Who is the Real St. Nicholas?

His feast day is December 6.  St. Nicholas of Myra was Bishop of Myra in Lycia; died 6 December, 345 or 352. Though he is one of the most popular saints in the Greek as well as the Latin Church, there is scarcely anything historically certain about him except that he was Bishop of Myra in the fourth century.  Some of the main points in his legend are as follows: He was born at Parara, a city of Lycia in Asia Minor; in his youth he made a pilgrimage to Egypt and Palestine; shortly after his return he became Bishop of Myra; cast into prison during the persecution of Diocletian, he was released after the accession of constantine, and was present at the Council of Nicaea. In 1087 Italian merchants stole his body at Myra, bringing it to Bari in Italy.


The numerous miracles St. Nicholas is said to have wrought, both before and after his death, are outgrowths of a long tradition. There is reason to doubt his presence at Nicaea, since his name is not mentioned in any of the old lists of bishops that attended this council. His cult in the Greek Church is old and especially popular in Russia. As early as the sixth century Emperor Justinian I built a church in his honour at Constantinople, and his name occurs in the liturgy ascribed to St. Chrysostom. In Italy his cult seems to have begun with the translation of his relics to Bari, but in Germany it began already under Otto II, probably because his wife Theophano was a Grecian.


With such a popularity, his legends inevitably became intertwined with others. In Germanic countries, it sometimes became hard to tell where the legend of Nicholas began and that of Woden (or Odin) ended. Somewhere along the line, probably tied to the gold-giving story, people began giving presents in his name on his feast day. When the Reformation came along, his following disappeared in all the Protestant countries except Holland, where his legend continued as Sinterklass. Martin Luther, for example, replaced this bearer of gifts with the Christ Child, or, in German, Christkindl. Over the years, that became repronounced Kriss Kringle, and ironically is now considered another name for Santa Claus.


Sources:
1)  Catholic Encyclopedia. "St. Nicholas of Myra."  Accessed December 20, 2011.  http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11063b.htm.  
2)  Christian History.net.  "The Real St. Nicholas."  Accessed December 20, 2011.  http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/news/2004/nick.html

We hope you have a blessed holiday season as you celebrate the coming of our Lord Jesus.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Church Supply Warehouse!

An Introduction to Advent

The word "advent," from the Latin adventus (Greek parousia), means "coming" or "arrival." The season of Advent is focused on the "coming" of Jesus as Messiah (Christ or King). Our worship, scripture readings, and prayers not only prepare us spiritually for Christmas (his first coming), but also for his eventual second coming. This is why the Scripture readings during Advent include both Old Testament passages related to the expected Messiah, and New Testament passages concerning Jesus' second coming as judge of all people. Also, passages about John the Baptist, the precursor who prepared the way for the Messiah, are read. All of these themes are present in Catholic worship during Advent, which The Catechism succinctly describes:

When the Church celebrates the liturgy of Advent each year, she makes present this ancient expectancy of the Messiah, for by sharing in the long preparation for the Savior's first coming, the faithful renew their ardent desire for his second coming. By celebrating the precursor's birth and martyrdom, the Church unites herself to his desire: "He must increase, but I must decrease" (524).

The Nativity of Jesus

Since Advent looks forward to Christ's birth and Incarnation, it is an appropriate way to begin the Church Year. However, Advent is not part of the Christmas season itself, but a preparation for it. Thus, Catholics do not sing Christmas hymns, or use Christmas readings, in Mass until December 25th, the first day of the Christmas season.

The first clear reference to a celebration of Advent occurs in the 6th century. Prior to this time, there were celebrations and fasts resembling our current Advent season. St. Hilary of Poitiers (d. AD 367) and the Spanish Council of Saragossa (AD 380) spoke of a three week fast before Epiphany. Pope St. Leo the Great preached many homilies about "the fast of the tenth month (i.e. December)" prior to Christmas. The Gelasian Sacramentary (AD 750) provided liturgical material for the five Sundays before Christmas as well as Wednesdays and Fridays. The Western Church eventually settled on 4 Sundays of Advent, which has the season beginning at the very end of November or the very beginning of December, starting immediately after Ordinary Time. Until the 12th century, in many geographical areas, Advent had a more festive tone, and white vestments were still occasionally used. However, Advent became more closely related to Lent as Christ's second coming became more and more a prominent Advent theme, as especially seen in the seventh century Bobbio Missal. Advent proper is unknown in the East, although the Eastern Churches have a long fast before Christmas. This fast lasts longer than the Western Advent season and begins in mid-November. Advent, or the Eastern equivalent fast, is celebrated in all Catholic and Orthodox Churches.

