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| Certainly the most famous exiled saint is St Athanasius; but he was far from alone |
In keeping with my publication of new devotional litanies of saints from time to time, today’s focuses on saints listed in the traditional Roman Martyrology who were sent into exile by their persecutors. They offer many models for bishops who have discovered that teaching the Faith and favoring tradition will earn them nothing but cold shoulders, whispers, looks of scorn and disapproval, pressure from the nuncio. Highly appropriate for priests who are sent into the boonies as well as “canceled clergy” who are left without assignment due to their love of the traditional Catholic faith.
It is remarkable to ponder just how many of the great saints were driven into exile. All who are unjustly condemned to this kind of punishment (or its psychological equivalent in modern liberal societies) should recognize the quality of the company they are being invited to join.
A Litany of Saints Sent into Exile for the Faith
(for private use)
Lord, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of heaven,
have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost,
have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God,
have mercy on us.
Holy Mary,
pray for us.
Holy Mother of God,
pray for us.
Holy Virgin of virgins,
pray for us.
St. Cyprian of Carthage, who consummated martyrdom after a hard exile,
St. Clement I, pope and martyr, exiled by Trajan to the Crimea,
St. Athanasius, valiant defender of Christ’s divinity, driven many times into exile,
St. Hilary of Poitiers, valiant defender of the divinity of Christ,
St. John Chrysostom, driven from Constantinople and ill-treated by soldiers,
St. Eusebius of Vercelli, exiled to Cappadocia by Constantius and finally slain by Arians,
St. Flavian of Constantinople, attacked by heretics with blows and kicks,
St. Maximus Confessor, deprived of hand, tongue, and homeland by thine enemies,
St. Dafrosa, wife of St Flavian and mother of SS. Bibiana and Demetria,
pray for us.
St. Mela, Bishop, exiled under Valens for the Catholic Faith,
St. Volusian, Bishop, captured and exiled by the Goths,
SS. Maximus, Claudius, Praepedigna, Alexander, and Cutias, exiled under Diocletian,
St. Quodvultdeus, Bishop of Carthage, sent off in leaking boats without oars or sails,
St. Pontius, deacon and biographer of St. Cyprian, companion in his exile,
St. Serapion, anchorite and bishop, driven into exile by the fury of the Arians,
SS. Maro, Eutyches and Victorinus, exiled to Ponza for the confession of Christ,
SS. Flavia Domitilla, Nereus, and Achilleus, exiled to Ponza with many others,
St. Paul of Constantinople, often driven from thy See by Arians,
St. Maximus of Naples, strenuous confessor of Nicaea,
St. Asterius of Petra, exiled by Constantius but restored to thy church,
St. Macarius of Palestine, exiled to Africa by the Arians,
St. Eusebius of Samosata, minister to the anti-Arians under disguise,
St. Eustace of Antioch, famed for learning and holiness,
St. Flavian II of Antioch and St. Elias of Jerusalem, exiled for your defense of Chalcedon,
St. Paulinus of Trier, exiled by the Arians from place to place far beyond Christian lands,
SS. Donatian, Praesidius, Mansuetus, Germanus, Fusculus, and Laetus, slain in exile by the Arians,
St. Cornelius, pope and martyr, exiled by Decius and beheaded with many companions,
SS. Palatias and Laurentia, sent into exile under Diocletian and overcome by labors,
St. Ignatius of Constantinople, driven into exile for rebuking the adulterous Bardas Caesar,
St. Martin I, pope and martyr, taken prisoner and exiled by the Emperor Constans,
SS. Arcadius, Paschasius, Probus, and Eutychian, Spaniards, exiled by the Arian Genseric,
SS. Eugene and Macarius, rebuked and exiled to the desert by Julian the Apostate,
Ye holy bishop and priest martyrs of Alexandria, sent into exile by the Arians,
Ye 4966 martyrs of the Vandal persecution under Hunneric, driven into a horrible desert,
pray for us.(The Defenders of Icons)
St. Theophilus, Bishop, exiled for thy defense of holy images,
pray for us.St. Paul of Pelusium and St. Euthymius of Sardis, exiled for the same defense,
St. Theophanes, monk imprisoned by the iconoclast Leo the Armenian,
St. Nicephorus of Constantinople, zealous fighter for the traditions of the fathers,
St. Nicetas of Apollonia,
St. Macarius of Constantinople,
St. George of Antioch,
St. Anthusa, Virgin, beaten with scourges and sent into exile,
St. Emilian, Bishop, who ended thy life in exile,
St. Theophilus, monk, cruelly scourged and driven into exile by Leo the Isaurian,
SS. Theodore and Theophanes, brothers, resisters of successive iconoclast emperors,
pray for us.Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
V. Therefore my people go into exile for want of knowledge:
R. Their honored men are dying of hunger, and their multitude is parched with thirst. (Is 5:13)
Let us pray. Almighty and eternal God, look kindly upon Thy people who implore Thy mercy, that, through the intercession of Thy glorious saints who suffered exile for the love of Thy truth, we may imitate their example of zeal and inherit their reward of glory. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God for ever and ever. Amen.
