10 June 2023 (MIA)

Macedonian Orthodox Church Calendar

St Nicetas the Confessor, Bishop of Chalcedon

He renounced the world in his youth and withdrew to follow the path of monastic asceticism. He shone like the sun with virtue and came to the attention of the ecclesiastical authorities, being raised to the episcopal throne of Chalcedon. He was, as a hierarch, particularly compassionate to the poor and cared for many orphans, widows and beggars. When the wicked Emperor Leo the Armenian made his stand against the icons, St Nicetas came courageously to their defence, denouncing the Emperor and expounding their meaning. He was finally driven into exile for his confession of the Faith, and, after much hardship and suffering, went to the Lord to receive a wreath of glory in the Kingdom of God.

Catholic Calendar

Blessed John Dominici; John Dominici de Banchini

Had a humble background, little education, and a tendency to stammer and stutter, but he had a great memory, great drive to improve, and became a great theologian and preacher. Spent much of his youth in or around the nearby Dominican church of Santa Maria Novella. Though he lack education and the Dominicans were scholars, and though he had trouble speaking and the Dominicans were preachers, he joined the order at age 17. He studied in Pisa and Florence, and received his degree in theology from the University of Paris. Priest. In one letters, he said that his speech impediment threatened to limit his vocation; it was cured through the intervention of Saint Catharine of Siena, and he spent 12 years as a preacher in Venice. Prior of the Dominican house at Santa Maria Novella. Vicar-provincial in Rome in 1392. With Blessed Raymund of Capua, master general of the order, he helped lead the rebuilding of the order after the plague, and restoration of discipline to the members. Founded Dominican houses and convents in Venice, Fiesole, Chioggia, Citta di Castello, Cortona, Lucca, and Fabriano. Correspondent with Blessed Clara Gambacorta, giving her advice on her work to restore discipline to Dominican nuns. Because of his support of the Dominican White Penitents in Venice, he briefly lost papal support, but was later welcomed back, and resumed the work.