Treasures of Our Faith with Deacon Richard Vehige

On Friday of the Seventh Week of Easter, a reading from the treatise On the Trinity by Saint Hilary, bishop.

 Saint Hilary was a fourth century bishop of Poitiers, France and a Doctor of the Church. His name comes from the Latin word for happy or cheerful. Saint Hilary is best known as the leading opponent of Arianism during his time. Arianism was named after Arian, a priest who taught that Jesus Christ was not divine. Arianism was becoming popular among Christians in this era and Saint Hilary’s theological position was supported by Constantine the Great.

 During the years between the Council of Nicaea (325) and the Council of Constantinople (381), imperial opposition to Nicene theology sent several of its supporters into exile. One of these supporters was Saint Hilary, the Bishop of Poitiers. Begun during its author's exile (356-360), Saint Hilary's “On the Trinity” provides a comprehensive discussion of the relationship between God the Father and God the Son: they are consubstantial, co-eternal, and fully equal. This work was a trailblazer in its day because, apart from Tertullian's relatively brief remarks on the Trinity, it is the earliest study of Trinitarian doctrine in the Latin language.

On the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, a reading from a sermon by Saint Augustine, bishop.

Saint Augustine was a late fourth century, theologian and philosopher, and Bishop of Hippo, Roman North Africa. He is also a preeminent Catholic Doctor of the Church.

His writings influenced the development of western philosophy and western Christianity, and he is viewed as one of the most important Church Fathers of the Latin Church in the Patristic Period.

On Friday of the Sixth Week of Easter, from a sermon by Saint Augustine, bishop.

Saint Augustine was a late fourth century, theologian and philosopher, and Bishop of Hippo, Roman North Africa. He is also a preeminent Catholic Doctor of the Church.

His writings influenced the development of western philosophy and western Christianity, and he is viewed as one of the most important Church Fathers of the Latin Church in the Patristic Period.

On Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter, a reading from a sermon by Saint Leo the Great, pope.

Saint Leo became pope in the year 440. Saint Leo was a Roman aristocrat, and was the first pope to have been called “the Great”. Saint Leo is known as one of the best administrative popes of the ancient Church .

His work branched into many areas of the church, indicative of his notion of the pope’s total responsibility for the flock of Christ. In the 96 sermons which have come down to us, we find Leo stressing the virtues of almsgiving, fasting, and prayer, and also expounding Catholic doctrine with clarity and conciseness, in particular, the dogma of the Incarnation.

Leo is perhaps best known for having met Attila the Hun in 452 and having persuaded him to turn back from his invasion of Italy.

On Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Easter, a reading from the treatise On the Trinity by Saint Hilary, bishop.

 Saint Hilary was a fourth century bishop of Poitiers, France and a Doctor of the Church. His name comes from the Latin word for happy or cheerful.

 Saint Hilary is best known as the leading opponent of Arianism during his time. Arianism was named after Arian, a priest who taught that Jesus Christ was not divine. Arianism was becoming popular among Christians in this era and Saint Hilary’s theological position was supported by Constantine the Great.

On Saturday of the Third Week of Easter, a reading from a commentary on the gospel of John by Saint Cyril of Alexandria, bishop.

Saint Cyril was the Patriarch of Alexandria from 412 to 444. He was enthroned when the city was at the height of its influence and power within the Roman Empire. Saint Cyril wrote extensively and was a major player in the Christological controversies of the late 4th and early 5th  centuries.

Saint Cyril is counted among the Church Fathers and also as a Doctor of the Church. His reputation within the Christian world has resulted in his titles, “Pillar of Faith” and “Seal of all the Fathers”.

On Monday of the Third Week of Easter, a reading from the commentary on the first letter of Peter, by Saint Bede the Venerable, priest.

Saint Bede was an eighth century English monk and an author and scholar. Saint Bede is one of the few saints honored as such during his lifetime. His writings were filled with such faith and learning that, even while he was still alive, a church Council ordered them to be read publicly in the churches.

He is best known for his work, the “Ecclesial History of the English People”, a source vital to the history of the conversion to Christianity of the Anglo-Saxon tribes.

On the Solemnity of the Annuciation, a reading by Saint Leo the Great, pope.

 Saint Leo became pope in the year 440. Saint Leo was a Roman aristocrat, and was the first pope to have been called “the Great”. Saint Leo is known as one of the best administrative popes of the ancient Church .

His work branched into many areas of the church, indicative of his notion of the pope’s total responsibility for the flock of Christ. In the 96 sermons which have come down to us, we find Leo stressing the virtues of almsgiving, fasting, and prayer, and also expounding Catholic doctrine with clarity and conciseness, in particular, the dogma of the Incarnation.

 Leo is perhaps best known for having met Attila the Hun in 452 and having persuaded him to turn back from his invasion of Italy.

On the Fifth Sunday of Lent, a reading from an Easter Letter by Saint Anthanasius, bishop.

Anthanasius is a venerated saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion and Lutheranism. He was the twentieth pope of Alexandria and died in the year 373.

Anthansius led a tumultuous life but a dedicated life of service to the church. He was a great champion of the faith against the widespread heresy of Arianism, the teaching of Arian, that Jesus was not truly divine. The vigor of his writings earned him the title of doctor of the Church.

On the Forth Sunday of Lent, a reading from a treatise on John by Saint Augustine, bishop.

Saint Augustine was a late fourth century theologian, philosopher, and bishop of Hippo, Roman North Africa. He is also a preeminent Doctor of the Church. His writings influenced the development of western philosophy and western Christinity, and he is viewed as one of the most important Church Fathers of the Latin Church in the patristic period.