Catholic Saints

"[July 20] In Antioch in Pisidia (Asia Minor), commemoration of St. Marina (or Margaret), who is said to have consecrated her body to Christ in virginity and martyrdom."

"Then, when she was beheaded, milk flowed from her body instead of blood. The angels took her body and carried it from that place to Mount Sinai, a journey of more than twenty days, and there they buried her with full honors. From her bones flows an oil that heals the limbs of all the sick. Her passion took place under the tyrant Maxentius or Maximinus, who ascended the throne around 310. How Maximinus was punished for this crime, and for many others, can be read in the story of the Invention of the Holy Cross."

"Her husband had slipped a gold ring set with a fine ruby onto her finger, and her mother-in-law had given her a birth bag which, in her time, she herself had tied to her thigh for the duration of her pregnancy. “It contains a parchment recounting the birth of Margaret of Antioch. It will protect you from a brutal death, just as it protected me.” Swallowed by a dragon, Margaret of Antioch had escaped from the beast's bowels by piercing its spine with her cross. My son, Hades had thought, will not have to resort to violence to come into the world. At the right moment, I will open wide and he will slide out without pain. He will be born with rosy skin and a healthy complexion."

"[January 21] Memorial of St. Agnes, virgin and martyr, who, while still a girl in Rome, offered the supreme testimony of faith and consecrated the virtue of chastity with martyrdom; in fact, she overcame both her young age and the tyranny of the tyrant and thus acquired great admiration among the people, obtaining even greater glory with God. On this day, we celebrate the deposition of her mortal remains."

"In Fiobbio di Albino, near Bergamo, Italy, commemoration of Blessed Pierina Morosini, virgin and martyr, who at the age of twenty-six, while returning home from the factory where she worked, was killed by blows to the head with stones for defending her chastity, which she had consecrated to God, from a young attacker. (6 April)"

"(To the Roman emperor) Why do you want to lose this crowd with the worship of gods? Learn about God, Creator of the world, and His only Son Jesus Christ, who freed humanity from hell with the cross!"

"Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount."

"In Rome, in the cemetery of Callixtus on the Appian Way, memory of St. Cecilia, virgin and martyr, who, as tradition has it, achieved this double palm for the love of Christ, and to whose name the ancient church of Trastevere is dedicated."

"Saint Lucy, condemned to work in a brothel, preferred to face the stake, which left her unharmed; and in Naples, more than one Filumena Marturano, who took to the streets to escape the oppressive heat of a basement flat, imagines harmless blackmailing flames. It is almost surprising that such a saint was born in Syracuse and not at the foot of Vesuvius."

"Cecilia, an illustrious virgin, born of noble Roman lineage, was raised from the cradle in the faith of Christ. She always carried the image of Christ hidden in her bosom, and never ceased to pray day or night, asking God to preserve her virginity. Having been promised in marriage to a young man named Valeriano, and the wedding day having already been set, Cecilia wore a hair shirt next to her skin, while above it she wore her gold-woven garments. While the choirs sang, she sang alone, to herself, only for the Lord, saying: “Lord, may my heart and my body remain immaculate, so that I may not be confused at the Judgment.”"

"Lucia, a noble maiden from Syracuse, hearing talk throughout Sicily of the fame of Saint Agatha, went to her tomb with her mother Euticia, who had been suffering from blood loss for four years and whom the doctors had been unable to cure. It so happened that during the celebration of Mass that day, the passage from the Gospel was read in which it is said that the Lord healed a woman from that same illness. Lucia then said to her mother: ‘If you believe what has been read, believe that Agatha always has beside her the one for whom she suffered martyrdom. Therefore, if you touch her tomb with faith, you will immediately regain your health.’"

"Almachio then had her taken back to his house and ordered that she be burned by keeping her in a boiling bath night and day. Cecilia remained there as if it were a cold place, and did not even break a sweat. When this was reported to Almachio, he ordered that her head be cut off in the bath. The executioner struck her three times, but failed to sever her head; however, since the law forbade the condemned person from being struck four times, the executioner, covered in blood, left her dying. She lived for three more days, during which she gave all her possessions to the poor and entrusted to Urban all those she had converted to the faith, saying to him: “I have obtained a three-day reprieve for myself, so that I may entrust myself to your blessedness and so that you may consecrate my house as a church.”"

