Martha and the Monster

July 29:  Saint Martha

  

Martha of Bethany is a biblical figure described in the Gospels of Luke and John. Together with her siblings Lazarus and Mary, she is described as living in the village of Bethany near Jerusalem. She is the middle child of her family with Lazarus being the eldest and her sister Mary the youngest. She was witness to Jesus' resurrection of her brother, Lazarus.

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus visits the home of two sisters named Mary and Martha. The two sisters are contrasted: Martha was "cumbered about many things" while Jesus was their guest, while Mary had chosen "the better part", that of listening to the master's discourse.

In the Gospel of John, Martha and Mary appear in connection two incidents: the raising from the dead of her brother Lazarus (John 11) and the anointing of Jesus in Bethany (John 12:3).

Martha appears again in John 12:1-8, where she serves at a meal held in Jesus' honor at which her brother is also a guest. The narrator only mentions that the meal takes place in Bethany, while the apparently parallel accounts in the Gospels of Matthew (Matthew 26:6-13) and Mark (Mark 14:3-9) specify that it takes place at the home of one Simon the Leper.

Martha is venerated as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox churches, and commemorated by the Lutheran Church and the Anglican Communion. Through time, as the cult of Martha developed, the images of maturity, strength, common sense, and concern for others predominated.

According to legend, St Martha left Judea after Jesus' death, around AD 48, and went to Provence with her sister Mary (conflated with Mary Magdalene) and her brother Lazarus. With them, Martha first settled in Avignon (now in France). The Golden Legend, compiled in the 13th century, records the Provençal tradition.

The Tarascon Monster

A further legend relates that Martha then went to Tarascon, where a monster, the Tarasque, was a constant threat to the population. The Golden Legend describes it as a beast from Galicia; a great dragon, half beast and half fish, greater than an ox, longer than an horse, having teeth sharp as a sword, and horned on either side, head like a lion, tail like a serpent, that dwelt in a certain wood between Arles and Avignon. Holding a cross in her hand, Martha sprinkled the beast with holy water. Placing her sash around its neck, she led the tamed dragon through the village.   There Martha lived, daily occupied in prayers and in fastings. Martha eventually died in Tarascon, where she was buried. Her tomb is located in the crypt of the local Collegiate Church.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martha

In Provence: Arles to AIx

Remember when we visited Provence region of France and toured Aix and Avignon and had lunch with Martha, Mary, and Lazarus?

Remember when we drove through Tarascon and saw the tomb of Martha?  Or, maybe not!

July 29:  Feast of St. Martha

Martha was born of noble and wealthy parents, but she is still more illustrious for the hospitality she gave to Christ our Lord. After His Ascension into heaven, she was seized by the Jews, together with her brother and sister, Marcella her handmaid, and Maximin, one of the seventy two disciples of our Lord, who had baptized the whole family, and many other Christians. They were put on board a ship without sails or oars, and left helpless on the open sea, exposed to certain shipwreck. But God guided the ship, and they all arrived safely at Marseilles.

This miracle, together with their preaching, brought the people of Marseilles, of Aix, and of the neighborhood to believe in Christ. Lazarus was made Bishop of Marseilles and Maximin of Aix. Magdalen, who was accustomed to devote herself to prayer and to sit at our Lord's feet, in order to enjoy the better part which she had chosen, that is, contemplation of the joys of heaven, retired into a deserted cave on a very high mountain. There she lived for thirty years, separated from all human intercourse; and every day she was carried to heaven by the angels to hear their songs of praise.

But Martha, after having won the love and admiration of the people of Marseilles by the sanctity of her life and her wonderful charity, withdrew in the company of several virtuous women to a spot remote from men, where she lived for a long time, greatly renowned for her piety and prudence. She foretold her death long before it occurred; and at length, famous for miracles, she passed to our Lord on the fourth of the Kalends of August. Her body which lies at Tarascon is held in great veneration.

Excerpted from The Liturgical Year, Abbot Gueranger O.S.B.

Happy St. Martha's Day!

July 29:  Feast of St. Martha 

              
Saint Martha (1st c.) was from Bethany near Jerusalem. She is mentioned in Sacred Scripture as being a close friend of Jesus during his earthly ministry, as was her brother, St. Lazarus, and her sister, St. Mary of Bethany. The Gospels tell us that "Jesus loved Martha, and her sister Mary and Lazarus."

Martha would serve the Lord when he was a guest in her home, once busying herself with so much work that she neglected to spend time with him. Martha was a believer and had great faith in Christ, especially evidenced in her belief that he could raise her brother Lazarus from the dead.

