St. Audifax day is a special day for us to celebrate. The feast of St. Audifax is a name saint day for my family.
A name saint day is when someone in your home has the name of a saint as their first name or middle name and it’s that saint’s feast day. So whoever bears the name of the saint whose feast day it is, then it’s their name saint day.
Your calendars and missals for today’s feast probably say “St. Marius and Companions” and not St. Audifax. That’s because today is the feast day of a family of martyrs and Audifax is one of the sons.
The Life of St. Audifax
Audifax was a martyr who lived during the Roman persecutions and was killed with his younger brother and their parents.
Sadly, not much is known about this family of saints. There are only a few facts that we do know about them.
It is believed that Marius and Martha were Persian nobles who converted to Christianity. With their two sons, Audifax and Abachum, they went on a pilgrimage to Rome. While there, they visited Christians who were imprisoned for their faith.
They were traveling about the year 269 which was a dangerous time for Christians because this was during the height of the Roman persecutions. While there, they were captured and put to death for their faith.
“The souls of the just are in the hands of God, and the torment of death shall not touch them. In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die: but they are in peace.” From the Gradual of today’s Mass.
Marius, Audifax and Abachum were beheaded and their bodies burned. Martha was thrown into a well about 13 miles from Rome.
Legend has it that a woman named Felicitas secured the burned remains of the men as well as the body of Martha.
Name Saint Feast Day Traditions
When we come to a name saint day in our family, whoever’s name we are celebrating gets to pick a meal and a dessert for everyone to feast on. If the name bearer is too young for food or to understand what is going on, then momma and daddy will pick the meal and the dessert until they are old enough.
The feast of St. Audifax falls during the Christmas season so we can even have some Christmas treats like eggnog to celebrate!
King cake goes great with eggnog!
“Let the just feast, and rejoice before God: and be delighted with gladness.” From the Introit of today’s Mass.
If we are able to, we will go to Mass or we will read the Mass prayers for the saint at home.
Celebrate
I hope this inspires you and your family to celebrate your own name saint feast days.
Let’s raise our families together to know and love their namesakes and to look to them for guidance as we navigate this hectic world.
St. Audifax and family, pray for us.
“Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered: and let them that hate Him flee from before His face.” Introit of the Mass.
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