"Memorial of St. Agatha, virgin and martyr, who, while still young, in Catania, Sicily, during the raging persecution, preserved the purity of her body and the integrity of her faith in martyrdom, offering her testimony for Christ the Lord. (5 February)"

"In Seville, Spain, commemoration of the Saints Justa and Rufina, virgins, who, arrested by the governor Diogenian, had to endure various tortures before consummating their martyrdom by bearing witness to Christ: Giusta perished during her imprisonment, subjected to torture, while Rufina died by beheading. (17 July)"

"[13 December] Memorial of Saint Lucy, virgin and martyr, who, while she lived, kept the lamp lit for her coming Bridegroom, and once she was put to death for Christ, she merited to be wedded to Him, thus possessing the Light that never goes out."

"Memorial of St. Lucy, virgin and martyr, who, while she lived, kept the lamp lit for her coming Bridegroom, and once she was put to death for Christ, she deserved to be married to Him, thus possessing the Light that never goes out. (13 December)"

"In the Dachau prison camp near Munich, Germany, we remember Marian Konopiński, priest and martyr, a Polish national who, patiently enduring the cruel torture inflicted by his tormentors, gave his life for Christ the Lord. (1 January)"

"‘However bad things may go for you, at least may your eyes be spared,’ the beggar wishes, invoking Saint Lucy, patron saint of the eyes."

"Saint Lucy is, from a strictly historical point of view, the place where the city of Naples was born."

"“May Saint Lucy preserve your sight”, the Neapolitan beggar has been repeating for centuries, holding out his hand on street corners, and with that phrase he gives the exact measure of the importance attached in Naples to the “faculty of sight”, a primary good that constitutes the extreme wealth of the poor and the ultimate health of the sick."

"In Alexandria, Egypt, remembrance of St. Apollonia, who, after numerous and horrible tortures inflicted by her persecutors because she refused to utter sacrilegious words, preferred to be burned at the stake rather than renounce her Christian faith. (9 February)"

"Memorial of the Holy Martyrs Perpetua and Felicity, arrested with other young catechumens in Carthage under Emperor Septimius Severus; one of whom – Perpetua – was a woman of about twenty, wife of an influential man and mother of an infant; the other – Felicity – was a slave who, even in the terrible pains of premature labour (and according to the law could not be tortured while still pregnant), rejoiced at being thrown to the beasts. Both went from their prison cell to the amphitheatre with joy and serenity on their faces, as if they were already in paradise. (7 March)"

"Agnese, a young woman full of wisdom, as Ambrogio tells us in his “Passione,” left death behind and found life at the age of thirteen. Her young age was evident, but the maturity of her mind was extraordinary: young in body, but mature in soul, beautiful in appearance but even more beautiful in faith. It happened that while she was returning from school, the prefect's son fell in love with her. He promised her endless jewels and riches if she agreed to marry him. Agnes replied: "Stay away from me, get out of sin, food of evil deeds, nourishment of death! Another loved me before you."

"Then the prefect had her stripped and taken to the brothel. But the Lord made Agnes' hair so thick that it covered her better than a dress, and when she entered that vile place, she found the angel of the Lord waiting for her, who illuminated the room with a shining light and prepared a pure white stole for her. Thus the place of sin became a place of prayer, so much so that Agnes came out purer than when she had entered, when that great light had honored her."

"In Oberkaufungen in Hesse, Germany, Saint Cunigonde: she brought many benefits to the Church together with her husband Saint Henry the Emperor, and after his death, she herself migrated to the Lord in the convent where she had retired as a nun, making Christ her inheritance. Her body was laid to rest with full honours next to the remains of Saint Henry in Bamberg. (3 March)"

"In Mauthausen, Austria, we remember B. Marcello Callo, martyr, who, a young native of Rennes, comforted his fellow prisoners, exhausted by the gruelling labour of the work camps, with his great passion for Christ, and for this reason met his death in the extermination camp of Mauthausen. (19 March)"

"In the city of Xilinxian, in the province of Guangxi in China, remembrance of St. Agnes Cao Kuiying, martyr, who, already married to a violent man, after his death devoted herself to teaching Christian doctrine on behalf of the bishop, and for this reason, after being thrown into prison and enduring terrible torments, always trusting in God, she then went to the eternal banquet. (1 March)"

"(To the governor who asked for her hand in marriage) Can you expect me to renounce heaven and choose instead the dust of the earth?"

"Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly."

"She had prayed and made offerings to Mary, who had given birth to Jesus; to Saint Anne, the mother of Mary, who, having been barren for twenty years, had been told by an angel that she would give birth to a daughter; to Saint Cunegunda who, despite having taken a vow of chastity with her husband, Emperor Henry, prepared miraculous potions to help women conceive."

