January 18
Maronite Rite: Today, the Maronites celebrate the feast of the Chair of St. Peter at Rome. This feast is celebrated by them due to the fact that their calendar is a curious mix of East and West, and the Maronite Rite retains many feast days that were originally from the Traditional Latin Rite. This feast celebrates St.Peter's prerogatives as Bishop of Rome and Pastor of the Universal Church (Feb. 22 commemorates St.Peter as the first Bishop of Antioch.) This day also begins the Chair of Unity Octave, eight days of prayer for the unity of all Christians that ends on the Feast of the Conversion of St.Paul, Jan.25.. Each day in the Octave has a particular intention that the Church asks us to pray for regarding church unity.
Byzantine and Maronite Rites: The Eastern Churches today celebrate the feasts of Sts. Athanasius and Cyril of Alexandria. Athanasius the Great is known as the "champion of orthodoxy" for his heroic struggle defending the truth of the Divinity of Christ. The early Church was wracked by Arianism, the heresy that denied that the Savior of the World was divine. So rampant was this heresy and so quickly did it spread that St Jerome remarked, "we woke up one day and the world was Arian." Athanasius endured incredible persecution from both civil and church authorities alike, and countered it with remarkable heroism. He was present at the Council of Nicaea. Todays feast commemorates his return from exile in 345. His death in 373 is commemorated on May 2, the day of his death.
Cyril of Alexandria is famous in part for his defense of the Faith against the heresy of Nestorianism. Cyril defended the Faith against this heresy together with Pope St. Celestine I. The Maronite Liturgy has the ancient Anaphora of St. Celestine, a beautiful and poetic Eucharistic Prayer, that is attributed to him. Cyril died in 444.
Last edited by praying4patience, 3/28/2006, 5:17 pm
January 18 Chair of Unity Octave
Today the Church asks us to pray for the return of all the "other sheep" to the Church under the guidance of the successor of St. Peter, the Pope.
A Prayer for the Octave
Lord Jesus, most gracious Saviour of
the world, we humbly beg of Thee by
Thy Most Sacred Heart, that all the
sheep now wandering astray may be
converted to Thee, the Shepherd and
Bishop of their souls: Who livest and
reignest, world without end. Amen
Last edited by praying4patience, 3/28/2006, 4:23 pm
Byzantine and Maronite Rites: St. Macarius the Great.
Macarius was a holy monastic priest who lived in Egypt
in the Fourth Century. He and his companion, Macarius the Younger, who is also commemorated today, were foes of Arianism and were instrumental in establishing monasticism in Egypt. They both died in the last decade of the Fourth Century.
Chair of Unity Octave
The Church today asks us to pray for the unity of all Eastern Christians, under the leadership of the Pope, the succesor of St. Peter.
Prayer for the Octave
O God, our Protector, look upon the face of Thy Christ, who gave Himself as a redemption for all, and grant that from the rising of the sun to the setting of the same, Thy name may be praised among the nations of the earth, and that in every place there be sacrifice and a clean oblation offered to Thy Holy Name. Amen.
Byzantine and Maronite Rites: St. Euthymius the Great.
St. Euthymius was originally from Armenia, and was eventually
consecrated bishop by the Patriarch of Jerusalem and ruled the area between Jerusalem and Jericho, the setting of the parable of the Good Samaritan. He converted a great many heretics and Arab pagans. He died on January 20, 473, after spending 66 years in the desert.
Chair of Unity Octave
The Church today asks us to pray for the return of the Anglicans to full communion with the Catholic Church.
Octave Prayer
Our Lady of the Atonement, intercede for
us that there may be fulfilled the prayer
of thy Divine Son: that all may be one.
Byzantine and Maronite Rites: St. Timothy the Apostle. St. Timothy was the most famous of the disciples of St. Paul, and the recipient of
Paul's epistles that make up part of the New Testament.
He was the first bishop of Ephesus. He was stoned to death there in A.D. 97 for opposing pagan festivals.
