http://www.sundaysandseasons.com/ Lesser festivals and commemorations of the Church en-us Copyright 2008 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. webmaster@augsburgfortress.org 1 http://www.sundaysandseasons.com/ <b>James, Apostle</b><br />Friday, July 25<br /><br />James and his brother John were the sons of Zebedee, fishermen by trade before their call from Jesus. He was the first of the twelve apostles to be martyred, and his death is the only one recorded in scripture (Acts 12:1-2).<br /> http://www.sundaysandseasons.com/ <b>Johann Sebastian Bach, died 1750; Heinrich Schütz, died 1672; George Frederick Handel, died 1759; musicians</b><br />Monday, July 28<br /><br />These three German-born musicians have done much to enrich the life of the church. Schütz was an early master who focused on settings of biblical texts. Bach wrote over 300 cantatas along with works for organ and instrumental pieces, and has been called the "fifth evangelist" for the way he proclaimed the gospel in music. Handel's great work, Messiah, is a setting of scriptural texts.<br /> http://www.sundaysandseasons.com/ <b>Mary, Martha, and Lazarus of Bethany</b><br />Tuesday, July 29<br /><br />Friends of Jesus, Mary and Martha are remembered for the hospitality of their home that they offered him—Martha focused on serving their guest, and Mary on listening to him. Their brother Lazarus was raised from the dead as a sign of the greater resurrection to come.<br /> http://www.sundaysandseasons.com/ <b>Olaf, King of Norway, martyr, died 1030</b><br />Tuesday, July 29<br /><br />Considered the patron saint of Norway, Olaf went from a life of piracy to becoming Christian and declaring himself king of Norway. He revised the laws and tried to administer them fairly. Driven from Norway in a rebellion, he was killed in battle trying to regain his kingdom.<br /> http://www.sundaysandseasons.com/ <b>Dominic, founder of the Order of Preachers (Dominicans), died 1221</b><br />Friday, August 8<br /><br />Dominic was a Spanish priest who saw the wealth of the clergy as a stumbling block for the church, so he formed a movement, the Order of Preachers (commonly called Dominicans) devoted to itinerant preaching and living in poverty.<br />