Catholic Fire

Today the Church celebrates the memorial of St. Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor. He is regarded as one of the most important of the Western Fathers of the Church. St. Leo the Great (d. 461) was born in Rome of Italian nobility. As a deacon of the Church, he opposed the heresy of Pelagianism, which taught that grace was not necessary for salvation, but was rather a bonus that God granted to those who earned it by their good works. He was elevated to the office of Pope in 440 and reigned as pope for twenty-one years. As pope, St. Leo labored strenuously to safeguard the integrity of the faith and vigorously defended the unity of the Church. He affirmed the full divinity and humanity of Christ. His most famous writing, commonly known as the Tome of St. Leo (449), was the basis of the Council of Chalcedon's dogmatic definition of Christ as one Divine Person possessing two complete natures, human and divine. When Attila the Hun marched on Rome, Leo went out to meet him and pleade...

February 22 is the feast of the Chair of St. Peter the Apostle.  The Church has celebrated this occasion since at least the mid-4th century. It is a commemoration of St. Peter, the first pope, and his primacy over the Church as well as an acknowledgment of the primacy of the pope today. St. Peter St. Peter is consistently shown in the Scriptures to be the head or Vicar of Christ's Church on earth after Christ's Ascension. Peter's primacy over the rest of the apostles is clearly delineated. Peter presided over the election of Matthias as an apostle replacing Judas the traitor. After the Holy Spirit came among the apostles on Pentecost, it was Peter who first went forth to preach to the crowd that day. And it was he who worked the first miracle. In fact, so great was his power that merely his shadow falling upon the sick as he passed by healed their maladies. It was Peter also who excoriated Simon Magus for trying to buy the apostles' power. On another occas...

Altar of the Chair of St. Peter Today, February 22nd, is the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter. The Church has celebrated this occasion since at least the mid-4th century. It is a commemoration of St. Peter, the first pope, and his primacy over the Church as well as an acknowledgment of the primacy of the pope today. Before giving a history of the Chair itself, a little background on St. Peter is necessary. St. Peter St. Peter is consistently shown in the Scriptures to be the head or Vicar of Christ's Church on earth after Christ's Ascension. Peter's primacy over the rest of the apostles is clearly delineated. Peter presided over the election of Matthias as an apostle replacing Judas the traitor. After the Holy Spirit came among the apostles on Pentecost, it was Peter who first went forth to preach to the crowd that day. And it was he who worked the first miracle. In fact, so great was his power that merely his shadow falling upon the sick as he passed by heal...

July 9, 2013 (Romereports.com) The Vatican held a special celebration for the early martyrs of the Church. The so called 'protomartyrs', were those who died during the first centuries AD, a time when practicing Christianity was forbidden by Roman authorities. Some of the best known saints in the Catholic tradition, such as Saint Peter, died a martyr's death in Rome, in places that are still famous today. REGINALDO LUCIOLI Vatican City State Marching Band “The Roman Protomartyrs are the very first martyrs of the Catholic Church. Right next to us here there once stood Nero's so-called 'garden', where Saint Peter was crucified upside down at his own request. But also other martyrs are celebrated, such as those who were eaten alive by the lions in the Coliseum and other places.” The Feast of the Roman Protomartyrs began with a special Mass celebrated by Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, at the end of June.  The office was also attended by the Choir of the Dioce...

February 7, 2013 (Romereports.com)  A unique art exhibit brings together for the first time 40 paintings on the life of Saint Peter, from museums all across the globe. The Vatican is hoping the works featuring the first Pope can serve as inspiration for the Year of Faith . FR. ALESSIO GERETTI Coordinator, “Peter's Journey” “Peter is a man with whom anyone can identify with, believers or no believers. Peter was enthused in recognizing Jesus as the son of God before others. But he was weak by denying him during the most critical time of the master's life.” Jan Brueghel the Elder, Luca Giordano, Simon Vouet, Mattia Preti and Eugène Bunard are just a few of the artists that throughout history have depicted Saint Peter and have showcased his commitment to God. FR. ALESSIO GERETTI Coordinator, “Peter's Journey” “Peter resembles us in many ways. So we thought to explain 'what is faith?' during the Year of Faith, we did not want an abstract definitio...

St. Marcellinus St. Peter Marcellinus and Peter are two Roman martyrs who suffered under the Diocletian persecution, about the year 303; the first was a priest, the second an exorcist. Their names are mentioned in the Canon of the Mass (Eucharistic Prayer I). They were beheaded in a grove, but their bodies were were moved and buried in the cemetery Ad duas Lsuros on the Via Labicana. Once peace had been restored, the Church built a basilica over their tombs. Pope St. Damasus reported that he heard the story of these two martyrs from their executioner converted to Christianity after their deaths. According to a legendary account of their martyrdom, the two saw their imprisonment as just one more opportunity to evangelize and managed to convert their jailer and his family. Related Links: St. Peter the Exorcist The Roman Martyrology SS. MARCELLINUS AND PETER, MM. Catholic Culture: Option...