Encyclopedian Dictionary: catholic church

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Peter Faber (1506-1546)

Faber, Peter also known as Pierre Lefevre, Pierre Favre or Petrus Faber (1506-1546). French Jesuit theologian and cofounder of the Society of Jesus. Tutor of Ignatius Loyola at Paris. He was appointed professor of theology at Rome by Pope Paul III (1537). He founded Jesuit colleges in Europe and was a delegate to the Council of Trent.

References

Saint Fabiola (-399 AD)

Jean-Jacques Henner painted his portrait of Fabiola (in a classical Roman profile) in 1885; this idealized rendition of the saint was lost in 1912. The image was copied by artists around the globe over the last century

Saint Fabiola (-399 AD) from Rome, Italy.
Fabiola was a Christian noble woman and Roman matron of rank belonged to the patrician Roman family of the gens Fabia. Under the influence of St. Jerome, Fabiola converted to Christianity and devoted her life to the practice of Christian asceticism and charitable work. Fabiola is distinguished by the foundation of the first public hospital in western Europe. In addition to the hospital being founded she later founded with aide of St. Pammachius, a hospice for pilgrims at Porto, Italy the first of its kind. She supported monasteries throughout Italy and Mediterranean islands.

Fabiola had been in an undesirable marriage and obtained a divorce through Roman law which was contrary to the ordinances of the Church. Under church law, only following death of one spouse may one be free to marry again. She entered upon a second union before the death of her first husband.

St. Jerome's stay at Rome (382-84 AD) did not give occasion for them to meet, Fabiola was not one of the ascetic circle which St. Jerome frequented. It was later that, upon the death of her second consort, she chose to devote herself to a life of Christian virtues; renunciation of carnal ways and enter into a life of labor for others. On the day before Easter, following the death of her second consort she appeared before the gates of the Lateran basilica, dressed in penitential garb, and did public penance for her sin, which made a great impression upon the Christian population of Rome. The pope received her formally again into full communion with the Church.

Fabiola renounced all the world had to offer her, and devoted her immense wealth to the needs of the poor and the sick. She erected a fine hospital at Rome, and waited on the inmates herself, never shunning the afflicted. She gave large sums of her wealth to the churches and religious communities in Rome and abroad in Italy. All her interests were centered on the labor for others; the needs of the Church, and care for the poor and afflicted.

After her conversion to Christianity, she worked closely with St. Jerome, dedicating her wealth and life to the church. Familiar with Hebrew, Greek and Latin, she studied the Scriptures under Jerome, whom she followed to Bethlehem (395 AD). She lived in the hospice of a convent directed by Saint Paula and applied herself under the direction of St. Jerome, to the study of Scriptures and to ascetic exercises. An incursion of the Huns into the eastern provinces of the empire and the quarrel which broke out between Jerome and John II, Bishop of Jerusalem respecting the teachings of Origen made residence in Bethlehem unpleasant. When the Huns threatened to invade Palestine, Fabiola returned to Rome (396). She remained in contact with St. Jerome through letters and at Fabiola's request, Jerome wrote a treatise on the priesthood of Aaron, on the priestly dress, and on the 42 stopping places of the Israelites in the desert.

At Rome, Fabiola united with the former senator Saint Pammachius in carrying out a great charitable undertaking; together they erected at Portus a large hospice for pilgrims coming to Rome. Fabiola also continued her usual personal labors in aid of the poor and sick until her death on 27 December of 399 or 400. St. Jerome wrote a eulogistic memoir of Fabiola in a letter to her relative Oceanus.

Her feast day is celebrated on December 27.

References

Saint Fabiola Jean-Jacques Henner Portrait On Wood

Francis Alys Exhibits 300 Portraits of "Fabiola" at the Haus zum Kirschgarten

Facade or Façade definition

Pronunciation key

(fə·säd′)
(fȧ·sȧd′)

fa•çade or fa•cade n. [French; Italian facciata < faccia L.L. facia] See FACE.

