Memorial of Saint Pulcheria, Empress, born Alia Pulcheria in 399 to Emperor Arcadius and his wife, Alia Eudoxia. Staunch opponent of the Nestorian and Eutychian heresies.
Her father dying when she was nine years old, her younger brother became Theodosius II; at the age of fifteen, she was made regent for her brother, and greatly influenced him throughout his life. Upon his death, she was proclaimed Empress, and continued her tireless support of orthodoxy in the Church, and denunciation of heresy until her death in 453.
Professor Plinio Correa de Oliveira, in his discussion of Saint Pulcheria, says:
"Above all, the Catholic Religion must have holy priests, Bishops, and Popes. But often this is not enough. It is also necessary to have saints in principal posts of the civil order. The life of St. Pulcheria teaches us that the laypeople also have an important role to play in building Christian Civilization and defending the Church. The clergy, even with saints as Pope and Bishops, was not able by itself to extirpate the heresies of Nestorianism and Monophysism."
A good thing to remember, as we go to the polls. We need saints in the posts of authority. We need robust Byzantine saints, who are not afraid to stand up against the heresies gaining acceptance in our country. For now, all we have are the usual self-proclaimed 'ardent and devout' cultural Catholics and that ilk. The 'yeah, sure, I'm a good Catholic, I just don't believe what the Church teaches, because it's not relevant to our modern lives, and besides, Saint Augustine said..." types.
A good thing to remember as we go about the rest of our daily lives. We must always be ready to defend the Church's teachings - and we can't do that if we don't know what they are, or have decided that they are not relevant to our modern lives, and besides, Saint Augustine said...
I'd like to say, "Saint Pulcheria, pray for us", but I think she'd reply, "Get off your duff and do what needs to be done, like I did."
Saint Pulcheria, pray for us to have the strength to get off our duffs. Amen.