Source:  Churchyear.net.  "The Season of Advent."  Accessed October 25, 2011.  http://www.churchyear.net/advent.html

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All Soul's Day, November 2

The commemoration of all the faithful departed is celebrated by the Church on 2 November, or, if this be a Sunday or a solemnity, on 3 November. The Office of the Dead must be recited by the clergy and all the Masses are to be of Requiem, except one of the current feast, where this is of obligation. 

The theological basis for the feast is the doctrine that the souls which, on departing from the body, are not perfectly cleansed from venial sins, or have not fully atoned for past transgressions, are debarred from the Beatific Vision, and that the faithful on earth can help them by prayers, alms deeds and especially by the sacrifice of the Mass.

Historically, the Western tradition identifies the general custom of praying for the dead dating as far back as 2 Maccabees 12:42-46. The custom of setting apart a special day for intercession for certain of the faithful on November 2 was first established by St. Odilo of Cluny (d. 1048) at his abbey of Cluny in 998. From Cluny the custom spread to the other houses of the Cluniac order, which became the largest and most extensive network of monasteries in Europe. The celebration was soon adopted in several dioceses in France, and spread throughout the Western Church. It was accepted in Rome only in the fourteenth century. While 2 November remained the liturgical celebration, in time the entire month of November became associated in the Western Catholic tradition with prayer for the departed; lists of names of those to be remembered being placed in the proximity of the altar on which the sacrifice of the mass is offered.

The legend connected with its foundation is given by Peter Damiani in his Life of St Odilo: a pilgrim returning from the Holy Land was cast by a storm on a desolate island. A hermit living there told him that amid the rocks was a chasm communicating with purgatory, from which perpetually rose the groans of tortured souls. The hermit also claimed he had heard the demons complaining of the efficacy of the prayers of the faithful, and especially the monks of Cluny, in rescuing their victims. Upon returning home, the pilgrim hastened to inform the abbot of Cluny, who then set 2 November as a day of intercession on the part of his community for all the souls in Purgatory.

If interested in All Soul's Day candles to commemorate loved ones, call Church Supply Warehouse.  We have three styles to fit your needs at 1-866-757-5195.  Or, visit our website for more information!

 
Sources:  Wikipedia contributors, "All Souls' Day," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, //en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=All_Souls%27_Day&oldid=448032918 (accessed October 4, 2011). 

Catholic Encyclopedia.  "All Soul's Day."  New Advent, http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01315b.htm (accessed October 4, 2011).

The Liturgical Stole, a Brief History and Origin

We possess few references to the stole anterior to the ninth century. In the East, however, it is mentioned very early, the deacon's stole being frequently referred to even in the fourth and fifth centuries. The priest's stole is not mentioned in the East until the eighth century. The stole is first mentioned in the West in the sixth and seventh centuries (Synod of Braga, 563; Fourth Council of Toledo, 633; Gallican explanation of the Mass), but then as a thing which had long been in use. The earliest evidences of the use of the stole at Rome date from the second half of the eighth century and the beginning of the ninth. But in the ninth century, subdeacons and acolytes still wore both the planeta and the stole, although, to distinguish them from the deacons, priests, and bishops, there were definite limitations to their use of the latter vestment. After the ninth century the stole is very frequently mentioned, and even then the manner of its use was essentially the same as today. In the ninth and tenth centuries in the Frankish Empire the priests were commanded to wear the stole constantly as a badge of their calling, especially when on a journey. In Spain and Gaul in the pre-Carlovingian period, the deacons wore the stole over the tunic like the Greeks; in Southern Italy this practice was continued until at least the thirteenth century; at Milan the stole is still worn over the dalmatic. The custom for the priests to wear the stole crossed in front of the breast at Mass was known as early as the Synod of Braga (675), but did not become general until the late Middle Ages.

 

 The most likely origin for the stole, however, is to be connected with the scarf of office among Imperial officials in the Roman Empire. As members of the clergy became members of the Roman administration, see Constantine I and Christianity, they were granted certain honors, one specifically being a designator of rank within the imperial (and ecclesiastical) hierarchy. The various configurations of the stole (including the pallium or the omophorion) grew out of this usage. The original intent, then was to designate a person as belonging to a particular organization and to denote their rank within their group, a function which the stole continues to perform today. Thus, unlike other liturgical garments which were originally worn by every cleric or layman, the stole was a garment which was specifically restricted to particular classes of people based on occupation.

At Church Supply Warehouse, we offer a wide variety of Priest and Deacon stoles.  Stoles make a great gift for your favorite priest or deacon.  Check out our website to view our selection and get 10% off for a limited time! Call us or visit our website!!

