Today is the anniversary of the death of three Popes - Pope Saint Martin I 1,355 years ago; Pope Valentine, 100th in the line of Peter 1,172 years ago; and Pope Blessed Victor III who died 912 years ago. Also, 535 years ago Pope Paul II was elected the on this date in 1464. Cardinals today wear the red-hat or three-cornered red beretta thanks to this 211th successor of Peter. For other pertinent events throughout the centuries that are memorable in Church history today, click on MILLENNIUM MILESTONES AND MEMORIES

Historical Events in Church Annals for September 16:

655 A.D.


Death of Pope Saint Martin I, 74th successor of Peter who ruled for six years. During his pontificate he condemned the Eastern bishops who enjoyed the protection of the Byzantine Emperor. Imprisoned and exiled, he died of suffering and hardship on the island of Cherson. It was during his papacy that the Church began celebrating the feast of the Immaculate Virgin.

827 A.D.


Death of Pope Valentine, 100th successor of Peter who ruled for just over two weeks. He was beloved by the people, the nobles, and the clergy for his goodness and charity and exhibited great piety.

1087 A.D.


Death of Pope Blessed Victor III, 158th successor of Peter who had fled to Montecassino four days after his election on May 24, 1086. But the people clamored for him to be Pope and he was forcefully brought back to Rome and consecrated. He excommunicated the antipope Clement III and took up residence on the fortified Tiber island.

1394 A.D.


Death of the antipope Clement VII who had turned against Pope Gregory XI and undermined Pope Urban VI. As the first antipope of the Great Schism of the West, Clement initiated the great split that would last from 1378 to 1417.

1464 A.D.


Venutian-born Cardinal Pietro Barbo is elected by the College of Cardinals as the 211th successor of Peter, taking the name Pope Paul II. He would go on to be the Pope who decided that only Cardinals would wear the red beretta. He also reduced the benefit of a special pardon to 25 years so that each generation could benefit.

SIMPLY SHEEN: The character of truth

    They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but the words of Bishop Fulton J. Sheen have been known to launch a thousand images in one's mind, one of the ways this late luminary did so much to evangelize the faith. Because of the urgency of the times and because few there are today who possess the wisdom, simplicity and insight than the late Archbishop who touched millions, we are bringing you daily gems from his writings. The good bishop makes it so simple that we have dubbed this daily series: "SIMPLY SHEEN".

"One of the most dangerous effects of reducing education to the amassing of knowledge rather than the acquisition of truth, is that it forgets the relationship between truth and character."

    Today is the Feast of the martyrs Pope Saint Cornelius and Saint Cyprian, bishop while tomorrow is the Twenty-fourth Friday in Ordinary Time and the Feast of Saint Robert Bellarmine, bishop, religious, and Doctor of the Church. For the readings, liturgies, meditations and vignettes for these feasts, click on DAILY LITURGY.

Thursday September 16:
Feast of Pope Saint Cornelius and Saint Cyprian, Martyrs

Red vestments

First Reading: 1 Timothy 3: 12-16
Psalms: Psalm 111: 2, 7-10
Gospel Reading: Luke 7: 36-50

    This feast recognizes two martyrs of the Church in the 3rd Century - Pope Saint Cornelius and Saint Cyprian. The former was the 21st in the line of Peter, being elevated to the papacy in March 251 during the height of the Roman persecutions under the wicked Gaius Vibius Trebonianus Gallus, better known as the terrible terror - Roman Emperor Valerian. Though his rule lasted only two years, he is remembered for defending the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Penance) against the heretic Novatian who bitterly opposed Cornelius, claiming opposite poles in respect to how public sinners and apostates should be reconciled with Holy Mother Church. In 253 Valerian exiled Cornelius to Civitavecchia, which was then the port of Rome, and where he died for his faith in June of the same year.

   St. Cyprian was a rhetorician and lawyer prior to his conversion at the age of 25. In 249 he was appointed bishop by Pope Saint Fabian, Cornelius' predecessor who had been martyred by the Roman Emperor Decius. Decius was murdered by Valerian shortly after killing Fabian. Cyprian had been placed in charge of about 150 other bishops as the Metropolitan of Northern Africa by Cornelius and joined with the Pope in his stance that baptism performed by heretics was invalid. After Cornelius' martyrdom Cyprian continued to uphold this viewpoint through the time of two more pontiffs Pope Saint Lucius I and Saint Stephen I; the latter ruling against the thinking of Cornelius and Cyprian. Because Cyprian was so influential with the Christians from his position as Metropolitan Bishop, Valerian targeted him for execution, first exiling him and then ordering that the saint be beheaded on September 14, 258. Rather than discouraging Christians everywhere by this action, it backfired on Valerian for indeed the blood of the martyrs replenished a flourishing Church. Cornelius and Cyprian are listed together in the Roman Canon of the Mass.

