The Feast of St. Alexis

Story of St. Alexis.

St. Alexius the only son of Euphemianus, a wealthy Christian Roman of the senatorial class, fled his arranged marriage to follow his mysterious holy vocation. Disguised as a beggar, he lived near Edessa in Syria, accepting alms even from his own household slaves, who had been sent to look for him but did not recognize him, until a miraculous vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary singled him out as a "Man of God." Fleeing the resultant notoriety, he returned to Rome, so changed that his parents did not recognize him, but as good Christians took him in and sheltered him for seventeen years, which he spent in a dark cubbyhole beneath the stairs, praying and teaching catechism to children. After his death, his family found writings on his body which told them who he was and how he had lived his life of penance from the day of his wedding, for the love of God. (Source)


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Art:  Terry Nelson

The Apparition of St. Michael

The feast of St. Michael at Monte Gargano.

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"Throughout history, in both the East and west, various apparitions of this powerful Angel have proved the protection of Saint Michael over the Church. Well known to Latin rite Catholics is his apparition in Rome, where Saint Gregory the Great saw him in the air sheathing his sword, to signal the cessation of a pestilence and the appeasement of God’s wrath. Another apparition to Saint Ausbert, bishop of Avranches in France, led to the construction of Mont-Saint-Michel in the sea, a famous pilgrimage site. May 8th, however, is destined to recall another no less marvelous apparition, occurring near Monte Gargano in the Kingdom of Naples.

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In the year 492 a shepherd named Gargan was pasturing his large herds in the countryside. One day a bull fled to the mountain, where at first it could not be found. When its refuge in a cave was discovered, an arrow was shot into the cave, but the arrow returned to wound the one who had sent it. Faced with so mysterious an occurrence, the persons concerned decided to consult the bishop of the region. He ordered three days of fasting and prayers. After three days, the Archangel Saint Michael appeared to the bishop and declared that the cavern where the bull had taken refuge was under his protection, and that God wanted it to be consecrated under his name and in honor of all the Holy Angels." - Source

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Devotion to St. Michael Archangel is very important in our day. I notice Fr. Z frequently asks people to recite the prayer to St. Michael whenever some new attack upon the Church or the clergy occurs. It is a good thing to do, especially these days when doctrine, morality and authority is scorned, mocked, and rejected. St. Michael is especially close to the Blessed Virgin, who is Queen of Angels. Hence devotion to St. Michael is right next to devotion to Our Lady, especially following the prayers of the Holy Rosary, and in some places still, after every Mass.