St. Augine (Augustine) Zhao Rong and Companions St. Augine was a native of China and was born in the year 1746. He worked as a soldier in the beginning and served as one of the soldiers who escorted Bishop John Gabriel Taurin Dufresse of the Paris Foreign Mission Society to his execution in Beijing. Augine, on seeing the heroism and courage exhibited by the bishop before and at the time of his death for the cause of the Christian faith, got change of mind and wished to convert to Christianity. He became a Christian by getting baptism at the age of 30 years. He then studied for priesthood and ordained a priest after 5 years. During the reign of Chinese Emperor Kia\-Kin (1796\-1821), Christian missionaries whether foreign or native Chinese were killed indiscriminately, simply for following Christian faith. Augine Zhao Rong was caught and was asked to renounce his Christian faith. But he refused to renounce Christianity and he was executed on September 14, 1815. Another noted native martyr in the group was a 14\-year old Chinese girl named Ann Wang, who bravely faced torture and death for the cause of her Christian Faith. Just before she was beheaded, she declared \'The door of heaven is opened to all\' and shouted the name of Jesus three times. Yet another Chinese born martyr was an 18\-year old boy named Chi Zhuzi, who was then preparing to receive baptism. He was captured by the authorities on the road and was asked to worship their native gods but he refused and also bravely revealed that he was a Christian. His right arm was cut off immediately but still he did not deny his faith in Christianity. Before execution, he fearlessly pronounced \'Every piece of my flesh, every drop of my blood will tell you that I am a Christian\'. St. Augine Zhao Rong and Companions were canonized by Pope John Paul\-II on October 1, 2000 along with 120 Chinese Martyrs. #death #martyrs #china #youth #faith #beheaded #deathforchristian #Christian #deathforjesus #notconversion #rollmodel #christianfaith #followchristianfaith ##changeofmind #changeofmindchangeoflife #followjesus

St. Joseph the Worker He was born in Bethlehem in about the year 70 B.C. He was betrothed to Virgin Mary, when the arch-angel Gabriel appeared to Virgin Mary and told her about the God's plan of conception of Jesus to Virgin Mary through Holy Spirit without any human father. St. Joseph was a carpenter by profession. When he came to know that Virgin Mary was pregnant, he wanted to secretly send her away. But God's angel appeared to him in a dream and told him to accept Virgin Mary because she was pregnant due to the grace of Holy Spirit. Jesus was born at Bethlehem, when Virgin Mary and Joseph were there for enumeration in the Roman census. As per the Gospel of Mathew, Joseph was the descendent from King David. So Herod thought that Jesus, the son of Joseph may claim the throne and usurp his kingdom later. In order to safeguard his kingdom he took the savage action of killing all the male children under age 2 years at that time. To safeguard Jesus from the killers, an angel appeared to Joseph in a second time in a dream to warn Joseph to flee to Egypt to save Jesus from the killer king Herod. Again the angel appeared to Joseph in a dream for a third time to tell Joseph to return to Nazareth as the killers have died. He was the protector of Jesus when he was young. He was not present in the marriage at Cana and also at the time of Jesus' crucifixion. God nominated Joseph to take care of his son to observe all laws of Moses for the child like circumcision etc. As per Jewish law if a woman became pregnant without being married, she would be stoned to death. To avoid such thing to happen to Virgin Mary, Joseph's care of Jesus was necessary. He died on July 20, 18 A.D. As per records devotion to St. Joseph started from the year 800 A.D. onwards. He was declared as the protector of Catholic Church in 1870 by pope Pius-IX. But the feast of St. Joseph the worker was announced by pope Pius-XII in the year 1955. He is the patron of unborn children, Fathers, Workers and Immigrants. People pray through Joseph for a peaceful death. #Catholic #faith #Belief #father #fatherly #care #rollmodel #fatherfigure #worthy #jesus'sfather #carpenter #worker

Queenship of Mary The Feast of the Queenship of Mary is a celebration in the Catholic Church that honors Mary, the mother of Jesus, as the Queen of Heaven and Earth. This feast was officially established by Pope Pius XII on October 11, 1954, through an important Church document called an encyclical titled Ad Caeli Reginam ("To the Queen of Heaven"). The idea of Mary being a queen goes back much further in Christian tradition, but this feast made it an official part of Catholic practice. Title "Theotokos" â�� Mother of God One of the key teachings about Mary is that she is called the "Theotokos," a Greek word meaning "God-bearer" or "the one who gives birth to God." This title was given to her at the Council of Ephesus in 431 A.D., a significant gathering of Church leaders in the early Christian Church. The council proclaimed this title to affirm that Jesus is both fully God and fully human, and that Mary, as His mother, gave birth to the Son of God in human form. By calling her "Theotokos," the Church recognized her important role in the mystery of the Incarnationâ��when God became human in the person of Jesus. Queenship of Mary The concept of Mary as queen comes from the belief that since Jesus is the King of all humanity, His mother would naturally share in His kingship. In many cultures, the mother of a king is given a special title of honor, and this applies to Mary as well. Just as Jesus is King of Heaven and Earth, Mary is seen as the Queen of Heaven and Earth. Her queenship is not a role of power or authority but of grace and intercession. Catholics believe that as a loving mother, Mary prays for and cares for all people, guiding them toward her Son, Jesus. In the Book of Revelation (12:1), Mary is described in a vision as "a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head." This image is seen as a symbolic representation of Mary as Queen of Heaven. The crown of twelve stars is often understood to represent the twelve tribes of Israel, showing her connection to the people of God. Mary's Role in Salvation Maryâ s role in salvation is deeply tied to her being chosen to be the mother of Jesus. When God sent His only Son into the world, He chose Mary to be the vessel through which Jesus would be born. This makes her central to Godâ s plan for the salvation of humanity. She accepted Godâ��s will with humility and faith, saying "yes" to becoming the mother of Jesus (known as the Annunciation), which Catholics believe played a crucial role in bringing about the salvation of the world. The Immaculate Conception Another important belief about Mary is the Immaculate Conception. This teaching says that Mary was conceived in her motherâ s womb (Saint Anne) without original sin. Original sin is believed to be the state of sin that all humans are born into due to the fall of Adam and Eve. However, because Mary was chosen to be the mother of Jesus, God gave her a special grace to be free from original sin from the moment of her conception. This teaching became official Church dogma in 1854 under Pope Pius IX. Mary as the Gate to Heaven In Catholic belief, Mary is often called the "Gate of Heaven." This title reflects the idea that because of her unique role as the mother of Jesus, she has a special place in helping people come to God. Catholics believe that Mary s prayers and intercession can help lead people to Jesus and, ultimately, to eternal life with God. This is why prayers like the "Hail Mary" ask for her to "pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death." Conclusion: A Queen Who Cares for Us Maryâ s role as Queen of Heaven and Earth is not about ruling with power but about her role as a loving, caring mother who helps guide people to her Son, Jesus. Her queenship is a reflection of her unique position in the history of salvation, and the Catholic Church honors her for saying "yes" to Godâ s plan and for her continued intercession for humanity. When Catholics pray to Mary, they are asking for her help in bringing their needs to Jesus, much like a child asking their mother for guidance and protection. The feast of the Queenship of Mary serves as a reminder of her special place in the life of the Church and in the hearts of believers. It celebrates her dignity and the honor given to her as the mother of the King of Kings, Jesus Christ. #eaternalLove #lovewithoutcondition #motherslove #mothermary #catolichope #catholicfaith #universallove #rollmodelforwomen #rollmodel #Maa #aai #mauli #maulitemple