Friday September 17:
Twenty-fourth Friday in Ordinary Time and
Feast of Saint Robert Bellarmine, Bishop, Religious and Doctor of the Church

Green or White vestments

First Reading: 1 Timothy 6: 2-12
Psalms: Psalm 49: 6-10, 17-20 and Matthew 5: 3
Gospel Reading: Luke 8: 1-3

    Born into a noble family in 1542 in the village of Montepulciano, Italy shortly after the Protestant Revolt through Europe, Saint Robert Bellarmine joined the Jesuit seminary at the age of 18, studing at the Roman College in Padua and at Louvain until being ordained in 1570 with his first assignment being professor at Louvain until 1577. Because of poor health, which became his cross througout his life, he transfered to the Pontifical Gregorian University where he taught theology for another eleven years. During this time he not only wrote four volumes of his work Controversies which came under heavy attack from Protestant sympathizers who had infiltrated the Vatican. Because of this assault on his writings they were almost placed on the Index of Forbidden Books but Pope Sixtus V intervened because of his loyalty to Robert and Robert's close association and invaluable assistance to the Vatican. In 1588 Robert was chosen spiritual director for the University which was then called the Roman College. One of his charges who he guided was a young seminarian named Saint Aloysius Gonzaga who died during his deaconate in 1591 shortly before being ordained. Three years later Robert became head of the University and subsequently provincial for the Jesuits' in Naples. In 1599 Pope Clement VIII elevated him to Cardinal, much to his objections for Robert did not feel worthy, but Clement knew he would make a great cardinal and enlisted him to help solve the dispute between the Jesuits and Dominicans regarding predestination. Three years later Clement appointed Cardinal Bellarmine Archbishop of Capua. Three years later Pope Paul V recalled him to Rome where was appointed the official theologian for the Holy See and became a constant companion to the pontiff, being positioned as a member of almost every Congregation of the Holy Office. Ironically it was Robert who called on to silence Galileo in 1616. In 1621 at age 79 Robert retired to St. Andrew's Novitiate, the Jesuit house near the Quirinale where he was visited and blessed by Pope Gregory XV just before Robert breathed his last breath reciting the Creed on September 17, 1621. In 1930 he was canonized by Pope Pius XI and declared a Doctor of the Church a year later. Throughout his life he was a staunch defender of the truths in refuting Protestant heresy and reconverting thousands who had fallen prey to the Protestant Reformation.

    Like our other feature series, we present installments 1 through 105 of this series which is a set blueprint for Catholics everywhere to take up the banner of truth in defending Christ's One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church as we prepare for this glorious event - the second coming of Christ and the Reign of the Sacred Heart, the Second Pentecost, the Era of the Eucharistic Presence, the Advent of Peace. To read any of the over one-hundred previous installments in this long on-going series, click on the Archives ofWHERE IS HOLY MOTHER CHURCH HEADING AS WE NEAR THE MILLENNIUM?

Finally the long-awaited books "I SOLEMNLY TELL YOU..." and THE HIDDEN WAY are NOW available!

   With the messages completed, you can now order the book that contains ALL the messages. This much-anticipated 224-page book of ALL the messages to the world imparted to the Hidden Flower of the Immaculate Heart from the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary is a lasting gift that will inspire you in your faith, and all God asks of us. You can acquire your own handsome, coffee-table top copy of "I SOLEMNLY TELL YOU..." containing all 632 messages or the THE HIDDEN WAY containing 100 inspirational Meditative Lessons from Our Lord and Our Lady on Church Doctrine by clicking on "I SOLEMNLY TELL YOU..." or THE HIDDEN WAY or both books at BOOKS

Click here to go to SECTION THREE or return to SECTION ONE or click here to return to the graphics front page of this issue.

September 16, 1999 volume 10, no. 176   DAILY CATHOLIC