Saint Martin, Pope the First, martyr, who condemned the heresy of the Monothelites at the Lateran Synod; then, by order of the emperor Constans the Second, was violently seized in the Lateran basilica by the exarch Calliopas and taken from his see and brought to Constantinople, where he lay in prison under very strict custody; finally exiled to Cherson, where, after about two years, he attained the end of his sufferings and the eternal crown.

 

2.  At Pergamum in Asia, the holy martyrs Carpus, bishop of Thyatira, Papylus, deacon, Agathonice, sister of the same Papylus, and many others, who, having confessed the blessed truths, were crowned with martyrdom.

 

3.  At Ravenna in Flaminia, Saint Ursus, bishop, who transferred the episcopal see from Classis into the city, dedicated the cathedral church under the title of the Holy Resurrection on Easter Day, and on the same day of a subsequent year passed to the glory of the Resurrection.

 

4.  At Tarragona in Spain, Saint Hermenegild, martyr, who, the son of Leovigild, king of the Visigoths and an Arian, was converted to the Catholic faith by Saint Leander the bishop; and, having dissented from his father’s rule, was thrown into prison because he refused to receive Communion on the day of Easter from an Arian bishop; by order of his own father, he was struck down with an axe and died.

 

5.  In the monastery of Saint Mary of Capella near Vasto in the district of Boulogne in France, blessed Ida, who, widow of Eustace, count of Boulogne, shone with generosity toward the poor and zeal for the beauty of the House of God.

 

6.  At Menevia in Wales, Saint Caradoc, priest and hermit, who left the royal court, where he played the harp, when he saw that dogs were loved there more than men, and learned to serve God under Abbot Teliavus.

 

7.  In the Cistercian monastery of Val-de-Roses in Brabant, blessed Ida, virgin, who suffered much from her father before entering religious life and, by the austerity of her life, imitated Christ suffering in her body.

 

8.  In the monastery of Fonte Avellana in Umbria, blessed Albertinus, hermit and prior of the group of hermits, who preferred solitude to honors and strove to reconcile cities warring among themselves.

 

9.  At Tifernum Tiberinum in Umbria, blessed Margaret, virgin of the Sisters of Penance of Saint Dominic, who, born Greek, deformed and despised, always trusted in the name of Jesus with her heart.

 

10.  At Rochester in England, the blessed Francis Dickenson and Miles Gerard, priests and martyrs, who, having returned to their homeland from the English College at Reims to secretly exercise the priestly ministry there, were hanged together under Queen Elizabeth the First and afflicted with other atrocious tortures.

 

11.  Likewise at York in England, the blessed John Lockwood and Edward Catherick, priests and martyrs under King Charles the First, of whom the former, eighty-seven years old and already twice escaped from the sentence of death because of the priesthood, wished to precede his younger and struggling companion to the gallows in order to encourage him to glorious martyrdom.

 

12.  On the island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean, blessed Scubilion (John Bernard) Rousseau, religious of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, who tirelessly instructed children and brought aid to the poor and gave hope to slaves.

 

13.  In the village of Tototlán in the jurisdiction of Guadalajara in Mexico, Saint Sabas Reyes, priest and martyr, who died for Christ the Priest and King of all in the Mexican persecution.

 

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April 14^th
 

This Day, the Fourteenth Day of April

1.  At Rome, in the cemetery of Praetextatus on the Via Appia, the holy martyrs Tiburtius, Valerian, and Maximus.
 

2.  At Antioch in Syria, the holy martyrs Bernice and Prosdoce, virgins, with their mother Domnina, who, in the time of persecution, to avoid the pursuers of their chastity, seeking safety in flight, finally found martyrdom in a river.
 

3.  In the desert of Nitria in Egypt, Saint Fronto, abbot, who with about seventy companions withdrew into the desert.
 
4.  At Elphin in Ireland, Saint Asicus, bishop, who is held to be the disciple of Saint Patrick and the first bishop of this Church.
 
5.  At Alexandria in Egypt, Saint Thomais, martyr.
 
6.  At Lyon in France, Saint Lambert, bishop, who was first a monk and afterwards abbot of Fontenelle.
 
7.  At Mount Marano in Campania, Saint John, bishop, who devoted effort and zeal to relieving the wretched and sanctifying the clergy.
 
8.  In the monastery of Tiron near Chartres in France, Saint Bernard, abbot, who again and again lived a hermit’s life in the forests or on the island of Chausey, but also instructed the disciples who flocked to him in groups and led them to evangelical perfection.
 
9.  At Avignon in Provence, Saint Benedict, a young shepherd, by whose virtue, with the help of the Lord, a bridge over the Rhône was rebuilt for the great benefit of the citizens.
 
10.  At Tui in Galicia of Spain, blessed Peter Gonzalez, commonly called Telmo, priest of the Order of Preachers, who, having become as humble as he had once been desirous of glory, devoted himself to helping the needy, especially sailors and fishermen.
 
 11.  At Schiedam in Gelderland, Saint Lydwina, virgin, who, for the conversion of sinners and the deliverance of souls, bore the infirmities of the body throughout her whole life patiently and with trust in God alone.
 
 12.  In the village of Cuevas de Vinromà near Castellón in Spain, blessed Isabella Calduch Rovira, virgin of the Order of Capuchin Poor Clares and martyr, who, in a time of persecution against the faith, died for Christ her Spouse.

 

 

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April 15^th
 

This Day, the Fifteenth Day of April

1.  In Thrace, the holy martyrs Theodore and Pausilypus, who are said to have suffered under the emperor Hadrian.

 

2.  At Myra in Lycia, Saint Crescentius, who completed his martyrdom by fire.

 

3.  On Mount Aureus in Picenum of Italy, Saint Maro, martyr.

 

4.  At Rome, near Saint Peter’s, the commemoration of Saint Abundius, who, according to the testimony of Saint Gregory the Great, was a humble and faithful doorkeeper of that church.

