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History

The history of the Byzantine Catholic Church is rooted in rich traditions that elevate spirituality.

Legacy: Previous Hierarchs

	May 2020
Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
					1 St. Jeremiah Prophet St. Jeremiah Prophet May 1, 2020 St. Jeremiah, the Second of the Greater Prophets, was of the Tribe of Levi. Tradition states that at age 55 he was stoned to death at Taphnes, Egypt 590 B.C. by the Jews who shared his captivity. Venice, Italy holds some of his relics. See more details •	2 Athanasius the Great Athanasius the Great May 2, 2020 Our holy father, Athanasius the Great, Patriarch of Alexandria. (For the other Feast of this Saint, see the 18th of January.) See more details •
3 Sunday of the Paralytic Man Sunday of the Paralytic Man May 3, 2020 Acts 9:32-42 Jn 5:1-15 See more details •	4 St. Pelagia Martyr St. Pelagia Martyr May 4, 2020 St. Pelagia, Martyr, Emperor Diocletian, chose her to be the wife of one of his sons. Learning that she was a Christian, this son committed suicide; she was then sentenced and died during torture A.D. 288. Venerable-Mother, Pelagia, formerly a public sinner, chanced to hear a sermon by St. Nonnus, Bishop of Edessa. Stricken by remorse, she did severe penance in a cave on Mt. Olivet. She died about A.D. 457. See more details •	5 St. Irene Great-Martyr St. Irene Great-Martyr May 5, 2020 St. Irene, Glorious Martyr, daughter of the Emperor Licinius and his wife Licinia, suffered courageously for Christ, and by many miracles, thousands were converted to Christianity. She died A.D. 315, in the reign of Emperor Constantine the Great. Venerable father, Nicephorus, Hegumen. See more details •	6 Mid-Pentecost Wednesday Mid-Pentecost Wednesday May 6, 2020 Acts 14:6-18 Jn 7:14-30 See more details •	7 Commemoration of the Appearance of the Sign of the Cross Commemoration of the Appearance of the Sign of the Cross May 7, 2020 Commemoration of the appearance of the Sign of the Cross, formed by the stars in the heavens over Jerusalem, extending from Calvary to Mt. Olivet A.D. 346. See more details •	8 St. John Apostle & Evangelist St. John Apostle & Evangelist May 8, 2020 St. John, the Apostle and Evangelist, the beloved of Jesus. He labored much in preaching the Gospel and was alone of the Twelve Apostles who did not forsake the Savious in the hour of His Passion. He wrote a Gospel supplementary to the three other Gospels, three Epistles and the mysterious Book of the Apocalypse. Having lived 102 years, he died in the reign of the Emperor Trajan. (Confer September 26.) Our venerable father, Arsenius the Great, tutor to the two sons of Emperor Theodosius, declined all worldly honor, retired into the desert in Lower Egypt. He died at the age of 95 A.D. 450. See more details •	9 Translation of the Relics of Nicholas of Myra- Bishop Translation of the Relics of Nicholas of Myra- Bishop May 9, 2020 Acts 12:1-11 Jn 8:31-42 See more details •
10 Sunday of the Samaritan Woman Sunday of the Samaritan Woman May 10, 2020 Acts 11:19-26 & 29-30 Jn 4:5-42 See more details •	11 Cyril and Methodius Apostles to the Slavs Cyril and Methodius Apostles to the Slavs May 11, 2020 The Holy and equal to the Apostles, Doctors of the Slavs, our holy fathers, Cyril and Methodius. These were two brothers, born in Thessalonica in the first half of the ninth century. The holy priest-martyr, Mocius. Our Venerable Father and Confessor Basil Hopko, Defender of the faith, suffered under the repressive regime of the Communist government. See more details •	12 St. Epiphanius & Germanus Bishops St. Epiphanius & Germanus Bishops May 12, 2020 Our holy father, Epiphanius, Bishop in Cyprus, and Germanus, Patriarch of Constantinople, Epiphanius was Bishop in Salamis, an intimate friend of St. Hilarion and St. Jerome, and counselor to Pope St. Damasus. He was “a pillar of Faith” against the Arians, and died at an advanced age in A.D. 403. Germanus was banished and died in exile A.D. 733, in the reign of Leo III, the Isaurian. See more details •	13 St. Glyceria Martyr St. Glyceria Martyr May 13, 2020 St. Glyceria, Martyr, suffered for the Faith in Trajanopolis in Greece, by being thrown to the wild beasts in the Amphitheatre after cruel torments about A.D. 141. St. Alexander, Martyr on the Island Cyprus, martyred for the Faith A.D. 298. See more details •	14 St. Isidore St. Isidore May 14, 2020 Our venerable father, Isidore of Pelusium, founded a monastery at Pelusium and was help in great esteem as a theologian and guide of souls. He died about A.D. 450. See more details •	15 St. Pachomius the Great Venerable St. Pachomius the Great Venerable May 15, 2020 Our venerable father, Pachomius the Great. Egyptian by birth, soldier by profession, convert to Christianity, received tonsure from the hermit Palaemon, founded monasteries, grouped Religious Houses subject to one Rule under the jurisdiction of a Head Hegumen-Abbot. He died A.D. 438. See more details •	16 St. Theodore Venerable St. Theodore Venerable May 16, 2020 Our venerable father, Theodore, disciple of St. Pachomius, Hegumen-Abbot of Taberna, died A.D. 367, in the reign of Valentinian, Emperor. SS. Vitus, Modestus, and Crescentia, Martyrs. Vitus, a child with his nurse Crescentia and her husband Modestus, by whom he was instructed in the Christian Faith, was driven from home by his inhuman parents. They suffered martyrdom together about A.D. 302 under Diocletian, Emperor. See more details •
