St. Modomnoc the Beekeeper of Ossory

 

An Irish bishop and a disciple of St. David of Wales. Sometimes called Domnoc or Dominic, he was a member of the royal Irish family of O'Neil and ended his years as a hermit at Tibraghny in Kilkenny in Ireland. When St. Modomnoc returned to Ireland after studying with St. David, swarms of bees left Wales to follow him, thus supposedly being introduced to Ireland. 

One of the best known stories regarding Saint Modomnoc concerns his work as a beekeeper. Bees were kept both for their honey and the production of mead. Modomnoc was given charge of the bees in a sheltered corner of the monastery garden where he planted the kinds of flowers best loved by the bees. He talked to the bees as he worked among them and they buzzed around his head in clouds as if they were responding. He would walk among the hives in the evening and talk to them, and the bees, for their part, would crowd out to meet him. He was never stung. When the time came for him to return to Ireland, three times the bees followed in great swarm and settled on the mast. St. David perceiving this occurrence to be a good omen allowed Modomnoc to bring the bees to Ireland. When he landed, he set up a church at a place called Bremore, near Balbriggan, in County Dublin, and here he established the bees in a garden just like the one they had in Wales.

Modomnoc's talking to his bees is in keeping with an Irish folklore custom of ‘Telling the Bees’ which ensures that the bees not feel any offense due to exclusion from family affairs and so will remain with the hive. It was believed that if one didn’t tell the bees of a wedding, a birth, or a death they would take offense and leave.
After his return home he served God at Tiprat Fachna, in the western part of the kingdom of Ossory. Molaga founded churches at Tulach Min (Knockaneeun/ and at Teampall Molaga, near Kildorrery. "His last and perhaps greatest foundation was situated in Timoleague or Teach Molaga." an abbey still standing (though without a roof) on the County Cork Coast.

Since he is the patron saint of bees, give thanks for the nature's bounty and the life-giving nature of the bees!

"The Saint and his Bees" by Dessi Jackson

You can also do a lot of crafts with bee themes:

These are cute paper plate painted bees:

A good idea to do with Honeycomb cereal and fingerpainted bees!

St. Christos the Gardener

 

Saint Christos the Gardener was born in Albania. He traveled to Constantinople, where he exercised the profession of gardening. When he was brought before the Turkish judge he said “I am a Christian and cannot change my faith even if I must suffer a thousand evils." The judge then ordered Christos to be beaten vigorously with sticks. Following this he was sent to prison and then endured more tortures. He finally gave his soul to the Lord in 1748. 

St. Brigid the Abbess of Kildare in Ireland

Saint Brigid (also called Brigit, Bridget), "the Mary of the Gael," was born around 450 in Faughart (Fochart, Fothairt), about two miles from Dundalk in County Louth in Ulster.

According to tradition, her father was a pagan named Dubthach, and her mother was Brocessa (Broiseach), one of his slaves. Whether she was raised a Christian or converted in 468, as some accounts say, is unknown, but she was inspired by the preaching of Saint Patrick from an early age.

Even as a child, she was known for her compassion for the poor. She would give away food, clothing, and even her father's possessions to the poor. One day he took Brigid to the king's court, leaving her outside to wait for him. He asked the king to buy his daughter from him, since her excessive generosity made her too expensive for him to keep. The king asked to see the girl, so Dubthach led him outside. They were just in time to see her give away her father's sword to a beggar. This sword had been presented to Dubthach by the king, who said, "I cannot buy a girl who holds us so cheap."

St Brigid received monastic tonsure at the hands of St Mael of Ardagh (February 6). Some miles from Dublin she was granted by the King of Leinster possession of a plain called the

Curragh, where she built herself a cell under a large oak tree, thence called Kill-dara, or Cell of the oak. Seven other girls soon placed themselves under her direction establishing the monastery of Kill-dara, which gave its name to the later cathedral city of Kildare. The community grew rapidly thanks to the renown of the holy Abbess, and became a double monastery, with the Abbess ranking above the Abbot, and branched out into several others all over Ireland. This was the beginning of women's cenobitic monasticism in Ireland.

