SAINTS COMMEMORATED IN JULY
6 July St Palladius ( born ca 408 , died after 431 , probably ca 450 )
First Christian Bishop in Ireland , preceding St Patrick . His family were nobles in Gaul ( France ), his father was Praetorian Prefect of Gaul Province . Described as ‘ Deacon ’ of Rome , Palladius was married and had a daughter . He left his family and went to Sicily ; he was ordained priest by Pope Celestine in 415 . Possibly in 431 he was sent to Ireland as bishop , but was banished and fled to Scotland , one of the early missionaries there . He died there and possibly was buried in Auchenblae . There are dedications to him in the ‘ Mearns ’. Under James V , royal funds were given to make a reliquary , also a ‘ Paldy Fair ’ was held annually until the Reformation .
ST MARY ’ S DAYS
During July and August we have two festivals which focus on Mary , the mother of Jesus . One is 2 July Visitatio Mariae – Mary visiting her cousin Elizabeth , the other is 15 August , the Catholic festival of the Assumption of Mary . When Mary learned from the angel , that she was bearing a son , she went to see Elizabeth who also was pregnant , although her age and that of her husband had meant that this had been unlikely . Both women did not doubt the angel ’ s message , they agreed to the plan of God in their lives . Mary answers the greeting of Elizabeth with words which later were called the ‘ Magnificat ’. Martin Luther interpreted it like this : “ As the Word tells you , like the title of a book , what is the contents of the speech , it is this : Praise to the Lord and his mighty deeds , so that we , who read or sing it , should be strengthened in our faith , should find in it comfort for the lowly born , but also bring fear to those who are powerful .
StOM Page 4