 

5.  At Séez in the district of Coutances in France, the burial of Saint Paternus, bishop of Avranches, who founded many monasteries and, elected to the episcopal see at the age of seventy, at last gave up his soul to God most gratefully in a monastery.

 

6.  In the monastery of Andely in the district of Bayeux in Normandy, Saint Ouen (Ortarius), abbot, devoted to austerities and prayer, and constant in caring for the sick and aiding the poor.

 

7.  At Avignon in Provence of France, blessed César de Bus, priest, who, having been converted from worldly life, devoted himself to preaching and catechesis and founded the Congregation of the Fathers of Christian Doctrine, which shines to the glory of God through the instruction of the faithful.

 

8.  In the place Kalawao on the island of Molokai in Oceania, blessed Damien de Veuster, priest of the Congregation of the Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, who devoted himself to the care of lepers in such spirit that, in the end, having contracted leprosy himself, he died.

 

 

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April 16^th
 

This Day, the Sixteenth Day of April

1.  At Corinth in Achaia, the holy martyrs Leonides and seven companions ¹, who all, after enduring various torments, were drowned in the sea.

 

2.  At Caesaraugusta in Tarraconensian Spain, the commemoration of the saints Optatus and seventeen martyrs ², who, during the persecution of the emperor Diocletian, were afflicted together with chains and killed; whose illustrious martyrdom Prudentius adorned with verses.

 

3.  In the same place, the commemoration of Saint Engratia, virgin and martyr, who, grievously tortured, survived all the torments, for some time bearing the marks of the blows on her limbs.

 

4.  In the same place, the commemoration of the saints Caius and Crementius, who, in the same persecution, overcame tortures, persevering in the faith of Christ.

 

5.  At Asturica Augusta in the kingdom of the Suevi, likewise in Spain, Saint Turibius, bishop, who, by mandate of Saint Leo the Great, pope, zealously endeavored to oppose the sect of the Priscillianists growing strong in Spain.

 

6.  At Braga in Lusitania, Saint Fructuosus, bishop, who, first a monk and founder of monasteries, then bishop of Dumium, and finally made metropolitan bishop of Braga by the fathers of the Tenth Council of Toledo, prudently governed both this Church and the monasteries.

 

7.  In Scotland, Saint Magnus, martyr, who, prince of the Orkney Islands, embraced the Christian faith and, rejected by the king of Norway on account of his refusals against the arrogance of his own people, when he had gone unarmed to establish peace with a hostile co-ruler, was treacherously slain.

 

8.  At Sebourg in Hainaut, Saint Drogo, who, seeking a simple and solitary life, lived as a shepherd and pilgrim for the Lord and, enclosed in a small cell, ended his days.

 

9.  At Broni near Pavia in Lombardy, the commemoration of Saint Contardus, pilgrim, who chose utmost poverty and, while traveling to Compostela, died after being afflicted by illness.

 

10.  At Siena in Etruria, blessed Joachim, religious of the Order of the Servants of Mary, who stood out for singular devotion toward the Blessed Virgin and, bearing the burdens of the needy, fulfilled the law of Christ.

 

11.  At Rome, Saint Benedict Joseph Labre, who, from adolescence seized by a desire for a harsh life of penance, undertook arduous pilgrimages to the most celebrated sanctuaries and, content with only cheap and tattered clothing, subsisting on the alms offered, everywhere gave examples of piety and penance, and finally made Rome the goal of his journeys, where he lived in utter poverty and in prayer.

 

12.  At Avrillé near Angers in France, the blessed martyrs Peter Delepine, John Menard, and twenty-four companions ³, who, almost all country folk, during the French upheaval were killed with lead out of hatred for the Christian faith.

 

13.  At Nevers, also in France, Saint Mary Bernard Soubirous, virgin, who, born in the town of Lourdes from a very poor family, still a girl experienced the presence of the Blessed Virgin Mary Immaculate and later, after taking the habit of religion, lived a hidden and humble life.

 

 

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April 17^th
 

This Day, the Seventeenth Day of April

1.  At Melitene in Armenia, the holy martyrs Peter, deacon, and Hermogenes, his attendant.

 

2.  In Persia, the passion of Saint Simeon Bar Sabas, bishop of Seleucia and Ctesiphon, who, by order of Sapor, Second King of the Persians, having been arrested and burdened with iron, because he refused to worship the sun and bore witness with free and most steadfast voice about the Lord Jesus Christ, was first worn down for some time in prison confinement with a crowd of more than one hundred companions from the episcopate, presbyterate, and various clerical orders; then, on Friday in the Passion of the Lord, when all were beheaded before the eyes of Simeon, who earnestly exhorted each of them, at last he himself was also beheaded.

 

3.  Likewise, many martyrs are commemorated, who, after the death of Saint Simeon, throughout the entire region of Persia were ordered to be killed by the sword for the name of Christ under the same King Sapor; among whom was Saint Usthazanes, a eunuch of the royal court, who had been the tutor of King Sapor and, when the heat of persecution first raged, suffered martyrdom in the court of Artaxerxes, the brother of that same Sapor, in the province of Adiabene.

 

4.  At Tortona in Liguria, Saint Innocent, bishop.

 

5.  At Melitene in Armenia, Saint Acacius, bishop, who in the Council of Ephesus defended the orthodox faith against Nestorius, and afterward was unjustly deposed from his see.

