25 February

Saints ALOYSIUS VERSIGLIA, bishop, and CALLISTUS CARAVARTO, priest
Salesian Protomartyrs

Memorial

Aloysius Versiglia, born at Oliva Gessi, Pavia, 5 June 1873, entered the Valdocco Oratory at the age of 12 years, and there got to know Don Bosco. He was ordained priest in 1895 and for some years was Master of Novices at Genzano, Rome. In 1906 he led the first Salesian missionary expedition to China, where he opened the mission of Shiu Chow. He was appointed Vicar Apostolic by the Pope and consecrated bishop on 9 January 1921.

Callistus Caravario was born at Cuorgné, Turin, 8 June 1903. He was a pupil at the Oratory of Valdocco. In 1924, while still a cleric, he left for China as a missionary and in 1929 was ordained priest by Bishop Versiglia and appointed to the Vicariate of Shiu Chow.

For defending the safety and virtue of three young Chinese women, the two missionaries were killed on 25 February 1930 at Li Thau Tseui, near the Lin Chow river. The authenticity of their martyrdom was recognized by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints on 12 November 1976, and they were beatified by John Paul II on 15 May 1983.

From the Common of Several Martyrs, with psalms of the day as in the psalter.

Office of Readings

From the “Stromati” of Clement of Alexandria (PG 8, 1226- 1227)

The joyful sacrifice of life in martyrdom

Without any doubt the martyr bears witness in the first place to himself that he has been sincerely faithful to God, then to the tempter that the latter has practiced in vain his envy of those who remain faithful with love, and finally to the Lord for having been divinely permeated by the convincing strength of the true doctrine from which he will never turn aside, not even through fear of death. Moreover he confirms by his action the truth of the preaching, manifesting how powerful is the God to whom he aspires. You can truly admire the love of the martyr which is clearly shown when with gratitude he assimilates himself to God, living and dying for him alone. And not only this, but with his own ‘precious blood’ he makes the infidels blush red.

In virtue of the commandment of the Gospel the martyr refuses to let fear lead him to deny Christ, and thus he bears witness even in the face of fear. The martyr does not sell his faith for the illusion of receiving gifts in exchange, but for the love of the Lord leaves this life with great joy. Indeed he will be grateful both to the one who has provided the motive for his passage from this world and to the one who has concocted the plot against him. He will use the fact as a suitable though unsought occasion to show what he truly is: to the persecutor in patience, to the Lord in love. Precisely through this love he was already known to the Lord, who knew even from before his birth that he would freely choose martyrdom. The martyr therefore goes to meet his Lord with serene trust and confidence as towards a friend for whom he willingly gives his body and soul, as his judges expected. And so he will hear himself addressed by our Savior in the words of the poet: “0 my dear brother!”, precisely because he made himself similar to Him in his life.

I say at once that we call martyrdom ‘perfection’, not because the martyr has reached the close of life like all others, but because he has accomplished a perfect work of love. If then martyrdom is a confession of faith in God, every soul who leads a pure life in the knowledge of God and obedience to his commandments, is a martyr through his life and word, whatever may be the manner of his bodily death. He pours out, in fact, like blood his faith during his whole life and even to the moment of his death.

RESPONSORY cf. Sir 45,9; 2 Tim 4,7-8

The Lord has crowned you with justice, he has put a glorious robe upon you. * The Holy One of Israel has taken up his abode in you.
You have fought the good fight, you have finished the race; the crown of righteousness has been prepared for you. The Holy One...

Or:

SECOND READING

From the “Exhortation to martyrdom” of St Cyprian, bishop.

Our reward will be greater than what we now suffer

The blessed apostle Paul, taken up by God’s goodness to the third heaven of paradise tells us of things he heard that cannot be expressed in words. He exults in having seen Jesus Christ in a vision of faith and speaks of what he has learned and seen through the truth proceeding from a higher knowledge. The Apostle says: “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Rom 8,18). Who then would not make every effort to achieve so great a glory as to become the friend of God, to be glad at once with Christ and receive the divine rewards after earthly sufferings and torments? If for those who take part in the battles of this world it is an honor to return home victorious after conquering the enemy, how much greater and more noble will be the glory of defeating the devil and returning triumphant to paradise. We shall carry back the spoils of victory to that paradise from which sinful Adam was expelled, after defeating the demon who had earlier been successful in his guile and deceit. What glory could be more noble than to offer to the Lord the most pleasing gift of the pure faith, of the unsullied virtue of our soul, or the glorious merit of our homage, and become companions of him who is coming to take vengeance on his enemies; how glorious it will be to stand at his side when he sits to deliver judgment!