In the Gospels we read that St. Martha testified that Jesus was the Son of God even before his Passion and Resurrection.

According to tradition, after the Ascension of Jesus into heaven, St. Martha gathered a group of women together to live, pray, and do penance in common, one of the early Christian convents of nuns. 

St. Martha is the patron of butlers, maids, servers, single laywomen, homemakers, domestic servants, and dieticians.

Her feast day is July 29th.

Pantaleon is Pantless

Did his blood liquefy today in Ravello, Italy? 

St. Pantaleon, one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, was a physician, who practiced without payment, and who was martyred under Diocletian.

His cultus is primarily connected with Bithynia, where Emperor Justinian rebuilt his church at Nicomedia. Churches are dedicated to him in Constantinople and Rome.

In the East he is known as the Great Martyr and Wonder Worker.

A reputed relic of Pantaleon's blood kept at Ravello in southern Italy displays the phenomenon of liquefaction on his feast day, similar to that of Saint Januarius.

Before the reform of the General Roman Calendar his feast was celebrated today.

Patron: bachelors; consumption; doctors; midwives; physicians; torture victims; tuberculosis; protection of domestic animals.

Symbols: Budding olive branch or olive tree; vials of medicine; lion; club; sword and vase.

Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch

Why You Should Drink A "Rusty Nail" Today

From Drinking With The Saints . . .

Pantaleon was a Christian physician martyred during the Diocletian persecution.

Tradition says Pantaleon was martyred by being nailed to an olive tree where his blood brought forth leaves and fruit. 

Therefore, you should drink a Rusty Nail today:

1 ¼ oz. Scotch

¾ oz. Drambuie

July 27:  Feast of St. Panteleimon

 He was counted in the West among the late-medieval Fourteen Holy Helpers and in the East as one of the Holy Unmercenary Healers. 

He was a martyr of Nicomedia in Bithynia during the Diocletian persecution of 305 AD. 

Though there is evidence to suggest that a martyr named Pantaleon existed, some consider the stories of his life and death to be purely legendary.

Keep Your Pants On, Leon

Saint Pantaleon came from Nicomedia, near the Black Sea, in Asia. He was such a famous doctor that the Emperor himself chose him for his own doctor. Pantaleon was a Christian, but the bad influence from the pagan court caused him to give up his Christian faith entirely.

A holy priest named Hermolaos made him realize what a sin he had committed. Pantaleon listened to him, detested his sin and joined the Church once more. To make up for what he had done, he greatly desired to suffer and die for Jesus. In the meantime, he imitated Our Lord’s charity by taking care of poor sick people without any charge for his medical services.

When the Emperor Diocletian began his persecution, Pantaleon at once gave away everything he owned to the poor. Not long afterwards, he was accused of being a Christian. He was given the choice of denying his Faith or being put to death. No torture could force Pantaleon to deny his Faith.

There has been strong devotion in past ages to this Saint. In the East he is called the “Great Martyr and Wonder-worker.”

Saint Pantaleon’s feast day is July 27th.

Why You Should Wear Pants Today

This is an interesting story about the word “pants” and why you should wear some today . . .

July 27:  Feast of St. Pataleone (Pantalone)

San Pantaleone or Pantalone was a Christian doctor martyred during the reign of Diocletion.  Pantalone was a popular saint in Venice because his name resembles the Venetian battle cry “Piante Lione” which translates as “Plant the Lion” which reflects the lion as the symbol of Venice conquering its enemies. 

The name Pantalone became attached to a stock comedic character in Italian comedies, and this saint therefore gave his name to this character in the commedia dell'arte,   Pantalone, a silly, wizened old man (Shakespeare's "lean and slippered Pantaloon") who was a caricature of Venetians wore distinctive trousers that covered his legs instead of the more common breeches that exposed the lower leg.  This character was portrayed as wearing trousers rather than knee breeches, and so became the origin of the name of a type of trouser called "pantaloons," which was later shortened to "pants."

To honor this saint and celebrate the creation of pantaloons, you should drink this cocktail which was very popular during Prohibition:

                Ants in the Pants Cocktail

                         1 oz. gin

                        ½ oz. Grand Marnier

½ oz. sweet vermouth

1 dash lemon juice

You can also celebrate with a French wine knows as Saint-Pantaleon-les-Vignes which takes its name from an old Benedictine abbey in Provence.

Be sure to toast by shouting, “Piante Lione!”

Wearing pants while drinking and toasting today is optional!!

From:

Drinking With The Saints by Michael P. Foley

The Sinner’s Guide To a Holy Happy Hour