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| St. Paul of Constantinople (June 7) |
Sources in the Martyrology
Also at Rome, blessed
Dafrosa, wife of St Flavian, Martyr, and mother of SS. Bibiana and Demetria, Virgin-Martyrs, who after the slaying of her husband was first sent into exile, and afterwards beheaded under the same prince. (Jan 4)
At Poitiers in France,
St Hilary, Bishop and Confessor, who on behalf of the Catholic faith, for which he fought valiantly, was sent into exile in Phrygia for four years, and there among his other miracles raised a man from the dead. Pius IX, Supreme Pontiff, made him a Doctor of the Church. (Jan 14)
At Rhinocolura, Egypt,
St Mela, Bishop, who, after he had suffered exile and other bitter pains under Valens for the Catholic faith, rested in peace. (Jan 16)
At Tours in France,
St Volusian, Bishop, who was captured by Goths, and gave up his spirit to God in exile. (Jan 18)
At Comana in Pontus,
St John, Bishop of Constantinople, Confessor and Doctor of the Church, surnamed Chrysostom by reason of the golden stream of his eloquence, who was driven into exile by a faction of his enemies. He was recalled by a decree of Pope Innocent I, but, suffering many evils on the journey at the hands of the soldiers who guarded him, he rendered up his soul to God. Pope Pius X declared and appointed this most famous preacher of the divine Word patron in heaven of religious preachers. (Jan 27)
At Ostia, the holy martyrs
Maximus and
Claudius, brothers, and
Praepedigna, the wife of Claudius, with their two sons,
Alexander and
Cutias; who, though they were of very noble birth, were at Diocletian's command all put to the test, and sent into exile. Later they were burned to death, offering themselves to God as a sweet sacrifice of martyrdom. Their relics were cast into the river, but discovered by the Christians, and near same city. (Feb 18)
At Constantinople,
St Flavian, Bishop, who fought for the Catholic faith at Ephesus, and was attacked by the faction of the impious Dioscorus with blows and kicks, and driven into exile, where after three days he died. (Feb 18)
At Naples, in Campania,
St Quodvultdeus, Bishop of Carthage, who together with his clergy was placed in leaking boats without oars or sails by the Arian King Genseric; but he unexpectedly reached Naples, and died there in exile as a confessor. (Feb 19)
At Nicomedia,
St Theophilus, Bishop, who by reason of his veneration of holy images was driven into exile and there died. (Mar 7)
At Pelusium in Egypt,
St Paul, Bishop, who died an exile in the same cause. (Mar 7)
At Carthage,
St Pontius, a deacon of blessed Cyprian, Bishop, who up to the day of his death underwent exile with him, and left an excellent account of his life and passion. Unceasingly glorifying the Lord in his sufferings, he merited the crown of life. (Mar 8)
At Sardis,
St Euthymius, Bishop, who was sent into exile by the Iconoclast Emperor Michael because of his veneration of holy images. Later on during the reign of Theophilus he suffered martyrdom by being cruelly beaten with leather thongs. (Mar 11)
At Constantinople,
St Theophanes, who from being a very rich man became a poor monk. He was kept in prison for two years by the impious Leo the Armenian, for his veneration of holy images, and then exiled into Thrace, where, weighed down with miseries, he gave up the ghost. He was renowned for many miracles. (Mar 12)
At Constantinople, the translation of
St Nicephorus, Bishop of that city and Confessor. His body was brought to Constantinople from the island of Prokenesis, in the sea of Marmara, where he had died on June 5 in exile because of his reverence for holy images, and it was buried with honour by St Methodius, Bishop of Constantinople, in the church of the Holy Apostles in this the very day on which Nicephorus had been driven into exile. (Mar 13)
At Apollonia,
St Nicetas, Bishop, who was driven into exile for the veneration of holy images, and there died. (Mar 20)
At Alexandria, blessed
