Roman Martyrology 2004

Saint Clare of Assisi, virgin, founder of the Second Order Franciscans

Memorial of Saint Clare of Assisi, virgin, who, the first shoot of the Poor Ladies of the Order of Minors, followed Saint Francis, leading a harsh life at Assisi in Umbria, but rich in works of charity and piety; distinguished for her poverty, she never allowed herself to be separated from it, not even in her extreme indigence and infirmity.

Saint Alexander, bishop of Comana Pontica, martyr

At Gumenek in Pontus, in present-day Türkiye, Saint Alexander, known as the charcoal burner, bishop, who, having achieved a particular awareness of Christian humility through philosophy, was then elevated by Saint Gregory the Wonderworker to the seat of this Church, where he shone not only in preaching, but also in having suffered martyrdom in the flames.

Saint Tiburzio, martyr at Rome

At Rome at the third mile of Via Labicana in the cemetery at Duas Lauros, Saint Tiburzio, whose praises were celebrated by Pope Saint Damasus.

Saint Susanna, martyr at Rome

At the same place, commemoration of Saint Susanna, under whose name, celebrated among the martyrs in ancient glories, a basilica under the title of Caius was dedicated to God in the sixth century at the Baths of Diocletian.

Saint Rufino, first bishop of Assisi and martyr

At Assisi in Umbria, Saint Rufino, who is considered the first bishop of this city and martyr.

Saint Cassiano, bishop of Benevento

At Benevento, Saint Cassiano, bishop.

Saint Taurin, first bishop of Évreux

At Évreux in France, Saint Taurin, venerated as the first bishop of this city.

Saint Athracht, abbess

In Ireland, Saint Athracht, abbess, who is said to have received the veil of virgins from Saint Patrick.

Saint Equizio, abbot

In the territory of present-day Umbria, Saint Equizio, abbot, who, as Pope Saint Gregory the Great writes, for his holiness was the father of many monasteries and, wherever he went, opened up the source of the Holy Scriptures.

Saint Géry, bishop of Cambrai

At Cambrai in Austrasia, in the territory of present-day France, Saint Géry, bishop, who, distinguished for piety and love for the poor, was ordained a deacon by Magneric of Trier and, later elected to the see of Cambrai, exercised the episcopate for thirty-nine years.

Saint Rusticule, abbess

At Arles in Provence in France, Saint Rusticule, abbess, who in holiness guided the nuns for about sixty years.

Blesseds John Sandys, Stephen Rowsham and William Lampley, martyrs of England

At Gloucester in England, blessed martyrs John Sandys and Stephen Rowsham, priests, and William Lampley, tailor, who, though unknown on different days, underwent the same tortures for Christ under Queen Elizabeth I.

Blessed Thomas Rehm, Dominican priest and martyr of France

At anchor off Rochefort on the French coast, Blessed Thomas Rehm, priest of the Order of Preachers and martyr, who, delivered during persecution to sordid imprisonment, invited his atrociously tried fellow prisoners to hope, until he himself died for Christ, worn down by an incurable disease.

Blesseds Rafael Alonso Gutiérrez and Carlos Díaz Gandía, martyrs of Spain

At the village of Agullent in the territory of Valencia in Spain, Blessed Rafael Alonso Gutiérrez, martyr, who, as father of family, shed his blood for Christ during the persecution against the faith. The blessed martyr Carlos Díaz Gandía is also commemorated with him, who on this day in the same territory, fighting for the faith, achieved eternal life.

Blessed Miguel Domingo Cendra, Salesian religious and martyr of Spain

At the village of Prat de Compte near Tarragona also in Spain, Blessed Miguel Domingo Cendra, religious of the Salesian Society and martyr, who in the same persecution deserved the palm of glory with martyrdom.

Blessed Maurice Tornay, priest and martyr of China

In the region of Tibet, Blessed Maurice Tornay, priest and martyr, who, as canon regular of the Congregation of Saints Nicholas and Saint Bernard of Mont-Joux, proclaimed the Gospel with commitment in China and in Tibet and was killed by the enemies of Christ.

Saint Jane Frances de Chantal, widow, founder of the Order of the Visitation of Saint Mary

Saint Jane Frances de Chantal, religious: from her Christian marriage she had six children, whom she educated to piety; she remained a widow, under the guidance of Saint Francis de Sales she walked briskly along the path of perfection, dedicating herself to works of charity especially towards the poor and the sick; she initiated the Order of the Visitation of Saint Mary, which she too wisely directed. Her transitus at Moulins on the banks of the Allier near Nevers in France occurs on December 13.

Saint Euplio, martyr

At Catania, Saint Euplio, martyr: according to tradition, during the persecution of Emperor Diocletian, he was thrown into prison by the governor Calvisia because he was found with the book of the Gospels in his hands; questioned several times, he was beaten to death for having replied that he boastfully kept the Gospel in his heart.

Saints Anicetus and Photinus, martyrs

At Nicomedia, in present-day Türkiye, Saints Anicetus and Photinus, martyrs.

Saint Muredach, bishop of Killala

At Killala in Ireland, Saint Muredach, bishop.

Saint Lelia, virgin

Also in Ireland, in a cell that bears her name, Saint Lelia, virgin.

Saint Ercolano, bishop of Brescia

At Brescia, Saint Ercolano, bishop.

Saints Porcaire, abbot, and numerous monks of Lérins, martyrs

On the island of Lérins in Provence in France, holy martyrs Porcaire, abbot, and many other monks, who are said to have been killed by the Saracens.

