Standing athwart history, yelling 'WTF'

Rolando Rivi (1931 - 1945), Martyr.

A seminarian who was born, and lived, in the town of San Valentino, in the Emiglia region of Italy, Rolando Rivi knew at an early age that he wanted to dedicate his life to Christ, whom he considered his best friend. He was an intelligent boy who always took the chance to lead his play mates to a deeper devotion to Our Lord. “How beautiful to become like him! (the priest) To celebrate the Mass with Jesus in my hands, to carry the soul of Jesus.” In those troubled times immediately following the end of the Second World War, Communists soon overran the little town of San Valentino. The hideous and open anti-clericalism soon hit close to home, when Rolando’s own priest was beaten and humiliated by the partisans, causing him to be transferred elsewhere.

Rolando was cautioned by those closest to him not to wear his cassock, which he loved with a love beyond all telling, as it reminded him— and everyone— that he belonged to Christ. One morning, after Mass, he went to the woods to read a little. But he was soon accosted by the Communists, and kidnapped. They sent his books to his parents, with a note telling them not to go looking for him.

The Communists violently stripped his cassock from Rolando, mocking him and hurling the most despicable insults against Christ and His Church at his face. They rolled it up and turned it into a soccer ball, causing him even greater grief. They also tortured him repeatedly, and beat him bloody with his own belt. Eventually, after three days, they led Rolando to an open grave— and at once, he knew what fate awaited him. He cried out to them to give him a little time to at least pray for his mother and father, before they finally buried a bullet in his head, and covered his body with dirt.

Ora pro nobis!

Master I.A.M. von Zwolle - The Lactation of Saint Bernard

The legend states that Saint Bernard was deep in prayer one night, when he suddenly cried out, “Monstra te esse Mater”— Show theyself to be a Mother; whereupon the Virgin appeared to him and squirted her breastmilk into the saint’s lips (other sources say eyes). Another version states that Saint Bernard, who had been in a prolonged period of prayer, started falling asleep; at which point the Virgin came and put her breast into his mouth, that he may receive the wisdom of God.

pupuplatter:

Saint Francis of Assisi Hovering Over the Lake of Fire, Ligao Church, Albay, 18th century, Paulino and Hetty Que collection.

Santo Tomas de Aquino, Protector de la Universidad de Cuzco (St. Thomas Aquinas, Protector of the Univ. of Cuzco); Museo de Arte de Lima, Peru, 17th century.

January 28 is the Feast of the Angelic Doctor.

Peter Paul Rubens - The Miracles of Saint Francis Xavier, Modello; Kunthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria; 1617

[I’ll always associate this painting with a holy card of the same saint which I lost in my freshman year]

Adriaen Ysenbrandt - The Mass of Saint Gregory the Great; The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, California; c.1510 - 1550

Piero del Pollaiolo - Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian; National Gallery, London, England; 1475

The Vegos Workshop - Altarpiece of Sant Esteve de Granollers: Princess Eudoxia Prays before the Tomb of Saint Stephen; Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya, Barcelona; 1500

Francesco Francia - Altarpiece of Saint Roch; painted for the church of the Arciconfraternita di Santa Maria della Morte, Bologna, now at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City; 1502.

Saint Agnes

As Roman law did not permit the execution of virgins, Sempronius had a naked Agnes dragged through the streets to a brothel. Various versions of the legend give different methods of escape from this predicament. In one, as she prayed, her hair grew and covered her body. It was also said that all of the men who attempted to rape her were immediately struck blind. In another the son of the prefect is struck dead, but revived after Agnes prayed for him, causing her release. There is then a trial from which Sempronius excuses himself, and another figure presides, sentencing her to death. When led out to die she was tied to a stake, but the bundle of wood would not burn, or the flames parted away from her, whereupon the officer in charge of the troops drew his sword and beheaded her, or, in some other texts, stabbed her in the throat. It is also said that the blood of Agnes poured to the stadium floor where other Christians soaked up the blood with cloths.

Albrecht Durer - Saint Jerome in the Wilderness; The National Gallery, London; 1495

Jacques Callot - Martyrdom of Twenty Three Franciscan Monks Crucified in Japan; 1627

maertyrer:

Placidus hält sein Haupt in Händen und bringt es dem Hl. Mönch Sigisbert dar (St. Placiduskirche, Disentis)

therurrjurr:

The Stoning of Saint Stephen by Adam Elsheimer

necspenecmetu:

Francisco Rizi, The Dream of Saint Joseph, c. 1665