Architecture. The front or face of a building facing a street or courtyard. Chiefly the term facade, is applied to classic architecture and structures of some magnitude.
The principal face or front of a building, therefore used with the qualifying adjective when it refers to other faces of a building. That is, the court facade, rear facade and lateral facade. Many medieval churches have false facades, which are different in outline from the buildings themselves.
The front, conspicuously visible part of an institution often designed to convey a favorable impression.
The front part of anything; often used to conceal something inferior.
A false, superficial, or artificial appearance.

Synonyms: mask, disguise, front, guise, pretense, veneer

Sentence example: "He maintained a facade of happiness."

Façade (of temple)
Facade on Gothic Church, Spain

Entrance on façade of Gothic church, Spain

In Architecture, this structure is usually located in the exterior or face of a building. The rear of a large or pretentious building is sometimes called the rear façade, and an edifice may have as many façades as it has architectural faces with individual treatment. Thus a Gothic cruciform church has three façades, the west, or main, front and the ends of each transept; in a Greek temple the two short gable ends are façades, whereas the two long sides are merely flanks. An elevation of the side of a building is called the lateral façade. The sides of a court or cortile are often called façades, but this is not a correct application of the term. A façade which does not conform to the section of the building behind it but rises above or extends beyond it, is called a screen façade, as in the case of many Italian churches such as the Pisa Cathedral and the Certosa at Pavia, and in such English cathedrals as those of Peterborough, and Lincoln.

Figuratively, the word can be used as a figure of speech to describe the "face" that people show other people, as opposed to what they really think or do.

References

Wikipedia, Facade

Johannes Faber (1478-1541)

Works of Johannes Faber

Johannes Faber (1478-1541) Originally Johannes Heigerlin.

German-Roman Catholic bishop and theologian, born at Leutkirch. Educated at the universities of Tübingen and Freiburg in Breisgau. In 1518 he became vicar-general to the Bishop of Constance, and papal prothonotary under Pope Leo X. In common with several of his friends, including the Dutch humanist Desiderius Erasmus, the German scholar Melanchthon and the Swiss theologian Huldreich Zwingli, he was at first a supporter of church reform. When the movement for reform developed into the Lutheran schism, however, Faber became one of its most formidable opponents.

According to A Short History of Christianity, Martin E. Marty, p. 219 on a section titled, "Zwingli," which discusses both Zwingli and Luther,

"Reform was a gradual development; it is difficult to date. His debate with Johann Faber in 1523 placed him clearly with Luther in defense of the Bible as the document of apostolic authority. Much of his career centered in the abolition of the Mass and formation of his teaching on the sacraments in opposition to Catholicism and Lutheranism. He interpreted the sacraments symbolically; bread, wine and water were but signs of grace, representation."

In 1522, in the treatise Opus Adversus Nova Quœdamn Dogmata Lutheri, he expressed his opposition to Lutheran doctrines, renewing the attack two years later in Malleus in Hœreticorum, "The Hammer of Heretics". Emperor Ferdinand appointed him court preacher in 1526, and during the two succeeding years he represented the emperor in Spain and England. Faber played an important role in organizing the resistance to the invasions of the Turks, and in 1531 was consecrated Bishop of Vienna.

References

Johannes Faber

Pitts-Emory University, Theology Library

Frederick William Faber (1814-1863)

Frederick William Faber
(Below) Engraving by Joseph Brown, Radio Times Hulton Picture Libary

Frederick William Faber [fā′bər] 1814-1863. British priest, theologian and notable hymn writer, born at Calverly, Yorkshire on June 28, 1814. Educated at Harrow and at Balliol College, Oxford University he was elected fellow of University College, Oxford in 1837. He had given up his Calvinistic views and became a follower of John Henry Newman who later became a cardinal.

Faber was ordained into the Anglican clergy in 1839. In 1843 was appointed rector of Elton, Huntingdonshire (now Huntingdon and Peterborough). Originally a Calvinist, he converted to Roman Catholicism in 1845, joined a Roman Catholic communion in November 1845, and was ordained a priest in 1847.

