✝️ Today we remember Constance and Her Companions, also known as the Martyrs of Memphis.

They were Episcopal nuns and priests who sacrificed their lives caring for yellow fever victims in Memphis in 1878, exemplifying Christ-like love and service to others in the face of great danger. 2/

"Few know what a wonderful life it was that ended, for this world, when Sister Constance died. It was one long and entire consecration to Christ and the Church; and the strength with which she met the fearful trials of those last days, directing, sustaining, and cheering her devoted companions, and working day and night to spare others, was a supernatural strength."

📖The Sisters of St. Mary at Memphis:
with the Acts and Sufferings of the Priests and Others Who Were There with Them during the Yellow Fever Season of 1878.
New York: Printed, but not Published, 1879; 62pp.
transcribed by Elizabeth Boggs

👉🏻 anglicanhistory.org/usa/csm/memphi…

✝️ Today in The Daily Office we remember Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

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She was an Albanian-Indian Roman Catholic nun who founded the Missionaries of Charity, dedicated her life to serving "the poorest of the poor" in Calcutta and around the world, and became renowned for her charitable work and devotion to Christ.

"We can only do small things with great love." - Mother Teresa 2/ Born in 1910 in Skopje, Mother Teresa joined the Sisters of Loreto at 18 and moved to India, where she founded the Missionaries of Charity in 1950.

She dedicated her life to serving "the poorest of the poor" in Calcutta's slums, establishing hospices, homes for orphaned children, and clinics for people with leprosy and HIV/AIDS.

✝️ Today we remember The Martyrs of Papua New Guinea, 1901 and 1942-43.

A group of Christian missionaries and local believers who were killed for their faith in Papua New Guinea, including James Chalmers and Oliver Tomkins in 1901, and over 330 Christians of various denominations during the Japanese invasion in 1942-1943, all of whom are commemorated for their sacrificial witness and steadfast commitment to serving Christ and His Church in the face of persecution.

“We could never hold up our faces again, if for our own safety we all forsook him and fled when the shadows of the passion began to gather around him in his spiritual body, the Church in Papua. Our life in the future would have been burdened with shame and we could not come back here and face our people again; and we would be conscious always of rejected opportunities."
-Bishop Philip Strong

A 🧵 2/ The Martyrs of Papua New Guinea include 333 Christians from various denominations who were killed during the Japanese invasion in 1942-1943.

Reported numbers of those killed varies; the University of Papua New Guinea research that there were
Roman Catholic - 197
United Church - 77
Salvation Army - 22
Lutheran - 16
Anglican - 12
Methodist - 10
Evangelical Church of Manus - 5
Seventh Day Adventist - 4

✝️ Today has been the Feast of Aidan of Lindisfarne.*

He was an Irish monk and missionary who served as the first bishop of Lindisfarne, founded Lindisfarne Priory, and is known as the "Apostle of Northumbria" for his pivotal role in restoring and spreading Christianity throughout northern England in the 7th century through his patient, gentle evangelism and establishment of churches, monasteries, and schools.

(*Yes, Admin should’ve done this first thing but she got a bit behind on things, sorry! - SR)

Anyway, here’s a 🧵: 2/

“Among other evidences of holy life, he gave his clergy an inspiring example of self-discipline and continence, and the highest recommendation of his teaching to all was that he and his followers lived as they taught. He never sought or cared for any worldly possessions, and loved to give away to the poor who chanced to meet him whatever he received from kings or wealthy folk."
-- Bede

✝️ Today we remember Charles Chapman Grafton (1830-1912).

He was an Episcopal bishop, Anglo-Catholic leader, and ecumenist known for his efforts to promote Catholic traditions within Anglicanism, his founding of religious orders, and his work towards Christian unity, particularly between Anglicans and Eastern Orthodox churches.

“Press on the Kingdom!"
-- Charles Chapman Grafton

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Born in Boston in 1830, Charles Chapman Grafton became an ardent supporter of the Oxford Movement and Anglo-Catholicism within the Episcopal Church

He co-founded the Society of St. John the Evangelist (SSJE) in England and later helped establish the American Congregation of St. Benedict and the Sisterhood of the Holy Nativity.

✝️ Today in the Daily Office, we remember John the Baptist, who was a prophet and forerunner of Jesus Christ, known for baptising people in the Jordan River and preparing the way for the Messiah, who was ultimately beheaded by King Herod Antipas for criticising the king's unlawful marriage.

"He chose to despise the commands of a tyrant, rather than those of God. His example teaches us, that nothing should be dearer to us, than the will of God."