Sources: 

1)  Catholic Encyclopedia.com.  "Stole".  Accessed September 19, 2011. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14301a.htm

2)  Wikipedia contributors, "Stole (vestment)," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Stole_(vestment)&oldid=446137883 (accessed September 19, 2011).

New Revised Edition of the New American Bible

In August 1990, the Catholic Bible Association passed a resolution urging revision of the Old Testament of the New American Bible. In 1994, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops agreed to pass the resolution and form a steering committee/editorial board to direct the revision. The editorial board for the majority of the Old Testament consisted of 8 editors and 40 translators. In 2002, the Old Testament (excluding the Psalms) was completed and sent to the Subcommittee for the Translation of Scripture Text (previously, the Ad Hoc Committee for the Review of Scripture Translations) to see if it was a suitable Catholic translation. In September 2008, the last book (Jeremiah) of the Old Testament was accepted by the Subcommittee.

In November 2008, the Old Testament (including footnotes and introductions) was approved by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. However, they would not allow it to be published with the 1991 Psalms. A final revision of the NAB Psalter was undertaken using suggestions vetted by the Subcommittee for the Translation of Scripture Text and stricter conformity to Liturgiam Authenticam.

Revisions to the New Testament, the work of thirteen revisers and five editors, began in 1978 and finished in 1986. The Old Testament revisions began in 1991 with the Psalms, completed by 30 revisers and 6 editors. Revisions to the remaining books of the Old Testament began in 1994 by forty revisers and eight editors. The Psalms were again revised between 2009 and 2010 by an additional seven revisers and two editors.

The fully revised Old Testament was formally approved by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2010. The 1986-edition of the New Testament and the newly-revised Old Testament were released together on March 9, 2011 as the New American Bible Revised Edition.

The newly-revised Psalms found in the New American Bible Revised Edition follows the guidelines of Liturgiam Authenticam, a document issued by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. Throughout the new translation of the Psalms, the use of inclusive language has been limited and appropriate gender-specific pronouns used in conjunction with the original Hebrew.


Source:  Wikipedia contributors, "New American Bible Revised Edition," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia,  http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=New_American_Bible_Revised_Edition&oldid=444945533 (accessed August 26, 2011).


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The Lectionary Explained

Catholic Mass Lectionary and the Revised Common Lectionary

After the Second Vatican Council of 1962–1965, the Holy See, even before producing an actual lectionary (in Latin), promulgated the Ordo Lectionum Missae (Order of the Readings for Mass), giving indications of the revised structure and the references to the passages chosen for inclusion in the new official lectionary of the Roman Rite of Mass. It introduced an arrangement by which the readings on Sundays and on some principal feasts recur in a 3-year cycle, with four passages from Scripture (including one from the Psalms) being used in each celebration, while on weekdays only three passages (again including one from the Psalms) are used, with the first reading and the psalm recurring in a 2-year cycle, while the Gospel reading recurs after a single year. This revised Mass Lectionary, covering much more of the Bible than the readings in the Tridentine Roman Missal, which recurred after a single year, has been translated into the many languages in which the Roman Rite Mass is now celebrated, incorporating existing or specially prepared translations of the Bible and with readings for national celebrations added either as an appendix or, in some cases, incorporated into the main part of the lectionary.

The Roman Catholic Mass Lectionary is the basis on which many Protestant lectionaries have been based, most notably the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL) and its derivatives, as organized by the Consultation on Common Texts (CCT) organization located in Nashville, Tennessee. Like the Mass Lectionary, they generally organize the readings for worship services on Sundays in a 3-year cycle, with four elements on each Sunday, and three elements during daily Mass.

3 year cycle

The lectionaries (both Catholic and RCL versions) are organized into three-year cycles of readings. The years are designated A, B, or C. Each yearly cycle begins on the first Sunday of Advent (the last Sunday of November or first Sunday of December). Year B follows year A, year C follows year B, then back again to A. We are currently (November 28, 2010) in Year A (The Gospel of St. Matthew.).

• Year A: Gospel of Matthew (November 2010 through 2011)
• Year B: Gospel of Mark (December 2011 through 2012)
• Year C: Gospel of Luke (December 2012 through 2013)

The Gospel of John is read throughout Easter, and is used for other liturgical seasons including Advent, Christmas, and Lent where appropriate.

Source:  Wikipedia contributors, "Lectionary," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lectionary&oldid=437643960 (accessed July 13, 2011). 

