9 May – St Pachomius the Great (ca 292-346)  Desert Father and founder of Christian cenobitic  Was a zealous defender of orthodoxy against  Is one of the few non-biblical venerated by Oriental and Eastern Orthodoxy, Catholicism and some Protestant Churches  Is credited as the first Christian to use and recommend use of a as an aid for illiterate to accomplish a consistent number of prayers

Eastern Orthodox prayer rope of 50 knots and 5 wooden beads. It is employed by monastics (and sometimes by others) to count the number of times one has prayed the Jesus Prayer or, occasionally, other prayers.  Among many miracles attributed to him is that though he never learned Greek or Latin (he spoke only Coptic), he sometimes miraculously spoke them  His name comes from the Coptic word “pakhom”, meaning “eagle” or “falcon”  He is sometimes depicted as a crossing the on the back of a crocodile  One of his devotions was praying with his arms stretched out in the form of a cross – a rather popular praying mode at the time

Life  St Pachomius was born in to pagan parents who gave him excellent secular education  At 20, because of civil war, he was forced to join the Emperor’s army as a soldier  Converted to Christianity after witnessing the kindness of Christians towards the soldiers in the city of Thebais while soldiers were kept as prisoners there  After his discharge from the army (he was able to leave it without ever having to fight), in 314 after the course of catechumenate, he was baptised  From that point on, he began leading an ascetic life, helping the poor and sick who passed his village  In 317, finding crowds disturbing in his quest for holiness, he became a of an named Palemon and took the habit. From then on, he led a life of extreme austerity and total dedication to God, combining manual labour with prayer  After studying 7 years with Palemon, he set out to lead the life near St Anthony of Egypt, whose practices he imitated until he heard a voice that told him to build a dwelling for  Between 318 and 323, Pachomius established his first at Tabennisi on the banks on Nile, where he lived in a cell, until the death of Palemon  According to legend, an angel of God then appeared to him in the form of a schemamonk and gave him a Rule of monastic life

St Silvanus in Tabennisi monastery at the time of St Pachomius  Soon about 100 monks joined him there and he organised them on principles of community living – thus he was the first to organise hermits into groups with common property under the leadership of an or and write down a Rule for them. Until then, Christian had been solitary or eremitic with males or females living in individual huts or caves  At first, he took the community’s administrative tasks upon himself, understanding the administrative pressures would be too much for those acquainted only with the eremitical life. The community members called him “Abba” (father), from which the word “abbot” derives  While at first the monks earned their livelihood working for local farmers, this intermingling soon had a negative effect on discipline, and Pachomius later arranged that work be performed for the community only  Among the tasks performed in these early were cultivating the garden, tending the sick and copying books. The monks were not allowed to possess their own money nor accept anything from their relatives. St Pachomius considered that an obedience fulfilled with zeal was greater than fasting or prayer  Among the first dwellers were his own brother John, and later his sister Maria, who at first didn’t like the strict ascetic life. However, she did as his brother had ordered and the monks built her a hut on the opposite site of the River Nile, thus laying the foundation of the first nunnery  Later he established 10 other monasteries for men and 2 nunneries for women. From 336 on, St Pachomius spent most of his time at Pabau, in his second monastery  Before his death, there were 7000 monks in his houses and his Order in the East survived until the 11th century. Within a generation, cenobic practices spread from Egypt to Palestine, Syria and North Africa

