24 October 2024 (MIA)

Macedonian Orthodox Church Calendar

The Holy Apostle Philip

Born in Palestinian Caesarea, he was married and had four daughters, all four endowed by God with the gift of discernment and all four vowed virgins for the sake of Christ (Acts 21:8-9). When the holy apostles chose deacons, Philip was chosen along with Stephen and the others (6:5). Philip served the poor and the widows with great fervour. When persecution fell on the Christians in Jerusalem, he fled to Samaria and there preached the Gospel and witnessed to it by many miracles, driving out demons, healing the sick and so forth. Seeing the miracles of the holy apostle, Simon the Magician was baptised. St Philip also baptised the eunuch of Queen Candace. After that, an angel of God suddenly and invisibly bore him away to Azotus, where he taught and preached, bringing many to Christ (Acts 8). He was later made bishop in Tralles. He died peacefully in great old age, and entered into the joy of his Lord.

Catholic Calendar

Anthony Mary Claret

Weaver. Seminary student with Blessed Francis Coll. Priest. Missionary in Catalonia and the Canary Islands. Directed retreats. Founded the Congregation of Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Claretians). Archbishop of Santiago de Cuba. Founded the Teaching Sisters of Mary Immaculate. Following his work in the Caribbean, Pope Pius IX ordered him back to Spain. Confessor to Queen Isabella II, and was exiled with her. Gift of prophecy and miracles. Reported to have preached 10,000 sermons, published 200 works. Spread devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Born on 23 December 1807 at Sallent, Catalonia, Spain. Died on 24 October 1870 in a Cistercian monastery at Fontfroide, Narbonne, France. Canonised in 1950 by Venerable Pope Pius XII.