The Apparition of St. Michael the Archangel

 

Today is the feast of the Apparition of St. Michael the Archangel on Mt. Gargano in 490.  It is an unofficial tradition that St. Michael was the Guardian Angel of St. Joseph, the head of the Holy Family.  He is also the special defender of the Pope.

St. Michael, pray for us! 

May 1 -- Traditional Feast of the Apostles, Sts. Philip and James

 

In 1956, the Liturgical Calendar had a major overhaul.  We have already talked about the changes from Christmas to Pentecost with the removal of most Octaves and the demotion of the great feast of Epiphany.  The 2^nd most tragic change is in the 1^st week of May.  The “needless repetition” of feasts caused three feasts to be eliminated.   The great Easter Solemnity of St. Joseph on the 3rd Wednesday after Easter, which also had a Common Octave, was eliminated and the new feast of St. Joseph the Worker was placed on May 1 to contrast with the Communist May-day celebrations thereby displacing the Apostles Saints Philip and James.  They were moved to May 11 which was the 1st open day.  Antiquity meant nothing to these reformers.  Instead they replaced them with feria days.  Unbelievable!

	Pre-1955	1962
May 1	Sts. Philip and James	St. Joseph the Worker
May 2	St Athanasius	St Athanasius
May 3	Finding of the True Cross	Feria
May 4	St. Monica	St. Monica
May 5	Pope St. Pius V	Pope St. Pius V
May 6	St. John before the Latin Gate	Feria
May 7	St. Stanislaus	St. Stanislaus
May 8	Apparition of St. Michael the Archangel	Feria

May 1---Sts. Philip and James’ feast had been on May 1 since the 6^th century!

May 3  The Finding of the True Cross is a joyful feast to remember the elderly St. Helena travelling to the Holy Land to find this most precious relic. 

May 6—St John before the Latin Gate commemorates his “martyrdom” by being boiled in oil in Rome.  He did not die and was exiled to the Island of Patmos.

 May 8---The Apparition of St Michael the Archangel took place on Mount Gargano in 490.  We cannot honor him too much as he is the chief defender of the Church!