Egypt at the time of “”, depicting the sites of the first three monasteries of St Pachomius – in Tabennesis, Pabau (Phou) and Schenisit (Chenoboscion) as well as the city of Thebaid where he was converted to Christianity  Though he sometimes acted as a lector, neither he nor any of his monks became priests. St Athanasius visited and wished to ordain him in 333 but Pachomius fled from him  also visited and took many of his ideas to be adapted and implemented in Caesarea. This ascetic rule is still used today by the , comparable that of the Rule of St Benedict in the West  Both St Basil and St Benedict drew from his Rule in setting forth their own  Severe and strict towards himself, with a good work ethic, St Pachomius had great kindness toward the deficiencies of spiritually immature monks. For instance, one of the monks was eager for martyrdom but St Pachomius turned him from this desire and instructed him to fulfill his monastic obedience, taming his pride and training him in humility  The taught his spiritual children to avoid judging others and he himself feared to judge anyone even in thought  Special love and care he devoted to sick monks whom he visited and cheered, urging them to be thankful to God and putting their hope in His holy will, also relaxing their fasting  St Pachomius always taught the monks to rely only upon God’s help and mercy. It happened that there was a shortage of grain at the monastery. The saint spent the whole night in prayer, and in the morning a large quantity of bread was sent to the monastery from the city, at no charge  He once learned that future monks would not have such zeal in their struggles as the first generation had, and they would not have experienced guides. Prostrating himself upon the ground, St Pachomius then wept bitterly, calling out to the Lord and imploring mercy for them. He heard a Voice answer, “Pachomius, be mindful of the mercy of God. The monks of the future shall receive a reward, since they too shall have occasion to suffer the life burdensome for the monk.”

10 May – St John of Avila (1500-1569)  Parton of Andalusia, Spain, Spanish secular clergy  Was the spiritual advisor of St Teresa of Avila, St Francis Borgia, St John of the Cross and many others; he also corresponded with Ignatius of Loyola and John of God  Was known for his fiery denunciations of earthly riches and evil, and his many sermons  Tried to reform the clergy and catechise the laity, establishing several schools and colleges  Left writings that have become Spanish classics, including “Audi, filia”, 82 sermons and spiritual conferences, biblical commentaries, 257 letters, and several treatises on reform  Doctor of the Church since 2012 and “Apostle of Andalusia” for his extensive ministry in that region  He is especially revered by the Jesuits  Avila was beatified in 1893 and canonized in 1970 Life  He was born in Spain to a wealthy and pious family of Jewish converso descent  At 14, he was sent to the University of Salamanca to study law which he left in 1517 without receiving a degree  Returning home, young John spent the next 3 years in austere piety until at the request of a Franciscan friar he resumed his studies in philosophy and theology at the University of Alcala de Henares where his teachers included the famous Dominican De Soto  In 1526 he was ordained a priest, and since his parents had died, sold the family property and gave the proceeds to the poor, in preparation to go to Mexico as a missionary  He travelled to Seville to wait for his departure scheduled for January 1527. While there, he caught the attention of a local priest with his skills in catechesis and preaching. He was thus recommended to the Archbishop of Seville, and as a result, John gave up his missionary plans  There, he began writing his “Audi, filia” and soon disciples started gathering around him  John’s first sermon in Seville was preached on 22 July 1529, immediately establishing his reputation. During 9 years of missionary work in Andalusia, crowds packed churches at all his sermons  In 1532 he was imprisoned for his denunciation of the behaviour of the aristocracy and their wealth, but was declared innocent and released in 1533  By 1535, John had been incardinated into the Diocese of Cordoba, after which Cordoba became his base of directing his disciples and moving around Andalusia, preaching and establishing schools and colleges in cities of Granada, Baeza, Montilla and Zafra  Around 1538 John is believed to have received the title of Master of Sacred Theology  In 1538 the University of Baeza was established and John served as its first rector – this institution became a model for seminaries and schools of the Jesuits  From 1551 on, his health started to deteriorate, and he began actively encouraging his disciples to join the Jesuits  He died on 10 May 1569 and was buried in Cordoba in the Jesuit Church of the Incarnation that now serves as his main

13 May – Our Lady of Fatima  Is a Marian apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary that occurred at Fatima, Portugal, in 1917 to three shepherd children: Lucia Santos and her cousins, Jacinta and Francisco Marto

Lucia Santos with her cousins Francisco and Jacinta (1917)  Before the apparitions, in 1916 the children were visited by an “Angel of Peace” on three occasions who taught them prayers, to make sacrifices, and to spend time in adoration of the Lord  On 13 May 1917, the Lady appeared for the first time, holding a rosary. She asked children to devote themselves to the Holy Trinity and pray the Rosary every day  The second appearance occurred on 13 June, where the Lady, among other things, gave children the vision of hell. She also predicted the early deaths of Francisco and Jacinta  The children experienced in total 6 apparitions between 13 May and 13 October 1917  The Lady had promised a miracle for the last apparition on October 13, so that all would believe. A huge crowd of 30,000-100,000 people gathered at the Cova da Iria on that day, along with photographers, and were able to witness the Miracle of the Sun. Witnesses gave widely varying descriptions of the “sun’s dance”. The children claimed seeing the images of the Holy Family, Our Lady of Sorrows with Jesus Christ, and then Our Lady of Mount Carmel. They also saw St and Jesus bless the people

