Monica and Augustine

     St. Monica was born at Thagaste in Africa of a Christian family. She was married young, to Patricius, and among her children was Augustine. He had a brilliant intellect but had uncertain morals led a wild and dissolute youth.  Additionally Augustine and a wayward spiritual career. Though brought up a Christian, Augustine had a wayward spiritual career and left the Church, embracing different heresies. Augustine had a brilliant legal and academic career.  Eventually he came under the tutelage of St. Ambrose of Milan.  With many tears Monica prayed unceasingly to God for his conversion and her prayers were answered.  Augustine was baptized in 387, shortly before his mother’s death.  She had a deep faith and outstanding virtue and is a wonderful example of a Christian mother. 

     After his mother's death, Augustine returned home to Africa and led an ascetic life. He was elected Bishop of Hippo and spent 34 years looking after his flock, teaching them, strengthening them in the faith and protecting them strenuously against the errors of the time. He wrote an enormous number of works. He was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Boniface VIII in 1308. 
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Queenship of Mary

Coronation of the Virgin, Paolo Veronese, 1555

From early times Christians have believed, and not without reason, that she of whom was born the Son of the Most High received privileges of grace above all other beings created by God. He "will reign in the house of Jacob forever," "the Prince of Peace," the "King of Kings and Lord of Lords." And when Christians reflected upon the intimate connection that obtains between a mother and a son, they readily acknowledged the supreme royal dignity of the Mother of God.  Pope Pius XII

St. Stephen of Hungary

Stephen was born in the town of Esztergom and was originally named "Vajk". His father was Grand Prince Géza of Hungary. According to his legends, Vajk was baptized a Christian by Saint Adalbert of Prague. He was given the baptismal name Stephen (István) in honor of the original early Christian Saint Stephen. 

Crown of St. Stephen

According to Hungarian tradition Pope Silvester II, with the consent of Otto III, Holy Roman Emperor, sent a magnificent jeweled gold crown to Stephen along with an apostolic cross and a letter of blessing officially recognizing Stephen as the Christian king of Hungary. Later this tradition was interpreted as the papal recognition of the independence of Hungary from the Holy Roman Empire. The date of Stephen's coronation is variously given as Christmas Day, 1000 or 1 January 1001.

Stephen discouraged pagan customs and strengthened Christianity with various laws. In his first decree, issued in the beginning of his rule, he ordered that each ten villages would be obliged to build a church. He invited foreign priests to Hungary to evangelize his kingdom; Saint Astricus served as his adviser, and Stephen also employed Saint Gerard Sagredo as the tutor for his son Emeric. 

Stephen intended to retire to a life of holy contemplation and hand the kingdom over to his son Emeric.  In a letter to Emeric he wrote:

"Be merciful to all who are suffering violence, keeping always in your heart the example of the Lord who said: “I desire mercy and not sacrifice”. Be patient with everyone, not only with the powerful, but also with the weak. Finally be strong lest prosperity lift you up too much or adversity cast you down. Be humble in this life that God may raise you up in the next. Be truly moderate and do not punish or condemn anyone immoderately. Be gentle so that you may never oppose justice. Be honorable so that you never voluntarily bring disgrace upon anyone. Be chaste so that you may avoid all the foulness that so resembles the pangs of death. All these virtues I have noted above make up the royal crown and without them no one is fit to rule here on earth or attain to the heavenly Kingdom."

But Emeric was wounded in a hunting accident and died in 1031. Stephen mourned for a very long time over the loss of his son, which took a great toll on his health. Having no children left, he could not find anyone among his remaining relatives who was able to rule the country competently and willing to maintain the Christian faith of the nation. Without a living heir, on his deathbed, Stephen raised with his right hand the Holy Crown of Hungary, , and prayed to the Blessed Virgin Mary, asking Her to take the Hungarian people as Her subjects and become their Queen. As though the first of many Signs that She did accept this offer and position, King Stephen died on the Feast of the Assumption (15 August) in the year 1038.

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Assumption

Assumption, Peter Paul Rubens

Almighty, ever-living God,

  you have taken the mother of your Son,

  the immaculate Virgin Mary,

  body and soul into the glory where you dwell.

Keep our hearts set on heaven

  so that, with her, we may share in your glory.

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