Author: Editor

(993–1073) John was born in Florence, Italy, around the year 993. As a member of a noble family, he enjoyed every advantage as a youth. When his older brother Hugh was murdered, however, he became grief stricken and vowed to avenge him. On Good Friday John saw his brother’s murderer and drew his sword to […]

(c.480-c.547) Anyone travelling the highway from Rome to Naples undoubtably will notice at about the 80-mile point a huge complex on a hill on the east side of the road. If so, that traveler has caught a glimpse of one of the most important sites of the Medieval world, The Abby of Monte Cassino. What […]

Sts. Rufina and Secunda were sisters, the daughters of a Roman senator. Their parents had betrothed them to Armentarius and Verinus, but they refused to marry because they had consecrated their virginity to Jesus Christ. They were arrested by the emperor Valerian. When Junius, the prefect, saw he could not change their minds by promises […]

(1660–1727) At birth in Mercatello, Italy, our saint of the day in was given the name Ursula. By her third or fourth year she already experienced a vision of the child Jesus while picking flowers in the garden. He simply said, “I am the true flower,” and then vanished. Growing up, Ursula would listen with […]

(Died 303) St. Procopius holds the distinction of being the first Christian martyr of his city in what today is northern Israel. He was born in Jerusalem and was well educated and known for his virtue, grace, humility and chastity. He held three offices in the Sycythopolis church: reader, translator of Greek and exorcist. He […]

(Died 664) St. Ethelburga was one of the five daughters of King Anna of East Anglia. She was sent to the monastery of Faremoutier, in Brie (France) with her sister Saethrith to be educated. Ethelburga became a nun and, eventually, succeeded her sister as abbess. While abbess, she began to build a church in honor […]

(1890–1902) St. Maria Goretti is the youngest saint. Maria was born into a poor family near Ancona, on the east coast of Italy. By the time she was 6 years old her family had lost everything, and her father moved them near Nettuno, about 40 miles south of Rome in hopes to establish a viable […]

(1502-1539) Born into a noble family from Cremona, Italy, Anthony lost his father shortly after he was born. His young mother (18 years old) never remarried but dedicated her life to her son and charitable works. Anthony was a bright child and studied Latin and Greek with private tutors and, when a bit older, was […]

(660-740) Andrew was born in Damascus, and for the first seven years of his life did not speak. It is said that it was only after receiving his First Communion that he uttered his first words. He began his religious career at age 14 as a clerk. He proved to be brilliant in his job […]