Today is the feast of the Apostles Sts. Simon and Jude! Both were, by tradition, martyred in Persia, and currently buried in St. Peter's at the Vatican. (N.B:St. Peter's Basilica info: Left Side - St. Joseph's Altar)
St. Simon by Peter Paul Rubens.
One of the original twelve, St. Simon is said to have preached in Egypt, before being sawed in two in Persia (modern Iran).
For more:
Old Catholic Encyclopedia: St. Simon
Catholic Saints Info: St. Simon
Butler's Lives of the Saints: St. Simon
St. Jude by Anthony van Dyck.
St. Jude, famous now as the patron saint of hopeless cases, is also the author of an Epistle that bears his name. He was the brother of St. James the Less. Tradition has it that St. Jude preached in Mesopotamia before being martyred, like St. Simon, in Persia.
For more:
Old Catholic Encyclopedia: Epistle of St. Jude
Catholic Saints Info: St. Jude
Butler's Lives of the Saints: St. Jude
Perhaps today is a good day to listen to Gregorian Chant Kyrie IV, Cunctipotens Genitor Deus, associated with the Feasts of Apostles:
Live well!