 

6.  At Vienne in Burgundy, Saint Pantagathus, bishop.

 

7.  On the island of Eigg, among the Inner Hebrides facing Scotland, the holy Donnan, abbot, and of fifty-two monk companions, who, while celebrating the Paschal solemnities, were killed by pirates with fire or sword.

 

8.  At Córdoba in the region of Vandalic Hispania, the holy martyrs Elias, an aged priest, and Paul and Isidore, monks still in youthful age, who were killed in the persecution by the Moors because of their profession of the Christian faith.

 

9.  In the monastery of Casa Dei near Clermont in France, Saint Robert, abbot, who gathered brothers in that very place where he had lived as a solitary, and won for the Lord not a small multitude through the word of preaching and the example of his life.

 

10.  In the monastery of Molesme in France, Saint Robert, abbot, who, seeking a more simple and stricter monastic life, already founder and tireless director of monasteries, as well as leader of hermits and outstanding restorer of monastic discipline, founded the Cistercian monastery and ruled it as first abbot, and rested in peace at Molesme, to which he had returned as abbot.

 

11.  At Perugia in Umbria, blessed James of Cerqueto, priest from the Order of Hermits of Saint Augustine, who gave a joyful example of bearing illness.

 

12.  At Pisa in Etruria, blessed Clara Gambacorti, who, having been widowed while still young, at the urging of Saint Catherine of Siena, founded there the first monastery of Saint Dominic under a stricter rule, and presided over the sisters with prudence and charity, pardoning the murderers of her father and brothers.

 

13.  At Madrid in Spain, blessed Maria Anna of Jesus Navarro de Guevara, virgin, who, having overcome her father's objections, took the habit of the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy, and offered prayers and penances for the wretched and afflicted.

 

14.  At London in England, blessed Henry Heath, priest from the Order of Friars Minor and martyr, under King Charles the First, handed over to the executioner at Tyburn solely on account of the priesthood.

 

15.  At Sault in the province of Quebec in Canada, blessed Catherine Tekakwitha, virgin, who, born among the native Indians, was baptized on Easter Day, strove to preserve her virginity even before becoming Christian, offered it to God, though afflicted by threats and many harassments.

 

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April 18^th
 

This Day, the Eighteenth Day of April

1.  At Melitene in Armenia, the holy martyrs Hermogenes and Elpidius.

 

2.  In Persia, Saint Pusicius, martyr, who, being prefect of the artisans of King Sapor the Second, when he had strengthened the faltering priest Ananias, died with his throat pierced on Holy Saturday, attaining a distinguished place in the company of the martyrs slaughtered after Saint Simeon.

 

3.  At Fano in Picenum of Italy, Saint Eusebius, bishop, who accompanied Saint Pope John the First, sent by King Theodoric to Constantinople, and followed him after his return, when he was thrown into prison.

 

4.  At Leighlin in Ireland, Saint Laisrén or Molassius, abbot, who peacefully extended the Roman custom of Paschal celebration on the island.

 

5.  In the monastery of Lobbes in Hainaut, Saint Ursmar, bishop and abbot, who spread the Rule of Saint Benedict and brought the people to the Christian faith.

 

6.  At Constantinople, Saint Anthusa, virgin, who, daughter of Emperor Constantine Copronymus, expended all her help on aiding the poor, redeeming slaves, restoring churches, and rebuilding monasteries, and received the habit of a nun from Saint Tarasius the bishop.

 

7.  On the island of Aegina, Saint Athanasia, widow, later a solitary and abbess, distinguished for monastic observance and virtues.

 

8.  In the same place, Saint John the Isaurian, monk, who, disciple of Saint Gregory of Decapolis, valiantly contended under Emperor Leo the Armenian in defense of the holy Images.

 

8.  At Córdoba in the region of Vandalic Hispania, Saint Perfectus, priest and martyr, who, by the Moors, because he attacked the teaching of Mohammed and steadfastly professed the faith of Christ, was thrown into prison and afterward slain by the sword.

 

10.  At Bruges in Flanders, blessed Idesbald, abbot, who, having shortly been widowed in the world and having fulfilled duties at the court of the counts for thirty more years, entered the monastery of Dunes in mature age, over which he presided as the third abbot in holiness for twelve years.

 

11.  At Milan in Lombardy, Saint Galdinus, bishop, who labored for the restoration of the city, devastated by the wars of the empire, and, while giving a sermon against heretics, yielded his spirit to God.

 

12.  At Monte Reale in Abruzzo, blessed Andrew, priest from the Order of Hermits of Saint Augustine, who devoted himself to preaching in Italy and France.

 

13.  In the city of Gandia in the district of Valencia on the coast of Spain, blessed Andrew Hibernon, religious from the Order of Friars Minor, who, as a youth, having been robbed of his money by thieves, thereafter greatly embraced poverty.

 

14.  At Pontoise near Paris in France, blessed Mary of the Incarnation (Barbara) Avrillot, who, being a proven mother of a family and most devout woman, introduced Carmel to France and founded five monasteries, until, her husband having died, she herself professed the religious life.

 

15.  At Angers in France, blessed Joseph Moreau, priest and martyr, who, during the French upheaval, out of hatred for the Christian faith, was beheaded on Friday in the Passion of the Lord.

 

16.  At Siena in Etruria, blessed Sabina Petrilli, virgin, who founded the Congregation of Sisters of Saint Catherine of Siena to assist the needs of poor girls and the impoverished.

 

17.  In the town of Majdanek near Lublin in Poland, blessed Roman Archutowski, priest and martyr, who, having been cast into prison by foreign soldiers for the confession of the Christian faith, afflicted by hunger and disease, attained eternal glory.

