SAINT FEAST DAY FOR EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN MAY Saints celebrated on the 8th of May WELCOME! THE BLESSED MARTYRS OF ALGERIA In the late 20th century, Algeria was shaken by civil war. Amid this violence, nineteen Catholic men and women made the deliberate choice to stay in the country; they did not see themselves as apart from the people among whom they lived, and they refused to abandon them in their hour of trial. Between 1994 and 1996, all of them were killed. Those who suffered include Trappist monks from the Atlas monastery; the Armed Islamic Group owned up to the murders. CHRISTIAN DE CHERGE AND COMPANIONS The seven Trappist monks Christian de Cherge (the prior of the monastery), Luc Dochier, Christophe Lebreton, Michel Fleury, Bruno Lemarchand, Celestin Ringeard, and Paul Favre-Miville had been kidnapped on March 27, 1996 after 20 armed men stormed the place. The monks were later found decapitated. They are listed as killed on May 21, 1996. The funeral for these holy men took place at Notre-D...

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN SEPTEMBER Saints celebrated on the 7th of September WELCOME! SAINT GRATUS, BISHOP OF AOSTA Saint Gratus (Gradus), Bishop, is commemorated on September 7 . In the French language he is known as Saint Gras . A contemporary of the holy  Pope Leo the Great , he served as Bishop of Aosta ( Augusta Praetoria ) in Piedmont. According to the  Bollandists * ( Feb. I, 98 ), he lived in the 5th century, whereas Migne * places him in the 9th century. He is invoked for protection against moles. According to the  Bollandists  ( June IV, 761 ), his biography is full of legends. Migne* dates his death to the year 810. (Information from Stadler 's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, Volume  2, Augsburg, 1861, p. 478) *A hagiography source used by the authors  Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints - Sources and Abbreviations PRAYER: Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Saint Gratus may increase our devotion and pr...

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN SEPTEMBER Saints celebrated on the 2nd of September WELCOME! SAINT BROCARD, GENERAL OF THE CARMELITE ORDER Saint Brocard (B. Brocardus), commemorated on September 2, the second General of the Carmelite Order, was a native of Jerusalem and succeeded Blessed Berthold in the leadership of the Order. He requested a rule for the Order from the Blessed Patriarch Albert of Jerusalem - receiving it around the year 1214 (erroneously dated in Migne* 1229) - and died around the year 1221. His name also appears on September 2 in the Roman Martyrology for both the Calced and Discalced Carmelites. (Information from Stadler 's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, Volume  1, Augsburg, 1858, pp. 515-16) *A hagiography source used by the authors  Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints - Sources and Abbreviations PRAYER: Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Saint Brocard may increase our devotion and promote our salvation. Through our Lo...

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN FEBRUARY Saints celebrated on the 2nd of February WELCOME! SAINT URSUS, CONFESSOR This holy priest is venerated in Aosta ( Augusta Praetoria ) in Northern Italy - where his relics rest in the cathedral - though some martyrologies erroneously style him "Bishop." No documentary evidence concerning him exists, yet his veneration dates back to time immemorial. Tradition in Aosta holds that he was a Scot by birth and, by vocation, a pious and zealous priest at the Church of St Peter, serving as a disciple of the holy Bishop Gratus . He distinguished himself before the world through great humility, mercy, gentleness, and a peace-loving nature. To avoid burdening anyone, he supported himself through manual labour, while at night he would visit the churches, whose doors opened to him of their own accord. On the hillside where he lived, he cultivated a vineyard that produced wine endowed with the power to heal the sick. When the city was once threatened by a ...

WELCOME! SAINT AUDOIN, BISHOP OF ANGERS Entrance of the Cathedral St Maurice, Angers, 1923 Saint Audoin ( Audoinus ) was Bishop of Angers and brother of the holy  Bishop Domnolus of Le Mans . He flourished in the 6th century and was succeeded by Saint Serin.  (Information from Stadler 's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, Volume  1, Augsburg, 1858, p. 345) Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints - Sources and Abbreviations PRAYER: May the intercession of Saint Audoin commend us to you, so that through his merits we may obtain that which we cannot accomplish by our own. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen. Sources of these articles (in the original German): books.google.co.uk, de-academic.com, zeno.org, openlibrary.org

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN FEBRUARY   Saints celebrated on the 15th of February WELCOME! SAINT MATTHEW AYARIGA, MARTYR Saint Matthew Ayariga (left) Saint Matthew Ayariga is one of only 21 people officially recognized as 21st-century martyrs by both the Coptic Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church. But he has a further distinction: He is the only one among this group who was not a Coptic Orthodox Christian .  Originally from Ghana, Matthew was working in Libya when he found himself abducted by the Islamic terror organisation ISIS along with twenty of his coworkers, who were  Coptic Orthodox Christians  from various villages in Egypt. The 21 captives were led to the shores of the Mediterranean Sea in order for their kidnappers to film an Islamic indoctrination video. This repulsive propaganda film denounced them as followers of the Cross. They were told that if they publicly renounced the Christian faith and converted to Islam they would live. None did, therefor...

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN APRIL Saints celebrated on the 16th of April WELCOME! SAINT GALLA, MARTYR OF CORINTH Saint Galla, commemorated on April 16, was a third century martyr who suffered in Corinth alongside  Saint Callistus and several others. (Information from Stadler 's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, Volume  2, Augsburg, 1861) Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints - Sources and Abbreviations PRAYER: Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Saint Galla may increase our devotion and promote our salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen. Sources of these articles (in the original German): books.google.co.uk, de-academic.com, zeno.org, openlibrary.org