Religious Education Task
Saints
Saints are important people in the Christian faith. They were made saints for their acts of exceptional bravery and kindness.
Task
Choose one saint who you would like to find out about. This can be any saint, not just from the United Kingdom. Gather some information about them and write this on the blog. Try to choose different saints to others, so that we can all learn about a variety of saints.
Here is the saint I have chosen and some information!
Saint David
Saint David is the patron saint of Wales. His feast day falls on the 1st of March each year – this is called St David’s day. The day is celebrated by the people of Wales and people of Welsh background throughout the world.
St David was a Celtic monk, abbot and bishop, who lived in the sixth century. He spread the word of Christianity across Wales. St David became a renowned preacher.
The most famous miracle associated with St David took place when he was preaching to a large crowd in Llanddewi Brefi. When people at the back complained that they could not hear him, the ground on which he stood rose up to form a hill. A white dove, sent by God, settled on his shoulder.
Parades are held in Wales on St. David’s Day. The largest parade is held in Cardiff. Celebrations include concerts, a parade and a food festival featuring all Welsh produce.
I look forward to learning more about different saints from your research!
Click here and here if you need some help finding information about saints.
St. Charbel Makhlouf
1) He became a monk at 23, a priest at 31, then a hermit at 46
2) After St. Charbel’s death, a fellow monk saw a light circling St. Charbel’s body
3) Light illuminated from his tomb
4) Many healing miracles are attributed to his powerful intercession
5) His feast day is July 24
Where was he born Alex? Where did he live?
What an interesting choice, I haven’t heard of St. Charbel Makhlouf before.
St.Francis of Assisi
————————— St. Francis lived in Italy in Assisi his full name is Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone informally he was named Francesco . St. Francis gave away his fortune and his comforts to become a poor traveller . He founded the Franciscan order of friars,who travelled around telling people about Christianity
St. Francis and the taming of the wolf
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In this well known legend, St. Francis goes to the town of Gubbio, where a fierce wolf had been terrorizing the village and even killing some of the people , including children. During his visit to Gubbio ,Francis goes to meet the wolf when the wolf sees St. Francis, he comes charging at the Saint with his mouth open , ready to attack. St. Francis immediately makes the sign of the cross over him and says,”Come here,Brother wolf . I command on behalf of Christ that you do no harm to me or anyone “. As soon as St. Francis did this the fearsome wolf closed it’s mouth and stopped running; and one the command was given, it came weekly as a lamb, and threw itself at the feet of St. Francis .
Francis cuts a deal with the wolf
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Then Saint Francis scolds the wolf for destroying and killing the creatures of God . “The whole town is complaining about you,”Francis tells the wolf gently .” But I want to make peace between you and the people. And so I promise that I will have food given to you regularly,Brother wolf, by the people of this town so that you were no longer suffer hunger. And I want you Brother wolf to promise not to harm the citizens of this village.” The wolf showed agreement simply bowing his head. So Francis asks the people of the town if they will promise to provide food for the wolf regularly. They all said yes.So the wolf lived happily in the village with food friends and people who love Brother wolf.
Wow!
Born: 512 AD
Died: 587 AD
Feast: March 1st
Patronage: Wales
St David was teacher and appears in a stained glass window as a saint.
St David’s cathedral ,prior to its reconstruction in the early twenty-first century day restored to its original appearance. This is located in St Davids, Pembrokeshire.
Excellent research Alex, Chloe and Gabriella! I have chosen St Anne, who was the mother of Mary, and Jesus’ grandmother. St Anne (or Hannah) was born in 50 BC and died in 12 AD. She was good and virtuous and is often pictured dressed in red and green with a book on her lap, teaching Mary. She was married to Joachim and their Feast Day is 26 July. As well as being the patron saint of grand-mothers, she is also the patroness of horseback riders, cabinet-makers and miners!
St Augustine
St Augustine was born on November 13,354, at Tagaste (modern Algeria) in Africa.
His Feast day is on the 28 of August.
St Augustin’s mother was St Monica.
He died on August the 28, 430 aged 75 in Annaba Algeria.
St Ambrose was a friend of his.
St Ambrose baptized him on Easter eve, 387.
St Augustine then returned to Africa and became bishop of Hippo, he wrote a very famous book called Confessions.
Joseph is a figure in the Gospels, the husband of Mary, the mother of Jesus and the step father of Jesus. In Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Anglican Christian traditions, he is regarded as
Saint Joseph.
The Gospel of Luke says that the angel Gabriel came to Mary to tell her that she would give birth to a Son and she should call him Jesus and that he would save people from their sins. Mary said “How can this happen? I am a virgin!” The angel said “With God, anything can happen!”
When Joseph found out that Mary was pregnant, he decided to privately break the engagement. But then he had a dream. An angel told him that the baby was the Son of God.