Blessed Charles Meehan (Mahoney), Franciscan priest and martyr of Wales

At Ruthin in North Wales, Blessed Charles Meehan (Mahoney), priest of the Order of Friars Minor and martyr, who, of Irish origin, was arrested while travelling through this region to his homeland and, sentenced to death for having entered the domains of King Charles II, obtained the palm of martyrdom by being hanged and disembowelled.

Blessed Innocent XI, pope

At Rome, Blessed Innocent XI, pope, who ruled the Church wisely, although tried by great pains and tribulations.

Blessed Pierre Jarrige de la Morelie de Puyredon, priest and martyr of France

On a sordid prison ship off the coast of Rochefort in France, Blessed Pierre Jarrige de la Morelie de Puyredon, priest, who died for Christ during the persecution against the Church, long exposed to the scorching violence of the sun.

Saints Giacôbê Ðỗ Mai Năm, priest, Antôn Nguyện Ðích and Micae Nguyễn Huy Mỹ, martyrs of Vietnam

At the city of Nam Dinh in Tonkin, now Vietnam, holy martyrs Giacôbê Ðỗ Mai Năm, priest, Antôn Nguyện Ðích, farmer, and Micae Nguyễn Huy Mỹ, doctor, beheaded for Christ after atrocious tortures under Emperor Minh Mang.

Blessed Victoria Díez y Bustos de Molina, virgin and martyr of Spain

At the town of Hornachuelos near Cordoba in Spain, Blessed Victoria Díez y Bustos de Molina, virgin and martyr, who, as a teacher in the Teresian Institute, at the outbreak of hostilities against the Church, confessed her Christian faith and suffered martyrdom, while exhorting others to do the same.

Blessed Atilano Dionisio Argüeso González, Hospitaller religious, martyr of Spain

At Valmoran near Madrid also in Spain, Blessed Atilano Dionisio Argüeso González, religious of the Order of Saint John of God and martyr, who was killed in hatred of the faith in the same persecution.

Blessed Sebastián Calvo Martínez and 5 companions, Claretian religious, martyrs of Spain

At Barbastro near Huesca in Aragon in Spain, Blesseds Sebastián Calvo Martínez, priest and five companions, martyrs, who, as religious of the Congregation of the Missionaries of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, also in the same persecution carried out the glorious battle.

Blessed Antonio Perulles Estivil, Diocesan Labourer priest, martyr of Spain

At Tarragona also in Spain, Blessed Antonio Perulles Estivil, priest of the Society of Diocesan Worker Priests and martyr, who still suffered his martyrdom on the road in the same persecution.

Blesseds Florian Stępniak, Capuchin priest, and Józef Straszewski, priest, martyrs at Dachau

At Dachau near Munich in Germany, Blesseds Florian Stępniak, of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, and Józef Straszewski, priests and martyrs, who, at the time of the invasion of Poland during the war, died in a prison camp in a gas chamber.

Blessed Karl Leisner, priest and martyr of Germany

At Planegg near Munich, Blessed Karl Leisner, priest and martyr, who, while still a deacon, was deported to a prison for his public profession of faith and the assiduous service rendered to souls and, ordained a priest in the prison camp of Dachau, returned to freedom, died from the tortures suffered during his detention.

Saint Pontian, pope, and Hippolytus, martyrs

The holy martyrs Pontian, pope, and Hippolytus, priest, who were deported together to Sardinia, where they both served a common sentence and were surrounded, as it seems, by a single crown. Finally, their bodies were buried at Rome, the first in the cemetery of Callixtus, the second in the cemetery on Via Tiburtina.

Saint Cassiano, martyr of Romania

At Imola in Romagna, Saint Cassiano, martyr, who, for refusing to adore idols, was handed over to the boys of whom he had been a teacher, to be tortured to death with quills: in this way, the weaker the hand, the more painful became the penalty of martyrdom.

Saint Antioche, bishop of Lyons

At Lyons in France, Saint Antioche, bishop, who, while still a priest, undertook a long journey to visit Saint Justus, his bishop, who was then living in a hermitage in Egypt.

Saint Radegonde, queen of the Franks

At Poitiers in Aquitaine, France, Saint Radegonde, who, as Queen of the Franks, took the sacred veil while her husband King Chlothar was still alive and lived in the monastery of the Holy Cross in Poitiers which she herself built under the rule of Saint Caesarius of Arles.

Saint Maximus, abbot

In the fortress of Schemaris near the bank of the Tzkhenis Dsqali river in the Caucasus mountains, transitus of Saint Maximus, abbot of Chrysopolis near Constantinople: distinguished for doctrine and zeal for Catholic truth, who, for having strenuously fought against the Monothelite heresy, suffered the amputation of his right hand by the heretic emperor Constans; together with two disciples, both named Anastasius, he was then relegated, after a harsh prison and numerous tortures, to the region of Lesghistan, where he gave up his spirit to God.

Saint Wigbert, priest and abbot

At Fritzlar in Hesse, now in Germany, Saint Wigbert, priest and abbot, to whom Saint Boniface entrusted the care of the local monastery.

Blessed Gertrud, Premonstratensian abbess

In the monastery of Altenburg near Vetzlar also in Germany, Blessed Gertrud, abbess of the Premonstratensian Order, who, while still a child, was offered to God in this place by her mother Saint Elizabeth, Queen of Hungary.