The crowd witnessing the Miracle of the Sun on October 13, 1917  Francisco and Jacinta Marto died soon afterwards following the flu epidemic of 1918 – just as the Lady had predicted –, while Lucia became a in Spain, living many more years, and reported private visions periodically throughout her life. Later on she joined the Discalced Carmelite Order in Coimbra, Portugal, where she died in 2005 at the age of 97. According to Lucia, the Lady had told her that she should live longer since Jesus wished her to establish the devotion of Immaculate Heart of Mary  After the Miracle of Sun, Fatima quickly became a major centre of pilgrimage. In the beginning a small chapel was built on the site and the Holy Mass was celebrated there for the first time in January 1924. The building of a sanctuary was begun in 1928  In 1930 the papal indulgence was granted to pilgrims visiting Fatima, and in 1935 the bodies of Jacinta and Francisco were interred in the which had been completed the same year

The Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary  On 13 May 1946 a Canonical Coronation of the statue of Our Lady of Fatima took place, drawing huge crowds

 After 1953, another, much larger Basilica of the Santissima Trinidade, was constructed across the main sanctuary  According to Lucia, the Lady also entrusted children the three secrets. The first secret was a vision of hell which they experienced on 13 July 1917  The second secret was a commemorating for devotion of the Immaculate Heart of Mary as a way to save souls and bring peace to the world. It predicted an end to the First World War but also predicted a worse one if people did not cease offending God (this is believed to be the Second World War). To avert this, the Lady asked for the consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart and the establishment of the First Saturday Devotions. In the end, she promised that the Immaculate Heart would triumph, and that the Holy Father would consecrate Russia to Mary, granting a period of peace to the world  The third secret was a vision of the death of the Pope and other religious figures, which, according to Lucia, could not be released to the public until 1960. However, the Vatican withheld the third secret until 26 June 2000 (some still believe that what was released is not the full secret)  John Paul II credited Our Lady of Fatima with saving his life following an assassination attempt on Fatima’s feast day, on 13 May 1981. The bullet was donated to the sanctuary and placed in the crown of the Virgin’s statue  A so-called Fatima prayer taught by Lady is also often added when praying the Rosary nowadays, following the Gloria Patri  The sanctuary nowadays draws about 4 million pilgrims each year, especially on 13 May and 13 October  Francisco and Jacinta Santos were beatified by Pope John Paul II on May 13, 2000; their feast day is celebrated on 20 February (death date of Jacinta Marto in 1920)

15 May – St Dymphna  She was a young virgin martyr from the 7th century, and is venerated for her purity  Because of her life circumstances, she is the patron saint of those suffering from nervous and mental disorders, including depression, and victims of incest and child molestation, as well as psychologists, psychiatrists and neurologists  Was canonized by 620 Life  St Dymphna was born in Ireland to a pagan king and a devout Christian mother at the time when most of Ireland was already universally Catholic  In Gaelic her name means “little fawn”  Raised as a pious Catholic, at 14, she consecrated herself to Christ and took a vow of chastity