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Highlights of St. Anthony of Padua

Franciscan Thaumaturgist, born at Lisbon, 1195; died at Vercelli [actually Arcella --Ed.], 13 June, 1231. He received in baptism the name of Ferdinand. Having been educated in the Cathedral school, Ferdinand, at the age of fifteen, joined the Canons Regular of St. Augustine, in the convent of St. Vincent, just outside the city walls (1210). Two years later to avoid being distracted by relatives and friends, who frequently came to visit him, he betook himself with permission of his superior to the Convent of Santa Croce in Cóimbra (1212), where he remained for eight years, occupying his time mainly with study and prayer.

        Gifted with an excellent understanding and a prodigious memory, he soon gathered from the Sacred Scriptures and the writings of the Holy Fathers a treasure of theological knowledge. In the year 1220, having seen conveyed into the Church of Santa Croce the bodies of the first Franciscan martyrs, who had suffered death at Morocco, 16 January of the same year, he too was inflamed with the desire of martyrdom, and resolved to become a Friar Minor, that he might preach the Faith to the Saracens and suffer for Christ's sake. Having confided his intention to some of the brethren of the convent of Olivares (near Cóimbra), who came to beg alms at the Abbey of the Canons Regular, he received from their hands the Franciscan habit in the same Convent of Santa Croce. Thus Ferdinand left the Canons Regular of St. Augustine to join the Order of Friars Minor, taking at the same time the new name of Anthony, a name which later on the Convent of Olivares also adopted.

        With the zeal of an apostle he undertook to reform the morality of his time by combating in an especial manner the vices of luxury, avarice, and tyranny. The fruit of his sermons was, therefore, as admirable as his eloquence itself. No less fervent was he in the extinction of heresy, notably that of the Cathares and the Patarines, which infested the centre and north of Italy, and probably also that of the Albigenses in the south of France, though we have no authorized documents to that effect.

       At the end of Lent, 1231, Anthony retired to amposanpiero, in the neighbourhood of Padua, where, after a short time he was taken with a severe illness. Transferred to Vercelli, and strengthened by the apparition of Our Lord, he died at the age of thirty-six years, on 13 June, 1231. He had lived fifteen years with his parents, ten years as a Canon Regular of St. Augustine, and eleven years in the Order of Friars Minor. The name of Anthony became celebrated throughout the world, and with it the name of Padua. The inhabitants of that city erected to his memory a magnificent temple, whither his precious relics were transferred in 1263, in presence of St. Bonaventure, Minister General at the time.

Source:  Catholic Encyclopedia.  "St. Anthony of Padua."  Accessed June 16, 2011.  http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01556a.htm

The Church honored the Feast of St. Anthony on Monday, June 13th.  We have a variety of gift and liturgical items available for St. Anthony to celebrate his life and work.  Call us at 1-866-757-5195 or check out our website at Church Supply Warehouse for our selection!!

Our Lady of Perpetual Help

Our Lady of Perpetual Help

The picture of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour is painted on wood, with background of gold. It is Byzantine in style and is supposed to have been painted in the thirteenth century. It represents the Mother of God holding the Divine Child while the Archangels Michael and Gabriel present before Him the instruments of His Passion. Over the figures in the picture are some Greek letters which form the abbreviated words Mother of God, Jesus Christ, Archangel Michael, and Archangel Gabriel respectively. It was brought to Rome towards the end of the fifteenth century by a pious merchant, who, dying there, ordered by his will that the picture should be exposed in a church for public veneration. It was exposed in the church of San Matteo, Via Merulana, between St. Mary Major and St. John Lateran. Crowds flocked to this church, and for nearly three hundred years many graces were obtained through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin. The picture was then popularly called the Madonna di San Matteo. The church was served for a time by the Hermits of St. Augustine, who had sheltered their Irish brethren in their distress. These Augustinians were still in charge when the French invaded Rome (1812) and destroyed the church. The picture disappeared; it remained hidden and neglected for over forty years, but a series of providential circumstances between 1863 and 1865 led to its discovery in an oratory of the Augustinian Fathers at Santa Maria in Posterula.

Source:  Catholic Encyclopedia.  "Our Lady of Perpetual Succour."  Accessed June 9, 2011.  http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11699b.htm

We have a variety of medals, frames, and statues for Our Lady of Perpetual Help available.  We are offering a 26" x 36" frame pictured above on sale at $585 with free shipping!  Regular price is $700 plus shipping.  Call us for information or visit us on the web at churchsupplywarehouse.com.