 

 

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April 19^th
 

This Day, the Nineteenth Day of April

 

April 20^th
 

This Day, the Twentieth Day of April

1.  At Rome, Saint Anicetus, pope, with whom the distinguished guest, Saint Polycarp, rejoiced in fraternal charity, when together they discussed the determination of the date of Easter.

 

2.  In the same place, the commemoration of the holy martyrs Sulpicius and Servitianus, buried on the Latin Way at the second milestone.

 

3.  At Córdoba in Hispania Bætica, Saint Secundinus, martyr.

 

4.  At Embrun in France, Saint Marcellinus, first bishop of the same city, who, coming from Africa, converted the greater part of the Maritime Alps to the faith of Christ and was ordained to this see by Saint Eusebius of Vercelli.

 

5.  At Auxerre in Lyonnais France, Saint Marcian, monk.

 

6.  At Constantinople, Saint Theodore, who, because of the rough haircloth garment with which he was clothed, was surnamed Trichinas (“the hairy one”), and lived a most upright life in solitude.

 

7.  At Antioch in Syria, Saint Anastasius, bishop and martyr, who, under Emperor Phocas, was most cruelly killed by assassins.

 

8.  In the region of Laurino near Paestum in Campania, Saint Helena, virgin, who, strengthened in the works of Christ, sought the solitude of a desert place, where she served God unceasingly in the needs of religious and the sick.

 

9.  At Osnabrück in Saxony, Saint Wiho, bishop, who, born in Frisia, was first an abbot sent to preach the Gospel by Emperor Charlemagne, and then appointed to the Church of Osnabrück, suffered much for Christ.

 

10.  In the monastery of Châtelliers in the district of Poitou in France, blessed Gerald of Sales, who, a poor canon and afterward a poorer hermit and devoted practitioner of outstanding penance, inflamed many with love of God or drew them to the hermitage, and finally founded very many houses of canons regular.

 

11.  At Pisa in Etruria, blessed Dominic Vernagalli, priest from the Camaldolese Order, who built a shelter for orphans.

 

At Montepulciano likewise in Etruria, Saint Agnes, virgin, who at nine years of age received the habit of consecrated virgins, and, already only in her fifteenth year, was unwillingly placed over the nuns of Proceno, and soon, under the discipline of Saint Dominic in the monastery founded by herself, gave a remarkable example of true humility.

 

13.  At Bologna in Emilia, blessed Simon of Todi Rinalducci, priest of the Order of Hermits of Saint Augustine, who taught young students and the people of God both by the word of doctrine and the example of life.

 

14.  In Lancashire in England, blessed James Bell and John Finch, martyrs, of whom one, a priest, after twenty years spent in another confession, was reconciled at last with the Catholic Church at the urging of a devout woman; the other, a father of a family, farmer, and catechist, endured many years of prison, hunger, and other torments for his faith; and together they attained eternal joy under Queen Elizabeth the First.

 

15.  At London likewise in England, blessed Richard Sargeant and William Thomson, priests and martyrs, who, condemned to death for having entered and remained in England as priests, suffered the supreme penalty at Tyburn.

 

16.  At Clon in Ireland, blessed Maurice MacKenraghty, priest and martyr, who, after two years spent in prison, because he refused to acknowledge Queen Elizabeth the First’s authority in spiritual matters, was handed over to execution at the gallows.

 

17.  At York in England, blessed Anthony Page, priest and martyr, a gentle and upright man, who was condemned to cruel torments because of the priesthood.

 

18.  Also at London in England, blessed Francis Page, of the Society of Jesus, and Robert Watkinson, priests and martyrs, who together, under Queen Elizabeth the First, because of the priesthood — one of them having been ordained only a month earlier — were compelled to ascend the gallows at Tyburn.

 

19.  At Pianello on Lake Como in Italy, blessed Clara (Dina) Bosatta, virgin, who, with the help of blessed Aloysius Guanella, founded the Little House of Divine Providence.

 

20.  On the journey from the Dachau detention camp to the place of Hartheim near Linz in Austria, blessed Anastasius Pankiewicz, priest of the Order of Friars Minor and martyr, who, against a regime that oppressed Christian dignity, bore witness to the faith even unto death.

 

 

 

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April 21^st
 

This Day, the Twenty-first Day of April

Saint Anselm, bishop and Doctor of the Church, who, born at Aosta (Augusta Praetoria), became a monk and then abbot in the monastery of Bec in Normandy; he taught his fellow monks to advance on the way of perfection and to seek God through the understanding of faith.  Later, having been promoted to the distinguished see of Canterbury in England, he vigorously struggled for the liberty of the Church and endured hardships and exile.

 

2.  At Rome, the commemoration of Saint Apollonius, philosopher and martyr, who, under Emperor Commodus, before the prefect Perennis and the Senate, defended the cause of the Christian faith with a subtle speech, which, having been condemned to death, he afterward confirmed by the witness of his blood.

 

3.  At Alexandria in Egypt, Saint Aristus, priest and martyr.

 

4.  On Mount Sinai, Saint Anastasius, abbot, who tirelessly defended the orthodox faith against the Monophysites and composed many discourses for the salvation of souls.

 

5.  In a monastery at Applecross in Scotland, Saint Maelrubha, abbot, who, born in Ireland and having become a monk at Bangor, founded a monastery of missionaries, from which for fifty years he brought the light of faith to the people of this region.

 

6.  At Cagli in Picenum of Italy, blessed John Saziari, religious of the Third Order of Saint Francis.

 

7.  At Cervera near Fossano in the Subalpine region, blessed Bartholomew Cerveri, priest of the Order of Preachers and martyr, who, having been pierced with lances, confirmed by death the Catholic faith, for which he had valiantly fought.

