St. Fabian or Pope Saint Fabian was a Pope of the Catholic Church during the years January 236-250. He is famous for the miraculous nature of his election, in which a dove is said to have descended on his head to mark him as the Holy Spirit’s unexpected choice to become the next Pope. Fabian’s episcopacy was one of substantial importance in the history of the early church. His papacy of 14 years was characterized by amicable relations with the imperial government. It was during St. Fabian’s reign of 14 years, there was a lull in the storm of persecution which had resulted in the exile.
Dove signifies peace and in the period of Saint’s papacy, the suffering and the persecutions faced by the Christian Church were reduced and there was peace prevailing. His election as the Pope and his period of Papacy was embraced by the Christian Church as it stood as an ensign of the power of Holy Spirit, a symbol of peace in the form of Dove that descended on the Saint.
In few years when the Christian Church was soft and many didn’t have the courage to stand up to martyrdom, St. Fabian singled out the symbol of peace and stood as the courageous example. He died as a martyr in 250 A.D.
Pope Fabian and his Papacy teaches us the relevance of having peace in our daily encounters. We often turn impatient in times of mishaps, or even in tragedies of personal and professional life merely because we do not trust in the works of God. We forsake the path of prayer we are left with the gifts of Satan which are conflict, discord and turmoil in our hearts and lives. Where do we stand then! We have lost the grace of God, His gift of peace which comes into us through the power of Holy Spirit. Our God is a merciful Father. He blesses us and it is an obligation or a promise we have made to our Creator to have Faith in Him. Pope Fabian did not question his faith and deny his beliefs when the works and effects of the church were soft during the era of pagan worships.
It is so easy to live a life of peace without suffering or conflict because Christ brings us peace. Let us pledge today to never let us as a Christian Church or as individual Christians choose to deny our beliefs to avoid an unpleasant situation and lose the favor of God.
(References- www.catholic.org)
Written by: Ajitha Shaju
