14 July 2024 (MIA)

Macedonian Orthodox Church Calendar

Sts. Cosma and Damian, Unmercenary Healers and Martyrs

Cosma and Damian holy one (431), protection cartridge of the physicians and pharmacists – in Rome, in Pherna in Egypt and in Aegae in Kilikien burial places became brothers. Starting point of the cult of the holy ones was Syria; from here moved their admiration in the center 5. Century still without legend formation after Constantinople, at the end 5 century to Rome. In Syria thereafter the “Roman” Martyrium was freely invented, in Constantinople the “Asiatic” Vita, in Rome the “Arab” Martyrium. From this three places of the admiration explain themselves, three anniversaries (1 July: “Roman” Martyrium; 1. November: “Asiatic” Vita; 27. September: “Arab” Martyrium), three from each other independent excessive quantities, finally also brothers have exercised the medicine free of charge in Rome, heal an emperor and to have won numerous heaths for the faith; both suffered martyr death. Two brothers are differentiated from these, which died after successful welfare activity at humans and cattle of a natural death and found its grave in Pherna. A third pair with names C and D attained celebrity by numerous miracles healing in Aegae and is in Diocletian pursuit to have been executed. All are to have continued their welfare activity also after its death. Their miracles became in the representing art of the Middle Ages popular topics.

Catholic Calendar

St. Camillus de Lellis

St. Camillus de Lellis was born at Bocchianico, Italy. He fought for the Venetians against the Turks, was addicted to gambling, and by 1574 was penniless in Naples. He became a Capuchin novice, but was unable to be professed because of a diseased leg he contracted while fighting the Turks. He devoted himself to caring for the sick, and became director of St. Giacomo Hospital in Rome. He received permission from his confessor (St. Philip Neri) to be ordained and decided, with two companions, to found his own congregation, the Ministers of the Sick (the Camellians), dedicated to the care of the sick. They ministered to the sick of Holy Ghost Hospital in Rome, enlarged their facilities in 1585, founded a new house in Naples in 1588, and attended the plague-stricken aboard ships in Rome’s harbour and in Rome. In 1591, the Congregation was made into an order to serve the sick by Pope Gregory XIV, and in 1591 and 1605, Camillus sent members of his order to minister to wounded troops in Hungary and Croatia, the first field medical unit. Gravely ill for many years, he resigned as superior of the Order in 1607 and died in Rome on July 14, the year after he attended a General Chapter there. He was canonised in 1746, was declared patron of the sick, with St. John of God, by Pope Leo XIII, and patron of nurses and nursing groups by Pope Pius XI.