 

8.  At Hohenwart in the Bavarian region of Germany, Saint Conrad of Parzham (John) Birndorfer, religious of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, who, for more than forty years fulfilling the humble office of porter, always generous to the poor, was accustomed to send no one in need away unless he had first brought them Christian comfort with suitable words.

 

9.  At Nochistlán in the territory of Guadalajara in Mexico, Saint Roman Adame, priest and martyr, who, during the persecution against the Church, because he had confessed Christ the King, fulfilled martyrdom.

 

 

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April 22^nd
 

This Day, the Twenty-second Day of April

1.  At Rome, Saint Soter, pope, whose outstanding charity toward the brethren, whether toward miserable strangers arriving from abroad, or toward those worn out by poverty, or those condemned to the mines, Saint Dionysius of Corinth praises.

 

2.  At Lyons in France, Saint Epipodius, who, after the glorious forty-eight martyrs in the same city, having been arrested with Alexander, his most beloved friend, completed his martyrdom by beheading.

 

3.  At Alexandria in Egypt, the commemoration of Saint Leonides, martyr, who, under the emperor Septimius Severus, was killed by the sword for the name of Christ, leaving behind his son Origen still a boy.

 

4.  At Rome, in the cemetery of Callistus on the Appian Way, the burial of Saint Caius, pope, who, fleeing the persecution of the emperor Diocletian, rested as a confessor of the faith.

 

5.  The commemoration of Saint Maryahb, that is, (“the Lord gives”), chorepiscopus and martyr in Persia, who, during the persecution stirred up by King Shapur II, suffered martyrdom for Christ within the octave of Easter.

 

6.  At Constantinople, the the heavenly birth of Saint Agapitus the First, pope, who acted firmly that the Roman bishop be freely elected by the clergy of the City and that the dignity of the Church be preserved everywhere; then, sent by Theodatus, king of the Goths, to Constantinople to the emperor Justinian, he strengthened the orthodox faith, ordained Mennas bishop of that city, and rested there in peace.

 

7.  At Sens in Neustria, Saint Leo, bishop.

 

8.  In the village of Syceon in Galatia, Saint Theodore, bishop and abbot, who, captivated by the love of solitude from childhood, chose a strict form of life, and having been unwillingly ordained bishop of Anastasiopolis, at length obtained permission from the patriarch of Constantinople to return to his retreat.

 

9.  In the district of Séez in Neustria, Saint Opportuna, abbess, notable for the greatest abstinence and austerity.

 

10.  At Badajoz in Lusitania, Saint Senorina, abbess, at whose prayer, it is said, God quickly refreshed the nuns who were suffering from a lack of bread.

 

11.  At Fabriano in Picenum of Italy, blessed Francis Venimbeni, priest from the Order of Friars Minor, who was an outstanding preacher of the word of God.

 

 

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April 23^rd
 

This Day, the Twenty-third Day of April

Saint George, martyr, whose glorious contest at Diospolis or Lydda in Palestine has been celebrated by all the Churches from East to West from ancient times.

Saint Adalbert (Vojtech), bishop of Prague and martyr, who suffered much in that Church and, undertaking many journeys for Christ, vigorously labored to extirpate pagan customs.  But, when he noticed that little progress was being made, he went to Rome and became a monk.  Finally, he came to Poland, and, when he intended to lead the neighboring Prussians to the faith, he was pierced by pagan spears in the village of Tenkitten near the Vistula.

 

3.  At Edessa in Syria, Saint Eulogius, bishop, who is reported to have died on Holy Friday.

 

4.  At Milan in Liguria, Saint Marolus, bishop, friend of blessed Pope Innocent I.

 

5.  At Toul in Lorraine, Saint Gerald, bishop, who for thirty-one years fortified the city with excellent laws, nourished the poor, and, during a time of plague, helped the people with prayers and fasting.  He dedicated the cathedral church and not only helped monasteries with wealth but also instructed them with holy disciples.

 

6.  At Suellis in Sardinia, Saint George, bishop.

 

7.  At Perugia in Umbria, blessed Giles of Assisi, religious from the Order of Friars Minor, who, as a companion of Saint Francis, became famous for his fearless faith and wonderful simplicity in his pilgrimages.

 

8.  At Udine in Venice, blessed Helena of Valentini, widow, who, in order to serve God alone, worked tirelessly in the secular Order of Saint Augustine, dedicating herself to prayer, the reading of the Gospel, and works of Mercy.

 

9.  At Campi Bisenzio in Etruria, Italy, blessed Teresa Mary of the Cross Manetti, virgin, foundress of the Congregation of the Carmelite Sisters of Saint Teresa.

 

10.  At the Cistercian monastery of the Crypt of the Ferrata in the Tusculan countryside near Rome, blessed Mary Gabriella Sagheddu, virgin, who, for the unity of Christians, offered her life with total simplicity, which she completed at the age of twenty-five.

 

 

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April 24^th
 

This Day, the Twenty-fourth Day of April

 

April 25^th
 

This Day, the Twenty-fifth Day of April

Feast of Saint Mark, Evangelist, who, in Jerusalem, first followed blessed Paul in the apostolate, then adhered to the footsteps of blessed Peter, his son, and is said to have collected his catechesis for the Romans in the Gospel and eventually to have established the Church of Alexandria.

 

2.  The commemoration of Saint Anianus, bishop of Alexandria in Egypt, who, according to Eusebius, in the eighth year of the reign of Nero, was the first after Saint Mark to take up the bishopric of this city, holding it for twenty-two years, a man accepted by God and marvelous in every way.

 

3.  At Dorostorum in Moesia, Saints Paschyratus and Valentian, martyrs, who, confessing Christ as the one true God, boldly offered their necks to the sword.

