Subj : =?UTF-8?Q?September_6th_=E2=80=93_SS=2E_Donatian=2C_Laetus_and_Others?= To : All From : rich Date : Wed Sep 05 2018 10:09 am From: rich September 6th =E2=80=93 SS. Donatian, Laetus and Others, Bishops,Martyrs There were thousands of Christians exiled, tortured and martyred in the late 5th century by the Arian King Hunneric. Six of them, all bishops, are remembered today; however, we really know nothing about them except their names and their deaths for the faith. Donatian Fusculus Germanus Laetus Mansuetus Praesidius In the year 484 the Arian king of the Vandals, Huneric, ordered that all the Catholic churches of Africa were to be closed and the goods of the clergy to be taken from them and given to the Arian clergy; the bishops, in particular, who had assembled at the royal command were turned out of the city. Outside of the gates Huneric met a party of them, who appealed against his injustice and cruelty. "Ride them down!" he said to his mounted followers, and that was all the answer he gave. St. Donatian with four others, all bishops in the province of Byzacene, were cruelly beaten, and then driven into the desert, and died of hunger, thirst and exposure. St. Laetus, Bishop of Leptis Minor, whom the Roman Martyrology calls "a zealous and very learned man", had made himself particularly obnoxious to Huneric by his opposition to Arianism. He was thrown into a filthy dungeon, from which he only emerged to be burnt alive, one of the first martyrs of the persecution. The feast of these martyrs, with St. Laetus in chief, is kept by the Canons Regular of the Lateran. See the Acta Sanctorum September, vol. ii, where we are referred to the Historia pesecutionis provinciae Africana by Victor of Vita, but it is difficult to identify the particular names set down in the martyrology. Saint Quote: Be assured that he who shall always walk faithfully in God's presence, always ready to give Him an account of all his actions, shall never be separated from Him by consenting to sin. -- St. Thomas Aquinas Bible Quote: 24 but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues for ever. 25 Consequently he is able for all time to save those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. 26 For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, unstained, separated from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27 He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people; he did this once for all when he offered up himself. [Hebrews 7:24-27] RSVCE <><><><> PRAYER TO SAINT MICHAEL FOR POWERFUL AID Glorious Prince of the heavenly hosts and victor over rebellious spirits, be mindful of me who am so weak and sinful and yet so prone to pride and ambition. Lend me, I pray, thy powerful aid in every temptation and difficulty, and above all do not forsake me in my last struggle with the powers of evil. Amen. --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2 * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4) .