Blesseds Patrick O’Healy, bishop of Mayo, and Conn O’Rourke, priest, Franciscans, martyrs of Ireland

At Kilmallok in Ireland, Blesseds Patrick O’Healy, bishop of Mayo, and Conn O’Rourke, priest, both of the Order of Friars Minor, sentenced to death and led to the gallows for not having kept their priesthood hidden.

Blessed William Freeman, priest and martyr of England

At Warwick in England, Blessed William Freeman, priest and martyr, who, sentenced to death under Queen Elizabeth I for the mere fact of being a priest, arrived before the gallows and began to sing the Te Deum, thus facing the torture of martyrdom with a firm mind.

Saint John Berchmans, Jesuit religious

At Rome, Saint John Berchmans Berchmans, religious of the Society of Jesus, who, loved by all for his sincere piety, sincere charity and unceasing joy, after a brief illness met his death peacefully.

Blessed Marco d’Aviano Cristofori, Capuchin priest

At Vienna in Austria, Blessed Marco d’Aviano Cristofori, priest of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, who, as a wise preacher of the word of God, worked admirably in every place for the poor and the sick, urging above all the powerful of the world to put faith and peace before any other enterprise or interest.

Blessed Pierre Gabilhaud, priest and martyr of France

In the arm of the sea in front of Rochefort in France, Blessed Pierre Gabilhaud, priest and martyr, who, detained on a prison ship during the French revolution for his priesthood, died consumed by starvation and illness.

Saint Bénilde Romançon Lasalian religious

At the town of Saugues near Puy-en-Vélay also in France, Saint Bénilde Romançon, of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, who spent his life dedicated to the formation of youth.

Blessed Secundino María Ortega García and 19 companions, Claretian religious, martyrs of Spain

At Barbastro near Huesca in Aragon in Spain, Blesseds Secundino María Ortega García, priest, and nineteen companions, martyrs, who, as religious of the Congregation of the Missionaries of the Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, were killed in hatred of the faith during the persecution against the Church.

Blessed Juan Agramunt Riera, Piarist priest, martyr of Spain

At the town of Almazora near Castellón de la Plana on the Spanish coast, Blessed Juan Agramunt Riera, priest of the Order of Regular Clerics of the Pious Schools and martyr in the same persecution.

Blessed Modesto de Albocácer García Martí, Capuchin priest and martyr of Spain

Near the village of Albocásser in the same region in Spain, Blessed Modesto de Albocácer García Martí, priest of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin and martyr, who crowned the evangelical precept with martyrdom during the persecution against the faith.

Blessed José Bonet Nadal, Salesian priest and martyr at Barcelona

At Barcelona also in Spain, Blessed José Bonet Nadal, priest of the Salesian Society and martyr, who also ended his struggle for the faith in the same persecution.

Blessed Jakob Gapp, Marianist priest, martyr of Germany

At Berlin at Plötzensee in Germany, Blessed Jakob Gapp, priest of the Society of Mary and martyr, who with firmness of mind proclaimed that the impious decisions of a regime which was hostile to human and Christian dignity could in no way accord with Christian doctrine; for this, he was persecuted and sentenced to exile in France and Spain and, arrested by enemy agents, was finally beheaded.

Saint Maximilian Kolbe, Conventual Franciscan priest, martyr at Auschwitz

Memorial of Saint Maximilian Kolbe, priest of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual and martyr, founder of the Militia of the Immaculata, who was deported to various places of imprisonment, and finally at the extermination camp of Auschwitz near Krakow in Poland, handed himself over to the executioners in place of a fellow prisoner, offering his ministry as a holocaust of charity and a model of fidelity to God and to men.

Saint Ursicino, martyr at Illyricum

In Illyricum, in present-day Croatia, Saint Ursicino, martyr.

Saint Marcellus, bishop of Apamea of Syria, martyr

At Apamea in Syria, Saint Marcellus, bishop and martyr, killed by the fury of the pagans for having demolished a temple dedicated to Jupiter.

Saint Eusebio, priest of Rome

At Rome, Saint Eusebio, founder of the basilica of his title on the Esquiline hill.

Saint Fachtna, bishop of Ross and abbot

At Ross in Ireland, Saint Fachtna, bishop and abbot, who founded a monastery in this place, famous for teaching the sacred and human sciences.

Saint Arnould, bishop of Soissons

At Altenburg in Flanders, now in Germany, transitus of Saint Arnould, bishop of Soissons, who as a soldier became a monk and, later elected bishop, worked for peace and concord, finally dying in the monastery he founded himself.

Blessed Sante da Urbino Brancorsini, Franciscan religious

Near Montebaroccio in the Marches, Blessed Sante da Urbino Brancorsini, lay brother of the Order of Minor.

Blesseds Antonio Primaldo and 800 companions, martyrs at Otranto

At Otranto in Puglia, about eight hundred blessed martyrs, who, pressed by the onslaught of Ottoman soldiers to renounce their faith, were exhorted by Saint Antonio Primaldo, an elderly weaver, to persevere in Christ and thus obtained the crown of martyrdom by beheading.

Blesseds Domingo Ibáñez de Erquicia Pérez de Lete and Franciscus Shōemon, Dominican religious, martys of Japan

At Nagasaki in Japan, holy martyrs Domingo Ibáñez de Erquicia Pérez de Lete, priest of the Order of Preachers, and Franciscus Shōemon, novice in the same Order and catechist, killed in hatred of the name of Christ under the supreme commander Tokugawa Yemitsu.

