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St. Felix I

Saint Felix was a Roman by birth and the son of the emperor Constance. He was electedPope after the martyrdom of his predecessor, Saint Dionysius or Denis, on the last day ofthe year 269.

Four of his letters are still extant, though one is only a fragment; in the first two heregulates the procedures of justice in the case of accused ecclesiastics and warns againstdetractors and calumniators. In the third he refutes those who maintain errors stillrampant in our day — that Jesus did not behold His Father by the beatific vision and wasless than His Father. In the fragmentary fourth letter, the Pope foresees and rejects inadvance the heresies of Nestorius and Eutyches, teaching that the Eternal Word is notanother Person than Jesus Christ, who is both perfect God and perfect Man.

Saint Felix also wrote against the errors of Sabellius, Paul of Samosate and Manes, headof the Manicheans. He issued many ordinances of great advantage to the Church, such asthat the relics of Saints should be enclosed in the altars where the Holy Sacrifice isoffered. His life ended in the year 274 under the emperor Aurelian. Although that princehad shown a certain benevolence toward Christians at the beginning of his reign, in thatyear he ordered a furious persecution which enveloped Saint Felix and was the occasionfor his winning a glorious crown of martyrdom. His body was interred in his owncemetery on the Aurelian Way, where he had also built a church. Saint Felix reigned forfive years, ten months and 25 days.

St. Joan of Arc

Who today does not know the history of the Maid of Orleans, who saved France from theforeign domination of the English, only to be betrayed by the legitimate prince whom herefforts had crowned at Rheims, then burnt at the stake on May 30, 1431? Both in theFrench and English languages, many books and articles have honored her since hercanonization in 1920 by Pope Benedict XV.

The Holy Father spoke before the bishop of Orleans and others present for the reading ofthe decree which approved her two final great miracles, needed to proceed with thecanonization. He said, “We find the memory of Joan of Arc so apt to enkindle love in theFrench people for their mother country, that we regret being French only in our heart!” Many others could say the same, and confirm the exactitude of the proverb: “EveryChristian has two mother countries — the one where he or she first saw the light of day,and France!”

Two years later, Pope Pius XI declared Saint Joan patroness of France with the MostBlessed Virgin, placing her second only to the Mother of God. In that year MonsignorBaudrillart, French historian, wrote that Saint Joan of Arc may be proposed as anexample to all young children by her perfect piety; as a model of fidelity to the call ofheaven, to all young persons. For artisans, scholars, writers, teachers, she gives excellentexample by her respect for truth and her remarkable prudence. Those dedicated to theworks of mercy should find inspiration in her charity, visible when she consoled and weptfor her wounded and dying enemies. All agricultural workers can invoke her withconfidence, for when Joan, with the archbishop of Rheims, rode through the rich fields inthe month of August and saw the reapers at work, she expressed a wish, despite thehonors she then enjoyed, to die in the midst of the country-folk of France whom sheloved. Her illness in prison, her martyrdom in the flames, recommend her intercession tothe sick, as also to all who pray for loved ones in purgatory.

“Finally,” Monsignor Baudrillart concluded, “we pray our new Patroness to intercedeunceasingly with God and the Most Blessed Virgin that France, its thoughts turnedtowards the true liberty of God’s children and its own ancient dignity, may truly be todayas before, the firstborn daughter of the Church.” For centuries that title — conferredbecause of the early conversion of King Clovis and three thousand of his noble soldiers,baptized on Christmas day of 496 — was the glory of Christian France. It was latermagnificently renewed and embellished by the heroic virgin, Joan of Arc.

St. Petronilla

Among the disciples of the Apostles, in the primitive age of Saints, this holy virgin shonelike a bright star in the Church. She lived when Christians were more solicitous to livewell than to write much; they knew how to die for Christ, but they did not compile longbooks in which vanity often has a greater share than charity, and thus no particular account ofher actions has been handed down to us. But how eminent her sanctity was we may judge fromthe luster by which it was remarked amid Apostles, prophets, and martyrs.

Saint Petronilla is the daughter of the Apostle Saint Peter. We know from the Gospel that SaintPeter was married before his call from Christ, and Saint Clement of Alexandria assures us that hiswife, Saint Perpetua, attained to the glory of martyrdom. On that occasion, Peter himselfencouraged her, bidding her to remember Our Lord.

Although some authors are not certain whether Saint Petronilla was more than the spiritualdaughter of that Apostle, the Bollandists assure us that she was indeed the child of the two holySaints and martyrs. She dwelt in Rome also, and vowed her virginity to Christ. When suitorspresented themselves, she begged her Lord to take her from this world, and her request wasgranted. She was buried on the road to Ardea, where in ancient times a cemetery and a churchbore her name. Her relics have been since 1606 in a chapel dedicated to her in the Basilica ofSaint Peter.

The Queenship of Mary

From the earliest centuries of the Catholic Church, Christians have addressed suppliantprayers and hymns of praise to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the hope they have placedin the Mother of the Saviour has never been disappointed. They have looked upon Her asQueen of Angels, Queen of Patriarchs, Queen of Prophets, Queen of Apostles, Queen ofMartyrs, Queen of Virgins. Because of Her eminence, She is indeed entitled to thehighest honors that can be bestowed upon any creature. Saint Gregory Nazianzen calledHer Mother of the King of the entire universe, and the Virgin Mother who brought forththe King of the entire world.

His Holiness Pope Pius XII, in his Encyclical Letter of October 11, 1954, “On the RoyalDignity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Institution of Her Feast”, ordaining itscelebration throughout the world every year on May 31^st, reminds us of what Pope PiusIX had said of Mary: “Constituted by the Lord as Queen of Heaven and earth, andexalted above all the choirs of Angels and the ranks of the Saints in heaven, standing atthe right hand of Her only-begotten Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, She petitions mostpowerfully with Her maternal prayers, and obtains what She seeks.”

Pope Pius XII adds another ordinance: “We ask that on the feast day be renewed theconsecration of the human race to the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Upon this is founded a great hope that there may arise an era of happiness which willrejoice in the triumph of religion and Christian peace. Therefore let all approach, withgreater confidence than ever before, to the throne of mercy and grace of our Queen andMother, to beg help in difficulty, light in darkness and solace in trouble and sorrow.” Inasking this, the Holy Father was responding to the request of the Virgin Herself at Fatimain 1917, that the world and each soul individually be consecrated to Her ImmaculateHeart. She promised that it will be then that “a time of peace will be given to the world.” Do not Mary’s rights as Queen require respect? And will we deny to Her maternal Heartthe love it merits, for twenty centuries of uninterrupted intercession on behalf of Herchildren?

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