Baptism of St Dymphna (Goswijn van der Weyden)  After the death of her mother, her father began to suffer from mental illness  In his delusions, he insisted his daughter to marry him as she closely resembled his beloved wife  Upon hearing it, Dymphna fled the castle with her confessor, a priest, two trusted servants and the king’s fool, sailing to Belgium  In Belgium, they settled in the town of Geel, where Dymphna, using her wealth, built a hospital for the poor and sick  His father soon found out about it and came to capture her. He ordered the priest to be executed and in rage, when Dymphna refused to return home to marry him, beheaded also his daughter  Dymphna was buried in the town of Geel  In defence of her purity, she received the crown of martyrdom around 620 and became known as the “Lily of Eire” (Irish Lily) due to her spotless virtue  The cult of St Dymphna started spreading in medieval Europe after her remains were discovered in the 13th century  Around 1270 Hendrik III Berthout founded a hospital to care for the sick at Geel under the spiritual patronage of the Virgin Mary and St Dymphna. The hospital was called the Sint- Dimpnagasthuis  In 1349, a church dedicated to her was built in Geel, and by 1480 many pilgrims were visiting the site seeking treatment for mental illnesses. The pilgrims were also able to obtain lead-tin stamped pilgrim badges as was the tradition of the time  Ultimately so many suffering people came that locals had to board some of them at their homes after they had spent some time under hospital care – the tradition that continues to this day. Never called patients, they are called boarders, and are treated as ordinary and useful members of the town. They work, mostly in menial and agricultural labour, some staying for their entire lives.  At its peak in the 1930s, around 4000 boarders were housed with the town’s inhabitants - the practice that has helped many to return their normal life  Today, a modern psychiatric centre stands at the place of the old infirmary but close to 500 patients are still placed with inhabitants  Reportedly, affected by the gentle care of patients, Vincent van Gogh’s father also considered sending his son to Geel for treatment in 1879  The new church was erected in 1532 (the original church was destroyed by the fire in 1489) where it stands to this day, along with the hospital for housing the sick, and the convent

The church dedicated to St Dymphna surrounded by infirmary and convent buildings erected between the 15th-18thcentury, to accommodate pilgrims  Many miracles have been reported on the site – people suffering from epilepsy, mental illnesses or those under “evil influence” have reportedly been cured  St Dymphna’s remains have been placed in a silver reliquary in the church  The church also still displays a reliquary found in St Dymphna’s tomb – a piece of red stone. According to the legend, a priest would hang it around the neck of a sick person and pronounce certain words to affect a cure  St Dymphna is traditionally depicted wearing a crown, dressed in royal robes and holding a sword. In the older version her sword is sometimes pricking the neck of a demon, symbolising her title of Demon Slayer. She is also often portrayed holding a lamp, with the chained devil at her feet

26 May – St Philip Neri (1515-1595)  Was an Italian priest known as the Apostle of Rome  Founder of a society of secular clergy – the Congregation of the Oratory  Was one of the influential figures of the Counter-Reformation, converting to personal holiness many influential people within the Church itself  In 1553 started the tradition of visiting the seven pilgrim churches in Rome  Popularised the devotion of the Forty Hours  Is widely known for his devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and the miracle of his heart  Patron saint of Rome, laughter, humour and joy