 

4.  At Aginnum in Aquitaine, Saint Phoebadius, bishop, who published a book against the Arians and protected his people from heresy.

 

5.  At Antioch in Syria, Saint Stephen, bishop and martyr, who suffered much at the hands of the heretics who were attacking the Council of Chalcedon, and, during the reign of Emperor Zeno, was thrown into the Orontes River, where he met his death.

 

6.  At Vienne in Burgundy, Saint Clarentius, bishop.

 

7.  At Laubium in Brabant in Austrasia, Saint Ermin, abbot and bishop, who succeeded Saint Ursmer, devoted especially to prayer and adorned with the spirit of prophecy.

 

8.  In the district of Placentia in Emilia, Saint Frances, abbess, who wished to be associated with the Cistercian Order and strove to spend the night in prayer before God.

 

9.  At Augusta Praetoria in the Graian Alps, blessed Boniface Valperga, bishop, distinguished by charity and humility.

 

10.  At the Isle of Wight in England, blessed Robert Anderton and William Marsden, priests and martyrs, who, condemned to death under the persecution of Queen Elizabeth I, for having entered England as priests, albeit only through shipwreck, and with a firm and serene mind, suffered martyrdom.

 

11.  Near Antigua, close to Guatimalópolis in Central America, Saint Peter of Betancur, religious of the Third Order of Saint Francis, who, under the patronage of Our Lady of Bethlehem, devoted himself vigorously to the relief of orphans, the poor, the sick, uneducated youths and the abandoned, pilgrims, and men condemned to labor.

 

12.  In the village of Remedello in the district of Brescia in Italy, blessed John Piamarta, priest, who, amid great hardships, established the Institute of the Little Artisans of Brescia and, in nearby colonies of farmers, promoted the religious education of youths, joined with the craft discipline, and for this work, also founded the Congregation of the Holy Family of Nazareth.

 

 

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April 26^th
 

This Day, the Twenty-sixth Day of April

1.  At Rome, the commemoration of Saint Cletus, pope, who, second after the Apostle Peter, ruled the Roman Church.

 

2.  In the district of Gabii, on the Praenestine Way at the thirtieth milestone from the City, Saint Primitivus, martyr.

 

3.  At Amasia in Pontus, Saint Basileus, bishop and martyr under the emperor Licinius.

 

4.  In the wilderness of the forest of Crécy in the district of Amiens in Neustria, Saint Richarius, priest, who, moved by the preaching of Irish monks, was converted to penance.

 

5.  In the monastery of Corbie, also in Neustria, Saint Paschasius Radbert, abbot, who clearly and lucidly set forth the truth of the Body and Blood of the Lord in the mystery of the Eucharist.

 

6.  At Foggia in Apulia, Saints William and Peregrinus, hermits.

 

7.  In Aragon, blessed Dominic and Gregory, priests of the Order of Preachers, who, traveling together without gold or silver, begging daily for their sustenance, announced the word of God to all.

 

8.  In the Monastery of the Transfiguration at Moscow in Russia, the deposition of Saint Stephen, bishop of Perm, who evangelized the indigenous Zyryans, discovering new forms of letters for the desired writings, celebrating the liturgy in their native language, destroying idols, building temples, and greatly strengthening the truths of the faith.

 

9.  In the monastery of Saint Isidore of Dueñas in Spain, blessed Raphael Arnáiz Barón, religious of the Cistercian Order, who, though a novice afflicted with a serious illness, bore his frail health with steadfast patience, always trusting in God.

 

10.  In the village of Montjuic near Gerona, likewise in Spain, blessed Julius Junyer Padern, priest of the Salesian Society and martyr, who, while persecution raged against the faith, merited to attain the glory of eternal life through martyrdom.

 

11.  In the detention camp of Sachsenhausen in Germany, blessed Stanislaus Kubista, priest of the Society of the Divine Word and martyr, who, while Poland was subjected to a cruel military regime hostile to God during the war, rendered up his soul in this prison, exhausted by tortures. With him is commemorated blessed Ladislaus Goral, auxiliary bishop of Lublin, who in the same place and in the same storm of fury against men and faith, vigorously defended human and ecclesial dignity and, on an unknown day, afflicted by illness, died in chains.

 

 

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April 27^th
 

This Day, the Twenty-seventh Day of April

1.  At Jerusalem, the commemoration of Saint Simeon, bishop and martyr, who, as it is handed down, was the son of Cleophas and a relative of the Savior according to the flesh, and, having been ordained bishop at Jerusalem after James the brother of the Lord, was afflicted with many tortures in the persecution of the emperor Trajan and, an old man, was crowned with martyrdom by the cross.

 

2.  At Cibalis in Pannonia, Saint Pollio, lector and martyr, who, having been arrested in the persecution of the emperor Diocletian and questioned by the prefect Probus, since he had most steadfastly confessed Christ and had refused to sacrifice to idols, was ordered to be burned outside the city walls.

 

3.  At Tabennesis in the Thebaid of Egypt, Saint Theodore, abbot, who was a disciple of Saint Pachomius and the father of the “Congregation” of monasteries.

 

4.  At Altino in Venetia, Saint Liberalis, hermit.

 

5.  On the island of Mona, facing the northern coast of Wales, Saint Mauganius, or Magaldus, bishop, endowed with golden holiness.

 

6.  On the island of Afusia in the Propontis, Saint John, hegumen, who fought greatly under the emperor Leo the Armenian for the veneration of sacred Images.

 

7.  At Lucca in Etruria, Saint Zita, virgin, who, born of humble origin, at the age of twelve was assigned to the domestic service of the Fatinelli family, in whose service she persevered with wonderful patience even unto death.

