted on the Dark cruel torments before they tore
him limb from limb. The lord of the territory, when he heard of what
had happened, was furious that the two strangers had not been brought
to him: he put the murderers to the sword and burned their village.
The bodies of the martyrs, which had been thrown into the river, were
discovered by a heavenly light which shone over them; an English monk,
Tilmon, was warned in a vision what this column of light portended and
gave the bodies honourable burial. St. Bede says this river was the
Rhine, but the traditional place of the Ewalds' martyrdom is at
Aplerbeke on the Embscher, a tributary, near Dortmund. The Ewalds were
at once honoured as martyrs, and Pepin had their bodies taken up and
enshrined in the church of St. Cunibert at Cologne, where they still
are. They are named in the Roman Martyrology and venerated as the
patrons of Westphalia their feast is also kept by the
Premonstratensian canons regular, for whom St. Norbert obtained some
of their relics in 1121.

In the calendar known as St. Willibrord's, which must have been
written in the early years of the eighth century (probably before
710), we have under October 4 the entry, natale sanctorum martyrum
Heuualdi et Heualdi. The Fulda martyrology and that preserved in
Anglo-Saxon both agree with Bede's History in naming October 3 as t=
he
proper day. See also the notes of C. Plummer's edition of Bede,
especially pp. 289-290; and H. A. Wilson in The Calendar of St.
Willibrord (1918), p. 41


Saint Quote:
My wish for all of you is to die on the cross with Christ in defense
of your family's holiness and purity.
--Padre Pio

Bible Quote
Of the fruit of his own mouth shall a man be filled with good things:
but the soul of transgressors is wicked. 3 He that keepeth his mouth,
keepeth his soul: but he that hath no guard on his speech shall meet
with evils.=C2  (Proverbs 13:2-3)

<><><><>
Our Lady of October

Our Lady of October!
How fitting such a name,
Now when the woods in grandeur
Put on their cloaks of flame.
It is to do you honor,
Before woods come to die;
They celebrate love's token:
Your holy Rosary.

We seem to see you standing
Down each dim, golden lane,
By the harvest moon enhaloed,
In nature's forest-fane,

While mellow earth soft raises
Its evening prayer on high,
And we repeat the Aves
Of your dear Rosary.

O Lady of October,
When death's autumn time is nigh,
May our golden key to Heaven
Be your holy Rosary.

--- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
 * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)

.