The miracles performed by St Brigid are too numerous to relate here, but perhaps one story will suffice. One evening the holy abbess was sitting with the blind nun Dara. From sunset to sunrise they spoke of the joys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and of the love of Christ, losing all track of time. St Brigid was struck by the beauty of the earth and sky in the morning light. Realizing that Sister Dara was unable to appreciate this beauty, she became very sad. Then she prayed and made the Sign of the Cross over Dara's eyes. All at once, the blind nun's eyes were opened and she saw the sun in the east, and the trees and flowers sparkling with dew. She looked for a while, then turned to St Brigid and said, "Close my eyes again, dear Mother, for when the world is visible to the eyes, then God is seen less clearly by the soul." St Brigid prayed again, and Dara became blind once more.

St. Brigid fell asleep in the Lord in the year 523 on February 1, after receiving Holy Communion from St Ninnidh of Inismacsaint (January 18). She was buried at Kildare, but her relics were transferred to Downpatrick during the Viking invasions. It is believed that she was buried in the same grave with St Patrick (March 17) and St Columba of Iona (June 9).


There is a small area in Killdare dedicated to St. Brigid called the St. Brigid's Well you can visit and pray in peace:

Late in the 13th century, St. Brigid's head was brought to Portugal by three Irish knights on their way to fight in the Holy Land. They left this holy relic in the parish church of Lumiar (Igreja São João Baptista), about three miles from Lisbon. 

Portions of the skull relic were brought back to Ireland in 1929 and placed in the new Church of St. Brigid in Dublin. But the rest of the relics of St. Brigid in Ireland were destroyed in the 16th century by Lord Grey during the reign of Henry VIII.

 The holy relics of St. Brigid in Ireland

A few good books on the life of St. Brigid are:

"The Life of Saint Brigid: Abbess of Kildare" by Jane Meyer

"Christina’s True Heroes" by Maria C. Khoury - read the chapter on St. Brigid

 "Brigid's Cloak" by Bryce Milligan 

 "Saints and Friendly Beasts: Saint Brigid and the Cows" by Eva K. Betz

The tradition of making St Brigid's crosses from rushes and hanging them in the home is still followed in Ireland, where devotion to her is still strong. Here is the story behind her cross:
During one of her travels, St. Brigid went to visit a dying pagan chieftain. As she sat near his bed, she picked up some rushes on the floor and began weaving a Cross. He asked her about what she was doing and, in explaining, she told him about Christ and the meaning of the Cross. He came to faith and was baptized.

One non-craft tradition on St. Brigid's feast day is to make Irish oak cakes. 

Saint Brigid was known to travel the countryside, blessing households as she went ... accompanied by a white cow with red ears. You should make her feel welcome, just in case she passes by - placing bread and fresh butter on the outside windowsill, together with corn for the cow. Also remember to lay out some rushes for her. These are to kneel on while blessing the household.
(many of these crafts are also Catholic in nature since many of the saints on this blog are pre-schism):

 

Have kids that love doing crafts? Try making this St. Brigid Cross with pipe cleaners!

 Or if you have younger children, you can color a picture of St. Brigid:

When coloring a picture of St. Brigid's cross, write down the following prayer under the picture:

"We implore Thee, by the memory of Thy Cross's hallowed and most bitter anguish, make us fear Thee, make us love Thee, O Christ. Amen."
--Prayer of Saint Brigid.

