Cup of life and light

"The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church." - Tertullian

 

 

 

 

"O Lord, we cannot go to the pool of Siloe

to which you sent the blind man.

But we have the chalice of Your Precious Blood,

filled with life and light.

The purer we are, the more we receive."

 

St Ephrem the Syrian

Quote in honor of

Feast of the Blessed Carmelite Martyrs of Compiègne 

July 16 

 

http://www.ourgardenofcarmel.org/martyrs.html

 

On July 17, 1794, the sixteen Carmelite nuns of Compiègne were guillotined in Paris, convicted of crimes against the state by the tribunal of the French Revolution. On this day they were born to eternal life.

Mother Henriette de Jesus, renowned for her great beauty and strong personality, stood up to represent the other Carmelite sisters before the revolutionary tribunal and was remarkable for her heroic resolution. Since the prosecutor accused the Carmelites of being fanatics and counter-revolutionaries, she asked him to explain the meaning of those words. The irritated judge vomited a torrent of offenses against her, and then said: “It is your attachment to your Religion and the King.”

Hearing these words, she replied, “I thank you for the explanation.” Then, addressing her companion Carmelites, she said: “My dear Mother and my Sisters, we must rejoice and give thanks to God for we die for our Religion, our Faith, and for being members of the Holy Roman Catholic Church.”

 

Prof. Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira

 

Blessed Martyrs of Compiègne, pray for us!