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Home › Today › The saints

The saints.

Every one of them was pointing at Jesus. Martyrs and mystics, scholars and street priests, a slave girl from Darfur and a Lord Chancellor of England. Real people, in real places you can still visit, who took the Gospel at its word.

Today’s saint.

Sunday · Liturgical color: green

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Pope Saint John XXIII is usually remembered on this date. This year the Sunday is celebrated instead.

A color photograph of Pope St. John XXIII smiling, in red mozzetta and stole.
De Agostini Editore, 1958. Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.

After the death of Pius XII, the cardinals elect the 76-year-old patriarch of Venice, born near Bergamo. vatican.va

Within three months, Angelo Roncalli announces an ecumenical council. vatican.va

Read the full story of St. John XXIII

Today’s readings and more

Find a saint, A to Z.

Tap a letter. Saints are listed by their own name (Thérèse under T, not under S for Saint).

H

W

Raphael, The Transfiguration: Christ raised in light above the apostles
Raphael, 1516. Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.

Find your saint.

Start with what you’re carrying, the work you do, or a place you love. Every saint here has a full story and one thing to try this week. Patronages are shown only where we can cite a source; “What you’re facing” matches something from the saint’s own life, not an official patronage.

Showing all 202 saints.

Mosaic of St. Basil the Great in bishop’s vestments on a gold background, holding a book.2 JanuarySt. Basil the GreatPatron of RussiaA brilliant, proud young scholar who became a monk, a bishop, and the builder of a city of mercy.The early Church · Caesarea in Cappadocia (modern Turkey)Live it: Give from what you’d keepDamaged fresco of St. Gregory Nazianzen, bearded, in bishop’s vestments, holding a scroll.2 JanuarySt. Gregory NazianzenBishop · Doctor of the ChurchA poet who wanted nothing but quiet, dragged again and again into the noisiest jobs in the Church.The early Church · Nazianzus, Cappadocia, and ConstantinopleLive it: Say yes to the job you didn’t wantA plain typographic plate: St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, with the feast day.4 JanuarySt. Elizabeth Ann SetonPatron of Catholic schools; teachers; widows; those who have lost parentsA New York society widow who became a Catholic, lost everything, and started American Catholic schools.The modern era · New York and Emmitsburg, MarylandLive it: Start over after a lossBlack-and-white portrait of St. John Neumann in a cassock with a pectoral cross.5 JanuarySt. John NeumannPatron of teachersAn immigrant priest who walked the frontier, then built a school system as bishop of Philadelphia.The modern era · Bohemia, New York and PhiladelphiaLive it: Help a parish schoolBlack-and-white photograph of St. André Bessette, white-haired, seated in a dark cassock.6 JanuarySt. André BessetteReligiousA sickly, barely literate doorkeeper whose devotion to St. Joseph built a basilica.The modern era · Montreal, CanadaLive it: Pray with whoever comes to your doorPainting of St. Raymond of Penyafort in a Dominican habit, writing at a desk.7 JanuarySt. Raymond of PenyafortPatron of lawyersThe canon lawyer who organized the Church’s laws and lived to nearly a hundred.The Middle Ages · Barcelona, Spain, and RomeLive it: Get your affairs in orderMedieval manuscript painting of a bishop being consecrated by other bishops.13 JanuarySt. Hilary of PoitiersBishop · Doctor of the ChurchA married pagan philosopher who found God in Scripture and became the Athanasius of the West.The early Church · Poitiers, Gaul (France)Live it: Read one Gospel start to finishThe Monastery of St. Anthony in the Egyptian desert: palm trees and pale buildings at the foot of bare red mountains.17 JanuarySt. Anthony of EgyptPatron of butchers, gravediggers and people with skin diseasesHe heard one line of the Gospel, and walked into the desert.The early Church · EgyptLive it: Find your desert for an hourPainting of Pope St. Fabian, an old man in a papal tiara and vestments.20 JanuarySt. FabianPope · MartyrA layman visiting Rome when a dove landed on his head, and the Church chose him as pope.The early Church · RomeLive it: Be ready to be pickedPainting of St. Sebastian tied to a column, pierced by arrows.20 JanuarySt. SebastianPatron of athletesThe soldier shot full of arrows, who survived, and went back to face the emperor.The early Church · RomeLive it: Train your body for GodThe apse of Sant’Agnese fuori le Mura, Rome: a golden mosaic above the altar, framed by a great arch.21 JanuarySt. AgnesPatron of girlsA girl of twelve or thirteen whom the whole early Church honored above all the virgin martyrs of Rome.The early Church · Rome, ItalyLive it: Hold one line under pressureAltarpiece painting of St. Vincent in a deacon’s vestment, holding a palm and a book, with angels.22 JanuarySt. Vincent of SaragossaDeacon · MartyrThe deacon who spoke for his stammering bishop, and was tortured for it.The early Church · Saragossa and Valencia, SpainLive it: Speak up for someone who can’tThe Basilica of the Visitation at Annecy: a pale stone church with a tall pointed spire against a blue sky.24 JanuarySt. Francis de SalesPatron of all writersA young lawyer volunteered for the hardest mission in Savoy, and won it with patience.Reformation and missions · Savoy and AnnecyLive it: Answer gently, in writingPainting of St. Paul in a red cloak, reading a book and holding a sword.25 JanuarySt. PaulApostle · MartyrHe hunted Christians, until Christ knocked him off his feet on the road to Damascus.The early Church · Tarsus, Damascus and RomeLive it: Write a letter like PaulIcon of St. Timothy in bishop’s vestments, holding a Gospel book.26 JanuarySts. Timothy and TitusPatron of relief from stomach disorders (Timothy)Paul’s two young right-hand men, who got letters telling them not to be afraid.The early Church · Lystra, Ephesus and CreteLive it: Call your grandmotherPainting of St. Angela Merici in a black habit, teaching a young girl.27 JanuarySt. Angela MericiPatron of teachersAn orphan who saw that girls needed teaching, and founded the Ursulines.Reformation and missions · Desenzano and Brescia, ItalyLive it: Teach one child somethingThe palm-tree vault of the Jacobins church in Toulouse: ribs spread like fronds from a single slender column.28 JanuarySt. Thomas AquinasPatron of Catholic universities and schoolsHis family locked him in a castle to stop him becoming a friar. He became the greatest theologian of the Middle Ages.The Middle Ages · Roccasecca, Italy, and Paris, FranceLive it: Write the objection firstA photograph of Don Bosco in Turin in 1880: an elderly priest in a cassock, seated, with a gentle face.31 JanuarySt. John BoscoPatron of young people, boys, editors and teachersA ragged boy chased out of a sacristy, and the priest who called him back.The modern era · Becchi and Turin, ItalyLive it: Learn a kid’s nameStained-glass window showing St. Blaise as a bishop with two other figures.3 FebruarySt. BlaisePatron of relief from throat ailments; wool combersThe bishop of the throat blessing: two crossed candles and a story about a fish bone.The early Church · Sebaste, ArmeniaLive it: Get your throat blessed, and use your voice wellStone statue of St. Ansgar as a bishop with a miter and crosier, against a brick building.3 FebruarySt. AnsgarPatron of DenmarkThe Apostle of the North, who watched most of his life’s work burn down, and kept going.The Middle Ages · Hamburg, Denmark and SwedenLive it: Start over without bitternessA plain typographic plate: St. Agatha, with the feast day.5 FebruarySt. AgathaPatron of nurses; healing from diseases of the breast; CataniaA young Sicilian woman who refused a powerful man, and paid with her body.The early Church · Catania, SicilyLive it: Pray for women facing breast cancerThe Twenty-Six Martyrs Monument on Nishizaka Hill in Nagasaki: a stone stairway and garden beneath the memorial.6 FebruarySts. Paul Miki and CompanionsMartyrTwenty-six Christians on a hill above Nagasaki, and the joy that astonished the crowd.Reformation and missions · Nagasaki, JapanLive it: Choose joy on a bad dayThe simple room of St. Josephine Bakhita at Schio: a narrow bed with a blue cover, a chair and a crucifix.8 FebruarySt. Josephine BakhitaReligiousKidnapped at nine, sold five times, she discovered a master who loved her.The modern era · Darfur, Sudan, and Schio, ItalyLive it: Pray for people who are traffickedPainting of St. Jerome Emiliani looking upward, his arm around a young boy.8 FebruarySt. Jerome EmilianiPatron of orphans and abandoned childrenA careless soldier who found God in a prison cell and spent his life on orphans.Reformation and missions · Venice and Somasca, ItalyLive it: Support a child without parentsThe Abbey of Monte Cassino seen from below, across a green valley.10 FebruarySt. ScholasticaPatron