February 6th - St. Titus and St. Dorothy

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February 6 – St Titus, Bishop and Confessor

Taken from The Liturgical Year by Dom Prosper Gueranger (1841-1875)

We are to celebrate today, the Feast of a holy Bishop of the Apostolic Age–a Disciple of the Apostle St. Paul. Little is known of his life; but, by addressing to him one of his inspired Epistles, the Apostle of the Gentiles has immortalized his memory. Wheresoever the Faith of Christ has been or shall be preached, Titus’ name has been venerated by the Faithful; and as long as the world lasts, the holy Church will read to her children this Epistle, which was written, indeed, to a simple Bishop of the Isle of Crete, but was dictated by the Holy Ghost, and therefore destined to be a part of those Sacred Scriptures, which contain the word of God. The counsels and directions given in this admirable Letter, were the rule of the holy Bishop, for whom St. Paul entertained a very strong affection. St. Titus had the honour of establishing the Christian Religion in that famous Island, which was one of the strong-holds of Paganism. He survived his master, who was put to death by Nero. Like St . John, he sweetly slept in Christ at a very advanced age, respected and loved by the Church he had founded. As we have already observed, his life left but few traces behind it; but these few are sufficient to prove him to have been one of those wonderful men, whom God chose as the directors of his infant Church.

Titus, Bishop of Crete, was initiated into the mysteries of the Christian faith by Paul the Apostle; and being prepared by the sacraments, he shed so bright a light of sanctity on the infant Church, that he merited to be chosen as one of the Disciples of the Doctor of the Gentiles. Being called to bear the burden of preaching the Gospel, so ardent and persevering was he in the discharge of that duty, that he endeared himself to St. Paul so much, as to make the Apostle say in one of his Epistles, that being come to Troas, to preach the faith in that city, he found no rest for his heart, because he found not there his brother Titus. And having, a short time after this, gone to Macedonia, he thus expresses his affection for his disciple in these terms: But God who comforteth the humble, comforted us by the coming of Titus.

Being sent to Corinth by the Apostle, he acquitted himself in this mission (which mainly consisted in collecting the alms given by the piety of the faithful towards alleviating the distress of the Hebrew Church) with so much prudence and patience, that he not only confirmed the Corinthians in the faith of Christ, but made them so desirous of a visit from Paul, who had been their first teacher in the faith, that they shed tears of longing affection. After having undertaken several journeys, both by sea and land, in order to sow the seed of the divine word among people of various tongues and countries; and after having supported, with great firmness of soul, countless anxieties and fatigues, in order to plant the standard of the Cross;—he landed at the island of Crete in company with his master St. Paul. The Apostle made him Bishop of the Church which he had founded in that island; and it is not to be doubted but that Titus so discharged his duty as that he became a model to the Faithful, according to the advice given to him by his master, in good works, in doctrine, in integrity, in gravity.

Thus did he become a shining light, pouring forth the rays of Christian faith on them that were sitting in the darkness of idolatry and lies, as in the shadow of death. Tradition tells us that he passed into Dalmatia, where he labored with extraordinary zeal to enlist that people under the banner of the Cross. At length, full of days and merit, in the ninety-fourth year of his age, he slept in the Lord the death of the just, on the vigil of the nones of January (January 4th), and was buried in the Church in which the Apostle had appointed him Minister of the word. St. John Chrysostom and St. Jerome pass great eulogium upon this holy Bishop, and his name is inscribed in the Roman Martyrology on the day above mentioned; but in establishing his Feast to be celebrated, with an Office and Mass, throughout the catholic world, by the clergy secular and regular, the Sovereign Pontiff Pius the Ninth ordered it to be kept on the first vacant day following the anniversary of the saint’s death.

