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Pope Francis: ‘How Many Stephens There Are in the World!’

April 21, 2015 - by Editor

By CNA/EWTN NEWS | VATICAN CITY — Amid a torrent of recent news reports on persecuted Christians, Pope Francis reflected on those killed for their faith and said that these modern “Stephens” suffer as the Church’s first martyr did.

“The Church…

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	April 2024
Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
	1 St. Mary of Egypt St. Mary of Egypt April 1, 2024 Our venerable mother, Mary of Egypt, lived in infamy at Alexandria for 17 years, was converted at the threshold of the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem. She retired into the desert of the River Jordon, did penance for 47 years. She died about A.D. 421. See more details •	2 St. Titus St. Titus April 2, 2024 Our venerable father, Titus, wonderworker. SS. Amphianus and Edesius, Martyrs, half-brothers. Amphianus, a youth arrested for his Christianity, reproached his idolatrous judge, was partially burned at the stake and thrown into the sea at Caesarea, to die, A.D. 305, in the reign of Maximian, Emperor. See more details •	3 St. Nicetas Venerable-Confessor St. Nicetas Venerable-Confessor April 3, 2024 St. Nicetas, the Great-Martyr, was a Goth and a victim of the fury of King Athanaric, ruler of the nations settled about the Danube. He was a disciple of the celebrated Ulphilas (Theophilus). He was burned to death about A.D. 78. See more details •	4 Saturday of Lazarus Saturday of Lazarus April 4, 2024 Heb 12:28-13:8 Jn 11:1-45 See more details •	5 Palm Sunday Palm Sunday April 5, 2024 Palm (Flowery) Sunday - Feast of the Entry into Jerusalem According to Byzantine Catholic Tradition, the Great Forty Days Fast ends on the Friday before Palm Sunday. The following day, Saturday, celebrates the Raising of Lazarus as a prelude to the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem. For many, the miracle of Lazarus was convincing proof of Christ's Divinity. The public celebration in Jerusalem was not only for Jesus, but also to see Lazarus, whom He had raised. From ancient times, palm branches were symbols of victory and triumph, and were used by Romans in celebration of both military as well as civic and sporting events. Thus, when Jesus arrived the people took branches of palms and went out to greet him. In the New Testament, palm branches became a symbol of martyrdom, meaning victory over death. The Feast of Palm Sunday dates back to at least the third century, having been celebrated first in Jerusalem and quickly spreading to all of the churches in the East, reaching Constantinople by the fifth century. It was also known as Flowery Sunday, since in and near Constantinople spring flowers (lilac, olive, or elder) were distributed to the faithful. Between the sixth and seventh centuries the feast spread to the western church. In the West, the palms are kept for an entire year, then burned, with the ashes spread on the foreheads of the faithful on Ash Wednesday as a sign of penance. In many countries of Europe the Feast is known as Willow Sunday or Pussy Willow Sunday. Since palms do not grow in northern climates and may not be available, pussy willows, being the first flower to blossom in Spring, were often distributed. Depending on local customs, churches today may distribute palms, pussy willows, spring flowers, or a combination. See more details •	6 Holy Monday Holy Monday April 6, 2024 Ex 1:1-20; Job 1:1-12 Mt 24:3-35 See more details •