"Who could despair of themselves, since even Zacchaeus, who made his living from fraud, came to faith?"

"The story of Zacchaeus appears to be a reflection of an authentic evangelical conversion: in fact, by welcoming the Lord into his home and making amends for the injustices he had committed in his work, he sets a wonderful example of love for God and for his brothers and sisters."

"In Antioch in Pisidia (Asia Minor), commemoration of St. Marina (or Margaret), who is said to have consecrated her body to Christ in virginity and martyrdom. (20 July)"

"(To those who advised him, in order to avoid martyrdom, to pretend to eat the pork imposed by the king) At this stage of my life it would be terribly wrong to be a party to such a pretense,” he said, “for many young people would be led to believe that at the age of ninety Eleazar had conformed to a foreign practice. If I should engage in deceit for the sake of living a brief moment longer, they would be led astray by me, while I would bring defilement and disgrace on my old age. For the moment I would avoid the punishment of mortals, but alive or dead I shall never escape the hands of the Almighty. Therefore, by bravely forfeiting my life now, I shall prove myself worthy of my old age."

"(Last words) The Lord in his holy knowledge clearly realizes that although I could have escaped death, not only am I enduring terrible sufferings in my body from this scourging, but in my soul I am gladly accepting these torments because of my awe of him."

"Eleazar, one of the foremost teachers of the law, a man of advanced age and distinguished appearance, was being forced to open his mouth to eat pork. But he, preferring death with honor rather than a life marked by defilement, spat it out and voluntarily went up to the torture rack..."

"In Europe and even in India, there are still some who remember his name, and in Ceylon, the theatre of his Apostolic labours, his name is still mentioned by the older generation; but the rising generation hardly know what they owe to him. And yet, his is a name that ought to endure for ever."

"Before the events of 1917, apart from the family ties that united us, no other particular affection made me prefer the company of Jacinta and Francisco to that of any other child. On the contrary, her company sometimes became quite unpleasant because of her overly sensitive character. The slightest issue, of the kind that arise among children when they play, was enough to make her sulk in a corner, imitating a mule, as we used to say. To get her back into the game, even the sweetest caresses that children can give in such situations were not enough. It was necessary to let her choose the game and the companion with whom she wanted to play. However, even at that time, she had a very kind heart, and God had blessed her with a sweet and tender character, which made her both lovable and attractive."

"Francesco did not seem to be Jacinta Marto's brother, except in his facial features and in the practice of virtue. He was not as capricious and lively as she was. On the contrary, he had a peaceful and accommodating character. [...] Unlike Giacinta, he did not show a passion for dancing; he preferred to play the flute while the other children danced. He was quite lively when playing games, but few enjoyed playing with him because he almost always lost. I myself confess that I had little sympathy for him, because his peaceful character sometimes irritated my overly lively nature."

"The little girl also loved to go out at dusk to the farmyard in front of our house to watch the beautiful sunset and the starry sky that followed. She was thrilled by the beautiful nights of the full moon. We challenged each other to see who could count the stars, which we called the angels' lamps. The moon belonged to Our Lady and the sun to the Lord. That is why Jacinta sometimes said: – I like Our Lady's lamp better because it does not burn us or blind us, whereas the Lord's does."

"Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord, I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I departed for Macedonia."

"At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did. But it happened in those days that she became sick and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. And since Lydda was near Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them. 39 Then Peter arose and went with them. When he had come, they brought him to the upper room. And all the widows stood by him weeping, showing the tunics and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them. But Peter put them all out, and knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. Then he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive."

"I urged Titus, and sent our brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps?"

"Now it came to pass, as Peter went through all parts of the country, that he also came down to the saints who dwelt in Lydda. There he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years and was paralyzed. And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus the Christ heals you. Arise and make your bed.” Then he arose immediately. So all who dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord."

"There were many lamps in the upper room where they were gathered together. And in a window sat a certain young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep. He was overcome by sleep; and as Paul continued speaking, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. But Paul went down, fell on him, and embracing him said, “Do not trouble yourselves, for his life is in him.” Now when he had come up, had broken bread and eaten, and talked a long while, even till daybreak, he departed. And they brought the young man in alive, and they were not a little comforted."

"Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and also took Titus with me. [...] Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage), to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you."

"Nevertheless God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, and not only by his coming, but also by the consolation with which he was comforted in you, when he told us of your earnest desire, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more."

"Then Peter went down to the men who had been sent to him from Cornelius, and said, “Yes, I am he whom you seek. For what reason have you come?”"

"(To Jesus) My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live."

"But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed."