July 13th: "In Palestine, SS. Joel and Esdras, Prophets"

I have mentioned before the matter of the Old Testament righteous and their place within the broader liturgical tradition of the Church. (See for example, Old Testament Righteous: Liturgical Feasts and References, Icons and Mosaics, and the Importance of Biblical Typology, Sept. 2009, and Byzantine Calendar for December 1st, 2nd and 3rd: Feasts of the Old Testament Prophets Nahum, Habbakuk and Zephaniah, Dec. 2009).

Continuing on that theme, I thought some would be interested to know that in the entry from the Martyrlogium Romanum today, we commemorate the Prophet Joel and the Prophet Esdras.

Russian Icon of the Prophet Joel

I would once again make encouragement to parents and people generally to not forget the Old Testament, its bible stories, its prophets and prophetesses, in their study of the Faith, taken in particular consideration of how they foreshadow the New Testament.