Serapion, anchorite and Bishop of Thmuis, a man of great virtues, who was driven into exile by the fury of Arians, and passed to the Lord. (Mar 21)
At Constantinople,
St Macarius, Confessor, who under the Emperor Leo ended his life in exile for defending holy images. (Apr 1)
On the same day, the holy martyrs
Maro,
Eutyches and
Victorinus, who were in the first place exiled with blessed Flavia Domitilla to the island of Ponza for the confession of Christ. They were afterwards set at liberty under the Emperor Nerva, but when they had converted many to the faith, at the order of the judge Valerian they were slain by various torments in the persecution of Trajan. (Apr 15)
At Antioch in Pisidia,
St George, Bishop, who died in exile for the veneration of holy images. (Apr 19)
At Alexandria, the birthday of
St Athanasius, Bishop of that city, Confessor and Doctor of the Church, most renowned for holiness and learning. Almost all the world conspired to persecute him, but he zealously fought for the Catholic faith against emperors, governors and innumerable Arian bishops, from the time of Constantine until Valens. He was the victim of many plots at their hands, and was driven into all parts of the world as an exile, and no place was left to offer him safe shelter. At length he returned to his own church, and after many contests and many trials of his patience, he passed to the Lord, in the reign of the Emperors Valentinian and Valens, in the forty-sixth year of his priesthood. (May 2)
The festival of blessed
Flavia Domitilla, Virgin and Martyr, who was the daughter of St Plautilla, sister of the martyr St Flavius Clemens, a consul, and was consecrated to God by St Clement. In the persecution of Domitian she was exiled to the island of Pontia with many others for bearing witness to Christ, and there endured a long martyrdom, but at last she was brought back to Terracina, and there, when she had by her teaching and miracles converted many to the faith of Christ, at the judge's command she completed the course of her glorious martyrdom on a burning bed, whereon she was placed together with her maidens Euphrosyne and Theodora. (May 12)
At Rome, on the Via Ardeatina, the holy martyrs
Nereus and
Achilleus, brothers. At first, together with Flavia Domitilla, whose eunuchs they were, they endured a long exile in the island ofPonza for Christ's sake; later they were afflicted with very severe scourging. Then, when they were urged, by means of the rack and of fire, by the judge Minutius Rufus, to offer sacrifice, they said that, as they had been baptized by blessed Peter the Apostle, they would in no wise sacrifice to idols, and they were beheaded. Their holy relics, and those of Flavia Domitilla, were on the day before this solemnly translated, by command of Pope Clement VIII, from the deaconry of St Adrian to the old church dedicated under their name, now restored, where of old they had been long preserved and kept. (May 12)
At Alexandria, the commemoration of the
holy bishops and priests who were sent into exile by the Arians and merited to be joined to the saint-confessors. (May 21)
In the island of Prokonesis in the Sea of Marmara,
St Nicephorus, Bishop of Constantinople; he was a most zealous fighter for the traditions of the fathers and fearlessly opposed Leo the Armenian, the iconoclast emperor, in regard to the veneration of sacred images. On this account he was exiled by him and, after a long martyrdom of fourteen years, departed to the Lord. (Jun 2)
At Constantinople, the birthday of
St Paul, bishop of city, who was ofttimes driven from his see by the Arians for the Catholic faith, and restored by St Julius I, Roman Pontiff. Finally, he was exiled by the Arian Emperor Constantius to Cucusum, a little town Cappadocia, and there passed to the heavenly realms, being cruelly strangled by the wiles of the Arians. His body was translated to Constantinople with great honour in the reign of Theodosius. (Jun 7)
At Naples Campania,