Favoured Disciple of the great Apostle! the holy Church has decreed that one of the days of the ecclesiastical year should be spent in celebrating thy virtues, and offering thee our prayers. Look down with love upon the Faithful who glorify the Holy Spirit that gave thee thy rich graces. Thou didst discharge thy pastoral duties with untiring zeal. Every quality enumerated in the Epistle addressed to thee by St. Paul, as required in a Bishop, was possessed by thee; and thou shinest in the crown of Jesus, the Prince of Pastors, as one of the brightest of its gems. Forget not the Church militant, of which thou was one of the first guides. Eighteen hundred years have passed away since thou wast taken from her. During this long period, she has had sufferings and trials without end; but she has triumphed over every obstacle, and she continues her glorious path, saving souls and offering them to her heavenly Spouse; and this will she persevere doing, until her Jesus comes to stop the course of time, and open the gates of eternity. Meanwhile, O glorious Saint! she counts on the aid of thy prayers, in the great work of the salvation of souls. Ask of Jesus, that He send us Pastors like unto thee. Pray for that Island, which thou didst convert to the true faith, but which is now buried in the darkness of infidelity and schism. Pray, too, for the Greek Church, that it may regain its ancient glory by union with the See of Peter. Hear, O Titus! thy prayers of the Pontiff, who has made thy name to be venerated in the Liturgy throughout the world, in order that he might draw down peace and mercy upon the world, by thy powerful intercession.

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February 6 – St. Dorothy, Virgin and Martyr

Taken from The Liturgical Year by Dom Prosper Gueranger (1841-1875)

Today again, it is one of the most amiable of Christ’s brides that comes to console us by her presence; it is Dorothy, the simple and intrepid virgin, who strews the path of her martyrdom with prodigies of sweetest charity. The religion of Christ alone can produce in timid women, like the saint of today, an energy which at times surpasses that of the most valiant martyrs among men. Thus does our Lord glorify His infinite power, by crushing Satan’s head with what is by nature so weak. The enmity put by God between the woman and the serpent is forever showing itself in those sublime Acts of the Martyrs, where the rebel angel is defeated by an enemy whom he knew to be weak, and therefore scorned to fear; but that very weakness which made her the victory the grander, made his humiliation the bitterer. Surely, such history must have taught him how powerful an enemy he has in a Christian woman; and we, who can boast of having so many heroines among the ancestors of our holy faith, should cherish their memory, and confide in their protection, for their intercession is powerful with Him for whom they died. One of the noblest of these comes to us today; let us celebrate her victory and merit her patronage.

The lessons given in the Dominican breviary are so much fuller than the legend of the Roman liturgy that we have not hesitated to insert them here.

The holy virgin Dorothy, of Cesarea in Cappadocia, was apprehended by Apricius, the governor of that province, for professing the faith of Christ. She was put under the care of her two sisters, Chrysta and Callista, who had apostatized from the faith, and would be able to shake the resolute constancy of Dorothy. But she brought them back to the faith, for which they were bunt to death in a cauldron. The governor ordered Dorothy to be hoisted on the rack, and she said to him, as she lay upon it: ‘Never in my whole life have I felt so much joy, as I do today.’ Then the governor order the executioners to burn her sides with lighted lamps, and beat her for a very long time on the face, and finally behead her with the sword.

While she was being led to the place of execution, she said: ‘I give thee thanks, O thou lover of our souls, that thou callest me to thy paradise!’ Theophilus, one of the governor’s officers, hearing her words, laughed, and said to her: ‘Hear me, bride of Christ! I ask thee to send me some apples and roses from this paradise of thy Spouse.’ Dorothy replied: ‘Well, and so I will.’ Before she was beheaded, she was allowed a moment for prayer; when lo! a beautiful child came to her, bringing with him a napkin, three apples, and three roses. She said to him: ‘Take them, I pray thee, to Theophilus.’ Then the executioner struck her head off with his sword, and her soul fled to Christ.

While Theophilus was jocosely telling his fellows the promise made him by Dorothy, he sees a boy bringing him in a napkin three fine apples, and three most lovely roses, who, as he gave them, said: ‘Lo! the most holy virgin Dorothy sends thee, as she promised, these gifts from the paradise of her Spouse.’ Theophilus was beside himself with surprise, for it was February, and the frost most sharp; but taking the gifts he exclaimed: ‘Christ is truly God!’ He openly professed the Christian faith, and courageously suffered for the same a most painful martyrdom.

The missals and breviaries of the Middle Ages contain several pieces in honor of St. Dorothy.
The following is one that was used in Germany, and is most appropriate for the season of Septuagesima.

Sequence

Psallat concors symphonia,
Laudes pangat harmonia,
Cum sonora melodia
Cordisque tripudio. 

