O God, the maker of heaven and earth, who didst give to thy venerable servant, the holy and gentle Polycarp, boldness to confess Jesus Christ as King and Saviour, and steadfastness to die for his faith: Give us grace, after his example, to share the cup of Christ and rise to eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

#OTD February 23, 155:
(traditional date)
Polycarp, the bishop of Smyrna, is martyred. A disciple of the Apostle John, at age 86 he was taken to be burned at the stake. "You try to frighten me with fire that burns for an hour and forget the fire of hell that never burns out," he… pic.twitter.com/bRQFmfKy3m

— ☧ Today in Christian History (@HistoricalRook) February 23, 2026

Blessed Lord, who wast tempted in all things like as we are, have mercy upon our frailty.  Out of weakness give us strength; grant to us thy fear, that we may fear thee only; support us in time of temptation; embolden us in time of danger; help us to do thy work with good courage, and to continue thy faithful soldiers and servants unto our life’s end.

Blessed is he who considers the poor!
The Lord delivers him in the day of trouble;
the Lord protects him and keeps him alive;
he is called blessed in the land;
thou dost not give him up to the will of his enemies.
The Lord sustains him on his sickbed;
in his illness thou healest all his infirmities.

–Psalm 41:1-3

Early winter storms have brought vibrant blooms to @blmnational landscapes across California. At Carrizo Plain National Monument, strong rainfall years can paint the Temblor Mountains in sweeping bands of color like those seen here.

Photo by Bob Wick pic.twitter.com/HOwp6E2lDy

— US Department of the Interior (@Interior) February 22, 2026