St Maximus, Bishop and Martyr, who for his strenuous confession of the Nicene faith was exiled by the Emperor Constantius, and worn out by toilsome misery he died there. (Jun 10)
At Petra in Africa,
St Asterius, Bishop, who suffered much for the Catholic faith at the hands of the Arians, and was sent into exile in Africa by the Emperor Constantius; he was finally restored to his Church, and died a glorious Confessor. (Jun 10)
At Petra in Palestine,
St Macarius, Bishop, who suffered much at the hands of the Arians, and being exiled to Africa, rested, a Confessor, in the Lord. (Jun 20)
St Eusebius, Bishop of Samosata, who in the reIgn of the Arian Emperor Constantius went about among the Churches of God disguised in military uniform, to strengthen them in the Catholic faith, and afterwards, under Valens, was exiled to Thrace. But when peace returned to the Church in the time of Theodosius, he was recalled from exile, and again visited the Churches. Eventually, his head was smashed by a tile thrown down on him an Arian woman and so died a martyr. (Jun 21)
At Antioch in Syria, the birthday of blessed
Eustace, Bishop and Confessor, famous for learning and holiness; under the Arian Emperor Constantius, for his defence of the Catholic faith, he was exiled to Trajanopolis in Thrace, and there rested in the Lord. (Jul 16)
On the same day, the birthday of
St Flavian II, Bishop of Antioch, and
St Elias, Bishop of Jerusalem; they were driven into exile by the Emperor Anastasius for their defense of the Council of Chalcedon, and there passed in triumph to the Lord. (Jul 20)
At Constantinople, blessed
Anthusa, Virgin, who was beaten with scourges under Constantine Copronymus for the veneration of holy images, and being sent into exile, fell asleep in the Lord. (Jul 27)
At Cyzicus, on the Hellespont,
St Emilian, Bishop, who suffered much at the hands of the Emperor Leo on behalf of the veneration of holy images, and at last ended his life in exile. (Aug 8)
At Constantinople,
St Maximus, Abbot, famous for his learning and zeal for Catholic truth. He fought strenuously against the Monothelites, and so his hands and tongue were cut off by the heretical Emperor Constans, and he was exiled to the Crimea, and there, famous for his glorious confession, he gave up the ghost. At that time also two of his disciples, both named Anastasius, and many others suffered various torments and bitter exile. (Aug 13)
At Trier, the birthday of
St Paulinus, Bishop; in the time of the Arian heresy he was exiled by the Arian Emperor Constantius on account of the Catholic faith. Wearied out by constantly changing the place of his exile until the day of his death, in places far beyond the Christian lands, he finally received from the Lord the crown of such blessed suffering, and died in Phrygia. (Aug 31)
In Africa, the holy bishops
Donatian,
Praesidius,
Mansuetus,
Germanus and
Fusculus, who in the Vandal persecution, for asserting Catholic truth, were cruelly beaten with rods at the command of the Arian king Hunneric and were slain in exile. Among them also a bishop named
Laetus, a zealous and very learned man, was burnt with fire after long enduring a filthy prison. (Sep 6)
At Rome, on the Via Appia, blessed
Cornelius, Pope and Martyr; in the persecution of Decius, after being exiled, he was commanded to be beaten with leaden scourges, and was beheaded with twenty-one others of both sexes. And
Crerealis also, a soldier, with his wife
Sallustia, whom the same Cornelius had instructed in the faith, were beheaded on the same day. (Sep 16)
In Africa, the passion of
St Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, most renowned for holiness and learning, who after a hard exile consummated martyrdom by beheading, under the Emperors Valerian and Gallienus, six miles from Carthage, near the sea. (Sep 16)
At Constantinople,
St Theophilus, monk, who was most cruelly scourged by Leo the Isaurian for defending the veneration of holy images, and driven into exile where he passed to the Lord. (Oct 2)
At Ancona,
SS. Palatias and
