Saturday, December 5
Panel shows an aerial view of Mar Saba, and the high altar where the saint's remains repose.
ST. SABAS (b Cappadocia [present Turkey] 439, d Jerusalem 532)
Venerable Father, Hermit, Abbot
Considered one of the founders of Eastern monasticism, Sabas came to Jerusalem at age 18, where he started his exemplary
monastic life in a monastery under the mentorship of St. Euthymius. At age 30, he was allowed to spend five days a week
in a cave, praying and weaving baskets. When his mentor died, he moved to a cave in the Kidron valley east of Bethlehem,
where he was eventually joined by other monks. This became the nucleus for the Great Lavra, now known as Mar Saba,
the first monastery founded by Sabas. St. John Damascene was the most famous pupil of the monastery. Subsequently, Sabas
travelled throughout Palestine establishing more monasteries, preaching and gaining Christian converts. He was appointed
Archimandrite of all Palestinian monasteries in 491. At age 91, he undertook a mission to Constantinople for the Patriarch
of Jerusalem. He died of an illness shortly after his return. In the 12th century, Crusaders took his body for safekeeping
to Rome, but Paul VI returned the remains to Mar Saba in 1965.
OR today.
Top story in this issue is the announcement of full diplomatic
relations between the Vatican and Russia after President Medvedev's
visit
[which took place Thursday afternoon, so it didn't make it to the 12/4 issue].
The 91-ft tall Vatican Christmas tree arrived yesterday from the Ardennes in Belgium.
Other Page 1 stories: the Holy Father's meeting with the Orthodox Patriarch of
Albania yesterday; the US-Russia nuclear arms reduction treaty lapses before
a new agreement can be concluded; and India says it will impose its own voluntary
restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions but will not abide by any restrictions set
by the Copenhagen climate-change conference next week.
THE POPE'S DAY
The Holy Father met today with
- H.E. Horst Koehler, President of the Federal Republic of Germany, and delegation.
- Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops (weekly meeting)
- Bishops of Brazil (South Sector-3&4, Group 2) on ad limina visit. Address in Portuguese.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 05/12/2009 18:24]