today’s holiday: Walpurgis Night

Walpurgis Night

People who lived in the Harz Mountains of Germany believed for many centuries that witches rode across the sky on the eve of St. Walpurga‘s Day to hold a coven on Brocken Mountain. To frighten them off, people rang church bells, banged pots and pans, and lit torches topped with hemlock, rosemary, and juniper. The legend of Walpurgis Night is still celebrated in Germany, Austria, and Scandinavia with bonfires and other festivities designed to welcome spring by warding off demons, disaster, and darkness. St. Walpurga is the patron saint associated with protection against magic. More… Discuss

Saint of the Day for Sunday, February 8th, 2015 : St. Jerome Emiliani

Saint of the Day for Sunday, February 8th, 2015

St. Jerome Emiliani

Jerome Emiliani lay chained in the dark dirty dungeon. Only a short time before he had been a military commander for Venice in charge of a fortress. He didn’t care much about God because he didn’t … continue reading

More Saints of the Day

St. Jerome Emiliani St. Cointha St. Cuthman of Steyning St. Dionysius St. Elfleda St. Honoratus St. Jacut and Guethenoc St. Josephine Bakhita St. Kigwe

St. Llibio St. Meingold of Huy St. Nicetius of Besancon St. Oncho St. Paul Lucius, and Cyriacus St. Paul of Verdun Bl. Peter Igneus St. Peter Igneus St. Stephen of M

.@eharris_it Francis is NOT pope he has violated God’s law & Christ’s teachings & seeks to corrupt the #Catholic faith— Pray For Life (@Pray_4_Life)

.@eharris_it Francis is NOT pope he has violated God’s law & Christ’s teachings & seeks to corrupt the #Catholic faith .@cnalive .@Pontifex

— Pray For Life (@Pray_4_Life) December 31, 2014

Saint of the Day for Wednesday, December 31st, 2014: St. Sylvester

Saint of the Day for Wednesday, December 31st, 2014

St. Sylvester

St. Sylvester, born in Rome, was ordained by Pope St. Marcellinus during the peace that preceded the persecutions of Diocletian. He passed through those days of terror, witnessed the abdication of … continue reading

More Saints of the Day

St. Sylvester St. Barbatian St. Columba of Sens St. Donata St. Hermes

St. Melania St. Offa Sts. Sabinian & Potentian St. Zoticus

today’s holiday: Baths of Caracalla

Baths of Caracalla

Originally designed as a social gathering place for men in third-century Rome, the Baths of Caracalla became the unusual setting for open-air opera in 1937. Held every summer in July and August, the Bath Operas feature grand Italian operas, as well as ballet performances produced by local and international dance companies. The events take place in the evening on one of the world’s largest stages—100 feet long and 162 feet wide. While the acoustics are far from ideal, more than 10,000 spectators generally fill the bleachers to enjoy this one-of-a-kind musical extravaganza. More… Discuss

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