An Introduction to St. Michael the Archangel

Michael is an archangel in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic tradition. He is viewed as the field commander of the Army of God. He is mentioned by name in the Book of Daniel,^[1] the Book of Jude,^[2] and the Book of Revelation, in which he leads God's armies against Satan's forces during his uprising.^[3] In the book of Daniel, Michael appears as "one of the chief princes"^[1] who in Daniel's vision comes to Gabriel's aid in his contest with the angel of Persia (Dobiel). Michael is also described there as the advocate of the Children of Israeland as a "great prince who stands up for the children of your [Daniel's] people".^[4]

St. Michael the Archangel

In Hebrew, Michael means "who is like God" (mi-who, ke-as or like, El-deity), which in Talmudic tradition is interpreted as a rhetorical question: "Who is like God?" (which expects an answer in the negative) to imply that no one is like God. In this way, Michael is reinterpreted as a symbol of humility before God.^[5][6]

In Roman Catholicism Saint Michael has four distinct roles. First, he is the supreme enemy of Satan and the fallen angels. He vanquished Satan and ejected him from Paradise and will achieve victory at the hour of the final battle with Satan. Secondly, he is the Christian angel of death: at the hour of death, Saint Michael descends and gives each soul the chance to redeem itself before passing, thus consternating the devil and his minions. Saint Michael's third role is weighing souls in his perfectly balanced scales (hence the saint is often depicted holding scales) on Judgment Day. And finally, Saint Michael is the Guardian of the Church.

In the Catholic tradition, Saint Michael symbolizes the victory of good over evil, and he has been widely represented in Catholic art through the ages. Devotions to Saint Michael have a large Catholic following, and a large number of churches are dedicated to him worldwide.

Saint Michael has specific roles within Roman Catholic teachings that range from acting as the chief opponent of Satan to the saving of souls at the hour of death. Roman Catholic literature and traditions continue to point to Saint Michael in contexts as varied as the protection of the Catholic Church to the Consecration of Russia by popes Pius XII and John Paul II regarding the messages reported at Our Lady of Fatima.

Source:  Wikipedia contributors, "Michael (archangel)," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Michael_(archangel)&oldid=428041974 (accessed May 9, 2011).

Wikipedia contributors, "Saint Michael (Roman Catholic)," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia,http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Saint_Michael_(Roman_Catholic)&oldid=426600109 (accessed May 9, 2011).

Special offer:  We are offering a beautiful 29" St. Michael by Veronese statue in resin dipped bronze and lightly hand-painted for $285.00.  Regularly priced at $412.50, for a limited time we are offering free shipping.  There are limited quantities so order online or call to get one while supplies last.  Just click here to view details.

We also offer a wide selection of St. Michael products to help meet your church's needs. To view our selection of St. Michael products  such as statues, medals, framed prints and more, click here.  Church Supply Warehouse.

Highlights of the Life of Pope John Paul II

Early Life

Karol Józef Wojtyła, known as John Paul II since his October 1978 election to the papacy, was born in the Polish town of Wadowice, a small city 50 kilometers from Krakow, on May 18, 1920. He was the youngest of three children born to Karol Wojtyła and Emilia Kaczorowska. His mother died in 1929. His eldest brother Edmund, a doctor, died in 1932 and his father, a non-commissioned army officer died in 1941. A sister, Olga, had died before he was born.  He was baptized on June 20, 1920 in the parish church of Wadowice by Fr. Franciszek Zak, made his First Holy Communion at age 9 and was confirmed at 18. 

Upon graduation from Marcin Wadowita high school in Wadowice, he enrolled in Krakow's Jagiellonian University in 1938 and in a school for drama.  In 1942, aware of his call to the priesthood, he began courses in the clandestine seminary of Krakow, run by Cardinal Adam Stefan Sapieha, archbishop of Krakow. At the same time, Karol Wojtyła was one of the pioneers of the "Rhapsodic Theatre," also clandestine. 

After the Second World War, he continued his studies in the major seminary of Krakow, once it had re-opened, and in the faculty of theology of the Jagiellonian University. He was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Sapieha in Krakow on November 1, 1946.  On July 4, 1958, he was appointed titular bishop of Ombi and auxiliary of Krakow by Pope Pius XII, and was consecrated September 28, 1958, in Wawel Cathedral, Krakow, by Archbishop Eugeniusz Baziak.

Pontificate Highlights

Pope John Paul II

The Cardinals elected him Pope at the Conclave of 16 October 1978, and he took the name of John Paul II. On 22 October, the Lord's Day, he solemnly inaugurated his Petrine ministry as the 263rd successor to the Apostle. His pontificate, one of the longest in the history of the Church, lasted nearly 27 years.He had more meetings than any of his predecessors with the People of God and the leaders of Nations. More than 17,600,000 pilgrims participated in the General Audiences held on Wednesdays (more than 1160), not counting other special audiences and religious ceremonies [more than 8 million pilgrims during the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 alone], and the millions of faithful he met during pastoral visits in Italy and throughout the world.  Also of note are the numerous government personalities he encountered during 38 official visits, 738 audiences and meetings held with Heads of State, and 246 audiences and meetings with Prime Ministers.

