SAINTS VINCENT AND ANASTASIUS, MARTYRS

Vincent, the Victorious, vested in the sacred dalmatic, and holding the palm in his hand, comes, to-day, to his Jesus Christ, and right welcome is he to Stephen, the Crowned, his leader and his brother. Spain is his country. He is a Deacon of the glorious Church of Saragossa, and, by the strength and warmth of his faith, he is a type of that land, which is, by excellence, the Catholic Kingdom. But he does not belong to Spain only like Stephen, and like Laurence, Vincent is the favourite and hero of the whole Church. Stephen, the Deacon, preached the divinity of Jesus amidst the shower of stones which were hurled upon him as a blasphemer; Vincent, the Deacon, confessed his faith in Jesus upon his red-hot gridiron, and all that endured Laurence. This triumvirate of Martyr-Deacons cluster together in the sacred Litany, and when we hear their three great names, the Crown, the Laurel, and the Conqueror, we hail them as the three bravest Knights of our most dear Lord.

Crowned with the flame of divine love which burned within his soul, was keener than that which scorched his body. He was comforted, in the most miraculous manner, during his great sufferings; but God worked these prodigies, not to deprive Vincent of his crown, but to show his own power. The holy Deacon had but one thought in the midst of all his pains—he was ambitious to make a return, by the gift of his own life, for that sacrifice whereby his divine Master had died for him and for all men. And now, that so generous a lover of God should be at the Crib of this same Jesus—is it not right and just? Oh! how he urges us, every Christmas, to love this Divine Infant! He that hesitated not, when called on to give himself to his Lord, even though it was to cost him such cruel pains—what cowards we not call us, who can come so many Christmases to Bethlehem, and have nothing to give, but cold and divided hearts!

His sacrifice was to be burnt alive, and torn, and cut, and he smiled as he gave it: what are we, to say of ourselves, who take years to think before we will give up those childish things, which prevent us from ever thoroughly belonging to Him! Let us now learn from Jesus! Would that the sight of all these Martyrs, in whose company the Church has made us live during these few last days, would banish our arms, and make them resolute and simple!

There is an ancient Christian tradition, which makes St. Vincent the patron of vineyards and labourers in vineyards. This was, no doubt, suggested by the Saint’s having held the office of Deacon; for the Deacon has to pour wine into the chalice during the holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and that wine is to be changed into the Blood of Christ. A few days ago, we assisted at the mystery of the Feast at Cana: Jesus then offered us the sacred cup, the wine of his love; to-day, again, he offers it to us by the hand of his Martyr Vincent. To make himself worthy of this high office, the holy Deacon mingled his own blood, as a generous wine, in the cup that holds the price of the world’s salvation. It is thus that we are to understand that expression of St. Paul, which says, that the Saints fill up, in the flesh, by the merit of their sufferings, those things that are wanting, not in their efficacy, but in their fulness, of the sufferings of Christ; whose members the Saints are.

We will now give the abridged account of the martyrdom of St. Vincent, as it is related in the Lessons of this Feast.

Vincent was born at Huesca, Vincentius, Osca in Hispania citeriore natus, a primate studia didicit, and, after a childhood passed in piety and learning, was called by St. Valerius, Bishop of Saragossa, to the sacred ministry. Being endowed with a powerful voice, and great strength of faith, he was chosen to be the preacher of the Church. The persecution under Diocletian having broken out, Dacian, the governor of Spain, ordered Vincent to be arrested. He was brought to Valencia, before the judge, who endeavoured to induce him to offer sacrifice to the gods. Vincent answered with firmness and courage, and was condemned to the most cruel tortures. He was first stretched upon the rack; then his flesh was torn with iron hooks; after which he was laid upon a gridiron placed over burning coals. Still he confessed Christ. At last, being thrown into a dungeon strewn with broken potsherds, he gave up his soul to God.

But whilst he was suffering, God worked miracles to console his servant. His chains fell from him; his wounds were healed; a heavenly light filled his prison; and Angels were heard singing hymns of joy. After his death, his body was cast into a marsh, and watched by a raven; afterwards it was brought back to Valencia, and buried with honour by the Christians.

