The Carmelite Calendar

In the old Discalced Carmelite calendar, March 4 was the feast of S Avertanus and Bl Romæus, Carmelite lay brothers who went on pilgrimage. The Ancient Observance calendar separated them and only Bl Romæus was honoured today; S Avertanus was placed on the 25th of February.

They died of "fever" on the way, says the old lectio iii for their simplex office. One of their few hagiographers guesses that this was due to the plague. The lectio goes on to mention their spirit of prayer and the vision of Christ and the saints enjoyed by Bl Romæus as he died. But not much else seems to be known of them.

The old collect for Bl Romæus in the Liturgy of the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem:

Deus, qui beatum Romæum, cum famulo tuo Avertano peregrinantem, per semitas iustitiæ deduxisti: concede; ut, intercessionis eius auxilio muniti, ad cælestem patriam perducamur. Per Dominum.

O God, Who didst lead blessed Romæus along the paths of justice in his pilgrimage with Thy servant Avertanus, grant that we may be fortified by the help of his intercession and be led to our heavenly home: through our Lord.