The same can be said of the thought of becoming coheirs with Christ, in being equal to the angels and rejoicing with the patriarchs, apostles and prophets in possessing the heavenly kingdom. What persecution could possibly dispel such thoughts, what torments could prevail over them? The soul which finds its strength in religious reflections is strong and stable in its resistance and remains unmoved in the face of all the terrors ‘of the devil and the threats of the world, because its strength is based on the full and certain faith in the good things to come.

During persecution we become deprived of earthly benefits, but heaven opens for us: we are menaced by antichrist, but Christ himself defends us; death is thrust upon us, but we obtain immortality. The world is taken away from one who is killed, but life is restored to him and he is offered paradise. Earthly life comes to an end, but eternity comes in its place. What great dignity and security in joyfully leaving this world, to leave it in glory, to close for a moment those eyes which looked on men and earthly things to open them suddenly to see God and Christ. The happiness of the change from one to the other is proportional to its speed. You are suddenly taken from this earth, but to find a place in the heavenly kingdom.

We must cultivate these truths in our mind and in our thoughts. we must reflect day and night on these realities. If one fights with such sentiments in Christ’s service during persecution, the strength for the struggle will never fail. And if on the other hand God’s call were to come earlier, the faith which was ready to suffer martyrdom will not go unrewarded. God is a judge who awards the prize without regard to a defect of time. During persecution commitment to the struggle is rewarded; in peacetime it is the good conscience that gets the prize.

RESPONSORY

Holy martyrs, you have shed your glorious blood; friends of Christ in life, you have followed him in death: * for this the crown of glory is yours.

A single spirit was your animation, a single faith your support: For this, the crown...

Concluding prayer as at Morning Prayer.

Morning Prayer

Benedictus ant. The blood of your martyrs, O Lord, will be the fertile seed of Christians.

INTERCESSIONS

United in the liturgy of praise, let us invoke God the Father, who called our martyrs to associate themselves more closely with the Passover of Christ through their supreme testimony of love. Let us say:

Through your martyrs Lord, hear our prayer.

Through martyrdom the first disciples followed more closely the Christ who offered himself for the salvation of the world:
— grant that we may be ever more conformed to him who shed his blood for us and for all for the remission of sins.

Aloysius and Callistus faced death for the safety and salvation of the faithful entrusted to their care:
— grant that we may all persevere in our witness of Christian life.

The blessed martyrs sealed by their death their work of evangelization:
— sustain all missionaries and catechists in their service of the proclamation of Christ’s Gospel.

The two missionaries filled with their blood the chalice St John Bosco had foretold:
— help us to celebrate the liturgy of life by offering our body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.

Following the example of St John Bosco, the blessed martyrs record with their lives the daily exercise of charity for the good of others:
— help us to embrace with joy our daily crosses for the love of Christ and of our brothers and sisters.

Our Father.

PRAYER

Almighty and merciful God, you gave to your blessed martyrs, Bishop Aloysius and Father Callistus, the strength to fight to the death to proclaim the Gospel and defend human dignity; grant that we, your loyal followers, may imitate their testimony with persevering faith and assiduous charity. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Evening Prayer

Magnificat ant. Blessed are you Aloysius and Callistus who have shed your blood for the Lord;
honoring Christ by your lives, you have imitated him also in death: now you shine in the glory of heaven.

INTERCESSIONS

As we commemorate the evening sacrifice of Christ who offered himself for the salvation of the world, let us present to the Father our prayer of thanksgiving and supplication:

We bless you, O Lord.

The Salesian Protomartyrs bore witness to the faith by the sacrifice of their lives:
— do not allow violence and hatred to prevail against those who perform works of charity for their neighbor.

They gave their lives as a sign of their love for something greater:
— grant that we may all live with joy the strong demands of service freely given to our brothers and sisters.

The martyrdom of Blessed Aloysius and Callistus acclaims the inestimable value of chastity for the kingdom of heaven:
— grant that we may willingly accept hardship and sacrifices to educate young people to a more balanced personality.

By their martyrdom the two missionaries have fully embodied the ideal of the good shepherd:
— grant that the service of bishops and priests may be inspired by the tenderness of your fatherly love.

We entrust to you, Father, all who have left this world:
— admit them to live in your abode of light and peace.

Our Father.

Concluding prayer as at Morning Prayer.