 

St. Anthony the Great

 

Known as the Father of All Monks, St. Anthony the Great was a Christian saint from Egypt, and a  prominent leader among the Desert Fathers. He is often erroneously considered the first monk, but as his biography and other sources make clear, there were many ascetics before him. Anthony was, Accounts of Anthony enduring supernatural temptation during his sojourn in the Eastern Desert of Egypt inspired the often-repeated subject of the temptation of St. Anthony in Western art and literature. 

however, the first known ascetic going into the wilderness (about AD 270–271), a geographical move that seems to have contributed to his renown.
One day after a teaching on Jesus saying to the people, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasures in heaven; and come, follow Me" (Matthew 19:21), St. Anthony sold everything he owned, gave the proceeds to the poor, and left the city behind to live in the desert.
Although he held no titles or position, his holiness marked him as one whose wisdom commanded respect. When the Synod of Nicea was convened, he was invited to participate. His eloquent defense of the Orthodox doctrine concerning the person of Jesus Christ was instrumental in weakening the position of Arianism. His witness led to the eventual and complete elimination of Arianism.
He instructed his followers to bury his body in an unmarked, secret grave, lest his body become an object of veneration. The monastic rules of Saint Anthony, the "patriarch" of monastic life, have served as the basis for countless monasteries.

Anthony is appealed to against infectious diseases, particularly skin diseases. In the past, many such afflictions, including ergotism, erysipelas, and shingles, were historically referred to as St. Anthony's fire.

 Read "Saint Anthony the Great: Angel of the Desert" Translated from the Greek by Thomas Arnis.

 Troparion to Saint Anthony the Great (Arabic)

St. Felix of Nola

St. Felix was the elder son of Hermias, a Syrian soldier who had retired to Nola, Italy. After his father's death Felix sold off most of his property and possessions, gave the proceeds to the poor, and pursued a clerical vocation. Felix was ordained by, and worked with, Saint Maximus of Nola. When Bishop Maximus fled to the mountains to escape the persecution of the Roman emperor Decius, Felix was arrested and beaten for his faith instead. He escaped prison, according to legend being freed by an angel, so that he could help bishop Maximus. Felix found Maximus alone, ill, and helpless, and hid him from soldiers in a vacant building. When the two were safely inside, a spider quickly spun a web over the door, fooling the imperial forces into thinking it was long abandoned, and they left without finding the Christians. A subsequent attempt to arrest Felix followed, which he avoided by hiding in a ruined building where again a spider's web spun across the entrance convinced the soldiers the building was abandoned. The two managed to hide from authorities until the persecution ended with the death of Emperor Decius in 251.
After Maximus's death, the people wanted Felix to be the next bishop of Nola, but he declined, favoring Quintus, a "senior" priest who had seven days more experience than Felix. Felix himself continued as a priest. He also continued to farm his remaining land, and gave most of the proceeds to people even poorer than himself.
Legend assigns to Felix a martyr's death either in the year 255 under Emperor Valerian (253-260) or, in another version, in the general persecution instigated by the Emperor Decius (249-251). According to Butler, Felix died in a good old age, on the fourteenth of January.

Burial place of St. Felix of Nola in Cimitile, Italy:

"Saint Felix and the Spider" written by Dessi Jackson, illustrated by Lydia Grace Kadar-Kallen

Spider webs snacks inspired by St. Felix! Cute and yummy :)

A few spider crafts to inspire children to remember the sacrifice of St. Felix:

St. Macrina the Elder

 Saint Macrina the Elder (before 270-c. 340) was the mother of Saint Basil the Elder, and the grandmother of Basil the Great, Saint Gregory of Nyssa, Saint Peter of Sebaste, and Saint Macrina the Younger.
St. Macrina lived in Neocaesarea during the persecution of Christians under Galerius in the late third and early fourth centuries. In her childhood, she became acquainted with St. Gregory Thaumaturgus, the first bishop of Neocaesarea, who was responsible for converting the entire Christian population of that city to Christianity.
During the persecution of Christians under Emperor Diocletian, Macrina fled with her husband to the forest near their home. They endured many hardships, but patiently waited and prayed for the persecutions to end. They survived on vegetables and wild game for over seven years. When they were free to return, they discovered that their belongings and property had been taken from them.
She raised her grandchildren in the Christian faith, and St. Basil was one of her favorites. As an adult, he praised her for all the good she had done to him and thanked her for teaching him to love Christ.
St. Macrina survived her husband and died around 340.

