Sunday, November 8, 2009

Black Catholic History Month - November 8

Continuing our celebration of Black Catholic History Month and honoring those who went before us, Cleric, and Laity, Saints and non-Saints, African, African-American and those of non-African Descent, we lift up a Lay man and his wife, St. Timothy the Lector and his wife Maura. They are a TRUE inspiration to all, especially the laity, to understand that we have a job, our Vocation of the laity is calling us to a higher calling. We must also do our part to continue to spread the Good News, Evangelize others and be willing to sacrifice our own lives for the sake of what we believe in.

St. Timothy, the lector and wife, Maura
"Martyrs at Penapeis, Kemet. I am Timothy from Penapeis at the Kemet Thebaid with my wife, Maura. I was the son of apriest from around Antinoe. We were married 20 days. I served as a reader (now called lector) in Church. Maura and I studied scriptures.
Since I taught Christians in the community, enemies turned us into Arian, the
Thebaid Governor. This was during the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian (284A.D. to 305 A.D.).
Arian told us to surrender the holy and sacred books, and sacred vessels. I could not! It was if I were surrendering my
children to the lions.
Arian ordered hot iron spits through my ears. They brought Maura to pressure me into what Arian wished, and to worship idols. Maura did not attempt to persuade me. My wife told me be strong, and said that she, too, was Christian. Arian ordered all her hair pulled from her head. Her fingers were chopped off. Authorities placed her into a boiling water cauldron. She suffered no harm from this boiling liquid.
Authorities nailed us both to a wall, where we torturously endured nine days. Arian finally had us crucified, she facing me, I facing her. We consoled one another.
It took nine days for us to die, 286 A.D., at Antinoe, 23 Nov. Coptic Calendar. (Probably same as Timothy and Maura, Heraclides, martyr. Heradius and Zozimus, martyrs, at Carthage; 3 May, (286 A.D.), of Antinoe, in Kemet)."

Information posted above courtesy of Catholic.org

Thank you and remember... KEEP ON KEEPIN' ON!!!

Evangelist Richard Lane, Qorban Ministries
www.CatholicEvangelist.net

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