Blessed Maria Elisabetta Renzi, virgin, founder of the Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows

At Coriano in Romagna, Blessed Maria Elisabetta Renzi, virgin, who, as founder of the Maestre Pie della Vergine Addolorata, worked with all her strength to ensure that poor girls received human and catechetical formation in the schools.

Blessed Vicente Rubiols Castelló, priest and martyr of Spain

At the village of Picassent in the territory of Valencia in Spain, Blessed Vicente Rubiols Castelló, priest and martyr, who testified to his faith in Christ during the persecution with martyrdom.

Blessed Félix Yuste Cava, priest and martyr of Spain

At El Saler near Valencia also in Spain, Blessed Félix Yuste Cava, priest and martyr, who for his courageous fidelity received the prize of eternal life from the Lord.

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and our Lord Jesus Christ, who, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory. This truth of faith received from the Church’s tradition was solemnly defined by Pope Pius XII.

Saint Tarsicio, martyr

At Rome in the cemetery of Callixtus on Via Appia, the commemoration of Saint Tarcisius, martyr: to defend the Holy Eucharist of Christ that an angry crowd of pagans tried to profane, he preferred to be stoned to death rather than leave the sacred species to dogs.

Saints Straton, Philip and Eutychian, martyrs

At Nicomedia in Bithynia, in present-day Türkiye, Saints Straton, Philip and Eutychian, martyrs.

Saint Simpliciano, bishop of Milan

At Milan, Saint Simpliciano, bishop, whom Saint Ambrose designated as his successor and Saint Augustine celebrated with praise.

Saint Alypius, bishop of Tagaste

Commemoration of Saint Alypius, bishop of Tagaste in Numidia, in present-day Algeria, who was first a pupil of Saint Augustine and then his companion in conversion, colleague in pastoral ministry, strenuous fellow soldier in the fight against heresy and finally a sharer in heavenly glory.

Saint Alfredo, bishop of Hildesheim

At Hildesheim in Saxony in Germany, Saint Alfredo, bishop, who built the cathedral and favoured the construction of monasteries.

Birth of Saint Stephen of Hungary, king of Hungary

At Székesfehérvár in Pannonia, in present-day Hungary, the anniversary of the death of Saint Stephen of Hungary, king of Hungary, whose memorial will be celebrated tomorrow.

Saint Hyacinth of Poland, Dominican priest

At Krakow in Poland, Saint Hyacinth of Poland, priest of the Order of Preachers, who was designated by Saint Dominic to spread the Order in that nation and together with his companions Blesseds Ceslaus and Henry the German preached the Gospel in Bohemia and Silesia.

Blessed Aimone Taparelli, Dominican priest

At Savigliano in Piedmont, Blessed Aimone Taparelli, priest of the Order of Preachers, tireless defender of the truth.

Blessed Giuliana Puricelli, Augustinian virgin

At Pallanza near Novara, Blessed Giuliana Puricelli, virgin of the Order of Saint Augustine, distinguished for her invincible fortitude, admirable patience and assiduous contemplation of celestial realities.

Saint Stanisław Kostka, Jesuit religious

At Rome, Saint Stanisław Kostka, who, of Polish origin, driven by the desire to enter the Society of Jesus, fled his father’s house and went on foot to Rome, where, admitted into the novitiate by Saint Francis Borgia, he died with a reputation for holiness, exhausted in a short time in performing the most humble services.

Blessed Isidore Bakanja, martyr of Congo

At the town of Wenga near Busira in the Belgian Congo, now the Democratic Republic of Congo, Blessed Isidore Bakanja, martyr, who, as a young man initiated into Christianity, diligently cultivated the faith and testified to it with great courage during his work; for this reason, in hatred of the Christian religion, he was subjected to continuous floggings by the director of the colonial company and died a few months later, forgiving his persecutor.

Saints Luis Batis Sáinz, priest, Manuel Morales, Salvador Lara Puente and David Roldán Lara, martyrs of Mexico

At Chalchihuites in the territory of Durango in Mexico, holy martyrs Luis Batis Sáinz, priest, Manuel Morales, father of family, Salvador Lara Puente and David Roldán Lara, killed out of hatred for the faith during the Mexican persecution.

Blesseds Luis Masferrer Vila, Claretian priest, and 19 companions, martyrs of Spain

At Barbastro near Huesca in Aragon in Spain, Blesseds Luis Masferrer Vila, priest, and nineteen companions, martyrs, who, as religious of the Congregation of the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, during the persecution against the Church, entrusted their lives to Christ and embraced in the glory of God their confreres killed the day before at the same place.

Blessed José María Peris Polo, Diocesan Labourer priest, martyr of Spain

At the village of Almazora near Castellón de la Plana on the Spanish coast, Blessed José María Peris Polo, priest of the Society of Diocesan Worker Priests and martyr, who, killed in the cemetery, obtained the palm of martyrdom in the same persecution.

Blessed María Sagrario de San Luis Gonzaga Moraga Cantarero, Discalced Carmelite virgin and martyr of Spain

At Madrid also in Spain, Blessed María Sagrario de San Luis Gonzaga Moraga Cantarero, virgin of the Order of Discalced Carmelite nuns and martyr in the same persecution.

Blessed Domingo María de Alboraya Hurtado Soler, Amigonian priest, martyr of Spain

Also at Madrid, Blessed Domingo María de Alboraya Hurtado Soler, priest of the Capuchin Tertiary of the Blessed Virgin of Sorrows and martyr, who received the crown of glory for bearing witness to Christ.

