Saint Francis Xavier
Saint Francis Xavier (1506-1552) is considered the greatest missionary of modern times. Rediscovering his example can therefore be a powerful antidote in times of crisis for the faith and almost of shame in proclaiming Christ, especially as the spiritual journey of this Spanish Jesuit bears the mark of an extraordinary inner conversion.
Saint Bibiana
The martyrdom of the young Roman virgin Bibiana (c. 347-362), (more commonly known as Viviana), was perpetrated during the historical interlude of the empire of Flavius Claudius Julianus (361-363), known as the Apostate.
Saints Edmund Campion and Companions
Saint Edmund Campion (1540-1581), known as the Pope’s Champion, was born in London during the vicious years of the Anglican Schism. He lived most of his adolescence during the reign of Mary I Tudor (1553-1558), who tried to restore Catholicism in England.
Saint Andrew
We always remember that Andrew (ca. 5 B.C.-60 A.D.) was Simon Peter's brother, but we sometimes forget another very important detail: he was the first apostle to lead Peter to the Lord.
Saint Francis Anthony Fasani
“Whoever wants to see how St Francis [of Assisi] appeared in life, come and see the Father Master”. This was what the inhabitants of Lucera, his native town in Puglia, called St Francis Anthony Fasani (1681-1742).
Saint James of the Marches
Saint James of the Marches (1393-1476) spent his life in the service of the Church, becoming one of the leading figures in the 15th century together with his friends Bernardine of Siena and John of Capistrano.
Blessed Virgin of the Miraculous Medal
On 27 November 1830, the Blessed Virgin appeared to Catherine Labouré (1806-1876), novice of the Daughters of Charity in the Parisian convent on Rue du Bac. The saint, next to the picture of St Joseph, saw Our Lady wearing a white dress like the dawn, a blue mantle and a long white veil, standing on a half globe enveloped in the coils of a snake.
Saint Leonard of Port Maurice
The first merit to be ascribed to St Leonard of Port Maurice (1676-1751), a Franciscan friar of the so-called “Riformella”, is the propagation of the Via Crucis throughout the Church. It was he, in 1731, who obtained the Brief Exponi nobis from Clement XII, which authorised the installation of the Stations of the Cross in all the churches, until then a privilege only of Franciscan churches.
Saint Catherine of Alexandria
Saint Catherine of Alexandria (c. 287-305) lived in one of the most important cultural and religious centres of antiquity and was “filled with sharp wit, wisdom and strength of spirit”, as the Roman Martyrology recalls.
Holy Martyrs of Vietnam
The 117 martyrs of Vietnam that the Church celebrates today remind us of how the Christian faith has been enlivened and transmitted over the centuries thanks to the example of many luminous witnesses, who accepted to sacrifice their lives to follow Christ crucified.
Saint Colomban
Benedict XVI called him “one of the Fathers of Europe”, because the life of Saint Colomban (543-615) recalls in an exemplary way the Christian roots of the Old Continent. He and his monks proclaimed the Gospel and had a profound impact on European culture through the work of the various monasteries founded in different countries.
Saint Cecilia
St Cecilia was a virgin from Rome who was martyred during the pontificate of St Urban I (222-230). Her story reveals her unconditional love for God, to whom she consecrated herself, demonstrating a faith so pure and strong that she converted many souls to Christianity.
