St. Placidus

Placidus was the son of Tertullus, one of the noblest persons of Rome. He was offered to God when a child and given over to holy Benedict, in whose teaching and Rule of monks he so profited that he was reckoned among the chiefest of his disciples. By him he was sent into Sicily, where he founded near the port of Messin a church and monastery in honour of St. John Baptist, and lived therein with his monks in wonderful holiness. Thither there came to see him his brothers Eutychius and Victorinus and his virgin sister Flavia, and while they were together, there landed there a certain brutal pirate, named Manucha, who took the monastery, and when he could in no wise prevail upon Placidus and the others to deny Christ, he commanded him, his brothers, and his sister to be cruelly murdered. With them Donatus, Firmatus a deacon, Faustus, and thirty other monks brought the conflict of testimony to the blessed end of martyrdom, upon the fifth day of October, in the year of salvation 539.

Antiphon on the Benedictus:

Even the very hairs of your head are all numbered; * fear not therefore; ye are of more value than many sparrows.

Antiphon on the Magnificat:

In the heavenly kingdom the souls of the Saints are rejoicing, even such as walked in the footsteps of Christ their Master, for love of whom they gave without stint their very life-blood; * therefore with Christ they now do reign for ever and ever.

Let us pray.

O God, who vouchsafest unto us to keep the heavenly birthday of blessed Placidus and his companions, thy holy Martyrs : grant, we beseech thee ; that we may rejoice in the perpetual felicity of their fellowship in heaven. Through.