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SacredHeartFan
Guest
Is St. Christopher really not a saint anymore? I pray to him everytime I get in a car.
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bpbasilphx
Guest
Yes, he’s really a saint–9 May on the Byzantine Calendar, if I’m not mistaken.
He was just removed from the LATIN calendar as a REQUIRED observance. He’s still in the Roman Martyrology.
He was just removed from the LATIN calendar as a REQUIRED observance. He’s still in the Roman Martyrology.
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brotherhrolf
Guest
Like St. Patrick who also got removed. This freaked a lot of people out way back when. St. Christopher was my little brother’s namesake for Confirmation and St. Patrick was mine. So, so many things changed after V II.
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Chatter163
Guest
When was St. Patrick removed from the kalendar?
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brotherhrolf
Guest
About the same time as St. Christopher back in the 70s.
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AJV
Guest
I don’t mean to be a know-it-all brotherhrolf, but I think the people who told you that were misinformed. I have both a missal from that time and the Calendarium Romanum and St. Patrick features on both, under March 19. If I had to guess, though, I think someone may have come up with that explanation when he was reduced to an optional observance that can be entirely omitted in Lent. Or when everybody was happily reveling in the “new springtime” to chuck out everything they thought was old-fashioned
But speaking of omitted saints, my mother remembers the priest coming to their house to tell them to take out the picture of St. Philomena, to whom my grandmother was immensely devoted (all her children were named Philomena). It was replaced by OLPSuccour. I went back to my grandmother’s house last holiday and looked behind the picture, and there was St. Philomena in black-and-white and cobwebs. It’s now hanging in the space in memory of late grandmother in that house.
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brotherhrolf
Guest
Now AJV - You, a “know it all”? Bro relies upon you to back him up.
Here’s what I remember. St. Pat’s on March 19 puts St. Pat in conflict with St. Joseph. St. Pat’s is March 17th and has been for years and years and years. We have both Irish and Italian descendants here. St. Joseph’s is March 19th. Both feast days are in the middle of Holy Week this year.
I am a Celt (Scot, Irish and Breton descent). My godfather was Sicilian. I don’t have a drop of Italian blood in me, yet I have always considered myself to be Italian in that my godfather was Sicilian. To me, St. Pat’s and St. Joseph can’t be separated. The first is on March 17th and the second is on March 19th.
And way back when, St. Pat and St. Christopher were removed.
Here’s what I remember. St. Pat’s on March 19 puts St. Pat in conflict with St. Joseph. St. Pat’s is March 17th and has been for years and years and years. We have both Irish and Italian descendants here. St. Joseph’s is March 19th. Both feast days are in the middle of Holy Week this year.
I am a Celt (Scot, Irish and Breton descent). My godfather was Sicilian. I don’t have a drop of Italian blood in me, yet I have always considered myself to be Italian in that my godfather was Sicilian. To me, St. Pat’s and St. Joseph can’t be separated. The first is on March 17th and the second is on March 19th.
And way back when, St. Pat and St. Christopher were removed.
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JMJ_coder
Guest
Hello,
Now, I don’t know it all, but I do know this
:
March 17 is the Optional Memorial of Saint Patrick, Bishop
March 19 is the Solemnity of Saint Joseph.
Due to the way the Calendar falls this year, the Bishops have decreed (at least where I’m at) that the Solemnity of Saint Joseph shall be observed on March 15 - and the Annunciation on March 31 (FYI). And due to where it falls, the Memorial of Saint Patrick’s will not be liturgically observed this year (though, I doubt that will stop folks from eating corned-beef and cabbage that day with their green beer - hey if a Friday in Lent won’t stop it, nothing will
).
Saint Christopher is still a Saint. But, he is no longer on the Universal Calendar (not even as an optional memorial). He is still on the Roman Martyrology for July 25 I am sure that there are places that still locally observe this feast day (none come immediately to mind), but there won’t be any propers for that day (as far as I know).
If you’re going to be a know-it-all, you’d better know it all!
Now, I don’t know it all, but I do know this
:March 17 is the Optional Memorial of Saint Patrick, Bishop
March 19 is the Solemnity of Saint Joseph.
Due to the way the Calendar falls this year, the Bishops have decreed (at least where I’m at) that the Solemnity of Saint Joseph shall be observed on March 15 - and the Annunciation on March 31 (FYI). And due to where it falls, the Memorial of Saint Patrick’s will not be liturgically observed this year (though, I doubt that will stop folks from eating corned-beef and cabbage that day with their green beer - hey if a Friday in Lent won’t stop it, nothing will
).Saint Christopher is still a Saint. But, he is no longer on the Universal Calendar (not even as an optional memorial). He is still on the Roman Martyrology for July 25 I am sure that there are places that still locally observe this feast day (none come immediately to mind), but there won’t be any propers for that day (as far as I know).
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AJV
Guest
17, 17, 17! Where did I pull 19 from? Good thing you’ll two are there! 
I only dream…
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Chatter163
Guest
Sorry, but this is not true. The Roman Missal (Sacramentary here in the USA) still includes St. Patrick on 17 March as an optional memorial. He was never dropped. St. Christopher, OTOH, was dropped in 1970.