Laurentia, who were sent into exile during Diocletian's persecution under the governor Dion and were overcome by labours and hardships. (Oct 8)
In Africa,
4966 confessors and martyrs in the Vandal persecution under the Arian King Hunneric, some of whom were bishops of the Churches of God, some priests and deacons, with multitudes of the faithful people in addition. They were driven into exile in a horrible desert for defending Catholic truth; many of them were cruelly treated by the Moors and compelled to run at the spear-point and beaten with stones; others, with their feet tied together, were dragged like corpses through rough and hard places and torn limb from limb; and all at last, having been tortured in various ways, obtained martyrdom. Among them were those distinguished priests of the Lord, Bishops
Felix and
Cyprian. (Oct. 12)
At Constantinople,
St Ignatius, Bishop, who, as he rebuked Bardas Caesar for putting away his wife, was by him afflicted with many torments and driven into exile. He was, however, restored by the Roman Pontiff Nicholas, and at last rested in peace. (Oct 23)
The feast of
St Martin I, Pope and Martyr. He called together a Council at Rome and condemned the heretics Sergius, Paul and Pyrrhus. And so by order of the heretical Emperor Constans he was taken prisoner by guile, brought to Constantinople and exiled to the Crimea; there he ended his life, being worn out with his labours for the Catholic faith and illustrious for many miracles. His body was afterwards brought to Rome and buried in the church of SS. Silvester and Martin. (Nov 12)
In Africa, the holy martyrs
Arcadius,
Paschasius,
Probus and
Eutychian, Spaniards, who in the Vandal persecution, since they would by no means turn aside to the Arian heresy, were by the Arian King Genseric first of all proscribed, then sent into exile and tortured with the keenest punishments, and afterwards slain by various kinds of death. At that time also shone forth the courage of
Paulillus, the little brother of SS. Paschasius and Eutychian, who, since he could in no way be turned from the Cathoiic faith, was long beaten with rods and condemned to the basest servitude. (Nov 13)
The birthday of
Pope St Clement I, who held the pontificate third after blessed Peter the Apostle, and in the persecution of Trajan was exiled to the Crimea. There an anchor was tied to his neck and he was cast into the sea and crowned with martyrdom. In the pontificate of Pope Adrian II his body as brought to Rome by the brothers SS. Cyril and Methodius, and buried with honour in the church which had formerly been built and named after him. (Nov 23)
At Vercelli, the birthday of
St Eusebius, Bishop and Martyr, who for his confession of the Catholic faith was sent into exile by the Emperor Constantius to Scythopolis in Palestine, and thence to Cappadocia. He afterwards returned to his Church and suffered martyrdom at the hands of the persecuting Arians. (Dec 16)
In Arabia, the holy martyrs
Eugene and
Macarius, Priests, who were afflicted with most cruel wounds by Julian the Apostate when they rebuked his impiety, and, being exiled to a vast desert, were slain by the sword. (Dec 20)
At Constantinople, the holy confessors
Theodore and
Theophanes, brothers, who were brought up from childhood in the monastery of St Sabbas. They strove zealously against Leo the Armenian in defense of the veneration of holy images, and by his command were beaten with sticks and sent into exile. After his death they again bravely resisted the Emperor Theophilus, who continued the same impiety, and were again scourged and driven into exile. There Theodore died in prison; but Theophanes, when peace was at length restored to the Church, became Bishop of Nicaea, and, famous for his glorious witness for the faith, rested in the Lord. (Dec 27)
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| Athanasius being driven into exile (the artwork is tilted rather heavily towards him; the other exiles deserve some more attention!) |
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