His love for young people brought him to establish the World Youth Days. The 19 WYDs celebrated during his pontificate brought together millions of young people from all over the world. At the same time his care for the family was expressed in the World Meetings of Families, which he initiated in 1994.

His most important Documents include 14 Encyclicals, 15 Apostolic Exhortations, 11 Apostolic Constitutions, 45 Apostolic Letters.  He promulgated the Catechism of the Catholic Church in the light of Tradition as authoritatively interpreted by the Second Vatican Council. He also reformed the Eastern and Western Codes of Canon Law, created new Institutions and reorganized the Roman Curia.

Pope John Paul II will be beatified Sunday, May 1, 2011.   

Source:  Vatican.  "His Holiness John Paul II Short Biography."  Accessed April 26, 2011.  http://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/santopadre_biografie/giovanni_paolo_ii_biografia_breve_en.html

Church Supply Warehouse carries a variety of celebration items such as medals, statuary, and candles.  Visit us online or call 1-866-757-5195 for more information on how you can participate in this momentous occasion.

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The Easter Vigil or Holy Saturday Service

In the primitive Church Holy Saturday was known as Great, or Grand, Saturday, Holy Saturday, the Angelic Night, the Vigil of Easter, etc. It is no longer, like Maundy Thursday, a day of joy, but one of joy and sadness intermingled; it is the close of the season of Lent and penance, and the beginning of paschal time, which is one of rejoicing.

The night of the vigil of Easter has undergone a strange displacement. During the first six or seven centuries, ceremonies were in progress throughout the entire night, so that the Alleluia coincided with the day and moment of the Resurrection. In the eighth century these same ceremonies were held on Saturday afternoon and, by a singular anachronism, were later on conducted on Saturday morning, thus the time for carrying out the solemnity was advanced almost a whole day. Thanks to this change, special services were now assigned to Holy Saturday whereas, beforehand, it had had none until the late hour of the vigil. 

This vigil opened with the blessing of the new fire, the lighting of lamps and candles and of the paschal candle, ceremonies that have lost much of their symbolism by being anticipated and advanced from twilight to broad daylight. St. Cyril of Jerusalem spoke of this night that was as bright as day, and Constantine the Great added unprecedented splendor to its brilliancy by a profusion of lamps and enormous torches, so that not only basilicas, but private houses, streets, and public squares were resplendent with the light that was symbolic of the Risen Christ. The assembled faithful gave themselves up to common prayer, the singing of psalms and hymns, and the reading of the Scriptures commentated by the bishop or priests. The vigil of Easter was especially devoted to the baptism of catechumens who, in the more important churches, were very numerous. On the Holy Saturday following the deposition of St. John Chrysostom from the See of Constantinople, there were 3000 catechumens in this church alone. Such numbers were, of course, only encountered in large cities; nevertheless, as Holy Saturday and the vigil of Pentecost were the only days on which baptism was administered, even in smaller churches there was always a goodly number of catechumens. This meeting of people in the darkness of the night often occasioned abuses which the clergy felt powerless to prevent by active supervision unless by so anticipating the ceremonies that all of them could take place in daylight. Rabanus Maurus, an ecclesiastical writer of the ninth century (De cleric. Instit., II, 28), gives a detailed account of the ceremony of Holy Saturday. The congregation remained silent in the church awaiting the dawn of the Resurrection, joining at intervals in psalmody and chant and listening to the reading of the lessons. These rites were identical with those in the primitive Church and were solemnized at the same hours, as the faithful throughout the world had not yet consented to anticipate the Easter vigil and it was only during the Middle Ages that uniformity on this point was established.

Source:  Catholic Encyclopedia.  "Holy Saturday."   Accessed April 4, 2011.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07424a.htm

The Easter Vigil is coming soon!  Get your congregational candles with Church Supply Warehouse by ordering online at:  Church Supply Warehouse!!

Book signing at Wheaton Religious Gift and Church Supply on Tuesday, April 5th, 2011!!

Deacon John Green, founder of Emmaus Ministries, will in the store Tuesday, April 5th, 2011 to sign copies of his newly published, "Street Walking with Jesus."  After reading his book, "You will come away challenged and inspired to live a deeper, more mission-based life."  Deacon Green "didn't set out to be another Dorothy Day or Mother Theresa, and would be quick to tell you he hasn't become one.  Struck by the words of Micah 6:8 and the act of a homeless man who gruesomely ended his life in Green's presence, Green vowed to constantly ask himself:  How can I live justly?  To whom do I show mercy?  How may I walk humbly with God?"