Map of Giacomo Lauro and Antonio Tempesta dating to 1599 depicting the Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome with San Pietro in Vaticano in the foreground, used for the Holy Year of 1600 Life  Neri was born in Florence to a noble Italian family and received his early education by the friars of the famous Dominican monastery in Florence, who were the first men to influence his Christian way of thinking  He lost his mother at a young age but was raised by a capable stepmother. As a child, Neri was called “Pippo buono” – a good little Phil – for his dutiful, attractive and cheerful disposition; he was very much liked by all who knew him  At 16 he was sent to assist his wealthy childless uncle in his business, in hopes that he would one day inherit his fortune. However, though he applied himself with diligence and was very much liked by the uncle, Neri soon had a mystical experience – a religious conversion which radically changed his life  In 1533, young Neri moved to Rome, without any money or plans whatsoever, trusting himself entirely to God’s providence. Well educated, for the first 2 years he worked as a tutor for a local aristocrat, proving to be a very efficient teacher and early on showing his natural talent for bringing out the best in people of all ages and conditions. In these years he also composed poetry in Latin and Italian (which he later burnt)  While tutoring, Neri lived a very frugal life in his employer’s attic, mostly as a recluse, spending his free time in prayer preparing for his vocation  This was followed by 3 years of studies under the guidance of the Augustinians: he took courses in philosophy and theology. Working hard, Neri was considered an unusually promising scholar. This period, again, came to an abrupt end when Neri suddenly sold his books and launched on a new mission. Though he never again made study his regular occupation, throughout his life he would surprise the most learned with the depth and clearness of his theological knowledge  He now began working among the sick and the poor of the city, including prostitutes. He also held discussions with young Romans employed in the banks and shops. Neri’s warm friendliness and lively sense of humour quickly caught the attention of passer-byes, who then found it difficult to break away. His customary question was, “Well, brothers, when shall we begin to do good?” For 17 years he lived as a layman in Rome, without thinking about priesthood. In 1544 he befriended Ignatius of Loyola  In 1544, Neri reportedly had an experience in one of the grottoes along the Appian Way that affected him profoundly – he saw a globe of fire which entered his mouth and afterwards he was left with a dilation of the heart (this was later confirmed during his autopsy). Bacci describes it thus: "While he was with the greatest earnestness asking of the Holy Ghost His gifts, there appeared to him a globe of fire, which entered into his mouth and lodged in his breast; and thereupon he was suddenly surprised with such a fire of love, that, unable to bear it, he threw himself on the ground, and, like one trying to cool himself, bared his breast to temper in some measure the flame which he felt. When he had remained so for some time, and was a little recovered, he rose up full of unwonted joy, and immediately all his body began to shake with a violent tremor; and putting his hand to his bosom, he felt by the side of his heart, a swelling about as big as a man's fist, but neither then nor afterwards was it attended with the slightest pain or wound." From this time on, his heart would palpitate violently whenever he performed any spiritual action  In 1548, Neri founded the Confraternity of the Most Holy Trinity of Pilgrims and Convalescents in order to assist the poor pilgrims in Rome and help the patients relieved from hospitals. Its members met for Communion, prayer and other spiritual exercises in the church of St Salvatore, with Neri introducing the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament once a month, starting Forty Hours’ Devotion  In 1551, Neri was ordained a deacon, and finally a priest – he had been too humble to accept these titles before and did it only at the bidding of his confessor. Inspired by the life and death of St Francis Xavier, he thought of going to India as a missionary but eventually stayed in Rome, convinced that Rome was his Indies  He spent the following years mostly in San Girolamo, carrying out his mission through the confessional, often starting before the daybreak. He also conducted informal discussions with those who desired to lead a better Christian life  In 1556, the first foundations for the Congregation of the Oratory were laid – at first in form of evening meetings with prayers, hymns, readings, lectures and discussions. Giovanni Palestrina, one of Philip’s followers, composed music for these services  After a while, the members of the society started preaching evening sermons in different churches in Rome – a completely new idea at the time  Neri also heard confessions, and was responsible for numerous conversions. He sometimes led excursions to other churches, often with music and a picnic on the way  In 1564, Neri was appointed to oversee the newly built church in Rome, San Giovanni dei Fiorentini  As the community led by Neri grew, they acquired their own church in the middle of Rome, and in 1575, with a papal bull, the Congregation of the Oratory was finally founded. The new church (Nuova Chiesa) was consecrated in 1577 – built solely due to generous donations by Neri’s friends and acquaintances. Neri himself stayed at San Girolamo for another 7 years Nuova Chiesa  Though in 1587 Neri was nominated superior for life, he was completely free from personal ambition and preferred all the congregations formed on his model outside Rome to be autonomous, governing themselves  In later life, Neri’s popularity had grown so much that he rarely had time for himself – people loved and venerated him, and came not only from Italy but also from other countries to speak to him. In 1590, the extreme reluctance of Neri alone prevented the Pope from forcing him to accept the cardinalate  It has been said of him: "He was all things to all men.... When he was called upon to be merry, he was so; if there was a demand upon his sympathy, he was equally ready.... In consequence of his being so accessible and willing to receive all comers, many went to him every day, and some continued for the space of thirty, nay, forty years, to visit him very often both morning and evening, so that his room went by the agreeable nickname of the "Home of Christian mirth." When Goethe visited Rome two centuries later, Neri was still so much a topic there, that the poet wrote an essay about him entitled “The Humorous Saint”  The last years of his life were marked by alternate sickness and recovery. In 1593, he showed the true greatness of one who knows the limits of his own endurance, and resigned the office of superior which had been conferred on him for life. In 1594, when he was in an agony of pain, the Blessed Virgin appeared to him, and cured him  Neri died on 25 May 1595, the Feast of Corpus Christi that year, after spending the day hearing confessions and receiving visitors. He was radiantly happy that day and had never appeared that healthy before – only he himself knew his hour had come  He was beatified in 1615 and canonized in 1622. He is buried in the Chiesa Nuova in Rome