Blessed Vicente de San Luis Gonzaga Soler y Munárriz, Augustinian Recollect priest and martyr of Spain

At the village of Motril near Granada on the Spanish coast, Blessed Vicente de San Luis Gonzaga Soler y Munárriz, priest of the Order of Augustinian Recollects and martyr, who was sentenced to death in the same persecution together with other fellow prisoners whom he piously prepared for death and triumphed in Christ, shot in front of the cemetery wall.

Blessed Carmelo Sastre Sastre, priest and martyr of Spain

At the village of Palma de Gandía in the territory of Valencia also in Spain, Blessed Carmelo Sastre Sastre, priest and martyr, who in the same persecution, following in the footsteps of Christ, achieved by his grace the prize of eternal life.

Blessed Jaime Bonet Nadal, Salesian priest and martyr of Spain

At the town of Tárrega near Barcelona also in Spain, Blessed Jaime Bonet Nadal, priest of the Salesian Society and martyr, who, as a faithful disciple, merited salvation in the blood of Christ.

Blessed Claudio Granzotto, Franciscan religious

At Padua, Blessed Claudio Granzotto, religious of the Order of Friars Minor, who combined the exercise of his religious profession with his craft as a sculptor and achieved perfection in the imitation of Christ in just a few years.

Saint Stephen, king of Hungary

Saint Stephen, king of Hungary, who, having been regenerated in baptism and received the crown of the kingdom from Pope Sylvester II, worked to spread the Christian faith among the Hungarians: he reorganised the Church in his kingdom, enriched it with goods and monasteries, just and peaceful in governing his subjects, until at Székesfehérvár in Hungary his soul ascended to heaven on the day of the Assumption.

Saint Arsacius, hermit

Commemoration of Saint Arsacius, who under Emperor Licinius professed the Christian faith and, having abandoned the army, led a hermitic life in Nicomedia; finally, foretelling the imminent ruin of the city, as he prayed he gave up his spirit to God.

Saint Théodore, first bishop of Octodurus

At Sion in Valais in present-day Switzerland, Saint Théodore, first bishop of the city, who, following the example of Saint Ambrose, defended the Catholic faith against Arianism and venerated the relics of the martyrs of Agauno with full honours.

Saint Armel, hermit

In Brittany, Saint Armel, hermit.

Saint Fraimbault, monk

In the territory of Le Mans in France, Saint Fraimbault, monk, who alternated his solitary life with a cenobitic one.

Blessed Raoul de La Futaie, priest, founder of the abbey of Saint Sulpice

In the forest of Rennes in Brittany, Blessed Raoul de La Futaie, priest, founder of the monastery of Saint Sulpice.

Blessed Lorenzo Loricato, penitent

At Subiaco in Lazio, Blessed Lorenzo, known as Loricato, who, having accidentally killed a person, imposed a life of extreme austerity and penance as expiation and lived as a hermit in a mountain cave.

Saint Roch, pilgrim

In Lombardy, Saint Roch, who, originally from Montpellier in France, acquired a reputation for holiness with his pious wanderings through Italy treating plague victims.

Blessed Angiolo Agostino Mazzinghi, Carmelite priest

At Florence, Blessed Angiolo Agostino Mazzinghi, priest of the Carmelite Order.

Blessed Juan de Santa Marta, Franciscan priest and martyr of Japan

At Kyoto in Japan, Blessed Juan de Santa Marta, priest of the Order of Friars Minor and martyr, who, while being led to his execution, preached to the people and sang the psalm “Praise the Lord, all people”.

Blesseds Simon Kiyota Bokusai, Magdalena, Thomas Gengorō, Maria and Iacobus, martyrs of Japan

At Kokura also in Japan, blessed martyrs Simon Kiyota Bokusai, catechist, and Magdalena, married couple, Thomas Gengorō and Maria, also married couple, and little Iacobus, their son, who, by decree of the prefect Yetsundo, were crucified together down in hatred to the name of Christ.

Blessed Jean-Baptiste Menestrel, priest and martyr of France

On a sordid prison ship anchored off Rochefort in France, Blessed Jean-Baptiste Menestrel, priest and martyr, who, condemned for his priesthood to naval arrest during the French Revolution, completed his martyrdom consumed by rotting sores.

Saint Rosa Fan Hui, virgin and martyr of China

At the village of Fannjiazhuang near Wujiao in the Hebei province in China, Saint Rosa Fan Hui, virgin and martyr, who in the persecution unleashed by the followers of the Boxer sect, covered with wounds, was thrown into the river still alive.

Blessed Petra de San José Pérez Florido, founder of the Mothers of the Helpless and of Saint Joseph of the Mountain

At Barcelona in Spain, Blessed Petra de San José Pérez Florido, virgin, who solicitously offered assistance to lonely elderly people and founded the Congregation of the Mothers of the Abandoned.

Blessed Plácido García Gilabert, Franciscan religious and martyr of Spain

At Denia in the territory of Alicante also in Spain, Blessed Plácido García Gilabert, religious of the Order of Friars Minor and martyr, who faced the famous battle for Christ.

Blessed Enrique de Almazora García Beltrán, Capuchin deacon and martyr of Spain

At the village of Benicasim near Castellón de la Plana, also in Spain, Blessed Enrique de Almazora García Beltrán, deacon of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin and martyr, who was made a participant in Christ’s victory by martyrdom.