-Lanspergius the Carthusian

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He lived an austere life in the wilderness, wearing camel's hair and subsisting on locusts and wild honey.

And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. KJV Matthew 3:4

✝️In today's Daily Office, we remember Augustine, Bishop of Hippo and Teacher of the Faith.

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Augustine of Hippo (354-430) was a renowned theologian, philosopher, and bishop in North Africa who profoundly shaped Western Christian thought through his influential writings on topics like original sin, divine grace, and the Church, becoming one of the most important Church Fathers and a Doctor of the Church.

"Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee."
- Augustine of Hippo 2/

Augustine converted to Christianity at age 32 after a spiritual journey, becoming Bishop of Hippo in 395 and serving until his death in 430.

His conversion was brought about by Saint Monica, his mother.

https://x.com/sjsjchurch/status/1960667810759074036?s=46&t=QfENL1TYOnuNzuabuU5xdA

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Today in our Daily Office (dailyoffice2019.com), we remember Saint Monica (c. 332-387), Patron Saint of wives and abuse victims, a devout North African Christian woman revered for her persistent prayers and unwavering faith that led to the conversion of her son, Saint Augustine of Hippo, who became one of the most influential theologians and philosophers in Christian history.

"She brought me to birth both in her body so that I was born into the light of time, and in her heart so that I was born into the light of eternity" .
-- Augustine, Confessions 9,17 2/

Born c. 332 in Thagaste (modern Algeria), Monica was a devout Christian who married Patricius, a pagan with a difficult temperament.

Through her patience, prayers, and virtuous example, Monica influenced the conversion of both her husband and mother-in-law to Christianity.

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Did you know England has a little-known Anglo-Saxon saint called Pandionia? 🕊️

She lived in the 9th century, and her feast day is celebrated today—26 August.
#ChurchHistory

Church of St Pandionia and St John the Baptist, Eltisley:

📷 ©2024 Ben Colburn & Mark Ynys-Mon 2/
Pandionia (sometimes called Pandwyna) was said to be the daughter of a Scottish or Irish king. 👑

She fled south to escape persecution for her Christian faith. ✝️

✝️ Today we remember King Louis IX, King of France (1214-1270).

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He was a devout Catholic monarch known for his piety, justice, and leadership of two Crusades, who was canonized as a saint for his exemplary Christian life and service to the Church.

"I think more of the church where I was baptized than of Rheims Cathedral where I was crowned (as King of France). It is a greater thing to be a child of God than to be the ruler of a Kingdom."
-- Louis IX 2/

Louis IX reigned as King of France from 1226 to 1270, known for his piety, justice, and charitable works.

He implemented significant legal reforms, establishing royal courts and promoting fair trials based on evidence rather than trial by combat.

✝️Today, we remember Bartholomew the Apostle.

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Bartholomew, also known as Nathanael, was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ who is known for his initial skepticism about Jesus' origins, his subsequent recognition of Jesus as the Son of God, and his missionary work spreading the Gospel, particularly in Armenia where he was martyred for his faith.

“Here is a true child of Israel. There is no guile in him."
-- Jesus Christ, referring to Bartholomew 2/

Bartholomew, also known as Nathanael, was one of the twelve apostles chosen by Jesus Christ.

47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”

48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”

49 Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”

50 Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.”

51 He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’[d] the Son of Man.”

He witnessed Jesus' ministry, death, and resurrection, and received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

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In today’s Daily Officer, we remember Jonathan Myrick Daniels, an Episcopal seminarian and civil rights activist who sacrificed his life in 1965 to save a young African American woman from a racist attack in Alabama, becoming a martyr of the Episcopal Church and an exemplar of Christian self-sacrifice and justice.

“I knew then that I must go to Selma. The Virgin's song was to grow more and more dear in the weeks ahead." - Jonathan Myrick Daniels

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He was an Episcopal seminarian who answered Martin Luther King Jr.'s call for clergy to join the civil rights movement in Alabama in 1965.

He worked to integrate churches, register Black voters, and advocate for racial equality in the segregated South.

✝️📖 Today we remember Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153), an influential Cistercian abbot, theologian, and Doctor of the Church known for his spiritual writings, monastic reforms, and powerful preaching, who played a central role in the expansion of the Cistercian order and the development of medieval Christian mysticism.

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"We are to love God for Himself, because of a twofold reason; nothing is more reasonable, nothing more profitable." - St. Bernard of Clairvaux

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Ever wondered how the flags of England and the UK are linked to Christianity?