Character  Neri possessed a rather contradictory character, combining popular venerations with intensely individual piety. He seeked to reform a corrupt Rome and an uninterested clergy but got rarely involved in politics  He was known for his playful humour and shrewd wit preferring cheerfulness over melancholy, stating: “A joyful heart is more easily made perfect than a downcast one”  He was highly popular among Rome’s poor, and many miracles were attributed to him  Practical, deeply interested in world’s matters, neatly dressed – Neri was a modern man in his time. His genius was entirely unmonastic and unmedieval, frequent and popular preaching, unconventional prayer, and unsystematised though fervent private devotion  He is known for stating: “Let me get through today, and I shall not fear tomorrow”  It is said that Neri’s drive to establish a close, human bond with others was sometimes so great that his impulsive ways shocked even his disciples – he could, at times indulge in a wine-drinking contest or practical joking just to put himself on a level with those around him  At the same time, Neri was also a mystic, a man of ecstasies and visions, whose greatest happiness was to be alone with God. He lived in such a state of spiritual exaltation that at times he had difficulty carrying on his daily labours. Reportedly his face often glowed with a celestial radiance. As such, his whole life was that of the contemplative in action  As a physician on souls, Neri received marvellous gifts from God. He would sometimes tell a penitent his most secret sins without his confessing them; and once he converted a young nobleman by showing him a vision of hell  During the last five years of his life he had permission to celebrate privately in a little chapel close to his room. At the "Agnus Dei" the server went out, locked the doors, and hung up a notice: "Silence, the Father is saying Mass". When he returned in two hours or more, the saint was so absorbed in God that he seemed to be at the point of death  Cardinal Newman wrote of Neri nearly 300 years after his death: "He contemplated as the idea of his mission, not the propagation of the faith, nor the exposition of doctrine, nor the catechetical schools; whatever was exact and systematic pleased him not; he put from him monastic rule and authoritative speech, as refused the armour of his king.... He came to the Eternal City and he sat himself down there, and his home and his family gradually grew up around him, by the spontaneous accession of materials from without. He did not so much seek his own as draw them to him. He sat in his small room, and they in their gay, worldly dresses, the rich and the wellborn, as well as the simple and the illiterate, crowded into it. In the mid-heats of summer, in the frosts of winter still was he in that low and narrow cell at San Girolamo, reading the hearts of those who came to him, and curing their souls' maladies by the very touch of his hand.... And they who came remained gazing and listening till, at length, first one and then another threw off their bravery, and took his poor cassock and girdle instead; or, if they kept it, it was to put haircloth under it, or to take on them a rule of life, while to the world they looked as before."

Quotes by Neri: “Cheerfulness strengthens the heart and makes us persevere in a good life. Therefore the servant of God ought always to be in good spirits” “He who wants anything other than Christ, does not know what he wants” “The Lord grants in a moment what we may have been unable to obtain in dozens of years” “Never say, “What great things the saints do!” but “What great things God does in His saints!”” “Believe me, there is no more powerful means to obtain God’s grace than to employ the intercessions of the Holy Virgin” “Cast yourself into the arms of God and be very sure that if He wants anything from you He will fit you for the work and give you strength” “The best way to prepare for death is to spend every day of life as though it was your last” “If we wish to keep peace with our neighbour, we should never remind anyone of his natural defects” “When a spiritual person feels a great calmness of mind in asking anything of God, it is a good sign that God either has granted it, or will do so shortly” “One of the very best means of obtaining humility is sincere and frequent confession” “We must incessantly pray for the gift of perseverance” “Christian joy is a gift of God flowing from a good conscience” “To preserve our cheerfulness amid sicknesses and troubles is a sign of a right and good spirit” “Let us be humble and keep ourselves down: Obedience! Humility! Detachment!” “Obedience is the true holocaust which we sacrifice to God on the altar of our hearts” “He who is unable to spend a long time together in prayer, should often lift up his mind to God by short prayers” “First let a little love find entrance into their hearts, and the rest will follow” “The perfection of a Christian consists in mortifying his will for the love of Christ. Where there is no great mortification, there is no great sanctity”