 

8.  At Tarragona in the kingdom of Aragon on the coast of Spain, Saint Peter Armengol, who, once a leader of bandits, having been converted to God, entered the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy, and dedicated his life greatly to the redemption of captives in Africa.

 

9.  At Bitetto in Apulia, blessed James of Zadar Varinguer, religious of the Order of Friars Minor.

 

10.  At Cathari in Montenegro, blessed Catherine, virgin, who, baptized in the Orthodox Church, having entered the Order of Penance of Saint Dominic, received the name Hosanna and lived for fifty-one years as a recluse in divine contemplation, and, when the Turks attacked, was a pious intercessor for the Christian people.

 

11.  At Reims in France, blessed Nicholas Roland, priest, who, concerned for the Christian education of children, founded schools for poor girls, at that time excluded from all instruction, and established the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus.

 

12.  In the city of Ninh-Bình in Tonkin, Saint Lawrence Nguyễn Van Hương, priest and martyr, who, visiting a dying man by night, was captured and, since he refused to trample the cross, was scourged and finally beheaded under the emperor Tự Đức.

 

13.  At Salamanca in Spain, blessed Maria Antonia Bandrés y Elósegui, virgin, of the Congregation of the Daughters of Jesus, who brought to completion a life dedicated to God with equanimity in desolation, and in a short span of time.

 

 

 

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April 28^th
 

This Day, the Twenty-eighth Day of April

Saint Peter Chanel, priest of the Society of Mary and martyr, who devoted his ministry to caring for the souls of rural people and educating boys, and then, having been sent with a few companions to evangelize western Oceania, arrived at the island of Futuna, where a Christian people had not yet been established. Hindered by many difficulties, but showing himself with exceptional gentleness, he converted some to the faith, among whom was the son of the very king by whose furious order he was killed — the first martyr of Oceania.

Saint Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort, priest, who traveled through regions of western France preaching the mystery of eternal wisdom, founded congregations, preached and wrote about the cross of Christ and true devotion to the Virgin Mary, and led many to repentance; finally, at the village of Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre in France, he ended his earthly pilgrimage.

 

3.  At Béziers in Narbonese France, Saint Aphrodisius, who is venerated as the first bishop of this city.

 

4.  At Nicomedia, the holy martyrs Eusebius, Charalampius, and companions.

 

5.  At Ravenna in Flaminia, the commemoration of Saint Vitalis, on the day on which, as is handed down, the very famous basilica in that city was dedicated to God under his name. He himself, together with the holy martyrs Valeria, Gervasius, Protasius, and Ursicinus, is venerated from time immemorial for his fearless and steadfast defense of the faith.

 

6.  At Durostorum in Moesia, the holy martyrs Maximus, Dada, and Quintilian, in the persecution of the emperor Diocletian.

 

7.  At Tarazona in Tarraconensian Spain, Saint Prudentius, bishop.

 

8.  At Sulmona in Abruzzo, the deposition of Saint Pamphilus, bishop of Corfinio.

 

9.  Near Poggio Bonizio in Etruria, blessed Lucchesius, who, at first motivated by gain, was later converted and, clothed in the habit of the Third Order of Penitents of Saint Francis, sold his possessions and distributed them to the poor, serving God and neighbor in evangelical spirit through poverty and humility.

 

10.  At the village of Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre in France, blessed Marie-Louise of Jesus Trichet, virgin, who was the first member to wear the religious habit of the Congregation of the Daughters of Wisdom, which she wisely governed.

 

11.  In the city of Ninh-Bình in Tonkin, the holy martyrs Paul Phạm Khắc Khoan, priest, John the Baptist Đinh Văn Thanh and Peter Nguyễn Văn Hiếu, catechists, who were thrown into prison and tortured for three years in order to make them renounce the Christian faith, and finally, under the emperor Minh Mạng, met martyrdom by beheading.

 

12.  In the detention camp of the village of Mauthausen in Austria, blessed Joseph Cebula, priest of the Congregation of the Missionary Oblates of the Immaculate Virgin and martyr, who, Polish by nationality, having been taken from his homeland into prison in hatred of the faith, endured cruel torments even unto death.

 

13.  At Maxentia near Milan in Italy, Saint Gianna Beretta Molla, mother of a family, who, carrying her child in her womb, lovingly preferred the life of the one to be born over her own, and died.

 

 

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April 29^th
 

This Day, the Twenty-ninth Day of April

Memorial of Saint Catherine of Siena, virgin and Doctor of the Church, who, among the Sisters of the Penance of Saint Dominic, strove to know God in herself and herself in God, and to become conformed to Christ Crucified; she fought strongly and unceasingly for the pursuit of peace, for bringing the Roman Pontiff back to the City, and for restoring the unity of the Church, and she left behind outstanding writings of the highest spiritual doctrine.

 

2.  The commemoration of Saint Tychicus, disciple of the blessed Apostle Paul, whom the Apostle in his epistles calls a most dear brother, faithful minister, and fellow servant in the Lord.

 

3.  At Pisa in Etruria, Saint Torpes, martyr.

 

4. At Naples in Campania, Saint Severus, bishop, whom Saint Ambrose loved as a brother and whom his own Church cherished as a father.

 

5. At Cluny in Burgundy, Saint Hugh, abbot, who governed the monastery of that place in holiness for sixty-one years, always devoted to almsgiving and prayer, a most zealous guardian and promoter of monastic discipline, and a fervent caretaker and propagator of the holy Church.

 

6.  At Lucerne in Normandy, Saint Achard, bishop of Avranches, who, once abbot of Saint Victor in Paris, wrote many treatises on the spiritual life, by which the Christian soul might be led to the height of perfection, and he died and was buried in the abbey of the Premonstratensian Order, which he often visited.

