Blesseds Agathangelus and Cassian: Capuchin Missionaries and Martyrs of East Africa

Two Capuchin blesseds, Agathangelus and Cassian, labored as missionaries among the Coptic Christians in Egypt and Ethiopia, and eventually bore witness to the Lord Jesus and His Church by their deaths as martyrs. Having travelled from Egypt to Ethiopia they must surely have passed through Sudanese territory. May they intercede for the Chuch and people of Sudan, that a lasting peace would be securely established and that the Church there grow and flourish in faith, hope, love and holiness. Their feast day is August 7.

From the website of the Capuchins of Australia:

Agathangelus was born in Vendome in 1589 and Cassian in Nantes in 1607. Both received the habit of the Franciscan Order among the Capuchins and were sent to the african missions shortly after they had completed their studies. They met in Cairo. There they learned of the persecution of the Christians in Abyssinia. Filled with a desire to labour and suffer for Christ among their separated brethren, they went to that country.

They had scarcely begun their work when they were seized and put in chains. They languished in prison for the space of a month and then during another twenty five days they were dragged to Gondar amid unheard of treatment and during the extreme heat of July sun. The king intended to force them to renounce their faith.

Father Cassian replied with firm determination: "We wish to live and die as children of the Catholic, apostolic and Roman Church, outside of which there is no salvation. We do not wish to purchase our lives with the price of infamous apostasy. We do not wish to enjoy honours and riches, which you offer us at the price of our immortal souls".

Both confessors were then sentenced to be hanged. When the executioners were looking about for ropes, the two confessors, inflamed with a desire for martyrdom, called out: "If you need ropes, use our cords". So it was done. A few moments later the holy missionaries had won the crown of martyrdom. This happened on August 7th, 1638. Pope Pius X beatified them with great solemnity. Their feast is celebrated on August 7th.


From the site of the Capuchins of South Africa:

Francis was born in 1598 into an ancient noble family in France. He joined the Order in 1619 and took the name Agathangelus. After his ordination he ministered among the Catholics and Calvinists. He was asked to become a missionary and it took him two hours to reply: "Here I am, I surrender; send me". He was sent to Syria where he learnt Arabic and after two years was sent to a mission at Memphis, Egypt. Soon after, he was chosen to lead the Cairo mission. He worked zealously for the unification of the Coptic church with the Roman church. When he was sent as superior to the new mission in Ethiopia, he was joined by Cassian. Gonzalo (his baptismal name) and his twin sister were born on 15 January 1607. When he was 17 years of age, he entered the Capuchin Order and received the name Cassian. After his ordination he ministered at the local leprosarium. He fell ill and suffered spasms. However, on his recovery, he was asked to become a missioner. Cassian was quite a linguist - he was fluent in Portuguese, Greek and French and later learnt Arabic and Turkish. Agathangelus and Cassian, dressed in black robes of the Coptic monks traveled south to meet King Basilides. When it was discovered that they were Catholic priests, they were arrested and imprisoned. For about a month they lived on nothing but bread and water. On their way to the royal residence they were dragged behind mules for two weeks. When they were asked to renounce their religion, they replied: "We have come not to accept error, but to preach the truth". They were sentenced to death by hanging. Agathangelus was 40 years of age and Cassian was 31 when they suffered martyrdom for refusing to deny the faith. They were beatified by Pius X on 1 January 1905.


Prayer:

God our Father,
you made your holy martyrs Agathangelus and Cassian
outstanding defenders of the Catholic faith.
Through their prayers
grant that all nations may be united in the one true faith.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one, God, for ever and ever. AMEN.