Lives Of The Saints

St. Agapitus of Palesitrina, Youthful Martyr. Today, in the year 274 AD, St. Agapitus merited the glory of martyrdom. He was just fifteen years old, but refused to reject his faith. As a member of the nobility from the Anicia family of Palestrina (just outside Rome), his "defiance" of the edict to worship pagan gods was seen as too great a public challenge to ignore. The emperor Aurelian (270-275) ordered the prefect Antiochus to force him to submit or suffer the death penalty. Young Agapitus was chained in a dungeon and suffered cruel torments, including being burned with live coals. Despite [...]

St. Tarcisius, Acolyte and Martyr (3rd Century) St. Tarcisius gave his life in defense of our Lord in the Blessed Eucharist. He and Blessed Imelda Lambertini are two of the great patron saints for First Communicants. CATACOMBS AND PERSECUTIONS In the middle of the third century, a fierce persecution broke out against the Christians of Rome. These Christians had long lived under the imminent threat of death for their belief, and their faith had been tested and purified like gold in fire. Yet the persecution of Emperor Valerian (253-259) was perhaps the most intense since the days of the maniacal Nero. [...]

St. Lawrence (+258), deacon and martyr, is one of the greatest martyrs in the history of the Church. After Sts. Peter and Paul, St. Lawrence is the third great patron saint of the city of Rome. He was Archdeacon of Rome under Pope St. Sixtus II and was martyred three days after the pope. St. Sixtus and St. Lawrence are both among the privileged saints who are honored every single day at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in the Roman Canon; their names coming soon after those of the Apostles themselves. [column size="2-3" last="0"]A YOUNG ARCHDEACON St Lawrence was born [...]

St. Jean-Marie Vianney (1786 - 1859) is the patron saint of parish priests and one of the world's greatest confessors. [Note: Prior to the changes brought about in the 1962 Roman Missal, St. Jean-Marie Vianney's feast day was August 9th. August 8th was dedicated to the Fourteen Holy Helpers. Sadly, they and many other wondrous saints were taken out of the 1962 calendar, such as St. Philomena, St. Margaret of Antioch, the Apparition of St. Michael and Mount Gragano, and St. Christopher.] A CHALLENGING YOUTH Jean-Marie was born in Dardilly (near Lyons) France on 8 May 1786 during difficult times. The [...]

Our Lady of Snows and the dedication of the Basilica Mary Major in Rome (358 AD) THE MIRACLE AND BUILDING OF THE BASILICA Under the Pontificate of Liberius (352-366), there lived in Rome a wealthy nobleman named John. He and his wife, who was of an equally noble family, prayed at length for a son and heir to whom they could leave their fortune. But this never came to pass. God in His Providence had another plan. John accepted his disappointment with Christian resignation, and begged the Blessed Virgin Mary to at least designate an heir of her own choice, to [...]

St. Dominic Guzmán (1170 - 1221) founded the mendicant Order of Preachers (Dominicans), received the Rosary through a miraculous visit from the Blessed Virgin, defeated the Albigensians, and helped reform and reinvigorate the Church. GOD'S PROVIDENCE Dominic was born at Calaruega, in Spain of the noble family of the Guzmans. His mother, Blessed Joan of Aza, already had two grown up sons when she begged Our Lord to send her another son. While Bl. Joan was pregnant with Dominic, she received a vision that she was carrying in her womb a little dog holding a torch in his mouth, with which, [...]

St. Alphonsus Liguori (27 Sep 1696 - 1 Aug 1797) was a Bishop, the founder of the Redemptorists, a Church Doctor, the Moral Theologian par excellence of the Church, and a great devote of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He is a patron saint of confessors. BIRTH AND VOCATION St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori was born of a noble family at Naples, and from his early youth gave clear proofs of sanctity. While he was still a child, his parents once presented him to St. Francis Giralomo of the Society of Jesus. The Saint blessed him, and prophesied that he would reach his [...]

St. Pantaleon, a physician and martyr, and one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. Note: We are in the only period of the year when over the course of eight days we celebrate the Feasts of three of the Fourteen Holy Helpers: St. Margaret, Virgin and Martyr, on July 20th, St. Christopher, Martyr, on July 25th, and today, July 27th, St. Pantaleon, Physician and Martyr. BAPTISM AND CONVERSION Pantaleon lived in the third century, and was of a noble family of Nicomedia. He was the son of a pagan but was raised as a Christian by his mother. He became a famous [...]

St. Christopher, Martyr and Holy Helper (+254) GIVING A GREAT WITNESS St. Christopher was born to a heathen king of Canaan, through the prayers of his wife to the Blessed Virgin. His birth name was Reprobus (in some accounts it is Offerus, Offro or Adokimus). His name, meaning 'reprobate,' aptly described him as he was a barbarous heathen dedicated at birth to Apollo. In stature and strength he was considered a 'giant' (perhaps much like Goliath of old). Hagiographies also record he had a 'fearsome face.' Now on account of his tremendous strength, he was filled with hubris. He did not [...]

St. Christina of Bolsena, Virgin and Martyr (third century) REJECTING THE LIFE OF A PAGAN PRIESTESS Saint Christina, along with St. Lucy, St. Cecilia and St. Agnes, is ranked among the great virgin martyrs honored in Rome. She was born to a noble family and her father, Urban, was a leading citizen and magistrate in Vulsunium of Tuscany. He was deeply enmeshed in Etruscan paganism and owned a number of idols which he had decorated with silver, gold, and precious stones. It seems this city was a center of their pagan worship, for in the edicts of Constantine the Great, it [...]