Blessed Gabriel María de Benifayó Sanchís Mompó, Amigonian religious, martyr of Spain

At the village of Picassent in the territory of Valencia also in Spain, Blessed Gabriel María de Benifayó Sanchís Mompó, religious of the Capuchin Third Order of the Virgin of Sorrows and martyr, who passed to the Lord killed by the enemies of the Church.

Saint Myro, priest and martyr

At Cyzicus in the Hellespont, in present-day Türkiye, Saint Myro, priest and martyr, who, as is handed down, was beheaded after many tortures under Emperor Decius and the governor Antipater.

Saint Mammes, martyr at Cesarea

At Caesarea in Cappadocia, in present-day Türkiye, Saint Mammes, martyr, who, as a very humble shepherd, lived alone in the woods of the mountains in the utmost frugality and suffered martyrdom under Emperor Aurelian for having professed his faith in Christ.

Saint Eusebius, pope

In Sicily, anniversary of the death of Saint Eusebius, pope, who, as a valiant witness of Christ, was deported by Emperor Maxentius to this island, from where, exiled from his earthly homeland, he deserved to reach his heavenly homeland; his body was transferred to Rome and placed in the cemetery of Callixtus.

Saint Jeroen van Noordwijk, priest and martyr

In Frisia, in the territory of the present-day Netherlands, Saint Jeroen, priest and martyr, who, as is handed down, was killed by some Norman pagans.

Saint Elias, monk

At Thessalonica in Macedonia, in present-day Greece, transitus of Saint Elias, a monk according to the teaching of the Eastern Fathers, who, after having suffered much for the faith on the part of the Saracens, led with great fortitude to Calabria and in Sicily a severe life of austerity and prayer.

Saint Nicolò Politi, hermit

At Arcaria near Milazzo in Sicily, Saint Nicolò Politi, hermit, who practised a life of extreme austerity in a cave.

Blessed Alberto, priest at Siena

At Colle di Val d’Elsa near Siena, Blessed Alberto, priest, who offered the people an illustrious example of virtue.

Saint Chiara della Croce, Augustinian virgin

At Montefalco in Umbria, Saint Chiara della Croce, virgin of the Order of Hermits of Saint Augustine, who ruled the monastery of the Holy Cross and was ardent with love for the passion of Christ.

Saint Beatriz da Silva y de Menezes, virgin

At Toledo in Castile in Spain, Saint Beatriz da Silva y de Menezes, virgin, who was at first a noblewoman of the royal court following Queen Isabella; subsequently, eager for a life of greater perfection, she retired for many years among the nuns of the Order of Saint Dominic, finally founding a new Order which she entitled to the Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Saints Iacobus Tomonaga Gorōbyōe, Dominican priest, and Michaël Kurōbyōe, martyrs of Japan

At Nagasaki in Japan, holy martyrs Iacobus Tomonaga Gorōbyōe, priest of the Order of Preachers, and Michaël Kurōbyōe, sentenced to death for Christ under the supreme commander Tokugawa Yemitsu.

Saint Jeanne de la Croix Delanoue, virgin, founder of the Sisters of of Saint Anne of Providence

At Saumur near Angers in France, Saint Jeanne de la Croix Delanoue, virgin, who, firmly trusting in the help of divine Providence, at first welcomed orphans, elderly, the sick and prostitutes into her home and then founded with some companions the Institute of the Sisters of Saint Anne of Providence.

Blessed Noël-Hilaire le Conte, priest, martyr of France

In the arm of the sea in front of Rochefort in France, Blessed Noël-Hilaire le Conte, martyr, who, as cleric of the cathedral of Bourges in charge of the musical office, thrown onto a prison ship during the persecution in hatred of religion, died for Christ consumed by illness.

Blessed Enrique Canadell Quintana, Piarist priest, martyr of Spain

Near the town of Castelfullit de la Roca near Gerona in Spain, Blessed Enrique Canadell Quintana, priest of the Order of Clerics Regular of the Pious Schools and martyr, killed out of hatred for the Church.

Saint Agapito, martyr at Palestrina in Lazio

At Palestrina in Latium, Saint Agapito, martyr.

Holy martyrs of Utica

At Utica in Africa, in present-day Tunisia, the holy martyrs of Massa Candida, more numerous than the fish caught in the net by the Apostles, faithful to their bishop Quadratus, who gloriously met their death, all together professing Christ the Son of God.

Saint Leo, martyr at Myra

At Myra in Lycia, in present-day Türkiye, Saint Leo, martyr.

Saint Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine

At Rome on Via Labicana, Saint Helena, mother of the emperor Constantine, who worked with singular commitment in assisting the poor; she piously entered the church mingling with the crowds and in a pilgrimage to Jerusalem in search of the places of the Nativity, Passion and Resurrection of Christ she honoured the crib and the cross of the Lord by building venerable basilicas.

Saint Firmin, bishop of Metz

At Metz in Gallia Belgica, France, Saint Firmin, bishop.

Saint Éon, bishop of Arles

At Arles in Provence in France, Saint Éon, bishop, who defended his Church from the Pelagian heresy and recommended to his people as his successor Saint Caesarius, whom he had ordained a priest.

Saint Macarius, hegumen of Constantinople

In Bithynia, in present-day Türkiye, transitus of Saint Macarius, hegumen of the monastery of Pelecete, who suffered a lot under Emperor Leo V for the defence of sacred images.

Blessed Leonardo, abbot of Cava

In the monastery of Cava de’ Tirreni in Campania, Blessed Leonardo, abbot, extraordinary man of peace.

