Saint Stephen of Hungary, KING AND CONFESSOR, A.D. 1038.
by VP
Posted on Monday September 02, 2024 at 12:00AM in Saints
St Stephen offers his crown to the Virgin Mary -
Painting behind the altar in the St Stephen basilica in Budapest by Gyula Benczúr:
"ST. STEPHEN was the first King of Hungary. His earliest care on taking the reins of government, was to settle a firm peace with the neighboring nations. He then labored to root out idolatry, and promote the reign of Christ in the hearts of all
his subjects. He invited into his dominions many holy priests and
religious men, who by their exemplary lives and zealous preaching, sowed
the seed of faith, and built many churches and monasteries. It is incredible with what ardor the holy king exhorted his people, especially his domestics, to the practice of all virtues. He provided for the poor throughout his whole kingdom, and took them under his special protection, especially the helpless orphans and widows. He lost no part of his time in vain amusements or idle company; but divided it between the duties of religion, and those of his
station. His alms-deeds, meekness, temperance, patience, and other
virtues, succeeding one another in their victories and repeated heroic
acts, sanctified his whole life, and made it, as it were, one uninterrupted sacrifice to God. There
is no saint whose virtue is not exercised by tribulation. Sickness
deprived St. Stephen of all his children. This affliction he bore with entire resignation, adoring it in the holy will of God; but it weaned his heart more and more from the world.
He endeavoured to redouble his fervour in all his religious exercises,
and directed his devotions and charities principally to obtain a happy
death. St. Stephen laboured for three years under a complication of painful distempers. Perceiving his last hour at length drawing near, he commended his kingdom to the patronage of the Blessed Virgin, and after having received the sacraments of Penance, the Holy Viaticum, and Extreme Unction, he happily expired on the Feast of the Assumption,
1038, being threescore years old. Pray for his nation, that it may be
preserved from errors and sins. Pray for all Christian princes, that
they may encourage justice, virtue, and truth. They have a difficult
charge; and being appointed for the good of all, ought to have the prayers of all." The Catholic Year by Fr. John Gother
"Faith is the strength of Nations: A nation is never more prosperous and powerful than when its members are united in one and the same faith. Errors in religion entail errors and division, and, as a matter of course, weakness in policy.
This was fully understood by Stephen, the Vaivode of Hungary; and hence he did all in his power to continue the work inaugurated by his father for the conversion of Hungary. He often accompanied the missionaries while they were evangelizing, and when Christianity was at length solidly established, sent the monk Anastasius to the Sovereign Pontiff, to obtain full confirmation of what had been accomplished. Sylvester II, confirmed all that had been effected, and conferred on the pious Vaivode the title of "King". Stephen, out of respect, listened standing while the bulls from the head of the Church were being read out. Hungary having become Christian, and having been placed under the protection of the Holy Virgin, was civilized in due course, and has remained one of the most powerful nations in Europe. St. Stephen died in 1038, regretted by the people at large on account of his high courage, and venerated for his virtues.
Moral reflection: "Unless the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it." (Psa. cxxvi. 1.)
Pictorial half hours with the saints by Rev. Fr. Auguste François Lecanu
For the Church and Civil Authorities by Archbishop Carroll
We pray Thee, O almighty and Eternal
God, Who through Jesus Christ Hast revealed Thy glory to all nations, to
preserve the works of Thy mercy; that thy Church, being spread through
the whole world, may continue, with unchanging faith, in the confession
of Thy name.
We pray Thee, who alone art good and holy, to endow
with heavenly knowledge, sincere zeal, and sanctity of life our Pope
Francis, the vicar of our Lord Jesus Christ in the government of His
Church; our own bishop ...; all the other bishops, prelates, and pastors
of the Church; and especially those who are appointed to exercise
among us the functions of the holy ministry, and conduct Thy people
into the ways of salvation.
We pray Thee, O God of might,
wisdom, and justice, through whom authority is rightly administered,
laws are enacted, and judgments decreed, assist, with the Holy Spirit of
counsel and fortitude, the President of the United States, that his
administration may be
conducted in righteousness, and be eminently useful to Thy people,
over whom he presides, by
encouraging due respect for virtue and religion;
by faithful execution of the law in justice and
mercy; and by restraining vice
and immorality.
Let the light of Thy divine wisdom direct the deliberations of Congress,
and shine forth in all the
proceedings and laws framed for our rule and government;
so that they may tend to the preservation
of peace, the promotion of national happiness,
the increase of industry, sobriety, and useful
knowledge, and may
perpetuate to us the blessings of equal liberty.
We pray for his Excellency the Governor of
this State, for the members of the Assembly,
for all judges, magistrates, and other officers who
are appointed to guard our political welfare; that they may be enabled,
by Thy powerful protection, to discharge the duties
of their respective stations with honesty and
ability.
We
recommend likewise to Thy unbounded mercy all our brethren and fellow
citizens, throughout the
United States, that they may be blessed in the knowledge, and sanctified
in the observance of Thy
most holy law; that they may be preserved in union, and in that peace
which the world cannot give;
and, after enjoying the blessings of this life, be admitted to those
which are eternal.
Finally, we pray Thee, O Lord of mercy, to remember the souls of Thy
servants departed who are gone
before us with the sign of faith, and repose in the sleep of peace:
the souls of our parents, relations, and friends;
of those who, when living, were members of this
congregation; and particularly of such as are lately deceased;
of all benefactors who, by their
donations or legacies to this Church, witnessed their zeal for the
decency of divine worship,
and proved their claim to our grateful and charitable remembrance.
To these, O Lord, and to
all that rest in Christ, grant we beseech Thee, a place of refreshment,
light, and everlasting
peace, through the same Jesus, Our Lord and Savior.
Amen.