of cloistered nunsBenedict’s sister prayed for a storm, and won the argument.The early Church · Monte Cassino, ItalyLive it: Ask for more time with someonePainting of Sts. Cyril and Methodius standing together, one holding an open book, beneath a cross.14 FebruarySts. Cyril and MethodiusPatron of Slavic peoples; ecumenism; co-patrons of EuropeTwo Greek brothers who invented an alphabet so the Slavs could hear the Gospel in their own tongue.The Middle Ages · Thessalonica, Moravia and RomeLive it: Learn someone’s languageFresco of St. Valentine as a bishop in a miter and red cope, holding a book.14 FebruarySt. ValentinePriest · MartyrThe real martyr behind the chocolates, and how his day came to be about love.The early Church · Rome and Terni, ItalyLive it: Love someone who is not your sweetheartPainting of the seven Servite founders in black habits kneeling before a vision of the Virgin Mary.17 FebruaryThe Seven Holy Founders of the ServitesFounderSeven businessmen of Florence who walked away together to serve Mary.The Middle Ages · Florence and Monte Senario, ItalyLive it: Pray with a few friends weeklyBlack-and-white photograph of Francisco and Jacinta Marto standing by a stone wall.20 FebruarySts. Francisco and Jacinta MartoChildrenTwo shepherd children of Fátima, among the youngest non-martyr saints in history.The modern era · Fátima, PortugalLive it: Offer one sacrifice a dayCarved stone bust of St. Peter Damian, bearded.21 FebruarySt. Peter DamianBishop · Doctor of the ChurchAn orphan treated like a servant who grew into a fearless reformer of a corrupt clergy.The Middle Ages · Ravenna and Fonte Avellana, ItalyLive it: Have a poor person eat with youThe ruins of the ancient agora of Smyrna in Izmir, Turkey: a row of standing columns and arches.23 FebruarySt. PolycarpPatron of relief from earachesAn old bishop in a stadium, given one last chance to curse Christ.The early Church · Smyrna, Asia MinorLive it: Tell someone how long He has been faithfulA photograph of the monastery of Narek in 1911: old stone buildings and a domed church on a hillside.27 FebruarySt. Gregory of NarekDoctor of the ChurchAn Armenian monk of the tenth century who gave words to the cry of a whole people.The Middle Ages · Narek, ArmeniaLive it: Pray your sorrow honestlyBlack-and-white photograph of St. Katharine Drexel in a religious habit, writing at a desk.3 MarchSt. Katharine DrexelReligious · FounderA Philadelphia heiress who asked the pope for missionaries, and he told her to become one.The modern era · Philadelphia and the American West and SouthLive it: Fund something good for someone left outPainting of St. Casimir in a red robe and crown, holding lilies.4 MarchSt. CasimirPatron of Poland and LithuaniaA prince who refused to fight an unjust war and slept on the floor.The Middle Ages · Kraków and VilniusLive it: Say no to one thing that isn’t rightThe ruined amphitheatre of Carthage, Tunisia: grassy terraces and stone arches around an oval arena.7 MarchSts. Perpetua and FelicityMartyrA young noblewoman and a slave, side by side in a Carthage prison. Perpetua wrote it all down.The early Church · Carthage, North AfricaLive it: Stand with someone different from youMarble statue of St. John of God carrying a sick man, in front of an arcaded building.8 MarchSt. John of GodPatron of hospitals and the dying; the sick, nurses and heart patients; booksellers and printersA soldier and bookseller locked in a madhouse, who came out and founded a hospital.Reformation and missions · Granada, SpainLive it: Visit someone with mental illnessPainting of St. Frances of Rome in a white veil, an angel beside her.9 MarchSt. Frances of RomePatron of widows; motoristsA rich Roman wife and mother who turned her palace into a food bank in time of war.The Middle Ages · RomeLive it: Pray for your angel’s help on the roadOval portrait of St. Dominic Savio as a boy in a dark jacket.9 MarchSt. Dominic SavioPatron of choirboysA teenager in Don Bosco’s school who decided he would rather die than sin.The modern era · Piedmont and Turin, ItalyLive it: Break up a fightThe bare, stony slope of Croagh Patrick, the holy mountain of County Mayo, Ireland, under a gray sky.17 MarchSt. PatrickPatron of IrelandKidnapped as a teenager, enslaved in Ireland, he escaped, and then went back.The early Church · Britain and IrelandLive it: Do good to someone who hurt youFresco of St. Cyril of Jerusalem, white-bearded, blessing and holding a book.18 MarchSt. Cyril of JerusalemBishop · Doctor of the ChurchThe bishop of Jerusalem whose Lenten lessons for new converts we can still read.The early Church · JerusalemLive it: Sign up to learn the faithPainting of St. Joseph, white-bearded, holding the infant Jesus in his arms.19 MarchSt. JosephPatron of fathers; families; carpenters; Canada, Belgium and ChinaThe quiet carpenter who never says a word in the Gospels, and raised the Son of God.The early Church · Nazareth and BethlehemLive it: Do the next right thing tonightPainting of St. Turibius of Mogrovejo in red, kneeling in prayer before an altar.23 MarchSt. Turibius of MogrovejoBishopA law professor made archbishop of Lima while still a layman, who walked his whole diocese.Reformation and missions · Lima, PeruLive it: Go to the people who can’t come to youPhotograph of St. Oscar Romero in glasses and a bishop’s cassock with a pectoral cross.24 MarchSt. Oscar RomeroBishop · MartyrA cautious archbishop who found his voice, and was shot while celebrating Mass.The modern era · San Salvador, El SalvadorLive it: Use your voice for the voicelessPainting by Murillo of St. Francis of Paola, an old hermit leaning on a staff, praying.2 AprilSt. Francis of PaolaPatron of sailors and seafarersA hermit from Calabria whose order’s motto was a single word: charity.The Middle Ages · Paola, Calabria, and FranceLive it: Give up meat for the weekMedieval painting of St. Isidore of Seville seated, holding a pen.4 AprilSt. Isidore of SevillePatron of internet and computer usersThe bishop who tried to write down everything people knew, in one book.The early Church · Seville, SpainLive it: Use the internet to learn something truePainting of St. Vincent Ferrer in a Dominican habit, holding an open book and a flame.5 AprilSt. Vincent FerrerPatron of builders; reconciliationA Dominican caught on the wrong side of a split Church, who then preached across Europe for twenty years.The Middle Ages · Valencia, Spain, and all of Western EuropeLive it: Be the first to make peacePortrait of St. John Baptist de La Salle in a black cassock with a white collar.7 AprilSt. John Baptist de La SallePatron of teachersA wealthy priest who gave everything away to train teachers for poor boys.Reformation and missions · Reims and Rouen, FranceLive it: Thank a teacher, specificallyIlluminated manuscript painting of St. Stanislaus as a bishop, surrounded by figures and Polish eagles.11 AprilSt. StanislausPatron of Poland and the city of KrakówThe bishop of Kraków who confronted his king and was killed at the altar.The Middle Ages · Kraków, PolandLive it: Name a wrong to the right personBronze statue of Pope St. Martin I seated, raising his hand in blessing.13 AprilSt. Martin IPope · MartyrA pope kidnapped by an emperor for refusing to water down the truth about Jesus.The early Church · Rome and CrimeaLive it: Write to someone who is forgottenBlack-and-white photograph of St. Bernadette as a young woman in a headscarf and shawl.16 AprilSt. Bernadette SoubirousVirgin · ReligiousA poor, sickly girl of Lourdes who saw a Lady in a grotto, and never let it make her important.The modern era · Lourdes and Nevers, FranceLive it: Tell the truth and let it bePainting of St. Benedict Joseph Labre in ragged clothes, arms folded and eyes lowered.16 AprilSt. Benedict Joseph LabrePatron of homeless peopleRejected by every monastery, he became a homeless pilgrim, and Rome called him a saint.Reformation and missions · France and RomeLive it: Learn a homeless person’s nameEngraved portrait of St. Anselm in profile, with long gray hair.21 AprilSt. AnselmBishop · Doctor of the ChurchA monk who said his motto was faith seeking understanding.The Middle Ages · Aosta, Bec (Normandy) and CanterburyLive it: Think through one thing you believeMedieval painting of St. George on a white horse spearing a dragon, a princess and a castle behind.23 AprilSt. GeorgePatron of soldiers; England, Germany and Portugal; Boy ScoutsA soldier martyr behind the dragon legend, honored by Christians East and West.The early Church · Lydda, PalestineLive it: Face your dragonBronze statue of St. Adalbert as a bishop with a crosier, raising his hand, in Prague.23 AprilSt. Adalbert of PragueBishop · MartyrA bishop twice run out of his city, who died a missionary on the shore of the Baltic.The Middle Ages · Prague, Bohemia, and the Baltic coastLive it: Defend someone who has no defenderWall painting of St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen in a Capuchin habit, holding a palm and a sword.24 AprilSt. Fidelis of SigmaringenPriest · MartyrThe poor man’s lawyer who became a Capuchin and died preaching in Switzerland.Reformation and missions · Sigmaringen, Germany, and Seewis, SwitzerlandLive it: Use your skill for someone who can’t payPainting of St. Mark in a red cloak, writing in a book, a winged lion at his feet.25 AprilSt. MarkPatron of notaries; VeniceHe quit halfway through a mission trip. Then he wrote the first Gospel.The early Church · Jerusalem, Rome and AlexandriaLive it: Give someone a second chanceEngraved portrait of St. Peter Chanel as a young priest.28 AprilSt. Peter ChanelPatron of OceaniaA French missionary on a tiny Pacific island who made few converts, and then the whole island believed.The modern era · France and Futuna, in the South PacificLive it: Keep going where nothing seems to growEngraving of St. Louis de Montfort teaching a group of children in a church.28 AprilSt. Louis de MontfortPriestThe wandering preacher who taught people to give themselves to Jesus through Mary.Reformation and missions · Brittany and western FranceLive it: Start a consecrationBlack-and-white photograph of St. Gianna Molla smiling and hugging a small child.28 AprilSt. Gianna Beretta MollaPatron of doctors; wives; unborn childrenA pediatrician, wife and mother who chose her unborn daughter’s life over her own.The modern era · Magenta and Mesero, ItalyLive it: Pray for a mother in a hard pregnancyThe tomb of St. Catherine of Siena beneath the high altar of Santa Maria sopra Minerva, Rome, behind a gilded grille.29 AprilSt. Catherine of SienaPatron of EuropeA dyer’s daughter who told the pope to go home, and he went.The Middle Ages · Siena and Rome, ItalyLive it: Write the honest letterIcon of St. Athanasius, bald and white-bearded, in bishop’s vestments, holding a book.2 MaySt. AthanasiusBishop · Doctor of the ChurchAthanasius against the world: five times exiled for saying Jesus is truly God.The early Church · Alexandria, EgyptLive it: Say the Creed and mean itIcon of the apostle Philip standing in a blue robe on a gold background.3 MaySts. Philip and JamesPatron of UruguayPhilip asked Jesus to show them the Father. James the Lesser led the Church in Jerusalem.The early Church · Bethsaida, Galilee, and JerusalemLive it: Do the math, then trust anywayInside the Basilica of St. John of Avila at Montilla: white walls, rows of pews and a gilded altarpiece.10 MaySt. John of AvilaPatron of Andalusia, SpainHe was waiting for a ship to the New World. The Archbishop of Seville kept him home.Reformation and missions · Andalusia, SpainLive it: Bloom where the plan changedBlack-and-white photograph of St. Damien of Molokai in a wide-brimmed hat and dark cassock.10 MaySt. Damien of MolokaiPriestA Belgian priest who went to the leper colony on Molokai, and one day began a sermon with “we lepers.”The modern era · Belgium and Molokai, HawaiiLive it: Touch the untouchableTwo stained-glass windows, each showing a saint in a red cloak holding a palm.12 MaySts. Nereus and AchilleusMartyrTwo soldiers of the emperor who threw down their weapons when they met Christ.The early Church · RomeLive it: Lay down one weaponPainted statue of St. Pancras as a boy with a halo, holding a palm and a book.12 MaySt. PancrasMartyrA fourteen-year-old who gave his life for Christ in Rome.The early Church · RomeLive it: Stand with a young person under pressureMedieval painting of St. Matthias in a red cloak on a gold background, holding a green book.14 MaySt. MatthiasApostle · MartyrHe followed Jesus the whole time, unnoticed. Then he was chosen to be an apostle.The early Church · JudeaLive it: Be faithful where no one seesPainting of St. Isidore the Farmer kneeling in prayer in a field, oxen plowing behind him.15 MaySt. Isidore the FarmerPatron of farmers and rural laborersA farmhand near Madrid who went to Mass every morning, and angels plowed while he prayed.The Middle Ages · Madrid, SpainLive it: Pray before workA plain typographic plate: St. John I, with the feast day.18 MaySt. John IPope · MartyrAn old pope sent on an impossible mission, who died in a king’s prison.The early Church · Rome, Constantinople and RavennaLive it: Do a hard errand for someoneMarble statue of St. Bernardine of Siena in a Franciscan habit, in a niche.20 MaySt. Bernardine of SienaPatron of advertising and public relations; ItalyA Franciscan who held up a plaque with the name of Jesus, and made Italy listen.The Middle Ages · Siena, and towns all over ItalyLive it: Put the name of Jesus where you’ll see itA plain typographic plate: St. Christopher Magallanes and Companions, with the feast day.21 MaySt. Christopher Magallanes and CompanionsPriest · MartyrA Mexican priest who absolved his executioners before they shot him.The modern era · Jalisco, MexicoLive it: Forgive before you’re askedPainting of St. Rita kneeling in a black habit as a ray of light from a crucifix touches her forehead.22 MaySt. Rita of CasciaPatron of difficult marriages; impossible causes; infertility; parenthoodA wife in a hard marriage, a widow, then a nun: the saint of impossible causes.The Middle Ages · Roccaporena and Cascia, ItalyLive it: Break one cycle of revengePainting of St. Bede, an old white-bearded monk, writing at a desk.25 MaySt. Bede the VenerablePatron of scholarsA monk who never traveled far and became the Father of English History.The Middle Ages · Jarrow, Northumbria, EnglandLive it: Learn something deeplyA plain typographic plate: St. Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi, with the feast day.25 MaySt. Mary Magdalene de’ PazziVirgin · ReligiousA Florentine noblewoman and Carmelite mystic who went through five years of spiritual darkness.Reformation and missions · Florence, ItalyLive it: Pray when you feel nothingMedieval manuscript drawing of Pope St. Gregory VII in a pointed miter, holding a crosier.25 MaySt. Gregory VIIPopeThe pope who made an emperor wait in the snow at Canossa, and died in exile.The Middle Ages · Tuscany, Rome and SalernoLive it: Do the right thing that costs youPainting of St. Philip Neri kneeling in prayer in red vestments.26 MaySt. Philip NeriPriest · FounderThe apostle of Rome, a priest of joy and practical jokes.Reformation and missions · Florence and RomeLive it: Laugh at yourselfIcon of St. Augustine of Canterbury, blessing and holding a model of a church.27 MaySt. Augustine of CanterburyPatron of EnglandA Roman monk sent to convert the English, who almost turned back.The early Church · Rome and Canterbury, EnglandLive it: Go anyway, scaredMedieval miniature of Joan of Arc in full armor, holding a sword and a white banner.30 MaySt. Joan of ArcPatron of France; members of the militaryA teenage farm girl led an army, then faced a trial rigged against her.The Middle Ages · Domrémy, Orléans and Rouen, FranceLive it: Give a straight answerIcon of St. Justin Martyr in a red cloak, holding a scroll.1 JuneSt. Justin MartyrMartyr · PhilosopherA philosopher who tried every school of thought and found the truth in Christ.The early Church · Samaria and RomeLive it: Read the earliest description of MassMedieval manuscript painting of the beheading of Sts. Marcellinus and Peter before a seated ruler.2 JuneSts. Marcellinus and PeterPriest · MartyrA priest and an exorcist whose executioner became a Christian.The early Church · RomeLive it: Pray the Roman Canon slowlyThe Basilica of the Uganda Martyrs at Namugongo: a tall cone of steel struts, shaped like a traditional African hut.3 JuneSts. Charles Lwanga and CompanionsPatron of young people and Catholic Action in much of tropical Africa (Charles Lwanga)Young African converts who would not give up Christ, many of them very young.The modern era · Namugongo, UgandaLive it: Teach someone a prayerEngraving of St. Boniface as a bishop with a crosier and a book pierced by a sword.5 JuneSt. BonifacePatron of Germany; brewers and tailorsThe English monk who chopped down Thor’s sacred oak, and became the Apostle of Germany.The Middle Ages · Wessex, England, and GermanyLive it: Cut down one idolA plain typographic plate: St. Norbert, with the feast day.6 JuneSt. NorbertPatron of BohemiaA worldly court priest thrown from his horse by lightning, who founded a great order.The Middle Ages · Xanten, Prémontré and MagdeburgLive it: Let a scare change youMosaic of St. Ephrem, gray-bearded, holding a scroll with Greek writing.9 JuneSt. EphremDeacon · Doctor of the ChurchThe Harp of the Holy Spirit, who taught theology through hymns.The early Church · Nisibis and Edessa, MesopotamiaLive it: Sing your prayerPainting of St. Barnabas, an old bearded man, reading a sheet of paper.11 JuneSt. BarnabasPatron of CyprusHis real name was Joseph. The apostles nicknamed him Son of Encouragement.The early Church · Cyprus and AntiochLive it: Encourage someone specificallyThe Basilica of St. Anthony in Padua: a brick façade crowned with domes and slender towers.13 JuneSt. Anthony of PaduaPatron of lost things, the poor and travelersA Portuguese friar no one knew could preach, until the day he was told to.The Middle Ages · Lisbon, Portugal, and Padua, ItalyLive it: Say yes when you are askedPainting of St. Romuald, an old monk with a long white beard and a halo.19 JuneSt. RomualdAbbot · FounderA young noble who watched his father kill a man in a duel, and spent his life in silence.The Middle Ages · Ravenna and Camaldoli, ItalyLive it: Take a short silent retreatPainting of St. Aloysius Gonzaga in a white surplice, kneeling before an angel, with angels above.21 JuneSt. Aloysius GonzagaPatron of young people and students; seminariansThe heir to a marquis who gave up a title to be a Jesuit and died nursing plague victims.Reformation and missions · Castiglione and Rome, ItalyLive it: Do the gross job of careHans Holbein the Younger’s portrait of Sir Thomas More, painted in 1527: a man in a dark fur-trimmed robe and the gold chain of royal service.22 JuneSts. Thomas More and John FisherPatron of Thomas More: statesmen and politiciansA Lord Chancellor and a bishop, both in the Tower, both refusing the same oath.Reformation and missions · London, EnglandLive it: Be honest when it costs youStained-glass window of St. Paulinus of Nola as a bishop in a miter.22 JuneSt. Paulinus of NolaBishopA rich Roman senator and his wife who gave it all away after losing their baby.The early Church · Bordeaux, Spain and Nola, ItalyLive it: Grieve togetherPainting of St. John the Baptist standing barefoot in the wilderness, pointing upward, a lamb at his feet.24 JuneSt. John the BaptistPatron of baptismThe wild prophet in camel hair who pointed away from himself, at Jesus.The early Church · Judea and the Jordan RiverLive it: Make someone else look goodPainting of St. Cyril of Alexandria in bishop’s vestments, holding a book.27 JuneSt. Cyril of AlexandriaBishop · Doctor of the ChurchA hard-edged bishop who defended the truth that Mary is the Mother of God.The early Church · Alexandria, EgyptLive it: Be right, and be kindEngraving of St. Irenaeus, bearded, with a halo, looking down.28 JuneSt. IrenaeusBishop · Doctor of the ChurchA disciple of Polycarp who took on the Gnostics and showed what the apostles really taught.The early Church · Smyrna and Lyons, GaulLive it: Learn your faith’s family treePainting of a crowd in an ancient Roman arena, with a martyr lying dead on the ground.30 JuneThe First Martyrs of the Church of RomeMartyrThe unnamed Christians Nero blamed for the fire of Rome.The early Church · RomeLive it: Pray for persecuted Christians todayPortrait of St. Junípero Serra in a brown Franciscan habit and hood.1 JulySt. Junípero SerraPatron of the California missionsA professor from Mallorca who limped up the California coast founding missions.Reformation and missions · Mallorca, Mexico and CaliforniaLive it: Keep walking on a bad legPainting of St. Thomas putting his finger into the wound in the side of the risen Jesus, as two apostles look on.3 JulySt. Thomas the ApostlePatron of architects and builders; India; theologiansHe said he would not believe without touching the wounds. Then he did, and said the greatest line in the Gospels.The early Church · Galilee and IndiaLive it: Ask your hardest question honestlyPainting of St. Elizabeth of Portugal wearing a gold crown.4 JulySt. Elizabeth of PortugalQueenA queen with an unfaithful husband who rode between two armies to stop a war.The Middle Ages · Aragon and PortugalLive it: Stand between two people fightingBlack-and-white photograph of St. Pier Giorgio Frassati in a suit and tie, arms folded.4 JulySt. Pier Giorgio FrassatiPatron of young people and young adults; athletes; ordinary peopleA young mountaineer from Turin who served the poor in secret and wrote two words on his last photo: to the heights.The modern era · Turin, ItalyLive it: Take a friend up a mountainA plain typographic plate: St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria, with the feast day.5 JulySt. Anthony Mary ZaccariaPriest · FounderA young doctor who became a priest and founded the Barnabites.Reformation and missions · Cremona and Milan, ItalyLive it: Go to adoration for an hourOld black-and-white photograph of a girl in an apron standing outdoors between a man and a boy.6 JulySt. Maria GorettiPatron of young people and teenagersAn eleven-year-old who forgave the young man who killed her, and he came to her canonization.The modern era · Corinaldo and Nettuno, ItalyLive it: Forgive the unforgivable, one stepStained-glass window of St. Augustine Zhao Rong holding a palm and a book.9 JulySt. Augustine Zhao Rong and CompanionsPriest · MartyrA soldier who guarded a martyr bishop, was moved by him, and became a priest and martyr himself.The modern era · ChinaLive it: Let someone’s patience change youThe Abbey of Monte Cassino on its mountain top, white against a blue sky.11 JulySt. BenedictPatron of EuropeA student who ran from Rome to a cave, and wrote the rule that shaped Europe.The early Church · Nursia, Subiaco and Monte Cassino, ItalyLive it: Give your day a ruleTwo old photographs side by side: St. Zélie Martin seated in a dark dress and St. Louis Martin seated with a beard.12 JulySts. Louis and Zélie MartinMarried couple · ParentsA watchmaker and a lacemaker, parents of St. Thérèse, canonized together as a married couple.The modern era · Alençon and Lisieux, FranceLive it: Pray with your family onceMedieval image of St. Henry enthroned as emperor, wearing a crown, inside a circle of lettering.13 JulySt. HenryEmperorA Holy Roman Emperor who ruled hard and well, and prayed harder.The Middle Ages · Bavaria and the Holy Roman EmpireLive it: Pray before you use authorityPainting of St. Kateri Tekakwitha in a dark shawl, holding a cross, beside a river.14 JulySt. Kateri TekakwithaPatron of Indigenous AmericansA Mohawk orphan with a scarred face who walked two hundred miles to live her faith in freedom.Reformation and missions · Ossernenon (New York) and Kahnawake (Quebec)Live it: Pray where you workPainting of St. Camillus de Lellis, wearing a red cross on his habit, embracing Jesus taken down from the cross.14 JulySt. Camillus de LellisPatron of hospitals, the sick, nurses and health care workersA gambling, brawling soldier with a bad leg who became the reformer of hospitals.Reformation and missions · Abruzzo and Rome, ItalyLive it: Treat a patient like ChristPainting of St. Bonaventure in a Franciscan hood and cardinal’s red, holding a pen.15 JulySt. BonaventurePatron of the city of LyonsThe Seraphic Doctor, minister general of the Franciscans, found washing dishes when he was named a cardinal.The Middle Ages · Bagnoregio, Paris and LyonsLive it: Finish the dishesMosaic of St. Apollinaris with arms raised in prayer, among plants and sheep.20 JulySt. ApollinarisBishop · MartyrThe first bishop of Ravenna, driven out again and again, who always came back.The early Church · Ravenna, ItalyLive it: Go back once moreA plain typographic plate: St. Lawrence of Brindisi, with the feast day.21 JulySt. Lawrence of BrindisiPriest · Doctor of the ChurchA Capuchin who spoke eight languages and led an army with a crucifix.Reformation and missions · Brindisi, Venice, Prague and LisbonLive it: Learn a prayer in Scripture’s languagePainting of St. Mary Magdalene, hands crossed on her chest and eyes raised, beside a skull and a jar.22 JulySt. Mary MagdalenePatron of penitents; perfumersJesus freed her from seven demons. She stayed when the others ran, and she saw Him first.The early Church · Magdala, Galilee, and JerusalemLive it: Tell someone what He did for youDamaged painting of St. Bridget of Sweden in a white veil and wimple.23 JulySt. Bridget of SwedenPatron of EuropeA Swedish noblewoman with eight children who told popes to come home to Rome.The Middle Ages · Sweden and RomeLive it: Meditate on the PassionPhotograph-like portrait of St. Charbel Makhlouf with a hooded monk’s habit and long white beard, eyes lowered.24 JulySt. Charbel MakhloufPriest · HermitA Lebanese monk who lived in silence for twenty-three years, and whose tomb became a place of miracles.The modern era · LebanonLive it: Turn off the noise for an eveningPainting of St. James the Greater on a gold background, holding a pilgrim’s staff and a scallop shell.25 JulySt. James the GreaterPatron of Spain; laborers; Chile and NicaraguaOne of the Sons of Thunder, first of the apostles to die for Jesus.The early Church · Galilee, Jerusalem and Compostela, SpainLive it: Walk a pilgrimage, even a short onePainting of St. Christopher in a red cloak wading across a river with the Christ Child on his shoulders.25 JulySt. ChristopherPatron of travelers, sailors and gardeners; bookbinders; invoked against stormsThe giant who carried a child across a river, and found he was carrying the world’s Maker.The early Church · Asia Minor (by tradition)Live it: Carry someone for a whileIcon of St. Anne in a red veil holding the child Mary.26 JulySts. Joachim and AnnePatron of mothers and women in labor (Anne)Jesus’ grandparents, known to us only through tradition and love.The early Church · Jerusalem and Nazareth (by tradition)Live it: Honor your