5 Iconic Saint Friendships
Many parishioners in the Diocese of Orlando and students attending Catholic school in Orlando believe saints lived sheltered lives away from the community, focusing on prayer and a simple life. However, most saints lived full lives caring for members of their community and defending their religion to outsiders. Sometimes these iconic figures found the burden was greatly reduced when another individual with their aspirations and gentle, helping spirits assisted in the effort. Below are friendships founded in Jesus’ name that have remained steadfast throughout history.
- Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Claire
Saint Francis is readily recognized surrounded by animals. From taming wild animals to conversing with birds, Francis is long remembered for his kindness to God’s creatures. Francis should also be remembered as a learned individual intent on teaching and converting others to Christianity. One of his followers was Saint Claire, who rejected her prosperous family’s plans for her future to secretly join Francis and found a community of “poor ladies” living a life of prayer and service. The founding of a women’s religious organization was unheard of before Claire’s time, and her strong fervor led to the co-founding of the Franciscan movement, which now consists of more than 1.5 million members worldwide and three Orders – the Friars Minor, the Poor Clares, and the Third Order Franciscans.The Diocese of Orlando is blessed to have a group of Third Order Franciscan priests and brothers serving in our parishes and at the San Pedro Spiritual Development Center in Winter Park.
- Saints Xavier and Saint Ignatius
The Roman Catholic Church was nearly destroyed in the 16th century with corruption running rampant. Fortunately, a few Counter-Reformation proponents were able to see through the corruption and create a strong, united church founded not on greed, but on love and compassion. Saint Ignatius Loyola is to be given a huge amount of credit for this transformation. Saint Ignatius read the story of Christ’s life and the lives of saints while convalescing after a war injury. He grew to imagine himself as a soldier of Christ rather than on the battlefield, and envisioned himself traveling to the Holy Land and returning it from Muslim rule to a Christian kingdom and converting all the Muslims to Catholicism. In 1525, Saint Ignatius, Peter Faber, and Saint Francis Xavier formed the Foundation of the Society of Jesus. Saints Xavier and Ignatius traveled together to Rome and Venice, working in various ministries associated with the Foundation of the Society of Jesus.
- St. John of the Cross and Saint Teresa of Avila
These two saints are described as mystics, reformers, administrators, and authors of classic Catholic literature. Saint Teresa reformed and founded new Carmelite monasteries with Saint John as her deputy. In turn, Saint John founded and reformed the Carmelite Order for men as they traveled together. This deep friendship gave them strength as they taught Carmelites their goal of penitence and prayer.
- Saint Cosmas and Saint Damian
These twin brothers and renowned physicians were known throughout Syria for not charging their patients. Cosmas and Damian suffered greatly at the hands of pagans as they stayed true to their faith. Inseparable during life, they were martyred together.
- Saint Perpetua and Saint Felicity
Saint Perpetua and Saint Felicity had extremely different backgrounds, but the same faith. Perpetua was a noblewoman born to pagan parents. When she renounced their religion and was baptized, her father knew death awaited her. He pleaded for her to give up this “newfangled” religion, at which point Perpetua pointed to a water jug and asked her father if it could be called any other name. He replied it could not, and Perpetua explained that she could not be labeled anything other than Christian.Perpetua was a young mother when she was arrested. Felicity was eight months pregnant when she was charged with the crime of Christianity. She and Felicity were both so profoundly zealous they converted many of their captors and those who tried them. They bravely entered the arena to be sacrificed to wild beasts during a birthday celebration for the emperor. In the arena, Saint Perpetua called to the Christians in the crowd, "Stand fast in the faith, and love one another. Do not let our sufferings be a stumbling block to you."Next time you attend Mass at a Diocese of Orlando church and listen to the litany of saint names, keep in mind their unbelievable faith in God and their steadfast belief in Christianity. Contact the Diocese at 407-246-4903 and ask which saints your child in a Catholic school in Orlando is studying. Read our blogs for information pertaining to our schools and Catholic education.