Hail, Victorious Deacon! How beautiful art thou, with the Chalice of salvation in thy brave hands! It was thine office to offer it at the Altar, in order that the wine it contained might be changed, by the sacred words, into the Blood of Christ; and when the Mystery was accomplished, thou hadst to take this same Chalice, and present it to the faithful, to the drink that they who thirsted after God, might drink at the source of eternal life. But, on this day, thou offerest it thyself to Jesus, and it is full to the brim with thine own blood. Oh! how faithful a Deacon! giving even thy very life in testimony to the Mysteries of which thou wast the dispenser. Three centuries had elapsed since Stephen’s sacrifice; sixty years had gone by since the sweet incense of Laurence’s martyrdom had ascended to the throne of God; and now, it is the last persecution—peace is dawning on the Church—and a third Deacon comes to prove that time had not impaired the Order—it was the Deacon of Saragossa—thyself, dear Saint!

Bright is thy name in the list of Martyrs, O Vincent! and the Church is proud of thy triumph. It was for the Church, after Jesus, that thou didst combat!—have pity on us, therefore, and signalise this day of thy Feast by showing us the effects of thy protection. Thou art face to face with the King of Ages, whose battle thou didst fight on earth, and, at thy earnest, wilt a loving yet daunted eye, on this eternal beauty. We, also, we who are in this valley of tears, possess him, and see him, for he calls himself our Emmanuel, God with us. But, it is under the form of a weak Babe that he shows himself to us, for he fears to overpower us with the splendour of his majesty. Pray for us, O holy Martyr Vincent! for, at times, we tremble at the thought that this sweet Jesus is, one day, to be our Judge. When we reflect on what thou didst and sufferedst for him, we have scarcely courage to think upon ourselves, for, what good works can we show? or who can say of us, that we were ever faithful? because of our Divine Master? Oh! that thy Feast might shame us into the earnest of unceasing simplicity, which is sweet Babe of Bethlehem is come to teach us—the simplicity which springs from humility and confidence in God, and which made thee go through all thy martyrdom with a brave, and yet such a calm spirit! Pray for us, that we may, at length, obey the God who teaches us by his own example, and by the hearts ambitious for nought but the pleasing Him, accomplish his will, whatever that may ask of us; and all this with the calm cheerfulness of devoted service.

PRAYER.

O God, who didst wonderfully crown the glorious Martyr Vincent, with manifold victories, grant that we may follow him in the confession of thy Name, and deserve to receive the palm of eternal glory. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Deus qui multis passionum generibus martyrem Vincentium coronasti, da nobis, quaesumus, ut ejus vestigia sequentes, ad gloriam sempiternam pervenire mereamur. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

PRAYER.

We bless thee, O Almighty God, for that thou didst deliver thy most blessed Martyr Vincent from horrible torments; and we pray thee to give us aid on the fire, it burned, but could not consume him, nor did the pains of martyrdom take away the sweetness of his joy. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

PRAYER.

O Jesus! by whose great power the bonds of thy Martyr Vincent, whilst he was yet in chains, were broken, and his dungeon made bright with heavenly light; grant that we, by his merits and prayers, may be freed from the bonds of our sins, and rejoice in the liberty of the children of God. Amen.

St Vincent SARAGOSSA

Related Articles: Saints Page

SAINT ANASTASIUS, MARTYR.

On this same 22nd of January, the Church honours the memory of the holy Persian Monk, Anastasius, who suffered Martyrdom in the year 628.

Chosen, having made himself master of Jerusalem, and carried with him, into Persia, the Wood of the True Cross, which was afterwards recovered by Heraclius. The sight of this Holy Wood excited in the heart of Anastasius, who was then a Pagan, the desire of knowing the Religion, of which it is the trophy. He renounced the Persian superstition, in order to become a Christian, and a Monk. This, together with the neophyte’s zeal, excited the Pagans against him; and, after enduring frightful tortures, the Soldier of Christ was beheaded. His body was taken to Constantinople, and thence to Rome, where it is still honoured. Two celebrated Churches of Rome, one in the City itself, and the other outside the walls, are dedicated in common to St. Vincent and St. Anastasius, because these two great Martyrs suffered on the same day of the year, though in different centuries. This is the motive of the Church’s uniting their Feasts into one. Let us pray to this new champion of the faith, that he intercede for us to the Saviour, whose Cross was so dear to him.

Let us now address ourselves to both these holy Martyrs, using the prayer of their Feast.

ANT.

Iste est vir qui contempsit vitam mundi, et pervenit ad regna cælorum; et sanguine suo consecravit populum Dei.

℣.

Exultamini in Domino, et lætamini justi.

℟.

Et gloriæamini omnes recti corde.

OREMUS.

Adesto, Domine, supplicationibus nostris; et ut nos exequatur Hostia redemptionis humanæ, qua, beati Vincentii et Anastasii Martyrum tuorum gloriosa passio consecrata est, concede; ut ejus intercessione, a peccatis nostris liberati, ad vitam perveniamus æternam. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.