nisque Silvestrinorum fundamenta jecit, sub regula et habitu in visione sibi ab eodem Sancto ostensis.

At invidens satanas variis terroribus illius monachos turbare nitebatur, noctu monasterii januas hostiliter invadens. Sed vir Dei hostis impetum ita repressit, ut monachi in sancto instituto magis confirmarentur, ac patris sanctitatem agnoscerent. Spiritu prophetiæ aliisque donis enituit. Quæ ut semper profunda humilitate conservavit, ita contra se dæmonis invidiam concitavit, a quo præceps actus per scalas oratorii, et prope interimendus, præsentissimo Virginis beneficio incolumitati redditus est. Quod beneficium perpetua et singulari in illam pietate commendavit ad ultimum usque vitæ spiritum, quem fere nonagenarius, sanctitate et miraculis clarus, Deo reddidit anno salutis millesimo ducentesimo sexagesimo septimo, sexto calendas decembris. Ejus Officium ac Missam Leo Decimus tertius Pontifex Maximus ad universam extendit Ecclesiam.

holy father Benedict, and founded the Congregation of Sylvestrians, under the rule and habit shown him by St. Benedict in vision.

Satan, roused to envy, strove in many ways to terrify his monks, making assaults by night at the monastery gates. But the man of God repressed the enemy's attack with such vigour, that the monks, recognizing their father's sanctity, were more and more confirmed in their holy purpose. Sylvester was remarkable for the spirit of prophecy and other gifts, which he guarded by deep humility. This so stirred up the devil's envy that he cast the saint headlong down the oratory stairs and well nigh killed him, but the blessed Virgin at once graciously restored him to health. In gratitude for this benefit, Sylvester showed her the tenderest unfailing piety to the end of his life.

He died at the age of about ninety years, renowned for sanctity and miracles, on the sixth of the Kalends of December, in the year of salvation 1267. The Sovereign Pontiff Leo XIII. extended his Office and Mass to the universal Church.

Death, by revealing to thee, O Sylvester, the vanity of noble birth and beauty, opened to thee the path of life. The frivolous world, deceived by the mirage of false pleasures, cannot understand the Gospel, which defers beatitude to another life, and paves the

way to it with renunciation, humility, and the cross. With the Church, we ask of our merciful God, in consideration of thy merits, the grace to despise, as thou didst, the fleeting joys of this world, that we may partake with thee of true and eternal happiness. Deign to support our petition with thine own supplication.

We beseech him who has glorified thee to bless and multiply thy sons, to sustain them and the whole monastic Order, and every religious family, under the sufferings of the present time. O holy Abbot, reward by new benefits the confidence of the Sovereign Pontiff, who in these sad days has extended thy cultus to the entire Church.

Peter, successor of St. Theonas in the See of Alexandria, was by his learning and holiness the glory of Egypt, and the light of the whole Church of God. Such was his courage under the terrible persecution raised by Maximian Galerius, that the example of his admirable patience strengthened a great many in Christian virtue. He was the first to cut off from the communion of the faithful, Arius, deacon of Alexandria, for favouring the schism of the Meletians. When Peter had been condemned to death by Maximian, the priests Achillas and Alexander came to him in prison to intercede for Arius; but the bishop answered that during the night Jesus had appeared to him with his garment torn, and on his asking the cause, had replied: "Arius has rent my gar"ment, which is the Church." He then foretold that they two would succeed him in turn in the episcopate, and forbade them ever to receive Arius to communion, for he knew that he was dead to God,

The truth of this prophecy was soon proved by the event. Peter was beheaded, and thus went to receive the crown of martyrdom on the sixth of the Kalends of December, in the twelfth year of his episcopate.1

Let us offer our homage and prayers to the great bishop whom the Church thus commemorates to-day. For a long time he went by the name of Peter the Martyr,until in the thirteenth century another Peter martyr, himself illustrious among all, came to claim the title, leaving his glorious brother to be known as St. Peter of Alexandria.

ANT. Iste sanctus pro lege Dei sui certavit usque ad mortem, et a verbis impiorum non timuit: fundatus enim erat supra firmam petram.

. Gloria et honore coronasti eum Domine.

ANT. This Saint fought even to death for the law of his God, and feared not the words of the wicked; for he was founded upon a firm rock.

. Thou hast crowned him with glory and honour, O Lord, B. And hast set him over

B. Et constituisti eum super opera manuum tua- the works of thy hands.

rum.

PRAYER.

Infirmitatem nostram respice, omnipotens Deus et quia pondus propriæ actionis gravat, beati Petri Martyris tui atque Pontificis, intercessio gloriosa nos protegat. Per Dominum.

Have regard to our weakness, O Almighty God: and since the weight of our own deeds is grievous to us, may the glorious intercession of blessed Peter, thy Martyr and Bishop, protect us. Through.

1 1 Legend of St. Peter of Alexandria in the Roman Breviary.

NOVEMBER 29.

VIGIL OF SAINT ANDREW.

SAINT SATURNINUS, MARTYR.

CHRISTMAS begins to glimmer on the horizon. The last Sunday after Pentecost has given us the closing instructions of the moveable Cycle. Beginning with the twenty-seventh of this month, the present days belong in some years to the new Cycle, in others to the one which is ending.

The last Lesson from the Scripture of the Time1 ends with the solemn declaration of the last of the Prophets, announcing the approach of a new era: From the rising of the sun even to the going down, my Name is great among the Gentiles, and in every place there is sacrifice, and there is offered to my Name a clean oblation! for my Name is great among the Gentiles, saith the Lord of hosts. And in to-day's Gospel we have St. John the Baptist echoing the words of Malachias, and joining the old and the new times together: Behold the Lamb of God! He points out to us the Messias close at hand.

Andrew, brother of Peter, and another of John's disciples, asked this Messias: Rabbi, where dwellest thou? Jesus answered: Come and see. And they 2 Malach. i. 11,

1 Saturday before the 1st Sunday in Advent.

went, continues the Evangelist, and saw where he abode, and they stayed with him that day.1 Whereupon St. Augustine speaking in the name of the Church on this Vigil, says: "Let us build him a dwelling in our hearts, that he may come to us, "and teach us, and live with us. "2 Here is our Advent planned out for us.

66

Let us put that blessed season under the protection of the Apostle of the Cross, and also of the holy Martyr Saturninus, whom the Church has honoured on this day from time immemorial.

1 Gospel of the Vigil. 2 Homily on the Vigil. AUG. Tract. vii. in Johann.