It’s the Feast of Feria after Epiphany, 4th Class, with the color of White. In this episode: the meditation: “The Magi before Herod”, today’s news from the Church: “SSPX Statistics 2025”, a preview of the Sermon: “The Practice of Prayer in the Holy Family”, and today’s thought from the Archbishop.

• “The Magi before Herod” – From Advent to Epiphany
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Saint Apollinaris the Apologist belongs to the second generation of Christian thinkers, men who had to explain the faith not only to believers, but to an often hostile and suspicious world. He lived in the mid second century, likely born in Asia Minor, and later became a respected Christian philosopher in Rome. Apollinaris was formed in the classical tradition. He knew Greek philosophy well and understood how Christians were being misunderstood by pagan society. Rather than retreat or remain silent, he chose to speak clearly and respectfully in defense of the faith.

He is best known for his apologetic writings addressed to Roman authorities, especially to Emperor Marcus Aurelius. At a time when Christians were accused of atheism, immorality, and disloyalty to the empire, Apollinaris argued that Christians were in fact the empire’s most faithful citizens. They prayed for the emperor, obeyed just laws, and lived moral lives rooted in charity. He explained Christian worship, clarified misunderstandings about the Eucharist, and insisted that Christians were persecuted not for crimes, but for the name of Christ alone. His approach was reasoned rather than combative, confident that truth could withstand scrutiny.

Apollinaris was also deeply interested in the harmony between faith and reason. He believed that Christianity did not destroy what was true in philosophy, but fulfilled it. For him, Christ was the Logos whom philosophers had long sought without fully knowing. This conviction allowed him to speak to educated pagans in their own language, showing that belief in Christ was not irrational or dangerous, but coherent and life giving. Though most of his writings survive only in fragments quoted by later authors, those fragments reveal a man of balance, intellectual courage, and pastoral concern.

Little is known about the end of his life. Some traditions hold that he died peacefully, others that he suffered for the faith during renewed persecutions. What endured was his reputation as a defender of Christians at a moment when explanation itself was an act of bravery. Later apologists such as Justin Martyr and Athenagoras would walk a path Apollinaris helped prepare.

Devotion to Saint Apollinaris remained limited, since apologists rarely attracted popular cults, but his influence was lasting. His feast on January 8 was observed especially in scholarly and monastic settings, where he was remembered as a patron for those who defend the faith through teaching, writing, and careful reasoning. He remains a reminder that charity and clarity belong together, and that explaining the truth patiently can be a form of quiet martyrdom.

Saint Apollinaris the Apologist, pray for us!

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