February 24
Francisca Nuñez de Carbajal (d. 1590) Jewish martyr
In 1590, Francisca Nuñez de Carbajal was burned alive in Mexico City.
Francisca was a member of the well-known Carbajal family, Mexican conversos of Portuguese ancestry, some of whom became famous political leaders in the American colonies. She was reported to the authorities because she continued to profess her Jewish faith.
As a result of her firm refusal to abdicate the religion of her ancestors, Francisca was jailed and repeatedly tortured for more than three years, then burned at the stake.
One by one, all the members of the Carbajal family met the same fate. On March 26, 1601 Francisca's youngest sister, Mariana, received the honor of dying for her faith in the God of Israel.
Kidana Mehrat
On the 16th day of the month of Yakkatit, and to a lesser extent on the 16th day of every month of the year, Ethiopian Christians commemorate the Kidana Mehrat or "pact of mercy." An ancient tradition claims that Jesus made this pact with his mother, promising her that he would save all those who confided in her intercession.
Kidana Mehrat , one of the most important festivals of the Ethiopian liturgical year, is a sign of the strong Marian accent in the popular spirituality of the Eastern churches. Yet the essence of this celebration, observed today throughout Ethiopia, is the affirmation of God's mercy revealed through Jesus Christ, of whom the Virgin is simply a humble servant. Kidana Mehrat is thus a feast in which the heart of the Gospel is announced.
A READING
Hail to you, Pact of Mercy, my hope, you who justify sinners
and go in search of one lost sheep
among the ninety-nine.
Hail to you, Pact of Mercy, column raised by the Lord:
strengthen love, so that you might be a sign of salvation
for all sinners!
Hail to you, Pact of Mercy, gold, crown of all good;
you are the treasure of the poor
and the wealth that is in heaven.
BIBLICAL READINGS
Gal 4:1ff.; 2 Jn 4ff.; Acts 1:13ff.; Lk 1:39ff.
THE CHURCHES REMEMBER...
WESTERN CATHOLICS:
Matthias, the apostle (Spanish-Mozarabic calendar)
COPTS AND ETHIOPIANS (16 amsir/yakkatit):
Elizabeth, John the Baptist's mother (Coptic Church)
Michele al-Buhayri (+1923), monk (Orthodox Coptic Church)
Kidana Meherat, "Pact of mercy" (Ethiopian Church)
LUTHERANS:
Matthias, the apostle; Johann Christoph Blumhardt (+1880), witness of the faith in Württemberg
ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS AND GREEK CATHOLICS:
First and second invention of John the Prophet, Precursor and Baptist's head (452)
Demetrius of Vologda (+1392), monk (Russian Church)
George of Kratovo (+1515), neomartyr (Serbian Church)
WEST SYRIAN ORTHODOX:
Matthew, the evangelist
EAST SYRIAN ORTHODOX:
Matthias, the apostle (Syro-Malabar Church)
OLD CATHOLICS:
Matthias, the apostle