Deacon Green is the founder of Emmaus Ministries, a non-profit ministry to male prostitutes in Chicago. Emmaus Ministries’ innovative outreach has been featured in numerous Christian and secular television shows, radio broadcasts, magazines and newspapers. John completed a BA in Christian Education from Wheaton College and an MA in Educational Ministries from Wheaton College graduate school in 1992, and in 1997 he earned a Certificate in Non-Profit Business Administration from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

He is a frequent speaker on issues relating to male prostitution, urban ministry, evangelization, and peace and justice work. His wife Carolyn is a nationally performing singer/songwriter. The Green’s have three sons and a daughter. They lived in the Uptown neighborhood of Chicago directly in back of Emmaus Ministries for 20 years and relocated to northeast Ohio in 2009. John is an ordained Permanent Deacon in the Roman Catholic Church and serves at Holy Family Parish in Stow, Ohio.

Wheaton Religious Gift will be hosting John Green for his first book signing from 1:00-4:00pm Central time.  Stop by for an autographed copy, and take an opportunity to talk with John about his new book or his ministry with Emmaus Ministries.

You may call us at 1-866-757-5195 for more information on available copies of his book, "Street Walking With Jesus," or purchase a copy online at Church Supply Warehouse.

Our retail store is located at:

Wheaton Religious Gift and Church Supply

113 W. Front Street

Wheaton, IL  60187

Our store website is:

http://www.churchsupplywarehouse.com/index.asp

Check out his book's website at:
http://streetwalkingwithjesus.com

We look forward to seeing you!!

Incense, Its Use and Symbolism in the Church

The use of incense in the ancient world was common, especially in religious rites where it was used to keep demons away. Herodotus, the Greek historian, recorded that it was popular among the Assyrians, Babylonians and Egyptians. In Judaism, incense was included in the thanksgiving offerings of oil, rain, fruits, wine (cf. Numbers 7:13-17). The Lord instructed Moses to build a golden altar for the burning of incense (cf. Exodus 30:1-10), which was placed in front of the veil to the entrance of the meeting tent where the ark of the covenant was kept.  The purpose of incensing and the symbolic value of the smoke is that of purification and sanctification. For example, in the Eastern Rites at the beginning of Mass, the altar and sanctuary area were incensed while Psalm 50, the "Miserere," was chanted invoking the mercy of God. The smoke symbolizes the prayers of the faithful drifting up to heaven: the Psalmist prays, "Let my prayer come like incense before you; the lifting up of my hands, like the evening sacrifice" (Psalm 141). Incense also creates the ambiance of heaven: The Book of Revelation describes the heavenly worship as follows: "Another angel came in holding a censer of gold. He took his place at the altar of incense and was given large amounts of incense to deposit on the altar of gold in front of the throne, together with the prayers of all God's holy ones. From the angel's hand, the smoke of the incense went up before God, and with it the prayers of God's people."  The usage of incense adds a sense of solemnity and mystery to the Mass. The visual imagery of the smoke and the smell remind us of the transcendence of the Mass which links heaven with earth, and allow us to enter into the presence of God.

Source:  Father William Saunders.  EWTN.com.  "Why is Incense Used during the Mass?".  Accessed March 21, 2011.  http://www.ewtn.com/library/ANSWERS/INCENSE.htm.

Incense is now 10% off for the next two weeks at Church Supply Warehouse.  Order now to stock up for lent and Easter.  Order online or call 1-866-757-5195!!

The Significance of Palms in Christendom

Palm branches have been used by all nations as an emblem of joy and victory over enemies; in Christianity as a sign of victory over the flesh and the world according to Psalm 91:13, "Justus ut palma florebit"; especially associated with the memory of the martyrs. The palms blessed on Palm Sunday were used in the procession of the day, then taken home by the faithful and used as a sacramental. They were preserved in prominent places in the house, in barns, and in the fields, and thrown into the fire during storms. On the Lower Rhine the custom exists of decorating the grave with blessed palms. From the blessed palms the ashes are procured for Ash Wednesday. In places where palms cannot be found, branches of olive, box elder, spruce or other trees are used and the "Cæremoniale episcoporum", II, xxi, 2 suggests that in such cases at least little flowers or crosses made of palm be attached to the olive boughs. In Rome olive branches are distributed to the people, while the clergy carry palms frequently dried and twisted into various shapes. In parts of Bavaria large swamp willows, with their catkins, and ornamented with flowers and ribbons, were used.