grandparentsProcessional statue of St. Martha in a red gown, crowned with a halo of rays, holding a basket of bread.29 JulySts. Martha, Mary and LazarusPatron of cooks, homemakers and servers (Martha); siblingsJesus’ friends in Bethany: a busy sister, a listening sister, and a brother called out of the tomb.The early Church · Bethany, near JerusalemLive it: Sit down for ten minutesEngraved medallion of St. Peter Chrysologus reading a book.30 JulySt. Peter ChrysologusBishop · Doctor of the ChurchThe golden-worded bishop who kept his sermons short.The early Church · Imola and Ravenna, ItalyLive it: Say it in fewer wordsThe Sanctuary of Loyola in the Basque Country: a domed baroque basilica with a broad stone stairway.31 JulySt. Ignatius of LoyolaPatron of retreatsA soldier, a cannonball, and a sickbed with nothing to read but the lives of the saints.Reformation and missions · Loyola, Spain, and Rome, ItalyLive it: Look back at your dayPainting of St. Alphonsus Liguori as a young priest in black, holding a crucifix.1 AugustSt. Alphonsus LiguoriPatron of theologians; vocationsA star lawyer who lost one case and walked away from the law to serve the poor.Reformation and missions · Naples, ItalyLive it: Let a failure redirect youOval painting of St. Eusebius of Vercelli as a bishop in a miter, with a Latin inscription around it.2 AugustSt. Eusebius of VercelliBishopThe bishop who had his priests live together, and was exiled for Nicaea.The early Church · Vercelli, Italy, and the EastLive it: Pray with your priestBlack-and-white photograph of St. Peter Julian Eymard, gray-haired, in a priest’s cassock.2 AugustSt. Peter Julian EymardPriest · FounderA French priest who founded an order for one purpose: adoring Jesus in the Eucharist.The modern era · La Mure and Paris, FranceLive it: Visit Jesus in the tabernacleThe Basilica of Ars-sur-Formans: a modern dome and an older bell tower above red tiled roofs.4 AugustSt. John VianneyPatron of parish priestsHe nearly failed his way out of the seminary. Then all of France came to his confessional.The modern era · Dardilly and Ars, FranceLive it: Thank your parish priestPainting of Pope St. Sixtus II in a papal tiara and red cope, hand on his heart.7 AugustSt. Sixtus II and CompanionsPope · MartyrA peacemaking pope seized while preaching in the catacombs.The early Church · RomeLive it: Be a peacemaker in a feudPainting of St. Cajetan in a black cassock, beside a book and lilies.7 AugustSt. CajetanPatron of job seekers and workers (in Latin America)A priest who trusted God for every meal, and founded a bank to fight loan sharks.Reformation and missions · Vicenza, Rome and NaplesLive it: Help someone who is out of workThe Arca di San Domenico in Bologna: a white marble tomb carved with scenes from the saint’s life.8 AugustSt. DominicPatron of astronomers and the Dominican RepublicA Spanish canon who would not be a bishop, and sent a handful of friars out to win a continent.The Middle Ages · Caleruega, Spain, and Bologna, ItalyLive it: Learn one answer wellA photograph of Edith Stein as a Carmelite nun, about 1938: a woman in a dark veil and white wimple, looking calmly at the camera.9 AugustSt. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein)Patron of EuropeA brilliant Jewish philosopher went looking for the truth, and found that it had a name.The modern era · Breslau, Cologne and AuschwitzLive it: Follow one question to the endThe Basilica of San Lorenzo fuori le Mura, Rome: a simple portico of columns beneath a medieval bell tower.10 AugustSt. LawrencePatron of deacons, chefs and firefightersAsked for the treasures of the Church, the deacon brought the poor.The early Church · Rome, ItalyLive it: Find the Church’s treasureThe small stone church and convent of San Damiano near Assisi, with a brick arcade and a little bell tower.11 AugustSt. Clare of AssisiPatron of television; the eyesAn eighteen-year-old noblewoman slipped out of her house by night to follow Francis.The Middle Ages · Assisi, ItalyLive it: Unplug one eveningPortrait of St. Jane Frances de Chantal in a black veil and white wimple, a cross on her chest.12 AugustSt. Jane Frances de ChantalPatron of mothers, wives and widowsA young widow with four children who forgave the man who shot her husband, and founded an order.Reformation and missions · Dijon and Annecy, FranceLive it: Take one step toward forgivingMedallion portrait of Pope St. Pontian, bearded, with a halo.13 AugustSts. Pontian and HippolytusPope · Priest · MartyrA pope and the rival who had opposed him, reconciled in the mines of Sardinia.The early Church · Rome and SardiniaLive it: Make up with a rivalA photograph of Fr Maximilian Kolbe in 1936: a Franciscan priest with round glasses and a long beard.14 AugustSt. Maximilian KolbePatron of “our difficult century,” as St. John Paul II called him at AuschwitzIn the worst place on earth, a priest stepped forward and asked to die in another man’s place.The modern era · Poland and AuschwitzLive it: Take someone else’s hard thingPainting of St. Stephen of Hungary crowned, holding an orb and a double cross.16 AugustSt. Stephen of HungaryPatron of Hungary; bricklayersThe first king of Hungary, who built his people into a Christian nation and buried his only son.The Middle Ages · Esztergom, HungaryLive it: Write down what you want your kids to knowPortrait of St. John Eudes in black, holding a heart with a cross and flames.19 AugustSt. John EudesPriest · FounderA priest who lived in a barrel in a field during the plague, and preached the Heart of Jesus.Reformation and missions · Normandy, FranceLive it: Help someone start freshThe Romanesque cloister of Fontenay Abbey in Burgundy: rounded arches and twin columns around a green garden.20 AugustSt. Bernard of ClairvauxDoctor of the ChurchHe knocked on the door of a struggling monastery, with thirty young noblemen behind him.The Middle Ages · Burgundy and Clairvaux, FranceLive it: Bring your friends with youThe Church of Santa Rosa in Lima, Peru: a red and white façade between two bell towers, with palm trees.23 AugustSt. Rose of LimaPatron of the AmericasA girl in a garden in Lima, and the first saint of the Americas.Reformation and missions · Lima, PeruLive it: Lighten the load at homeMedieval painting of St. Bartholomew standing, holding his own flayed skin over his arm.24 AugustSt. BartholomewPatron of plasterersHe asked if anything good could come from Nazareth. Then he met Jesus.The early Church · Cana in Galilee, and ArmeniaLive it: Drop one prejudiceMedieval manuscript painting of St. Louis enthroned with a crown and scepter on a gold background.25 AugustSt. Louis of FrancePatron of France (traditionally); barbers; the Secular FranciscansA king who fed the poor at his own table, built the Sainte-Chapelle, and died on crusade.The Middle Ages · Paris, and the CrusadesLive it: Serve a meal with your own handsPortrait of St. Joseph Calasanz, an old priest in a black biretta, hand on his chest.25 AugustSt. Joseph CalasanzPatron of Christian schoolsA Spanish priest who opened the first free public school in Europe in a Roman slum.Reformation and missions · Aragon, Spain, and RomeLive it: Pay for a poor kid’s schoolingThe chapel of St. Monica in the church of Sant’Agostino, Rome: a marble altar beneath a painting, with her tomb below.27 AugustSt. MonicaPatron of Christian mothers (an association of Christian mothers was placed under her patronage in 1850)A mother who prayed for her son through years of tears, and followed him across the sea.The early Church · Thagaste, North Africa, and Ostia, ItalyLive it: Pray by name, dailyThe ruins of ancient Hippo Regius near Annaba, Algeria, among green trees, with the Basilica of St. Augustine on the hill beyond.28 AugustSt. Augustine of HippoPatron of printers, theologians and converts to ChristianityA brilliant, restless man in a garden in Milan, and the grace that changed him.The early Church · Thagaste and Hippo, North AfricaLive it: Pick up and readPhotograph of St. Teresa of Calcutta smiling, in her white sari with blue stripes.5 SeptemberSt. Teresa of CalcuttaReligious · FounderThe tiny nun who picked up the dying from the streets of Calcutta, and felt nothing in prayer for decades.The modern era · Skopje and Kolkata (Calcutta), IndiaLive it: Sit with someone dying or aloneA plain typographic plate: St. Peter Claver, with the feast day.9 SeptemberSt. Peter ClaverPatron of Colombia; African missions; interracial justiceThe slave of the slaves, who met every slave ship in Cartagena with food and medicine.Reformation and missions · Cartagena, ColombiaLive it: Get close to someone others avoidMosaic of St. John Chrysostom in white bishop’s vestments on a gold background, holding a book.13 SeptemberSt. John ChrysostomPatron of preachers and speakersThe golden-mouthed preacher who told the rich of Constantinople what they did not want to hear.The early Church · Antioch and ConstantinopleLive it: Honor Christ in the poor at the doorPainting of St. Cyprian as a bishop in a miter and