Onomastics to commemorate today: the saints of Wednesday, February 8

The saints change every day. Remember those who were characterized by their good deeds. (Infobae/Jovani Pérez)

Good deeds, mortal sacrifices and even inexplicable events arising from an apparent divinity, are the reasons why different individuals were beatified and canonized by the Vatican to carry the name of saint.

Every day, marked on the calendar, commemorates the life and death of these beings, men and women, who dedicated their existence to the very Catholic Church that earned them the appointment.

This is the saints for Wednesday, February 8.

Celebration of the day: Saint Jerome Emiliani

Saint Jerome Emiliani, who in his youth was carried away by anger and lust, but, after being imprisoned by his enemies, turned to God and gave himself to the care of those most in need, especially orphans and the sick.

Together with the companions that he managed to gather, he started the so-called Congregation of the Regular Clerics of Somasca and later, while caring for the sick in that same town of Somasca, near Bergamo, in Lombardy, he contracted the plague and mercifully died.

Saint Jerome Emiliani (or Miani) was born in Venice in 1486. ​​Fatherless at a tender age, he was wisely educated in the Christian faith by his mother, Dionora Morosini, a woman of very lofty sentiments. In 1506, he entered public life, dedicating himself above all to the exercise of arms. He became a soldier of the Most Serene Republic and in 1511 he was sent to the fortress of Castelnuovo de Quero, located on the banks of the Piave, as Governor Regent.

In the Sanctuary of the ‘Madonna Grande’ in Treviso, Jerome solemnly promises to give himself totally to the service of God and neighbor. Upon returning to Venice, he distributed his patrimony to the poor and joined the Company of Divine Love, which was dedicated, in particular, to the assistance of the ‘incurable’ patients. He also contracted, in this service, a serious illness, which he overcame thanks to his robust fiber and with new energy he returned to the service of charity.

His heart, very sensitive to all human miseries, was deeply impressed by seeing the deplorable condition of many children, lacking parents and abandoned to fate. He began to give shelter to one of these orphans, in his own house; and immediately, as the number increased, he opened for them a house near the Church of San Basilio and another near the Church of San Roque, in Venice. To orphans, the Saint taught the first elements of knowledge and at the same time the fundamental notions of the Christian faith. He also tried to get them to learn a trade, so that they could become part of society, as living and active elements, capable of developing their human and Christian personality with dignity. He founded and attended many orphanages throughout Italy and also in some regions outside of Italy.

When the Saint realized that he was weakening physically and that he had to stop his apostolic wanderings of charity, he chose the small town of Somasca, near Lecco, as his favorite dwelling. In this place, with his fiery spiritual fervor, he could count on solitude, prayer, and meditation. He died a holy death at dawn on February 8, 1537 at the age of 51, a victim of his own charity. Beatified in 1747, he was proclaimed a Saint in 1767. Pope Pius XI proclaimed him “Universal Patron of orphans and abandoned youth.” His Feast is celebrated every year on February 8, the day of his transit to heaven.

Along with this character there are other saints and martyrs who are also celebrated this Wednesday, February 8, such as the following:

Santa Cointa

San Esteban de Grandmont

Saint Honorate, Bishop

Santa Josefina Bakhita

St. Youth’s

San Lacuto

Saint Nicetius, Bishop

Saint Paul of Verdun

Blessed Josefina Gabriela Bonino

Canonization of the priest José Gabriel Brochero. (AFP)

The Catholic and Orthodox Church uses canonization to declare a deceased person as a saint who during his life made sacrifices or was related to a divine event in favor of the church.

This implies including the name of the person in the canon (list of recognized saints) and the permission of the Catholic Church is granted to venerate it, acknowledging its power before God.

During Christianity, people were recognized as saints without the need for a formal process; however, this changed in the Middle Ages. In the case of Catholicism, the Church must make an exhaustive investigation of the life of the person to be sanctified.

For the Catholic Church there are four ways to achieve the appointment: the path of heroic virtues; the path of martyrdom; that of exceptional causes, confirmed by an ancient cult and written sources; and the offer of life.

Preparations for the canonization of John Paul II. (Reuters)

Catholicism is one of the most widely practiced religions in the world. The most recent data from the Vatican -particularly from its Ecclesial Statistical Yearbook- indicates that there are more than 1,360 million Catholics in the world.

The American continent is where more Catholics prevail, with almost half of those registered by the Vatican, being more than a quarter located in South America.

In recent years, the Vatican has realized that the presence of Catholics has increased significantly on two continents: Asia -particularly the Middle East- and Africa.

In contrast, religious rates in Europe have been declining, while in Oceania they have remained stable.

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