July 26 — Saint Pantaleon, Martyr

The East celebrates to-day one of her great martyrs, who was both a healer of bodies and a conqueror of souls. His name, which recalls the strength of the lion, was changed by heaven at the time of his death into Panteleemon, or alh-merdful; a happy presage of the gracious blessings our Lord would afterwards bestow on the earth through his means. The various translations and the diffusion of his sacred relics in our West have made his cultus widespread, together with his renown as a friend in need, which has caused him to be ranked among the saints called helpers.

Pantaleon Nicomediensis, nobilis medicus ab Hermolao Presbytero in Jesu Christi fide eruditus, baptizatus est : qui mox patri Eustorgio per8uasit,ut Christianus fieret. Quare cum Nicomediae postea Christi Domini fidem libere prsedicaret, et ad ejus doctrinam omnes cohortaretur, Diocletiano imperatore equuleo tortus, et admotis ad ejus corpus laminis candentibus, cruciatus est: quam tormen-

Pantaleon was a nobleman of Nicomedia and a physician. He was instructed in the faith and baptized by the priest Hermolaus, and soon persuaded his father Eustorgius to become a Christian. Afterwards he freely preached the faith of our Lord Christ in Nicomedia, and encouraged all to embrace his doctrine. This was in the reign of Diocletian. He was tortured on the rack and red-hot plates were applied to his body. He

ST. PANTALEON. torum vim aequo et forti animo ferens, ad extremum gladio percuss us, martyrii coronam adeptus est. bore the violence of these tortures calmly and bravely, and being finally beheaded, obtained the crown of martyrdom.

What is stronger than a lion, and what is sweeter than honey? Greater than Samson, thou, O Martyr, didst in thy own person propose and solve the riddle: Out of the strong came forth sweetness? O lion, who didst follow so fearlessly the Lion of Juda, thou didst imitate his ineffable gentleness ; and as he deserved to be called eternally the Lamb, so did he will his Divine Mercy to shine forth in the everlasting heavenly name, into which he changed thy earthly name. Justify that title more and more for the honour of him who gave it to thee. Be merciful to those who call on thee: to the sufferers whom a weary consumption brings daily nearer to the tomb; to physicians, who, like thee, spend themselves in the care of their brethren : assist them in giving relief to physical suffering, in restoring corporal health ; teach them still better to heal moral wounds, and lead sduls to salvation.

1 Judges xiv. 18. 2 Ibid. 14.

TIME AFTER PENTECOST.

July 28.

Ss. NAZARIUS, CELSUS, and VICTOR, Mm.,

AND

SAINT INNOCENT, Pope and Confessor. — ♦ —

Nazarius and Celsus bring glory to the Church of Milan, by appearing on the cycle to-day. After lying forgotten for three centuries in the obscure tomb that had received their precious remains in the time of Nero, they now receive the united homage of East and West. It was nine years since the triumphal day when Gervase and Frotase, no less forgotten by the city once witness of their combat, had come t console and strengthen an illustrious Bishop who was persecuted for his profession of the Divine consubstantiality of the same Christ who had had all their love and faith. Ambrose, loved by the martyrs, though denied their palm, was soon to receive the white wreath of confession in reward for his holy works, when heaven revealed to him a new treasure, the discovery of which was again "to illustrate the times of his " episcopate." * Theodosius was no more ; Ambrose was about to die ; the barbarians were at the gates. But as if, simultaneous with the threat of imminent destruction to the ancient world, the hour for the