The answer is simple: they are built from crosses of Christian saints. ✝️

https://twitter.com/lozzafox/status/1957106469066715345

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England’s flag is the Cross of St George: a red cross on white.
St George was a Christian martyr (d. c.303). Crusaders wore his cross as a sign of faith. It became England’s emblem in the Middle Ages. 🛡️

✝️ 🧵As if the beginning of St Michael's Lent isn't enough, today is also The Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Mary’s life points us to Jesus:

“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour” (Luke 1:46-47)

Her humility and trust show what it means to say ‘yes’ to God.

🖼️The Virgin in Prayer
Giovanni Battista Salvi da Sassoferrato
1640-50 Anglicans honour Mary not as a distant figure, but as the faithful servant who bore Christ into the world, the one who treasured God’s Word in her heart.

🙏🏻In today’s liturgy we pray:

O God,
who hast taken to thyself the blessed Virgin Mary, mother of thine incarnate Son:
Grant that we, who have been redeemed by his blood, may share with her the glory of thine eternal kingdom; through the same Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord,
who liveth and reigneth with thee,
in the unity of the Holy Ghost,
ever one God,
world without end.
Amen.

🖼️The Virgin Mary in Prayer
Albrecht Dürer
1518

Most Christians have never heard of this…

A secret “mini-Lent” that starts today and ends with angels in September. 🕊️⚔️

It’s called St Michael’s Lent and here’s why you might want to keep it… 🧵

🖼️The Archangel Michael defeating Satan
Guido Reni
1635 1/

From 15 August (Feast of St Mary) to 29 September (Michaelmas), Christians in the Middle Ages kept 40 days of fasting and prayer to honour St Michael the Archangel.

🖼️ St Michael the Defender Icon
© Copyright 2025 Monastery Icons

We trust you’re having a blessed day.

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Today we remember Roger Schutz, known as Brother Roger, who was a Swiss Christian leader and monastic brother who founded the ecumenical Taizé Community in France, dedicating his life to fostering reconciliation between Christian denominations and inspiring young people through a unique form of contemplative worship and communal living. 2/

"The more a believer wishes to live the absolute call of God, the more he or she has to insert that absolute into human misery" - Brother Roger Schutz

📷via Ryan M Thurman

🌅 Good Morning!

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In today’s Daily Office, we remember Jeremy Taylor (1613-1667), an influential Anglican clergyman, theologian, and author known as the "Shakespeare of Divines" for his poetic prose style, who served as Bishop of Down and Connor in Ireland and is remembered for his devotional writings, particularly "Holy Living" and "Holy Dying," which have had a lasting impact on Anglican spirituality. 2/

"Nothing does so establish the mind amidst the rollings and turbulence of present things, as a look above them and a look beyond them — above them, to the steady and good hand by which they are ruled, and beyond them, to the sweet and beautiful end to which, by that hand, they will be brought."
-- Jeremy Taylor

🌅Good Morning!

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In Tuesday’s Daily office, we remember Charles Inglis, consecrated in 1787 as the first Anglican bishop in North America for the Diocese of Nova Scotia, and was an Irish-born clergyman and ardent Loyalist known for establishing the Anglican Church in Canada, founding King's College, and navigating the challenges of building a colonial church amidst political and religious tensions. 2/

"The authority of bishops is purely spiritual; it has nothing to do with civil constitutions, or their different forms. It existed as fully when Christianity was persecuted, as it does now when Christianity is protected."
- Charles Inglis

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Good morning!

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Today in The Daily Office, we remember Clare of Assisi.

She was an Italian noblewoman who became the founder of the Order of Poor Ladies, known for her devotion to a life of radical poverty and prayer, her leadership as abbess of San Damiano, and her role as one of the first followers of St. Francis of Assisi. 2/

“We become what we love and who we love shapes what we become. If we love things, we become a thing. If we love nothing, we become nothing. Imitation is not a literal mimicking of Christ, rather it means becoming the image of the beloved, an image disclosed through transformation. This means we are to become vessels of God's compassionate love for others." - Clare of Assisi

🌅Good Morning!

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In today’s Daily Office, we remember Saint Lawrence, a deacon of the Church in Rome who was martyred in 258 AD under Emperor Valerian's persecution, known for his courageous faith and for declaring the poor and suffering to be the true treasures of the Church. 2/

📚 🍺 🔥 ✝️ 🍷 🏫
He is the Patron Saint of archivists, armories, book lovers, brewers, butchers, cooks, comedians, deacons, glaziers, laundry workers, librarians, firefighters, poor people, restaurateurs, schoolchildren, seminarians, tanners, vine growers, winemakers, and Rome.

He is invoked against fire and lumbago (lower back pain).