St. Peter Damien

     Today we celebrate the Feast Day of Saint Peter Damien. He was born in Ravenna Italy in the year 1007 and died in 1072 A.D. He was the youngest of a large and Noble family. He is a Saint and was made a Doctor of the Church by Pope Leo XII on September 27th 1828. His works consist of letters, sermons, prayers, hymns and liturgical texts, reflecting the spiritual condition of Italy at that time. In early 1072 or 1073, he was sent to Ravenna, to reconcile it's inhabitants to the Holy See, they having been excommunicated for supporting their Archbishop in his firm attachment to a Cadalous, a Bishop of Parma and antipope. On his return near Faenza, he was seized with a terrible fever. He lay ill for a week at the Monastery of Santa Maria degl'Angeli. On the night preceding the Feast of the Chair of St Peter of Antioch, he ordered the Office of the feast to be recited and at the end of the Lauds, an ancient Christian morning prayer service, or Divine Office, traditionally held at dawn to consecrate the new day and to recall the Resurrection of Jesus, he died. He is the Patron Saint for those that suffer with insomnia or other sleep disorders, as well as headaches. Coming from his own sleeplessness from his own intense, often nocturnal, prayer habits. 

     So the next time you have trouble falling asleep or wake in the middle of the night and can't return to slumber, call upon this great Saint who will surely help lull you back to that desired state of refreshment in the Peace to which you ask.

     St Peter Damien, pray for us!