10 NOVEMBER

. . . . is the 32d Sunday per annum in the Pauline rite and the 25th Sunday after Pentecost in the traditional Roman rite, using the texts for the 5th Sunday after Epiphany.

In the sanctoral cycle, this is the traditional feast of St. Andrew Avellino. He “was born in Sicily and christened Lancelot. After studying law he was ordained and henceforth only accepted pleas in the ecclesiastical courts. But he soon gave up his career at the bar and joined the Theatine Clerks Regular. His great love of the cross caused him to be given the name of Andrew. Having become superior of his Congregation he devoted all the time that he could spare from his office to prayer and the care of souls. He died at Naples, at the age of 87, on November 10, 1608, of an apoplectic seizure at the foot of the altar as he was beginning Mass.” -from the St. Andrew Missal

This is also the feast of the martyrs, Ss. Trypon, Respicius, and Nympha. “St. Tryphon, whose relics were preserved at Cattaro, in Dalmatia, had an oratory at Rome in which the Greeks celebrated his feast on February 1. For unknown reasons hagiographers have joined his commemoration with that of St. Respicius, who appears to have been a Roman martyr. St. Nympha was venerated at Porto in Sicily; her body, translated to Rome, was buried in the church of Ss. Tryphon and Respicius.” -from the St. Andrew Missal

In Los Angeles St. Peter’s Italian Church run by the Scalabrini Fathers has long had a special celebration for “San Trifone” on this day or the nearest Sunday. There is a procession with a brass band during which his statue is carried around several blocks. It’s a great bit of fun. For those who don’t know – which is probably all of you – St. Peter’s is located right on the north side of Chinatown. The Chinese fully understand processions with statues and brass bands but I think they miss the firecrackers and the half dozen guys in the dragon suit.