Let tuneful instruments breathe forth concordant strains, and harmony sound forth her praise, and we, with joyous heart, sing sweet melodious hymns.


In hoc festo lætabundo
Dorotheæ, corde mundo,
Sono plaudat vox jucundo
Neumatum præludio. 

’Tis the pure-hearted Dorothy’s happy feast; let our glad voices, led on by the organ’s peal, proclaim her praise.


Generosa Christi verna
Labe carens, et lucerna
Mundo lucens, ac pincerna,
Vina donans mystica. 

O noble and sinless handmaid of Christ! O bright lamp shining to the whole world! O cup-bearer, that profferest us rich mystic wines!


Paradisi tu colona,
Quæ pro malo reddis bona,
Scribæ mittis cœ dona
Rosas, mala pistica. 

Child of paradise, that payest evil with good, and givest to thine enemy roses and fragrant apples of heaven.


Vitam ducens angelorum,
Dum in carne præter forum
Carnis vicis, spernis torum
Viri propter Dominum. 

Thou leadest the life of an angel, and while in the flesh, livest not according to the flesh; scorning to be spouse of man, because betrothed to Christ.


Martyr Christi quæ profanos
Deos sternis, ac paganos
Fide vestis, et sic sanos
Mores facis hominum. 

Thou art his martyr too, trampling on the pagan gods; and, giving faith to infidels, convertest them from madness to wisdom.


Tota manens speciosa,
Velut rubens fragrans rosa,
Ad conflictum roborosa,
Minante Fabricio. 

Red fragrant rose! nothing could impair thy beauty. Fabricius may threaten what he lists, thou hast a heart brave enough for all.


Vinculata carceraris,
In catasta cruciaris,
Vultu cæsa flagellaris,
Omni carens vitio. 

Chains and prisons, racks and buffets, thou sufferest all, yet innocent, deserving none.


Gens perversa malæ spei
Quam dum doces verbum Dei,
Lumen tuæ faciei
Conterit cum baculis. 

Wicked men, whose hopes were bent on evil, beat thy beaming face, for that thou darest to teach them the word of God.


Furens auget tormentales
Pœnas sævas et lethales,
Dum mamillas virginales
Tuas cremat faculis. 

But they could increase their tortures, keen and deadly as they were; furiously, then, they burn thy innocent breast.


Supplicamus: nos tuere
Et peccata fac timere,
Martyr sancta, confer veræ
Tempus pœnitentiæ. 

O holy martyr! we beseech thee, protect us, obtain for us a fear of sin, and pray that time be given us for true repentance.


Virgo bona, crimen terge,
Victim dona, mores rege,
Ne damnemur gravi lege
Causa negligentiæ. 

Kind virgin! pray for us that our sins be cleansed, our souls be nourished with grace, our lives well regulated, that so we be not condemned for negligence by God’s dread law of justice.


Sponsa Christi Dorothea,
Tua nos virtute bea,
Ut purgata mente rea,
Digni simus præmio. 

O Dorothy, thou spouse of Christ! may thy merits draw down his blessing upon us; and we be found worthy of the reward that he gives to those whose souls are free from sin.


Deum nobis fac placatum,
Ut post hujus incolatum,
Sed et locum det optatum
In cœlesti gremio. Amen. 

Render our Lord propitious to us, and beseech him to give us, after our sojourn here, the longed-for place of rest in the bosom of his heaven. Amen.


Thy promises, O Dorothy, are faithful as thyself. In the garden of thy heavenly Spouse, thou forgettest not the exiles on earth. How fortunate was Theophilus to have had one of thy promises! He asked for fruits and flowers; he got them; and with them, the richer gifts of faith and perseverance, which we also would now ask thee to send us. Thou knowest our wants. We want courage to conquer the world and our passions; we want the grace of conversion; we want the spirit of penance, without which, we can never reach that heaven of our vocation, where we are to be thy companions in bliss. Promise us thy prayers, and we shall not fail. And on the grand Day of the Easter we are preparing for, our souls, having been purified in the Blood of the Lamb, will be as fragrant as the fruits, and as fair as the flowers, which thou didst send to a pagan, whose prayer was less confident than ours.