At this time, the Roman Emperor, Caesar Augustus, made a law that everyone in the Roman Empire must pay tax. Everyone had to go back to the town that their family came from, to have their name put on the tax lists. Joseph came from Bethlehem, which was called “The City of David”. Joseph took Mary to Bethlehem and she gave birth to the baby, Jesus, in a stable, because there was no room for them.
Excellent fact finding so far!
Saint Patrick ( March 17) is the patron saint of Ireland and Nigeria. He was born in a village in Roman Britain. When he was 16 years old he was captured and sold into slavery. He also married couples when the king band it.
Feast: 17 March (Saint Patrick’s Day)
Patronage: Ireland and Nigeria
Born: Great Britain
My mum was born in Ireland, so we celebrate st Patrick’s day, we wear special badges and eat boiled bacon and cabbage with mash potatoes and chef brown sauce (it is made in Ireland) and it is one of my favourite dinners!
Sounds like a fun celebration Ethan!
When Patrick was young he was kidnapped by pirates to tend sheep in Ireland. Luckily he escaped to Britain but went back to Ireland preach about Christianity. He travelled the island convincing other Celtic tribes to convert to his religion. St Patrick’s symbol is a shamrock(leaf).
Saint Helena
Born: circa 248-250
Died: 328-330
St Helena was noted for her selflessness and generosity – she gave money to the poor and charties. She is also believed to have found our Lord’s Cross. When Helena was eighty, she went to Jerusulem in search of the Lord’s Cross. She was told that it was buried underneath the temple of Venus so she ordered to destroy the temple. Eventually three diffrent crosses were found and everybody wanted to know which one of them is the True Cross. Helena asked a very sick woman to touch each of the crosses. One of them immediately cured the woman and was pronounced the True Cross.
While in Jerusalem, Helena ordered to built over eighty churches which were placed in Bethlehem, the birthplace of Christ, on the Mount of Olives and at Gethsemane where the Lord prayed before His sufferings and where the Mother of God was presumably buried.
I love how you chose a St Helena, Helena!
St.John Paul II
Polish: Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła
18 May 1920 – 2 April 2005
Is recognised as helping to end Communist rule in his native Poland and eventually all of Europe.
John Paul II significantly improved the Catholic Church’s relations with Judaism, Islam, and the Eastern Orthodox Church. He upheld the Church’s teachings on such matters as the right to life, artificial contraception, the ordination of women, and a celibate clergy, and although he supported the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, he was seen as generally conservative in their interpretation.
He was one of the most travelled world leaders in history, visiting 129 countries during his pontificate.
John Paul II was the second longest-serving pope in modern history after Pope Pius IX. Born in Poland.
He died on April 2, 2005. Delegations from over 150 countries attended the funeral ceremony , and a six-day national mourning was announced in Poland. The beatification process of John Paul II began a month after his funeral.
A great choice Karolina, we remember him fondly. Did you know that beatification is step 4 in becoming a saint? There 5 steps overall and most saints need to have performed 2 miracles.
Abib and Apollo were two Christian ascetics from Akhmim, Egypt.
From his early years Apollo grew and developed in saintliness, studying the subjects of Divinity. They both tended to ascetic works and their life was full of good deeds.
They were born on the 4th century.
Died November 4th Egypt..
I did not know about Abib and Apollo, Jiana. Thank you for sharing this information. When is their Feast Day?
Saint James, also called James, son of Zebedee, or James the Greater, (born, Galilee, Palestine- died 44 ce, Jerusalem; feast July 25), one of the twelve apostles, distinguished as being in Jesus’ innermost circle and the only apostle whose martyrdom is recorded in the New Testament
St Louis IX was born on April 25 1214 in poissy (France) . Died on August 25, 1270 in Tunis (hafside). Coronation: November 29, 1226.
Reign: November 29, 1226 – 25 August 25, 1270 .
St Louis IX was born on April 25 1214 in poissy (France) . He died on August 25 1270 in tunis (hafside) . Coronation November 29 1226.
Reign November 29 1226 – 25 August 25 1270 .
Saint: Saint Xenia of St. Petersburg
Born: 1719-1730
Died: 1803
Saint Xenia is a patron saint of St. Petersburg.
She gave all her possessions to the poor after her husband died.
After her husband’s death, Xenia ded: cated her life to serve the God and prayers.
She helped (and still helps) when you pray to her with employment, marriage, the homeless, during fires, finding missing children and many other urgent needs.
There are about 40 churches and charpels built in her name. The main one is next to her grave in the Smolensky Cemetery of St Petersburg which was built in 1902.
Great choice Louis, I would love to read more facts about St Louis (your namesake!). Can you tell us about the Great Oak in the forest of Vincennes? How about the crusades?