Source:  Catholic Encyclopedia.  "Palm Sunday."  Accessed March 15, 2011.  http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11432b.htm.

Order your palm strips now by March 23rd to avoid expedited shipping!!  After March 23rd, expedited shipping is required.  Order today and save up to $20 in shipping charges.  Order online at ChurchSupplyWarehouse or call us at 1-866-757-5195!

Holy Water and Its Use in the Church

The use of holy water dates to the early Christian era, but prior to the 5 the century, there is no specific documentation. Since Jewish law employed water for ritual purification, it is safe to assume that Christians adopted its use quite early. Jesus Himself was baptized with water.  One of the earliest liturgical documents by a 4th century Bishop refers to the blessing of holy water, invoking His Name upon it, and granting that it may have the powers to heal fevers and other maladies by drinking or anointing, and that all evil spirits shall be put to flight. St. Epiphanius blessed water with the Sign of the Cross and used it successfully to expel a demon. Later documents are filled with accounts of cures obtained by drinking water blessed in the Name of Jesus Christ.  In the 9th century, Pope Leo VI decreed that on each Sunday priests would bless holy water and deliver Asperges. He also encouraged the faithful to carry some away in a clean vessel to bless their homes, fields and cattle.  The most commonly used holy water is found in vessels called stoups just inside the door of every Church. This water can be found in urns and Easter water is blessed at the Vigil Mass on Holy Saturday with a ritual that involves dipping the Paschal candle three times. It is also available for personal use, although not many parishes encourage the faithful to utilize it. Not long ago, it was a pious custom for Catholic homes to send the young people of the family to Church to obtain this water as a sign of joyous renewal on Easter Sunday.  A procession throughout the house and gardens is led by the male head of the household, or if a family is so blessed, by a member of the clergy, invoking a blessing.


Source:  Catholichomeandgarden.com.  "Holy Water."  Accessed March 7, 2011.  http://www.catholichomeandgarden.com/Holy%20Water.pdf 


Special offer:  now get 10% off a new holy water pot or sprinkler at Church Supply Warehouse!!  Offer valid for a limited time.

Ash Wednesday, an Ancient Tradition

Ash Wednesday, in the Western Christian calendar, is the first day of Lent and occurs 46 days (40 days not counting Sundays) before Easter. It is a movable fast, falling on a different date each year because it is dependent on the date of Easter. It can occur as early as February 4 (February 5 on leap years) or as late as March 10.

Ash Wednesday derives its name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of adherents as a sign of repentance. The ashes used are typically gathered after the Palm Crosses from the previous year's Palm Sunday are burned. In the liturgical practice of some churches, the ashes are mixed with the Oil of the Catechumens (one of the sacred oils used to anoint those about to be baptized), though some churches use ordinary oil. This paste is used by the minister who presides at the service to make the sign of the cross, first upon his or her own forehead and then on those of congregants.

In the Roman Catholic Church, Ash Wednesday is observed by fasting, abstinence from meat, and repentance—a day of contemplating one's transgressions. The Anglican Book of Common Prayer also designates Ash Wednesday as a day of fasting. In the medieval period, Ash Wednesday was the required annual day of penitential confession occurring after fasting and the remittance of the tithe. In other Christian denominations these practices are optional, with the main focus being on repentance. On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, Roman Catholics between the ages of 18 and 59 (whose health enables them to do so) are permitted to consume only one full meal, which may be supplemented by two smaller meals, which together should not equal the full meal. Some Roman Catholics will go beyond the minimum obligations demanded by the Church and undertake a complete fast or a bread and water fast. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are also days of abstinence from meat (for those Catholics age 14 and over), as are all Fridays in Lent (before the 1962-1965 Second Vatican Council's liturgical reforms, every Friday of the year was a day of abstinence from meat, which some still follow). Some Roman Catholics continue fasting during the whole of Lent, as was the Church's traditional requirement, concluding only after the celebration of the Easter Vigil.

Ash Wednesday is February 22, 2012!  Get your Ash Wednesday supplies with us.  We have ashes, candles, and other items to suit your Lenten needs.  Visit us online or call 1-866-757-5195 for more information!

Source: Wikipedia contributors, "Ash Wednesday," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ash_Wednesday&oldid=414379436 (accessed February 21, 2011).

Prepare for your Ash Wednesday service today and order ashes online at: ChurchSupplyWarehouse.com.
Or, call us at 1-866-757-5195 and order bags for 200, 500, or 1000 people!! RUSH shipping is required to receive by Ash Wednesday.