7 Holy Tuesday Holy Tuesday April 7, 2024 Ex 2:5-10; Job 1:13-22; Mt 24:36-26:2 See more details •	8 Holy Wednesday Holy Wednesday April 8, 2024 Ex 2:11-22; Job 2:1-10 Mt 26:6-16 See more details •	9 Holy Thursday Holy Thursday April 9, 2024 Is 50:4-11; 1 Cor 11:23-32 Mt 26:2-20; Jn 13:3-17; Mt 26:31; Lk 22:43-45; Mt 26:40-27:2 26:40-27:2 See more details •	10 Good Friday Good Friday April 10, 2024 Is 52:13-54:1; 1 Cor 1:18-2:2; Mt 27:1-38; Lk 23:39-44; Mt 27:39-54; Jn 19:31-37; Mt 27:55-61 See more details •	11 Holy Saturday Holy Saturday April 11, 2024 Rom 6:3-11 Mt 28:1-20 See more details •	12 Resurrection of Our Lord Pascha Resurrection of Our Lord Pascha April 12, 2024 Acts 1:1-8 Jn 1:1-17 See more details •	13 Bright Monday Bright Monday April 13, 2024 Acts 1:12-17 & 21-26 Jn 1:18-28 See more details •
14 Bright Tuesday Bright Tuesday April 14, 2024 Simple Holy Day Acts 2:14-21 Lk 24:12-35 See more details •	15 Bright Wednesday Bright Wednesday April 15, 2024 Acts 2:22-36 Jn 1:35-51 See more details •	16 Bright Thursday Bright Thursday April 16, 2024 Acts 2:28-43 Jn 3:1-15 See more details •	17 Bright Friday Bright Friday April 17, 2024 Acts 3:1-8 Jn 2:12-22 See more details •	18 Bright Saturday Bright Saturday April 18, 2024 Acts 3:11-16 Jn 3:22-33 See more details •	19 Thomas Sunday Thomas Sunday April 19, 2024 Acts 5:12-20 Jn 20:19-31 See more details •	20 Theodore the Hairshirt Wearer Theodore the Hairshirt Wearer April 20, 2024 Our venerable father, Theodore, surnamed "Trichinas" from the rough habit of sackcloth which he wore, was a holy hermit near Constantinople who died not later than A.D. 320. See more details •
21 Januarius & Others Januarius & Others April 21, 2024 St. Januarius, Bishop-Martyr, and SS. Proculus, Sosius, and Faustus, Deacons; St. Desiderius. Lector, SS. Eutyches and Akutionus. These were martyred in the reign of Maximian and Gallerius, Emperors, by the persecutor Timothy A.D. 305. St. Theodore from Pergia, suffered death A.D. 142, under the Emperor Antonius Pius. See more details •	22 St. Theodore Sykiot St. Theodore Sykiot April 22, 2024 Our venerable father, Theodore, "Sykiot," died A.D. 541 in the reign of Justinian, Emperor. (Confer June 15.) SS. Nathanael, Luke, and Clement, Apostles. Verable, Vitalius, leaving his cell, went to Alexandria, and, enduring many indignities from the men, brought many infamous women to do penance. He died A.D. 615 in the reign of Heraclius, Emperor. See more details •	23 George Great-Martyr George Great-Martyr April 23, 2024 Simple Holy Day Acts 12:1-11 Jn 15:17-16:2 See more details •	24 St. Sabbas St. Sabbas April 24, 2024 St. Sabbas, Martyr and a Christian officer in the army of the Emperor Aurelian, suffered death for the faith in Rome A.D. 272. See more details •	25 St. Mark St. Mark April 25, 2024 St. Mark, Apostle and Evangelist, a disciple and companion of St. Peter, Apostle, wrote the Second Gospel under St. Peter's direction. He founded the great church of Alexandria and there died in prison A.D. 68 in the days of Nero, Emperor. See more details •	26 Sunday of the (Myrrhbearers) Sunday of the (Myrrhbearers) April 26, 2024 Acts 6:1-7 Mk 15:43-16 See more details •	27 St. Simeon Bishop-Martyr St. Simeon Bishop-Martyr April 27, 2024 St. Simeon, Priest-Martyr, son of Cleopas and kinsman of our Lord, was Bishop of Jerusalem, governed that church for over forty years, lived over one hundred years, and was crucified in the reign of Emperor Trajan A.D. 112. Venerable father, Stephen, Bishop of Vladimir. See more details •
28 Jason & Sosipater Apostles Jason & Sosipater Apostles April 28, 2024 SS. Jason and Sosipater, Apostles, were disciples of St. Paul in the reign of Nero A.D. 69. SS. Maximus, Dadas, and Quinctillianus, Martyrs, beheaded about A.D. 303. Venerable father, Cyril, Bishop of Turov. See more details •	29 Nine Holy Martyrs of Cyzice Nine Holy Martyrs of Cyzice April 29, 2024 SS. Nine Martyrs at Cyzice. Venerable, Memnon, wonderworker. See more details •	30 James the Greater Apostle James the Greater Apostle April 30, 2024 St. James the Greater, Apostle, Brother of St. John the Theologian, was beheaded by King Herod Agrippa in Jerusalem A.D. 43. See more details •