green cope, holding a palm and a sword.16 SeptemberSts. Cornelius and CyprianPatron of North Africa (Cyprian)A pope and an African bishop who agreed that sinners who fell could come home.The early Church · Rome and CarthageLive it: Welcome someone homeThe Abbey of St. Hildegard above Rüdesheim: a red sandstone church with two square towers over vineyards.17 SeptemberSt. Hildegard of BingenDoctor of the Church · MysticA nun who saw visions from childhood, preached in cathedrals, and wrote music still sung today.The Middle Ages · Rhineland, GermanyLive it: Make something beautiful for GodPortrait of St. Robert Bellarmine in a cardinal’s red biretta and cape.17 SeptemberSt. Robert BellarminePatron of catechists and catechumensA great Jesuit theologian who wrote a catechism for children and lived like a poor man.Reformation and missions · Montepulciano and RomeLive it: Teach the faith to a beginnerPainting of St. Januarius as a bishop in a white miter, holding a crosier.19 SeptemberSt. JanuariusPatron of Naples; blood donorsThe bishop of Naples whose blood, kept in a vial, still turns liquid on his feast.The early Church · Benevento and Naples, ItalyLive it: Give bloodA plain typographic plate: Sts. Andrew Kim Taegon, Paul Chong Hasang and Companions, with the feast day.20 SeptemberSts. Andrew Kim Taegon, Paul Chong Hasang and CompanionsPriest · MartyrA Church started by lay people reading books, and its first Korean priest, martyred at twenty-five.The modern era · KoreaLive it: Read your faith for yourselfPainting of St. Matthew, a young man in a gray cloak, holding a pen.21 SeptemberSt. MatthewPatron of accountants, bankers and bookkeepers; tax collectorsA tax collector at his booth, until two words changed his life.The early Church · Capernaum, GalileeLive it: Throw a party for your friends to meet JesusA color portrait of Padre Pio: an elderly Capuchin friar with a white beard and a warm, steady gaze.23 SeptemberSt. Pio of PietrelcinaMysticA Capuchin friar in a remote friary, and the queues outside his confessional.The modern era · Pietrelcina and San Giovanni Rotondo, ItalyLive it: Go to confession this weekPainting of Sts. Cosmas and Damian, the doctor brothers, holding medicine jars.26 SeptemberSts. Cosmas and DamianPatron of physicians and surgeonsTwin doctors who treated patients for free.The early Church · SyriaLive it: Do your job free for someone onceThe Chapel of St. Vincent de Paul in Paris: a pale neoclassical façade with columns and a pediment on a city street.27 SeptemberSt. Vincent de PaulPatron of all associations of charityCaptured by pirates and sold as a slave, he gave the rest of his life to the poor.Reformation and missions · Gascony and Paris, FranceLive it: Organize one act of helpStone statue of St. Wenceslaus standing in armor, in Olomouc.28 SeptemberSt. WenceslausPatron of BohemiaGood King Wenceslaus, a young duke murdered by his own brother on the way to Mass.The Middle Ages · BohemiaLive it: Go out in the cold for someoneStained-glass window of St. Lorenzo Ruiz holding a palm and a rosary.28 SeptemberSt. Lorenzo Ruiz and CompanionsLayman · MartyrA Filipino husband and father on the run, who ended up dying for Christ in Japan.Reformation and missions · Manila and NagasakiLive it: Answer the question when it comesIcon of the Archangel Michael with wings and curly hair on a gold background.29 SeptemberSts. Michael, Gabriel and RaphaelPatron of broadcasters and communicators (Gabriel); the blind and travelers (Raphael)The three angels Scripture names: a warrior, a messenger and a healer.The early Church · Heaven, and the pages of ScriptureLive it: Pray the St. Michael prayer dailyAn old Latin inscription cut into the rock at the grave of St. Jerome, beneath the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.30 SeptemberSt. JeromePatron of librarians, scholars and translatorsThe scholar who went to live beside the cave of the Nativity, and gave the West its Bible.The early Church · Stridon, Rome and BethlehemLive it: Read one Gospel throughThe chapel of the Carmel of Lisieux: a statue of St. Thérèse lies in a shrine surrounded by flowers and candles.1 OctoberSt. Thérèse of LisieuxPatron of the missionsShe never left her convent and died at twenty-four. She is a Doctor of the Church.The modern era · Lisieux, FranceLive it: Smile at your least favorite personThe Basilica of San Francesco in Assisi, seen from the hillside: two stacked churches and a long arcade above the Umbrian plain.4 OctoberSt. Francis of AssisiPatron of Italy; all who study and work in ecologyA rich young man embraced a leper, heard a crucifix speak, and gave everything away.The Middle Ages · Assisi, ItalyLive it: Go meet the person you avoidA black and white photograph of Sr Faustina Kowalska in 1931, in the habit of her congregation.5 OctoberSt. Faustina KowalskaMysticA humble Polish nun, a vision of rays of light, and a five-word prayer the world now knows.The modern era · Kraków, PolandLive it: Five words, every hourPainting of St. Bruno in a white Carthusian habit, kneeling in a rocky wilderness and looking up.6 OctoberSt. BrunoPriest · FounderA famous teacher who walked away to found the Carthusians in the mountains of the Chartreuse.The Middle Ages · Cologne, Reims, the Chartreuse and CalabriaLive it: Build a quiet cornerA plain typographic plate: St. Denis and Companions, with the feast day.9 OctoberSt. Denis and CompanionsPatron of FranceThe first bishop of Paris, beheaded on the hill now called Montmartre.The early Church · Paris, GaulLive it: Visit the grave of a Christian you lovedA plain typographic plate: St. John Leonardi, with the feast day.9 OctoberSt. John LeonardiPatron of pharmacistsA pharmacist who became a priest, taught the catechism, and helped launch the missions.Reformation and missions · Lucca and Rome, ItalyLive it: Bring medicine to someone sickBlack-and-white photograph of St. John Henry Newman in old age, in profile, wearing a skullcap.9 OctoberSt. John Henry NewmanCardinal · Doctor of the ChurchThe most famous Anglican in England, who followed his conscience into the Catholic Church.The modern era · Oxford and Birmingham, EnglandLive it: Follow the truth one stepPainted carving of Carlo Acutis with a halo, holding a monstrance, in a church memorial.12 OctoberSt. Carlo AcutisLaymanA teenage coder in sneakers who built a website about Eucharistic miracles, and called the Eucharist his highway to heaven.The modern era · London, Milan and AssisiLive it: Put a limit on your screenThe medieval walls of Avila, Spain: golden stone ramparts with round towers under a blue sky.15 OctoberSt. Teresa of AvilaPatron of relief from headachesA lively young woman who ran away to a convent, and later set Spain on fire.Reformation and missions · Avila, SpainLive it: Ten minutes with a friendWooden statue of St. Hedwig, crowned, holding a small church.16 OctoberSt. HedwigPatron of SilesiaA duchess who outlived her husband and six of her children, and gave everything to the poor.The Middle Ages · Bavaria and SilesiaLive it: Give something you lovePainting of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque in a black veil, holding an image of the Sacred Heart.16 OctoberSt. Margaret Mary AlacoqueVirgin · ReligiousA sick, doubted French nun to whom Jesus showed His Heart.Reformation and missions · Paray-le-Monial, FranceLive it: Keep a First FridayThe interior of the Colosseum in Rome, its tiers of broken arches open to the sky.17 OctoberSt. Ignatius of AntiochMartyrMarched in chains from Syria to Rome, he wrote seven letters on the way.The early Church · Antioch, Syria, and Rome, ItalyLive it: Write a letter from where you areManuscript painting of St. Luke enthroned, holding a small painting of the Virgin Mary, with an ox beside him.18 OctoberSt. LukePatron of physicians and surgeons; artists and paintersThe doctor who interviewed eyewitnesses and gave us the Christmas story.The early Church · Antioch, and the travels of PaulLive it: Get the story rightPainting of St. Isaac Jogues, a Jesuit priest, praying with folded hands.19 OctoberSts. Isaac Jogues, Jean de Brébeuf and CompanionsPatron of North AmericaFrench Jesuits and lay helpers who gave their lives among the Huron and the Mohawk.Reformation and missions · New France (Ontario and New York)Live it: Go back to the hard placePainting of St. Paul of the Cross in a black habit with the Passionist badge, holding a crucifix.20 OctoberSt. Paul of the CrossPriest · FounderThe founder of the Passionists, who preached the cross and felt far from God for decades.Reformation and missions · Genoa, Monte Argentario and RomeLive it: Carry a crucifixPainting of St. John of Capistrano preaching from a pulpit to a crowd in a town square.23 OctoberSt. John of CapistranoPatron of judgesA governor thrown in prison who became a Franciscan and preached across Europe.The Middle Ages · Capestrano, Italy, and BelgradeLive it: Use the setbackOld photograph of St. Anthony Mary Claret seated in an archbishop’s cassock with a pectoral