Lives Of The Saints

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 [...]

ST. MARY MAGDALENE, PENITENT (1st century) "Three Saints", said our Lord to St. Bridget of Sweden, "have been more pleasing to me than all others: Mary, my mother, John the Baptist, and Mary Magdalen." The Fathers tell us that Madgalen is a type of the Gentile Church, called from the depth of sin to perfect holiness; and, indeed, better than any other, she personifies both the wandering and the love of the human race, espoused by the Incarnate Word of God. HER CONVERSION It is quite likely that St. Luke came to know Mary Magdalene and her family when he journeyed [...]

St. Margaret of Antioch defeated the devil by the power of the Cross. She is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers and is invoked to aid pregnant women. BIRTH AND BAPTISM St. Margaret was born to a pagan priest in Antioch, the largest city in the Mideast and third largest in the Roman Empire. Her mother died shortly after her birth. Her father sent her to a nurse a few leagues from the city, who happened to be a Christian. Margaret was baptized and accepted and learned the Christian Faith from her most tender age. When she returned to her father's [...]

The story of Saint Alexius appears at first to be an unusual, perhaps difficult story, but as I meditated on it and thought about it more, I’ve come to love and cherish this saint very much. In the late 4th century, Saint Alexius was born to a wealthy nobleman in Rome. On the night of his marriage, he secretly left his home and traveled to Edessa in the Syrian Orient (over 1000 miles away). There, he led the life of a very pious ascetic on the steps of Our Lady’s Church. Naturally, his wife and parents spent much effort trying to [...]

St. Felicitas and her Seven Sons were martyred under Marcus Aurelius (10 July 162). This family bears many resemblances to the mother and her seven sons of 2 Machabees 7. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND In 161 AD, when his father-in-law died, Marcus Aurelius ascended to the Imperial Roman Throne. Although he has the reputation of being a 'great' Roman Emperor (mostly on account of his military conquests and reputation as a Stoic philosopher), he was one of the worst persecutors of Christians. When truth and Catholic dogma are rejected, superstition and false philosophy take their place. This cruel monarch believed the Christians were [...]

The story of the Nineteen Holy Martyrs of Gorkum, Holland fills us with great hope and zeal for our faith. As of 1572, the heresy of Calvinism had spread throughout much of Europe. Generally, Protestantism was much more successful in the northern parts of Europe and such was the case in Holland (or the Netherlands). Ultimately the Calvinists were victorious militarily and imposed their views, at the point of the sword, upon much of the populace which remained steadfast in their Catholic Faith. On June 26, the town of Gorkum was attacked by Calvinist pirates called Wassergeuzen (sea beggars) who were [...]

St. Isabel of Portugal (1271-1336) is one of the great Catholic queens of Europe, whom the Church honors shortly after the feasts of St. Margaret of Scotland (June 10) and St. Cotilde of France (June 3). HISTORICAL CONTEXT St. Isabel (Elizabeth in English), of the royal race of Aragon, was born in Spain, in those lands which bordered the Moorish kingdom. It was a tumultuous in the history of the Iberian Peninsula. St. King Ferdinad III (1199-1252) had done much to further the Reconquista and drive the Muslims across the Strait of Gibraltar. He had served as King of Castille, León [...]

St. Bertha of Artois, Noble-Woman, Mother and Abbess, 644-725 A.D.) St. Bertha was the daughter of Count Rigobert and Ursana. Her father was the Mayor of the Palace under King Clovis II of France and her mother was the daughter of the king of Kent (England). In fact, her parents named her after St. Bertha of Kent (+ 612), who was the first Christian Queen of England and a Frankish Princess. That ancestral St. Bertha had married a pagan king, Ethelbert of Kent. Crossing the English channel, she had brought her chaplain with her to court. It was on account of [...]

St. Ulrich (893-973), Confessor and Bishop of Augsburg (Bavaria, Germany) He holds the distinction of being the first saint to be canonized. Augsburg was founded in 15 BC by Drusus and Tiberius as Augusta Vindelicorum, upon the orders of their stepfather, Emperor Augustus. The garrison grew and quickly became the capital of the Roman province of Raetia. This city was situated at the convergence of the Apline rivers Lech and Wertach and had direct access to the most important Alpine passes. Lying at the intersection of major travel routes, it naturally became a very important city. For over five hundred years [...]

St. Irenaeus of Lyon is the greatest Church Father of the Second Century. He was a great philosopher, theologian, bishop and martyr. A study of his voluminous writings proves beyond any doubt that that nascent Christian Church had full Catholic orthodoxy. St. Irenaeus is one of the most important Church Fathers. He is the greatest Catholic apologist of second century Christianity. He also bridges the Catholic traditions of East and West. For these reasons, he is one of the most important figures to study and learn about when one desires to become more familiar with 'early Christianity.' Furthermore, he is remarkable [...]