From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   February 18th - St. Flavian   
   Patriarch of Constantinople, Martyr (Died 449)   
      
   Flavian was elected Patriarch of Constantinople in 447. His short episcopate   
   of   
   two years was from its outset a time of conflict and persecution. The eunuch   
   Chrysaphius, the emperor's favorite, tried to extort a large sum of money   
   from   
   Saint Flavian on the occasion of his consecration as archbishop. The   
   Archbishop   
   sent him some blessed bread as a sign of peace and communion, but his   
   fidelity   
   in refusing what might even have the appearance of simony, brought on him   
   the   
   enmity of the most powerful man in the empire, the same Chrysaphius.   
      
   In 448 Flavian had to condemn the rising heresy of the abbot Eutyches, who   
   was a   
   relative of Chrysaphius; the unfortunate abbot obstinately denied that Our   
   Lord   
   was in two perfect natures after His Incarnation. Eutyches drew to his cause   
   all   
   the bad elements which gathered about the Byzantine court. His intrigues   
   were   
   long baffled by the vigilance of Saint Flavian; but at last he obtained from   
   the   
   emperor the assembly of a council at Ephesus, in August 449, presided over   
   by   
   his friend Dioscorus, Patriarch of Alexandria. Its purpose was to depose   
   Flavian   
   and reverse the decision of the earlier council which had condemned   
   Eutyches.   
   Eutyches entered into this "robber council," as it is called, surrounded by   
   soldiers. The Roman legates could not even read aloud the Pope's letter,   
   which   
   clearly established Catholic doctrine and revealed the ignorance of   
   Eutyches. At   
   the first sign of resistance to the condemnation of the Catholic Patriarch   
   Flavian, fresh troops entered with drawn swords. In spite of the protests of   
   the   
   legates, the soldiers terrified most of the bishops into acquiescence.   
      
   The fury of Dioscorus reached its height when Flavian appealed to the Holy   
   See.   
   The heretical bishop, who soon afterward would pretend to excommunicate the   
   reigning Vicar of Christ, Saint Leo, forgot his apostolic office and laid   
   violent hands on his adversary. Saint Flavian was seized by Dioscorus and   
   others, thrown down, beaten, kicked, and finally carried into banishment at   
   Epipa, near Sardes in Lydia, where he died shortly afterwards, in August of   
   449.   
      
   Let us contrast the ends of the faithful and the unfaithful servants. Saint   
   Flavian clung to the teaching of the Roman Pontiff, and sealed his faith   
   with   
   his blood. Two years after his death, the Council of Chalcedon placed him   
   among   
   the choir of martyrs and Saints. Dioscorus, who "excommunicated" the Vicar   
   of   
   Christ, died obstinate and impenitent in the heresy of Eutyches. Chrysaphius   
   was   
   disgraced and sentenced to death by the emperor, whose eyes were eventually   
   opened.   
      
   Sources: Les Petits Bollandistes: Vies des Saints, by Msgr. Paul Guérin   
   (Bloud   
   et Barral: Paris, 1882), Vol. 2; Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints, a   
   compilation based on Butler's Lives of the Saints and other sources by John   
   Gilmary Shea (Benziger Brothers: New York, 1894).   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   "For if we return to the head and source of Divine Tradition, human   
   error ceases."   
   -St Cyprian of Carthage, "Epistles of St Cyprian", p. 389, Ante-Nicene   
   Fathers.   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   "Now I praise you brethren, that you remember me in all things and   
   keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you." 1st Corinthians   
   11:2.   
      
   <><><><>   
   The Litany of Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows, composed by Pope Pius VII:   
      
   Lord, have mercy on us.                 Christ, have mercy on us.   
   Lord, have mercy on us.   
   Christ, hear us.                                     Christ, graciously hear   
   us.   
   God, the Father of heaven,                   Have mercy on us.   
   God the Son, Redeemer of the world,   Have mercy on us.   
   God the Holy Ghost,                             Have mercy on us.   
   Holy Mary, Mother of God,                   pray for us.   
   Holy Virgin of virgins,                            pray for us.   
   Mother of the Crucified,                        pray for us.   
   Sorrowful Mother,                                 pray for us.   
   Mournful Mother,                                  pray for us.   
   Sighing Mother,                                    pray for us.   
   Afflicted Mother,                                   pray for us.   
   Forsaken Mother,                                 pray for us.   
   Desolate Mother,                                  pray for us.   
   Mother most sad,                                 pray for us.   
   Mother set around with anguish,          pray for us.   
   Mother overwhelmed by grief,              pray for us.   
   Mother transfixed by a sword,              pray for us.   
   Mother crucified in thy heart,                pray for us.   
   Mother bereaved of thy Son,                pray for us.   
   Sighing Dove,                                       pray for us.   
   Mother of Dolors,                                  pray for us.   
   Fount of tears,                                      pray for us.   
   Sea of bitterness,                                 pray for us.   
   Field of tribulation,                               pray for us.   
   Mass of suffering,                                pray for us.   
   Mirror of patience,                               pray for us.   
   Rock of constancy,                              pray for us.   
   Remedy in perplexity,                          pray for us.   
   Joy of the afflicted,                              pray for us.   
   Ark of the desolate,                             pray for us.   
   Refuge of the abandoned,                  pray for us.   
   Shield of the oppressed                      pray for us.   
   Conqueror of the incredulous,             pray for us.   
   Solace of the wretched,                       pray for us.   
   Medicine of the sick,                            pray for us.   
   Help of the faint,                                  pray for us.   
   Strength of the weak,                           pray for us.   
   Protectress of those who fight,            pray for us.   
   Haven of the shipwrecked,                  pray for us.   
   Calmer of tempests,                             pray for us.   
   Companion of the sorrowful,                pray for us.   
   Retreat of those who groan,                pray for us.   
   Terror of the treacherous,                    pray for us.   
   Standard-bearer of the Martyrs,           pray for us.   
   Treasure of the Faithful,                       pray for us.   
   Light of Confessors,                             pray for us.   
   Pearl of Virgins,                                    pray for us.   
   Comfort of Widows,                              pray for us.   
   Joy of all Saints,                                   pray for us.   
   Queen of thy Servants,                         pray for us.   
   Holy Mary, who alone art unexampled, pray for us.   
      
   V. Pray for us, most Sorrowful Virgin,   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
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    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)