St. Macrina is the patron of widows and the impoverished.

Read the book "Keeper of the Light: Saint Macrina the Elder, Grandmother of Saints" by Bev Cooke

To honor St. Macrina on her Feast Day, pray for all those who have lost their husbands.

Prayer of a Widow
Lord Jesus Christ, Who through your mercy, resurrected the only son of the widow in Name; I pray to You in need and all alone, putting my hope in God and asking for help. O You who fulfill our every need and complete everything we lack, grant me faith, courage, love and understanding of Your Will. Remember Your Servant (name of departed) in Your kingdom, always now and forever. Amen

Joyous Feast of the Epiphany!

Today we celebrate Epiphany (Theophany) of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! This observance commemorates Christ's baptism by St. John the Forerunner in the River Jordan, and the beginning of Christ's earthly ministry. The Feast of Theophany is the culmination of the Christmas Season, which starts on December 25 and ends on January 6 (aka the 12 Days of Christmas). In mystic commemoration of this event, the Great Blessing of Water is performed on this day, and holy water so blessed is used by the local priest to bless the homes of the faithful.

The feast is called Theophany because at the baptism of Christ the Holy Trinity appeared clearly to mankind for the first time, the Father's voice is heard from Heaven, the Son of God is incarnate and standing physically in the Jordan, and the Holy Spirit descends on Him in the form of a dove. 

Here is a good visual explanation of the Epiphany icon for kids:

As mentioned, it is traditional to attend Divine Liturgy where the blessing of the water takes place, and the water is changed to HOLY WATER.

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In Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, and Russia, a priest typically casts a cross into the water. If swimming is feasible on the spot, any number of volunteers may try to recover the cross. The person who gets the cross first swims back and returns it to the priest, who then delivers a special blessing to the swimmer and their household (it is said that good health will be bestowed upon the home of the swimmer who is the first to reach the cross).

 

In Russia, another tradition is for Orthodox faithful to reinact Christ's baptism by walking into ice cold water!

Teach your kids the Troparion (Tone 1) of Epiphany - in several languages!
When Thou, O Lord, wast baptized in the Jordan, the worship of the Trinity was made manifest. 

For the voice of the Father bore witness to Thee, calling Thee His beloved Son! 

And the Spirit, in the form of a dove, confirmed the truthfulness of His word. O Christ our God, 

Who hast revealed Thyself and hast enlightened the world, glory to Thee!
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Some of the traditions on Epiphany include the annual blessing of your home 

 

Children can help assist by cleaning the house up before the priest arrives, getting an icon (preferably the patron saint of the household!), a candle, a bowl full of water, and a censor (if you have one). 

One craft that I found can be made easily with young kids! St. John Baptizes Jesus:  (Matthew 3, Mark 1, Luke 3, John 1 - Jesus' baptism using upside down blue paper cup and Popsicle stick)

 

In Macedonia, special food jelly form pork and beef meat and bones called "pacha" (пача) or "pivtii" (пивтии) is prepared the day before, but served on the day after Epiphany, together with warm local brandy, rakija.

In Romania and Moldova, Epiphany, is called Boboteaza. In Southeastern Romania, following Liturgys, men participate in winter horse races. Before the race, the men line up with their horses before the priest who will bless them by sprinkling them with green branches that have been dipped into the holy water. Sometimes people desire to have this blessing for themselves as well. Winning the Epiphany race is a great honor for both horse and rider, while the post-race celebrations, win or not, are highly festive.   

In Slovenia, especially in the Western part of the country, children go from house to house because villagers will give them almonds, dried figs, nuts, cookies or other good things that they have at home.