cross.24 OctoberSt. Anthony Mary ClaretPatron of weaversA Catalan weaver who became a missionary, archbishop of Cuba and founder of the Claretians.The modern era · Catalonia, Cuba and MadridLive it: Hand out a good bookPainting by Georges de La Tour of St. Jude, a bald, bearded old man holding a halberd.28 OctoberSts. Simon and JudePatron of desperate situations (Jude)Two apostles we know little about, and one of them is the saint people call on when everything has gone wrong.The early Church · Galilee, and the EastLive it: Pray for one impossible thingPainting of St. Martin de Porres in a white Dominican habit with a rosary.3 NovemberSt. Martin de PorresPatron of race relations and social justice; barbers and hairdressers; African AmericansThe son of a Spanish nobleman and a freed slave, who swept floors and healed half of Lima.Reformation and missions · Lima, PeruLive it: Do the job nobody wantsPortrait of St. Charles Borromeo in profile, in a cardinal’s red biretta.4 NovemberSt. Charles BorromeoPatron of catechists and seminariansA cardinal at twenty-two by family connections, who became the model bishop of the Catholic Reform.Reformation and missions · Milan, ItalyLive it: Show up in the crisisFresco of St. Martin of Tours as a bishop in a miter, resting his chin on his hand.11 NovemberSt. Martin of ToursPatron of soldiers; horsesThe soldier who cut his cloak in half for a beggar, and dreamed of Christ wearing it.The early Church · Pannonia, Amiens and ToursLive it: Split something in halfIcon of St. Josaphat in a dark monk’s hood and robe on a gold background.12 NovemberSt. JosaphatBishop · MartyrAn Eastern Catholic archbishop who died working for unity.Reformation and missions · Ukraine and BelarusLive it: Pray at an Eastern Catholic liturgyBlack-and-white photograph of St. Frances Cabrini in a dark veil, a cross on her chest.13 NovemberSt. Frances Xavier CabriniPatron of immigrants; hospital administratorsA small Italian nun, afraid of water, who crossed the ocean dozens of times for immigrants.The modern era · Lombardy, New York and ChicagoLive it: Welcome an immigrant familyPainting of St. Albert the Great in a bishop’s miter and Dominican habit, writing in a book.15 NovemberSt. Albert the GreatPatron of scientists; philosophers; teachersThe Dominican scientist who studied everything, and taught Thomas Aquinas.The Middle Ages · Swabia, Cologne and ParisLive it: Wonder at creation scientificallyStained-glass window of St. Margaret of Scotland, crowned, holding a book.16 NovemberSt. Margaret of ScotlandPatron of ScotlandA queen who softened a rough king and fed the poor before she ate.The Middle Ages · Hungary, England and ScotlandLive it: Feed someone before yourselfPainting of St. Gertrude in a black habit, an image of the Child Jesus on her heart, reading a book.16 NovemberSt. Gertrude the GreatPatron of the West IndiesA brilliant young nun who loved her books, until Jesus became her first love.The Middle Ages · Helfta, SaxonyLive it: Turn one hobby into prayerGilded relief of St. Elizabeth of Hungary standing in a long robe and veil.17 NovemberSt. Elizabeth of HungaryPatron of Catholic Charities; bakers; Secular FranciscansA princess widowed at twenty, who spent everything on a hospital.The Middle Ages · Hungary and Thuringia, GermanyLive it: Feed the hungry from your pantryThe façade and courtyard of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere, Rome, with a medieval bell tower.22 NovemberSt. CeciliaPatron of church music; musicians and singersOne of the most venerated martyrs of Christian antiquity, and the patron of church music.The early Church · Rome, ItalyLive it: Sing at MassStained-glass window of St. Columban in a white habit, holding a book.23 NovemberSt. ColumbanAbbot · MissionaryAn Irish monk who crossed to Europe, founded monasteries, and told kings off.The early Church · Ireland, Gaul and Bobbio, ItalyLive it: Leave your comfort zone for GodOld printed sheet with small round portraits of Vietnamese martyrs arranged around a central emblem.24 NovemberSt. Andrew Dung-Lac and CompanionsPriest · MartyrA Vietnamese priest and his companions, among thousands who died for Christ in Vietnam.The modern era · VietnamLive it: Support a persecuted churchPainting of St. Catherine of Alexandria seated beside a broken wheel, holding a palm.25 NovemberSt. Catherine of AlexandriaPatron of philosophers; students and teachers; librarians; lawyersA young philosopher who, the legend says, out-argued the emperor’s wise men.The early Church · Alexandria, EgyptLive it: Think before you arguePainting of St. Andrew bound to an X-shaped cross, surrounded by soldiers.30 NovemberSt. AndrewPatron of fishermen; Scotland, Greece and RussiaA fisherman who met Jesus and went straight to get his brother.The early Church · Bethsaida, Galilee, and Patras, GreeceLive it: Bring one person to JesusA plain typographic plate: St. Charles de Foucauld, with the feast day.1 DecemberSt. Charles de FoucauldPriest · HermitA spoiled French officer and explorer who became a hermit priest among the Tuareg.The modern era · Strasbourg, Nazareth and the SaharaLive it: Pray the prayer of abandonmentThe red laterite façade of the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa, India.3 DecemberSt. Francis XavierPatron of the missionsHe rang a bell through the streets of Goa, and died within sight of China.Reformation and missions · Navarre, Spain, to Goa, Japan and ChinaLive it: Invite one personIcon of St. John Damascene in a dark turban and robe, holding a scroll with writing.4 DecemberSt. John DamascenePriest · Doctor of the ChurchA Christian official at a Muslim court who defended icons against an emperor.The Middle Ages · Damascus and JerusalemLive it: Pray with an iconIcon of St. Nicholas in bishop’s vestments, blessing and holding a Gospel book.6 DecemberSt. NicholasPatron of children; bakers; brides and grooms; travelers; pawnbrokers; GreeceThe real bishop behind Santa Claus, who gave in secret.The early Church · Myra, Asia MinorLive it: Give something in secretThe atrium of the Basilica of Sant’Ambrogio in Milan: a Romanesque brick courtyard with arcades and two bell towers.7 DecemberSt. AmbrosePatron of beekeepers, beggars, learning and the city of MilanThe governor came to keep order at an election. The crowd elected him.The early Church · Milan, ItalyLive it: Say no to the powerful, respectfullyThe main altar of the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, with the image on the tilma framed in gold.9 DecemberSt. Juan DiegoVisionaryA cloak full of roses in December, and an image that is still there.Reformation and missions · Tepeyac, MexicoLive it: Go back and try againThe church and arcaded buildings of Santa Lucia al Sepolcro in Syracuse, Sicily, under a blue sky.13 DecemberSt. LucyPatron of the eyesShe gave her fortune to the poor, and they could not move her.The early Church · Syracuse, SicilyLive it: Give something real awayThe Carmelite friary of Segovia: a pale stone church façade behind tall cypress trees.14 DecemberSt. John of the CrossPatron of mysticsLocked in a cell by his own brothers for nine months, he came out a master of the spiritual life.Reformation and missions · Fontiveros and Segovia, SpainLive it: Keep showing up in the darkEngraved portrait of St. Peter Canisius in an oval frame with a Latin inscription.21 DecemberSt. Peter CanisiusPatron of GermanyThe Jesuit who wrote catechisms that went through hundreds of editions and rebuilt German Catholicism.Reformation and missions · Nijmegen, Germany, Austria and SwitzerlandLive it: Disagree gentlyStone statue of St. John of Kanty against the sky.23 DecemberSt. John of KantyPriestA Kraków professor who gave his coat and shoes to beggars.The Middle Ages · Kęty and Kraków, PolandLive it: Give away your coatPainting of St. Stephen as a young deacon with a halo, holding a palm branch and a book, stones on his head.26 DecemberSt. StephenPatron of deaconsThe first deacon, the first martyr, and the first to forgive his killers in Jesus’ own words.The early Church · JerusalemLive it: Pray for the person who hurt you, out loudPainting of St. John the Apostle as a young man in a red cloak, holding a chalice.27 DecemberSt. John the ApostlePatron of TurkeyThe disciple Jesus loved, who stood at the cross and took Mary into his home.The early Church · Galilee, Jerusalem, Patmos and EphesusLive it: Take someone into your homePainting of the Massacre of the Innocents: soldiers attacking mothers and babies beneath stone arches.28 DecemberThe Holy InnocentsPatron of babiesThe baby boys of Bethlehem killed by Herod, the first to die for Christ.The early Church · BethlehemLive it: Pray with parents who lost a childA plain typographic plate: St. Thomas Becket, with the feast day.29 DecemberSt. Thomas BecketPatron of diocesan clergyThe king’s best friend, made archbishop, who chose God over the king and was cut down in his cathedral.The Middle Ages · London and Canterbury, EnglandLive it: Put God ahead of a friend