Blessed Rinaldo da Concorezzo, bishop of Ravenna

At Ravenna, Blessed Rinaldo da Concorezzo, bishop, distinguished for prudence and charity.

Blessed Paola Montaldi, virgin and Clarisse abbess

At Mantua, Blessed Paola Montaldi, virgin, abbess of the Order of the Poor Clares, who shone with devotion to the Passion of the Lord, assiduity in prayer and austerity of life.

Blessed Antoine Bannassat, priest and martyr of France

On a prison ship anchored off Rochefort in France, Blessed Antoine Bannassat, priest and martyr, who, as parish priest, imprisoned in hatred of the faith during the French revolution, passed to the Lord worn out by hardships.

Blessed Francisco Arias Martín, priest and martyr of Spain

At Valdemoro near Madrid in Spain, Blessed Francisco Arias Martín, priest and martyr, who, as a novice in the Order of Saint John of God, in a time of persecution completed his path of perfection in a short time.

Blesseds Jaime Falgarona Vilanova and Atanasio Viadaurreta Labra, Claretian religious, martyrs of Spain

At Barbastro near Huesca in Aragon in Spain, Blesseds Jaime Falgarona Vilanova and Atanasio Viadaurreta Labra, religious of the Congregation of the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and martyrs in the same persecution.

Blessed Martín Martínez Pascual, priest and martyr of Spain

Near Alcáñiz in the territory of Tortosa in Spain, Blessed Martín Martínez Pascual, priest and martyr, who, as a member of the Society of Diocesan Worker Priests, on the same occasion and on the same day, also received the crown of glory.

Blessed Vicente María Izquierdo Alcón, priest and martyr of Spain

At the village of Rafelbunyol in the territory of Valencia in Spain, Blessed Vicente María Izquierdo Alcón, priest and martyr, also killed out of hatred for the faith.

Saint Alberto Hurtado, Jesuit priest

At Santiago in Chile, Saint Alberto Hurtado, priest of the Society of Jesus, who founded a work to give a real home to the homeless and vagabonds, especially children.

Saint John Eudes, priest, founder of the Eudists

Saint John Eudes, priest, who devoted himself for many years to preaching in parishes and then founded the Congregation of Jesus and Mary for the formation of priests in seminaries and that of the nuns of Our Lady of Charity to confirm penitent women in Christian life; he greatly increased devotion to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, until at Caen in Normandy in France he piously fell asleep in the Lord.

Saint Magno, martyr in Lazio

At Ceccano in Lazio, Saint Magno, martyr.

Saint Magín, martyr

In the territory of Tarragona in Spain, Saint Magín, martyr.

Saint Timothy, martyr at Gaza

At Gaza in Palestine, Saint Timothy, martyr, who during the persecution of Emperor Diocletian, under the governor Urbanus, having overcome many tortures, was finally burned over a low flame.

Saint Andrew, tribune, and soldier companions, martyrs in Cilicia

In Cilicia, in present-day Türkiye, Saint Andrew, tribune, and fellow soldiers, who, as is handed down, having obtained the victory over the Persians with divine help, converted to the faith of Christ and, accused of this crime, were slaughtered under Emperor Maximian in the gorges of Mount Tauro by the army of the governor Seleuco.

Saint Sixtus III, pope

At Rome on Via Tiburtina near Saint Lawrence, deposition of Saint Sixtus III, pope, who settled the disagreements between the patriarchate of Antioch and that of Alexandria, and at the city of Rome handed over the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore on the Esquiline hill to the people of God.

Saint Donat, priest and hermit

In the territory of Sisteron in France, Saint Donat, priest, who is believed to have led an anchorite life for many years.

Saint Bertulfo, abbot of Bobbio

In the monastery of Bobbio, Saint Bertulfo, abbot, successor of Saint Attala in the same cenoby.

Saint Sebaldus, hermit

At Nuremberg in Franconia in Germany, Saint Sebaldus, hermit.

Saint Bartolomeo da Simeri, priest and abbot

In Calabria, Saint Bartolomeo da Simeri, priest and abbot, who, after having practised a hermitic life, founded the monastery of the Greeks.

Blessed Guerric, abbot of Igny

In the monastery of Igny in France, Blessed Guerric, abbot, who, as a true disciple of Saint Bernard, unable to be an example for his brothers in work due to the frailty of his body, comforted them with spiritual sermons imbued with humility and charity.

Blessed Leone, abbot of Cava

In the monastery of Cava de’ Tirreni in Campania, Blessed Leone, abbot.

Saint Louis, Franciscan, bishop of Tolosa

Near Brignoles in Provence, France, transitus of Saint Louis, bishop, who, as nephew of King Saint Louis, desired evangelical poverty far more than the praises and honours of the world and, while still young in age but mature in virtue, was raised to the seat of Toulouse, but, consumed by his failing health, soon fell asleep in the peace of the Lord.

Blessed Giordano da Pisa, Dominican priest

At Piacenza, Blessed Giordano da Pisa, priest of the Order of Preachers, who explained to the people in the vernacular high concepts with great simplicity.

Blessed Angelo, Camaldolese hermit

At Acquapagana in the Marches, Blessed Angelo, hermit of the Camaldolese Order.

Blesseds Luis Flores, Pedro Manrique de Zúñiga y Velasco and 13 companions, martyrs of Japan

At Nagasaki in Japan, blessed martyrs Luis Flores, priest of the Order of Preachers, Pedro Manrique de Zúñiga y Velasco, priest of the Order of the Hermits of Saint Augustine, and thirteen fellow Japanese sailors, who landed in the port and were immediately arrested because of their faith Christian, after various tortures, all suffered a single martyrdom together.

