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Blessed Virgin Mary
St. Philip- Philip the apostle came from the same town as Peter and
Andrew, Bethsaida in
Galilee. Jesus called him directly,
whereupon Philip is credited with seeking out Nathanael (Bartholomew the Apostle) and
bringing him to Christ. He preached in
Greece and Asia Minor. He is pictured
holding a long staff with a cross on it similar to the instrument used by St.
Michael to battle dragon-like demons. According
to legend a “great dragon” killed three people and caused others to become
sick in Scythia(southern Ukraine). Philip preached against the worship of their
idol Mars and instructed the people to break the idol and worship the cross
of Jesus in its place. When the people
agreed, Philip drove the dragon away, healed those who were sick, and raised
the three from the dead. Legend goes
on to say that Philip was later crucified upside down at the age of 87 in Phrygia(central Turkey). The feast of the
Apostle is celebrated in the Roman Church on May 3rd together with that of
James the Younger.
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