Today's saint, St. Lydia Purpuraria, was the first Christian convert in Europe, a businesswoman who dealt in luxury goods. She is the patron saint of cloth dyers. Saint Lydia was born during the first century in Thyatira, a town famous for its dye works in Asia Minor, famous for its dye works, (hence, her name which means purple seller). She was a seller of purple dye and was St. Paul's first convert at Philippi. The following is from the Acts of the Apostles: And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, one that worshipped God, did hear: whose heart the Lord opened to attend to those things which were said by Paul. And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying: If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us. ~Acts 16:14-15 She was baptized with her household. Thereafter, Paul made his home with her while in Philippi. Lydia was a woman of hospital...
Wow! That sounds wonderful..i visited St Pat's 5 years ago..
ReplyDeleteIt's been quite awhile since I had been there. Was this your first trip to NYC, Jackie? What did you think of the cathedral? And New York City?
ReplyDeleteI am hoping to plan my visit home during his visit. I asked my family there to keep their eyes open for tickets to the Masses :-)
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