Blessed Hugh Green (Ferdinand Brooke), priest and martyr of England

At Dorchester in England, Blessed Hugh Green (Ferdinand Brooke), priest and martyr, who, ordained at Douai, ministered thirty years in his homeland, until under King Charles I, cruelly and at length subjected to disembowelment, deserved to be associated with the passion of Christ.

Saint Ezequiel Moreno y Díaz, Augustinian Recollect, bishop of Pasto

At Monteagudo in Navarre in Spain, the anniversary of the death of Saint Ezequiel Moreno y Díaz, bishop of Pasto in Colombia, of the Order of Augustinian Recollects, who spent his whole life proclaiming the Gospel in the Philippine Islands and in South America.

Blessed Francisco de Paula Ibáñez y Ibáñez, priest and martyr of Spain

At the village of Llosa de Ranes in the Valencian territory, also in Spain, Blessed Francisco de Paula Ibáñez y Ibáñez, priest and martyr, who, during the persecution against the faith, ended his life in adherence to Christ until his death.

Blessed Tomás Sitjar Fortiá, Jesuit priest and martyr of Spain

At the city of Gandía in the same territory, Blessed Tomás Sitjar Fortiá, priest of the Society of Jesus and martyr, who shed his blood for Christ in the same persecution.

Blesseds Elvira de la Natividad de Nuestra Señora Torrentallé Paraire and 8 companions, Carmelite virgins, martyrs of Spain

At El Saler, also in the same area, Blesseds Elvira de la Natividad de Nuestra Señora Torrentallé Paraire and companions, virgins of the Institute of the Carmelite Sisters of Charity and martyrs, who fighting for faith in Christ the Spouse brought back the prize of eternal life.

Saint Bernard, abbot of Clairvaux and doctor of the Church

Memorial of Saint Bernard, abbot and doctor of the Church, who entered the new monastery of Cîteaux with thirty companions and later became founder and first abbot of the monastery of Clairvaux, and wisely guided the monks along the way with life, doctrine and example on the path of the precepts of God; he travelled through Europe to restore peace and unity and enlightened the whole Church with his writings and his ardent exhortations, until in the territory of Langres in France resting in the Lord.

Saint Samuel, prophet

Commemoration of Saint Samuel, prophet, who, called by God from an early age and later becoming judge in Israel, by the order of the Lord, anointed King Saul over his people; and after God had repudiated him for his unfaithfulness, he gave the royal anointing also to David, of whose lineage Christ would be born.

Saint Mesme, abbot of Chinon

Near Chinon in the territory of Tours in the Aquitaine region of France, Saint Mesme, disciple of Saint Martin, who, first as a monk on the Île-Barbe in Lyons, then founded a monastery on the Vienne river, in which he died by then full of days.

Saint Philibert, abbot of Noirmoutier

On the island of Noirmoutier also in Aquitaine, Saint Philibert, abbot, who, educated at the court of King Dagobert and became a monk when he was still a teenager, first founded and managed the monastery of Jumièges and then that of Noirmoutier.

Saints Leovigildo and Cristóforo, martyrs at Cordoba

At Cordoba in Andalusia, Spain, the holy martyrs Leovigildo and Cristóforo, monks, who, during the persecution of the Moors, spontaneously professed faith in Christ before the judge and were beheaded for this, obtaining the palm of martyrdom.

Saint Bernardo, abbot, founder of the Olivetan Congregation

At Siena, transitus of Saint Bernardo Tolomei, abbot, who, as founder of the Olivetan Congregation under the rule of Saint Benedict, applied himself with care to the observance of monastic discipline and, during an epidemic of plague which spread throughout Italy, died near the monks of Siena who had been affected by it.

Blesseds Louis-François Lebrun, canon regular, and Gervais-Protais Brunel, Trappist priest, martyrs of France

On a prison ship anchored off Rochefort on the French coast, Blesseds Louis-François Lebrun and Gervais-Protais Brunel, priests and martyrs, of whom the first was a monk of the Benedictine Congregation of San Maurice and the second prior of the Cistercian abbey of the Trappists: both delivered to an inhuman captivity during the French revolution, they consumed their martyrdom consumed by disease.

Saint Maria De Mattias, virgin, founder of the Adorers of the Blood of Christ

At Rome, Saint Maria De Mattias, virgin, founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Adoration of the Most Precious Blood of Christ.

Birth of Saint Pius X, pope

At Rome, the anniversary of the death of Saint Pius X, pope, whose memorial is celebrated tomorrow.

Blessed Matías Cardona Meseguer, Piarist priest, martyr of Spain

At Vallbona in the territory of Castellón de la Plana in Spain, Blessed Matías Cardona Meseguer, priest of the Order of Regular Clerics of the Pious Schools and martyr in the persecution against religion.

Blessed María Climent Mateu, virgin and martyr of Spain

At the city of Xátiva in the territory of Valencia also in Spain, Blessed María Climent Mateu, virgin and martyr, who during the same persecution for her perseverance in faith deserved to conform to Christ.

Blessed Władysław Mączkowski, priest and martyr at Dachau

In the prison camp of Dachau near Munich in Germany, Blessed Władysław Mączkowski, priest and martyr, who, of Polish origin, was deported during the war and before the persecutors of human dignity and Christianity defended his faith unto death.