17 Sunday of the Man Born Blind Sunday of the Man Born Blind May 17, 2020 Acts 16:16-34 Jn 9:1-38 See more details •	18 St. Theodotus and Others Martyrs St. Theodotus and Others Martyrs May 18, 2020 St. Theodotus of Ancyra in Galatia (Asia Minor), grain dealer by trade, seeking to recover the bodies of holy women martyrs from quicksand, was himself made to share the same fate in the reign of Diocletian, A.D. 304. SS. Petrus, Dennis, Andreas, Paul, Christina, Heracleus, Paulinus, and Venedimus, Martyrs. SS. Seven Virgins: Alexandra, Thekusa, Claudia, Falina, Evphrasia, Matrona, and Julia. See more details •	19 St. Patrick, Bishop-Martyr St. Patrick, Bishop-Martyr May 19, 2020 St. Patrick, Bishop-Martyr of Prusa in Bithynia (Asia Minor) and his companions. After many tortures for Christ, he was put to the sword with Menander and Acatius A.D. 363, in the reign of Julian the Apostate, Emperor. See more details •	20 St. Thalaleus and Others Martyrs St. Thalaleus and Others Martyrs May 20, 2020 St. Thalaleus, Martyr and others. At the sight of his constancy in Faith. Asterius and Alexander, his executioners, and other bystanders declared themselves Christians and all shared his fate A.D. 272, in the reign of the Emperor Aurelian. See more details •	21 Ascension of Our Lord Ascension of Our Lord May 21, 2020 Feast of the Ascension of our Lord, Jesus Christ. This moveable feast - the 40th day after Pascha, the Glorious Resurrection - traditionally falls on a Thursday, and is a holy day of obligation for Byzantine Catholics. "You were taken up in glory, O Christ our God; you gladdened the disciples with the promise of the Holy Spirit; by blessing them you confirmed that you are the Son of God, the Redeemer of the World." – Troparion of the Ascension See more details •	22 SS Constantine & Helen SS Constantine & Helen May 22, 2020 SS. Constantine the Great, King and Equal to the Apostles and Helen, his mother. Constantine reigned in ancient Rome and Byzantium (Constantinople) and became the first Christian Emperor, champion of the Faith and builder of many Christian edifices. He died A.D. 337. St. Helen, mother of this Great Emperor, discovered the true Cross of Jesus in Jerusalem. See more details •	23 St. Michael of Synnada Bishop - Confessor St. Michael of Synnada Bishop - Confessor May 23, 2020 Our venerable father and confessor, Michael, Bishop of Synnada at Phrygia, was a disciple of St. Tarasius, Patriarch of Constantinople. Because of his fearless opposition to the Iconoclast, Emperor Leo the Armenian, he was banished into Galatia and died about A.D. 820. Venerable mother, Euphrosenia, of Polotsk. See more details •
24 Sunday of the Fathers of the 1st Ecumenical Council Sunday of the Fathers of the 1st Ecumenical Council May 24, 2020 Acts 20:16-18 & 28-38 Jn 7:1-13 See more details •	25 Commemoration of 3rd Finding of the Head of St. John the Baptist Commemoration of 3rd Finding of the Head of St. John the Baptist May 25, 2020 The Third Finding of the Venerable Head of St. John, the Glorious Prophet, Baptist and Precursor of our Lord, A.D. 867. At that time St. Ignatius was Patriarch of Constantinople in the reign of Emperor Michael III. See more details •	26 Carpus & Others Martyrs Carpus & Others Martyrs May 26, 2020 SS. Carpus, Bishop of the Church in Thyatira, and Papylus, his Deacon, and with them Agathonica, sister of Papylus, and Agathodorus, their servant, suffered A.D. 250 in the persecution under Nero. See more details •	27 St. Therapont Bishop-Martyr St. Therapont Bishop-Martyr May 27, 2020 St. Therapont, Priest-Martyr, died for the Faith A.D. 259, in the reign of Valerian, Emperor. See more details •	28 St. Nicetas Venerable-Confessor St. Nicetas Venerable-Confessor May 28, 2020 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 •	29 Theodosia Venerable Martyr Theodosia Venerable Martyr May 29, 2020 St. Theodosia, venerable-Virgin-Martyr of Tyre, who, on seeing some martyrs led to their execution, asked them to pray for her. She was seized, tried, tortured, and cast into the sea A.D. 308, in the reign of Constantius and Galerius, Emperors. See more details •	30 5th All Souls Saturday 5th All Souls Saturday May 30, 2020 Acts 28:1-31 Jn 21:15-25 See more details •
31 Pentecost Sunday Pentecost Sunday May 31, 2020 Acts 2:1-11; Jn 7:37-52 & 8:12 See more details •