 

7.  At Seoul in Korea, Saint Anthony Kim Sŏng-u, martyr, who was accustomed to gather many of the faithful in his home and was at last strangled in prison for Christ.

 

 

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April 30^th
 

This Day, the Thirtieth Day of April

Saint Pius V, pope, who, raised from the Order of Preachers to the chair of Peter, according to the decrees of the Council of Trent, restored with great piety and apostolic vigor divine worship, Christian doctrine, and ecclesiastical discipline, and promoted the propagation of the faith. On the first day of May he fell asleep in the Lord at Rome.

 

2.  At Fermo in Piceno of Italy, Saint Sophia, virgin and martyr.

 

3.  Likewise at Rome, in the cemetery of Pretextatus on the Appian Way, Saint Quirinus, martyr, who, a tribune, crowned his confession of faith with martyrdom.

 

4.  At Saintes in Aquitaine, Saint Eutropius, the first bishop of this city, who is said to have been sent into France by the Roman Pontiff.

 

5.  At Aphrodisias in Caria, the holy martyrs Diodorus and Rhodopianus, who were stoned by their fellow citizens in the persecution of the emperor Diocletian.

 

6.  At Eucea in Epirus, Saint Donatus, bishop, who shone with remarkable holiness in the time of the emperor Theodosius.

 

7.  At Novara in Liguria, Saint Lawrence, priest and martyr, who built a sacred fountain, in which he baptized the little ones whom he had taken in to be instructed; but one day, after he had brought a great multitude of children to God through the washing of life, he was crowned with martyrdom by the impious, together with the baptized children.

 

8.  At Forlì in Emilia, Saint Mercurialis, bishop, who is believed to have established the episcopal see in this city.

 

9.  At Naples in Campania, Saint Pomponius, bishop, who built a church in the city in the name of Mary, Mother of God, and under the occupation of the Goths defended the people entrusted to him from the Arian heresy.

 

10.  At Rome, blessed Peter the Levite, who, a monk on the Caelian Hill, at the command of Saint Gregory the Great, wisely managed the patrimony of the Roman Church, and, having been ordained deacon, faithfully served the pontiff.

 

11.  At Viviers on the Rhône in Neustria, Saint Augulus, bishop, who is believed to have founded the first hospital in the city and to have freed many slaves.

 

12.  At Barking in England, the passing of Saint Earconwald, bishop, who founded two monasteries, one for men, which he himself governed, and another for women, which his sister, Saint Ethelburga, ruled.

 

13.  At Córdoba in the province of Vandalicia in Spain, the holy martyrs Amator, priest, Peter, monk, and Louis, who, during the raging persecution of the Moors, because they did not cease to preach the Gospel of Christ openly, were savagely put to death.

 

14.  At Verona in Venetia, Saint Walfard, who, a saddler by trade and a native of Germany, after many years in solitude, was received by the monks of Saint Salvator in that city.

 

15.  At Vernon on the Seine in France, Saint Adjutor, who, having been captured in war, was tortured for the faith, and, having returned to his homeland, lived a penitential life in a cell as a recluse.

 

16.  At Newcastle-upon-Tyne in England, blessed William Southerne, priest and martyr, who, after completing his studies in Lithuania, Spain, and Douai, was ordained a priest and went to England, for which reason, under King James I, he was handed over to the cruel punishment of hanging.

 

17.  At Fossombrone in Piceno of Italy, blessed Benedict of Urbino, priest of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, who was a companion of Saint Lawrence of Brindisi in preaching among the Hussites and Lutherans.

 

18.  In the province of Quebec in Canada, blessed Marie of the Incarnation Guyart Martin, who, a mother of a family, after the death of her husband entrusted her young son to the care of her sister and, having professed the Ursuline religious life, established their house in Canada, accomplishing many outstanding works.

 

19.  At Chieri near Turin in the Piedmont, Saint Joseph Benedict Cottolengo, priest, who, trusting only in the help of divine Providence, opened a house in which he strove to receive the poor, the sick of every kind, and the abandoned.

 

20.  In the village of An Bái in Tonkin, Saint Joseph Tuấn, priest of the Order of Preachers and martyr, who, having been arrested through betrayal because he had administered the sacraments to his ailing mother, was condemned to death by beheading under the emperor Tự Đức.

 

21.  At Paderborn in Germany, blessed Pauline von Mallinckrodt, virgin, foundress of the Sisters of Christian Charity, who was committed to educating poor and blind children and to bringing aid to the sick and poor.

 

_______________

1. The names of whom are: Saints Carissa, Galina, Theodora, Nica, Nunecia, Callis, Basilissa.

2.  The names of the seventeen martyrs with Optatus: Saints Lupercus, Successus, Martialis, Urbanus, Julia, Quintilianus, Publius, Fronto, Felix, Crecilianus, Evodius, Primitivus, Apodemius, and four others who are reported to have been called by the name Saturninus.)

3. The names of whom are: blessed Renata Bourgeais, Joanna Gourdon, Maria Gingueneau, Francesca Michoneau, Joanna Onillon, Renata Sechet, Maria Roger, Francesca Suhard, Joanna Thomas, widow; Magdalena Cady, Maria Piou, Petronilla Renata Pottier, Renata Rigault, Joanna Maria Leduc, Magdalena Salle, wives; Maria Genevieve and Martha Poulain de la Forestrie, Petronilla Bourigault, Maria Forestier, Maria Lardeux, Petronilla Laurent, Anna Maugrain, Margarita Robin, Maria Rochard.)

 

 

A Primer for

Catholic Symbolism

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Some
Questions and
Answers

Authentic Catholic
Teaching

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Archbishop Carlo
Maria Viganò

Defending the Immutable Tradition of the Catholic Faith

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