Like St. Joseph, St. Patrick always falls during Lent. Whereas St. Joseph is a solemnity and is always observed–even if the date must be transferred–St. Patrick is an optional memorial and, as such, tends to get eclipsed in the weekdays of Lent, except, of course, in Irish-American strongholds.
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JMJ_coder
Guest
Hello,
I figured it was a typo.17, 17, 17! Where did I pull 19 from? Good thing you’ll two are there!
I like what Father Corapi said on this - “The danger of education is that once you learn something, you might actually begin to think you know something”JMJ_coder;3323415:
I only dream…If you’re going to be a know-it-all, you’d better know it all!
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JMJ_coder
Guest
Hello,
:kissme: :shamrock2:
Everyone’s Irish on Saint Patrick’s Day! :irish1: :irish2: :irish3:St. Patrick is an optional memorial and, as such, tends to get eclipsed in the weekdays of Lent, except, of course, in Irish-American strongholds.
:kissme: :shamrock2:
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holdencaulfield
Guest
Yes, he is still a saint, just not on the calendar.
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chris_molter
Guest
ooo… weird. My name’s Christopher and my older brother is Patrick! :hypno:
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Jacob21
Guest
Thanks everyone, this clears up some of my confusion on the subject. I have a beautiful medal with Saint Christopher and Saint Raphael on the back. I feel a particular devotion and connection to Saint Christopher. Thank you everyone. God Bless.
Jacob
Jacob
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viruzol
Guest
Hello friends, i just want to clarify if *Saint Christopher *has been removed on Saint List. I have a friend who insist that Christopher is not saint anymore; HOW IT’S TRUE please engligthen me?
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Leon_Bloy
Guest
He is still a saint.
One’s status on the calendar doesn’t affect whether or not one is a saint.
This has been very confusing to many people, understandably, however.
One’s status on the calendar doesn’t affect whether or not one is a saint.
This has been very confusing to many people, understandably, however.
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iohanne
Guest
He may or may not be a real historical figure. As with many of the earliest saints, we have no evidence that they actually existed beyond legends and pious folklore. Many of our stories of St. Christopher are almost exactly the same as the stories of St. Menas and the name Christopher actually just means Christ-bearer - a reference to that story shared by St. Menas of having carried the Christ child across a river.
There are many spurious saints in our tradition. Just read about St. Barlaam and St. Josaphat.
St. Philomena is also another problematic one but for unrelated reasons.
There are many spurious saints in our tradition. Just read about St. Barlaam and St. Josaphat.
St. Philomena is also another problematic one but for unrelated reasons.
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GratefulFred
Guest
I took Christopher as my patron saint when I was confirmed and when he was still on the calendar. In my first career I had 9 years overseas and either served in or visited 20 countries. Good Saint.
St Christopher was removed from the calendar because, as I recall, there just were not enough records to confirm the legend, but the Church did not undo the decision to “de-saint” him so to speak. We have many recognized Saints without a public feast day. Some Saints are pubically remembered in some countries but not in others. It depends on the strength of devotion, I presume.
I agree with iohanne’s recollection of St Christopher.
Let us also remember that Saints do not grant us anything. God does that. Saints, being in Heaven, join in our prayer of petition to God. We must ask for good things and do our part. Then the Saints we pray to can join in our requests to God. It is up to God to determine when and how our petitions will be answered.
St Philomena’s Parrish in Sacramento is a strong, vibrant parrish.
St Christopher was removed from the calendar because, as I recall, there just were not enough records to confirm the legend, but the Church did not undo the decision to “de-saint” him so to speak. We have many recognized Saints without a public feast day. Some Saints are pubically remembered in some countries but not in others. It depends on the strength of devotion, I presume.
I agree with iohanne’s recollection of St Christopher.
Let us also remember that Saints do not grant us anything. God does that. Saints, being in Heaven, join in our prayer of petition to God. We must ask for good things and do our part. Then the Saints we pray to can join in our requests to God. It is up to God to determine when and how our petitions will be answered.
St Philomena’s Parrish in Sacramento is a strong, vibrant parrish.
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Leon_Bloy
Guest
There has been a lot of research into St. Philomena’s “cult” lately, and it appears pretty solid. I have a devotion to her, myself, and am convinced by what I’ve read - along with the testament of many saints and popes - that she is an excellent intercessor and patron to have.
About St. Christopher, just because legends exist about him doesn’t mean he didn’t exist. He was probably an early Christian martyr.
I think oftentimes there is a (perhaps modernistic) tendency to be too intolerant of pious legends - they make people nervous who don’t want to appear to be venerating fantastical saints, so they end up being overly exclusive in their admission of evidence of somebody’s existence/sainthood. I think we can relax to an extent about that. These things are more complicated than they appear. I am also concerned about the damage done to popular lay piety by people who went around in the 1960s (often without good reason) claiming certain saints “never existed.”
About St. Christopher, just because legends exist about him doesn’t mean he didn’t exist. He was probably an early Christian martyr.
I think oftentimes there is a (perhaps modernistic) tendency to be too intolerant of pious legends - they make people nervous who don’t want to appear to be venerating fantastical saints, so they end up being overly exclusive in their admission of evidence of somebody’s existence/sainthood. I think we can relax to an extent about that. These things are more complicated than they appear. I am also concerned about the damage done to popular lay piety by people who went around in the 1960s (often without good reason) claiming certain saints “never existed.”
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