13 May 2025 (MIA)

Macedonian Orthodox Church Calendar

The Holy Apostle James

The son of Zebedee and brother of John, he was one of the Twelve. At the call of the Lord Jesus, he left his fishing nets and his father and, together with John, immediately followed Christ. He was one of the three apostles to whom the Lord revealed the greatest mysteries: before whom He was transfigured on Tabor and before who He was in agony in the Garden of Gethsemane before His Passion. After receiving the Holy Spirit, he preached the Gospel in various places, going as far as Spain. On his return from Spain, a violent quarrel broke out between the Jews and himself on the Holy Scriptures, and, being unable to withstand him, they hired a magician, Hermogenes. But Hermogenes and Philip his pupil were overcome by the power and truth that James preached, and were baptised. Then the Jews denounced him to Herod, and persuaded one Josias to slander the Apostle. This Josias, seeing James’s manly bearing and hearing his clear preaching of the truth, repented and came to faith in Christ. When James was condemned to death, this Josias was also condemned. Mounting the scaffold, Josias begged James’s forgiveness for the sin of slander, and James embraced him, kissing him and saying: `Peace be to thee, and forgiveness.’ And they both laid their heads under the sword and were beheaded for the sake of the Lord whom they had loved and served. St James suffered in Jerusalem in the year 45. His body was taken to Spain, where to this day miracles of healing are performed at his tomb.

Catholic Calendar

St. Andrew Fournet

Andrew had a strong religious upbringing, nagged by his mother to become a priest. Andrew resisted, and tried to study at Poitiers, but began leading a wild life. Out of school, his mother convinced him to stay with his uncle, a priest. The uncle’s good example so moved Andrew that he turned his life around, returned to his studies, and felt the call to a vocation. Parish priest assigned to Maille. During the French Revolution, Andrew refused to take an oath that renounced the Church. He fled to Spain 1792 for five years, then returned to his parish, and was protected by his flock, celebrating the sacraments in secret. Andrew and Saint Jeanne Elizabeth Bichier des Ages, a local holy woman, founded the Daughters of the Cross of Saint Andrew. He was born on December 6, 1752 at Maille, France and dies on May 13, 1834. Pope Pius XI canonised him on June 4, 1933.