In 1846 he founded the Catholic community of Wilfredians at Birmingham (or, Brothers of the Will of God) which was merged with the Oratory of St. Philip Neri, with Newman as superior, in 1848. The Wilfridians were a religious society living in common with vows.

In 1849 a branch of the oratory was established in London, first in King William street and afterwards at Brompton. Faber presided over the London branch from 1849 until his death on September 26, 1863.

It is mainly as a hymn-writer that Faber is remembered, among which are O Saviour Bless Us Ere We Go, Faith of Our Fathers, Hark! Hark my soul, The Pilgrims of the Night, The Land Beyond the Sea, My God, how wonderful thou art and Paradise, O Paradise. Other works are Lives of Modern Saints (1847), Growth of Holiness (1854), The Foot of the Cross (8 volumes, 1835-1860) and Notes on Doctrinal Subjects (2 volumes, 1866)

References

Sacred poetry

Frederick William Faber

Arch of The Fabii

ARCH OF THE FABII

A triumphal arch on the Sacra Via, principal street of ancient Rome, at the entrance to the Forum Romanum Magnum. The arch was erected by the Roman general Quintus Fabius Maximus Allobrogicus about 120 B.C., to commemorate his successful campaign against the Allobroges.

The arch was restored in 56 BCE by the grandson of Fabius.

Some fragments of the dedicatory inscription were found in the 16th century but otherwise little is known about the arch.

References

Fornix Fabianus, a lost triumphal arch from the republican period.

Saint Fabian (c. 190-250)

Saint Fabian, [fā′bē-ən] Pope and martyr, (c. 190-250). He was a layman and farmer. He came into Rome on a day when a new pope was to be elected. He became a commanding figure in the early history of the papacy, elected Bishop of Rome in 236 by acclamation, the alighting of a dove on his head during the conduct of the papal election being taken as a divine omen.

The martyr Pope Fabian is mentioned in Eusebius Pamphilius: Church History, (263 - 339)
Eusebius writes:

"1. Gordianus succeeded Maximinus as Roman emperor and Pontianus, who had been bishop of the church at Rome for six years, was succeeded by Anteros. After he had held the office for a month, Fabianus succeeded him.
2. They say that Fabianus having come, after the death of Anteros, with others from the country, was staying at Rome, and that while there he was chosen to the office through a most wonderful manifestation of divine and heavenly grace.
3. For when all the brethren had assembled to select by vote him who should succeed to the episcopate of the church, several renowned and honorable men were in the minds of many, but Fabianus, although present, was in the mind of none. But they relate that suddenly a dove flying down lighted on his head, resembling the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Saviour in the form of a dove.
4. Thereupon all the people, as if moved by one Divine Spirit, with all eagerness and unanimity cried out that he was worthy, and without delay they took him and placed him upon the episcopal seat."

He was successor to St. Anteros. Although the truth of his life is obscured by legends. Fabian's pontificate (236-250) fell in the peaceful days under the Emperors Gordian and Philip the Arabian. In order to insure efficient spiritual administration it is said Fabian divided Rome into seven regions which were entrusted to the seven deacons, and founded several churches in France. He also reorganized the Christian cemeteries in Rome, by enlarging and beautifying the Cemetery of Calixtus, and making repairs in the catacombs of Rome. His appointment of notaries to register the deeds of the martyrs reflected the increasing precision with which the Roman Church began to keep records during the time. Reportedly he also baptised the Roman emperor Philip the Arabian.

Saint Fabian guided the church through fierce persecution and was martyred under the rule of the emperor of Rome, Decius. He was one of the first victims of the savage persecution. He was put to death on January 20, 250 in Rome and buried in San Callisto in the catacomb of St. Calixtus. His body was later moved to St. Sebastian's where his tomb was discovered in the year 1915.

His feast day falls on January 20.

References

Martyrdom of Pope Fabian

The Martyrdom of Pope St. Fabian

Saint Fabian