Troparion of St. Timothy
O Holy Apostle Timothy, master of anointing, measured in all thy deeds, clothed with a right conscience as befits a priest, thou hast drawn ineffable truths from the Vessel of Election; thou didst keep the Faith and complete a course equal to his. Intercede with Christ our God that He may save our souls.
Chair of Unity Octave
The Church today asks us to pray that Christians in America may convert to the true faith, the Holy Catholic Faith.
Prayer for Church Unity from the Traditional Roman Missal
O God, Who settest straight what has gone astray, and gatherest together what is scattered, and keepest what Thou hast gathered together, we beseech Thee in Thy mercy to pour down on Christian people the grace of union with Thee, that putting aside disunion and attaching themselves to the true shepherd of Thy Church, they may be able to render Thee due service. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ Thy Son, Who livest and reignest with Thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, through all the ages and ages. Amen.
Byzantine Rite: St Xenia the Roman. Xenia was of noble Roman birth, and lived a monastic life with other holy virgins in the Fifth Century.
Maronite Rite: Following the revised Western calendar, the Maronite Church today celebrates the feast of St. Francis De Sales. As the Bishop of Geneva, St. Francis was instrumental in converting many to the truth from the errors of Calvinism, and was one of the outstanding figures of the Catholic Counter-Reformation. He died in 1622.
Chair of Unity Octave
Today God's Holy Church asks us to pray for the conversion of the Jews.
Prayer from the Traditional Latin Mass: Good Friday
Almighty and Eternal God, Who repellest not even Jewish faithlessness from Thy mercy, harken to our prayers which we make in behalf of the blindness of that people, that, recognizing the light of Thy truth, which is Christ, they may be delivered from their darkness. Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Our Lord, Who with Thee liveth and reigneth in the unity of the Holy Spirit, through all the ages and ages. Amen.
Byzantine Rite: St. Gregory the Theologian
St. Gregory was a friend of St.Basil and was consecrated bishop by him. He later became Patriarch of Constantinople. He presided over the Second Ecumenical Council in Constantinople in 381. He retired to his hometown after the Council, where he died in 389. He was a staunch foe of Arianism.
Maronite Rite: The Conversion of St. Paul
The Maronite Rite, in imitation of the Latin Church, today celebrates the event in the life of St. Paul where he was miraculously converted on the road to Damascus.
Chair of Unity Octave
Today concludes the Chair of Unity Octave with the feast of the Conversion of St. Paul. Today the Church asks us to pray for the missionary conquest of the world for Jesus Christ the King. Let us pray that God will send many missionaries with zeal for the Gospel to convert those that are in darkness, and to send them where they are most in need.
Byzantine Rite: Translation of the Relics of St. John Chrysostom
In the year 438, 33 years after his death in Armenia, St. John Chrysostom's relics were transferred to Constantinople where he had been Bishop. His principal feast in the Byzantine Rite is November 13. Today is his feast day in the Traditional Latin Rite.
Troparion of St. John Chrysostom
The grace that shines forth from thy mouth like a torch has enlightened the universe, bestowed treasures of generosity upon the world, and shown us the heights of humility. While thou dost teach us through thy words, pray to the Word, Christ our God, that he may save our souls.
Byzantine and Maronite Rites: St. Ephrem the Syrian
Although born in Nisibe in Mesopotamia, Ephrem migrated to Edessa and taught in the "School of the Persians" there. He was ordained a deacon and was a renowned orator and teacher. He wrote a large number of prayers and religious poems, and was nicknamed the "Lyre of the Holy Spirit". He died in 373.
Prayer of Ephrem the Syrian
Blessed be He Who in His love stooped to redeem mankind! Blessed be the King Who made Himself poor to enrich the needy! Blessed be He Who came to fulfill the types and emblems of the prophets! Blessed be He Who made creation rejoice with the wealth and treasure of His Father! Blessed be He Whose glory the dumb sang with hosannas! Blessed be He to whom little children sang new glory in hymns of praise! Blessed be the new King Who came that new-born babes might glorify Him! Blessed be He unto Whom children brought faltering songs tp praise Him among His disciples!
