FEAST OF SAINT BERTHOLD OF CALAMBRIA
FEAST DAY – 29th MARCH
Berthold of Calabria was a Norman French crusader who established a hermit colony on Mount Carmel in 1185. He was introduced into Carmelite literature around the 15th century as Saint Berthold of Mount Carmel and is said to have been a general of the Order before Brocard.
St. Berthold of Mount Carmel, also known as Bartoldus of Calabria, was born at Malifaye in the southwest of France, the son of the Count of Limoges. He excelled at his studies and was ordained a priest.
The label “Calabrian” was a contemporary euphemism for “Westerner.” Berthold was a nephew of Aymeric of Malifaye, the Latin patriarch of Antioch. Berthold went to the Holy Land as part of the Crusades and was in Antioch when it was besieged by the Saracens. During this time he had a vision of Christ denouncing the soldiers’ evil ways. At the time, hermits from the West were scattered throughout Palestine.
Some accounts hold that in 1185 he came to Mount Carmel, built a monastery and Church devoted to the Prophet Elijah and gathered a community of hermits who would live at his side in imitation of the prophet Elijah. Berthold tried to reform the Christian soldiers in the region, having had a vision of Christ.
His community may have given rise to the Order of the Carmelites, though this is discounted by historians of the Order. Berthold lived out his days on Mount Carmel, ruling the community he had founded for forty-five years until his death in 1195.
The Carmelite Order is still large and very active today. As the first superior of the order, he created their Rule of Life. Tradition holds that he was accepted as leader of the hermits by Brocard. It was the life and work of St. Berthold that laid the foundation for the Carmelite Order, and the Rule he developed was approved by Pope Honorius III in 1226. Saint Berthold’s feast day is celebrated on March 29.
PRAYER
Eternal Father, we honor today your devoted son Berthold of Calambria, who through his zealous fervor brought about the conversion of many. His reforms and exemplary discipline brought transformation in the Order of the Carmelites, which is active to this day.
May we, by his example, lead others to you. Through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen
Saint Berthold of Mt. Carmel, pray for us.
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ALSO CELEBRATED:
ST. JONAS AND ST. BARACHISIUS
King Sapor of Persia reigned in the fourth century. He hated Christians and persecuted them cruelly. He destroyed their churches and monasteries. Two brothers named Jonas and Barachisius heard of the persecutions. They learned that many Christians had been put to death.
They decided to go to help them and to encourage them to remain faithful to Christ. Jonas and Barachisius knew that they, too, might be captured. But that did not stop them. Their hearts were too full of love of others to have room for a thought of themselves.
At last the two brothers were taken prisoner. They were told that if they did not worship the sun, the moon, the fire and water, they would be tortured and put to death. Of course, they refused to worship anything or anyone except the one true God. They had to suffer greatly, but they prayed. They kept thinking of how Our Lord had suffered for them. The two brothers endured terrible tortures but would not give up their faith.
Saint Jonas was beaten with knotty clubs and with rods until his ribs were visible, but he blessed God. Then he was chained by one foot and dragged to a frozen pond to spend the night there. Saint Barachisius had two red-hot iron plates and two red-hot hammers applied under each arm, and melted lead dropped into his nostrils and eyes; after which he was carried to prison, and there hung up by one foot.
Despite these cruel tortures, the two brothers survived and remained steadfast in the Faith. New and more horrible torments were then devised; both finally expired under a terrible press. They yielded up their heroic lives, praying for their enemies, while their pure souls winged their flight to heaven, there to gain the martyr’s crown which they had so faithfully won.
Saints Jonas and Barachisius, pray for us!
