Saint Paulinus. Bishop And Confessor. Feast Day, Today, 22 June.

Text from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal,
unless otherwise stated.

Saint Paulinus.
Bishop and Confessor.
Feast Day 22 June.

Double.

White Vestments.

English: Gothic-Revival Stained-Glass Window

showing Saint Paulinus of Nola.

Linz Cathedral, Austria.

Deutsch: Linzer Dom ( Oberösterreich ).

Neogotisches Buntglasfenster

mit Darstellung des heiligen Paulinus von Nola.

Photo: 14 March 2009.

Source: Own work.

Author: Wolfgang Sauber.

(Wikimedia Commons)

Saint Paulinus, born in 353 A.D. of a noble Roman family at Bordeaux, Aquitaine, France, distinguished himself in his studies and became Senator at the age of twenty-five. Elected Consul, he established his residence at Nola, in Campania, Italy, near the tomb of Saint Felix, the Martyred Priest, whose Feast The Church Celebrates on 14 January. Whilst at Campania, Saint Paulinus was suddenly touched by Grace and, soon after, was Baptised.

Following the example of Christ, "Who, being rich, made Himself poor" (Epistle), and Who counselled the practice of the Virtue of Poverty (Gospel), he abandoned his great riches and, at this price, bought the Kingdom of Heaven.

Having separated from his wife, who also gave herself to God, he became a Priest. Later, he was Bishop of Nola (Introit, Gradual, Alleluia, Offertory, Communion).

His former friends blamed him. "He is content with the approval of Jesus" [Poem X. Ad Ausonium]. Soon afterwards, the Goths ravaged Campania and utterly despoiled the rich of Rome, who gained no merit thereby, whereas Saint Paulinus, who had abandoned his riches voluntarily for Christ's sake, is rewarded a hundredfold hereafter in Eternal Life.

He died in 431 A.D. at the age of seventy-eight, and was buried near Saint Felix, at Nola, Italy.

Mass: Sacerdotes tui.