Saint popes on the calendar have their stories in The Popes: St. Pius V (30 April), St. Paul VI (29 May), St. Pius X (21 August), St. Gregory the Great (3 September), St. John XXIII (11 October), St. Callistus I (14 October), St. John Paul II (22 October), St. Leo the Great (10 November), St. Clement I (23 November), St. Damasus I (11 December), St. Sylvester I (31 December).

Through the year.

Every Sunday, solemnity, feast and memorial in the General Roman Calendar for the next twelve months, with its liturgical color. Movable feasts are worked out from the date of Easter. Open a day to read its story where we have one.

Short stories so far: 234, with words of 14 more saints quoted in the Catechism. Each one is drawn only from Scripture, the Catechism or a cited historical source. Weekdays without a celebration are left out. Your country’s calendar may add its own saints.

October 2026

November 2026

December 2026

January 2027

February 2027

March 2027

  • Thu 4Saint CasimirCommemoration
    Painting of St. Casimir in a red robe and crown, holding lilies.
    Unknown author, 1594. Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.

    Casimir was the son of the king of Poland, raised for power. Franciscan Media

    At thirteen his father sent him with an army to take the throne of Hungary. Franciscan Media

    Read the full story of St. Casimir

  • Sun 74th Sunday of LentSundayAlso the usual day of Saints Perpetua and Felicity, Martyrs, not celebrated this year
    The ruined amphitheatre of Carthage, Tunisia: grassy terraces and stone arches around an oval arena.
    Neil Rickards, 2003. Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.

    The prison is dark, and the air is hard to breathe. Catholic Encyclopedia

    A young mother named Perpetua is terrified, above all for her baby son. Catholic Encyclopedia

    Read the full story of Sts. Perpetua and Felicity

  • Mon 8Saint John of God, ReligiousCommemoration
  • Tue 9Saint Frances of Rome, ReligiousCommemoration
  • Sun 145th Sunday of LentSunday
  • Wed 17Saint Patrick, BishopCommemoration
    The bare, stony slope of Croagh Patrick, the holy mountain of County Mayo, Ireland, under a gray sky.
    Dale Simonson, 2010. Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.

    A sixteen-year-old boy from Britain is seized by raiders and carried off to Ireland as a slave. Catholic Encyclopedia

    For six years he tends flocks on a lonely hillside, and there he learns to pray. Catholic Encyclopedia

    Read the full story of St. Patrick

  • Thu 18Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, Bishop and DoctorCommemoration
  • Fri 19Joseph, Husband of MarySolemnity
    Painting of St. Joseph, white-bearded, holding the infant Jesus in his arms.
    Guido Reni, 1620. Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.

    Not one sentence spoken by Joseph is recorded in the Gospels. Franciscan Media

    What we have instead is what he did, again and again, the moment God asked. Franciscan Media

    Read the full story of St. Joseph

  • Sun 21Palm SundaySunday
  • Thu 25Holy ThursdayPaschal Triduum
    The Last Supper, by Juan de Juanes: Christ raises the Host among the apostles.
    Juan de Juanes, The Last Supper, c. 1562. Museo del Prado, Madrid. Public domain, source.

    On the night before He died, Jesus washed His disciples’ feet. John 13:5 He took bread and the chalice and gave them to his disciples as his body and his blood. Luke 22:19-20

    “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another.”

  • Fri 26Good FridayPaschal Triduum

    Jesus carries His cross to Calvary, is crucified there between two others, and dies. John 19:17-18 John 19:30

    “Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.’ Dividing his garments among them, they cast lots.”

  • Sat 27Holy Saturday/Easter VigilPaschal Triduum
  • Sun 28Easter SundaySolemnity
    Supper at Emmaus, by Caravaggio: the risen Christ blesses bread as two disciples recognize Him.
    Caravaggio, Supper at Emmaus, 1601. National Gallery, London. Public domain, source.

    Early on the first day of the week, the women come to the tomb and find it empty. Luke 24:1-3 That evening the risen Jesus stands among His disciples. Luke 24:36 The Resurrection is the crowning truth of the Christian faith. CCC 638

    “saying, ‘The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!’”

  • Mon 29Easter MondaySolemnity
  • Tue 30Easter TuesdaySolemnity
  • Wed 31Easter WednesdaySolemnity

April 2027

  • Thu 1Easter ThursdaySolemnity
  • Fri 2Easter FridaySolemnity
  • Sat 3Easter SaturdaySolemnity
  • Sun 4Divine Mercy SundaySolemnity

    On Easter evening Jesus comes to His frightened disciples, says Peace be to you, breathes on them, and gives them power to forgive sins. John 20:19-23 Eight days later he comes again, with Thomas present. John 20:26

    “When he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit! If you forgive anyone’s sins, they have been forgiven them. If you retain anyone’s sins, they have been retained.’”

  • Mon 5AnnunciationSolemnity
    The Annunciation, by Fra Angelico: the angel Gabriel bows before the Virgin Mary under a blue loggia.
    Fra Angelico, The Annunciation, 1425–1426 (main panel). Museo del Prado, Madrid. Public domain, source.

    The angel Gabriel is sent to a young woman in Nazareth named Mary, and tells her she will bear a son and call him Jesus. Luke 1:26-27 Luke 1:31 She asks how this can be, and then she gives her answer. Luke 1:34 Luke 1:38

    “Mary said, ‘Behold, the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.’ Then the angel departed from her.”

  • Wed 7Saint John Baptist de la Salle, PriestMemorial
    Portrait of St. John Baptist de La Salle in a black cassock with a white collar.
    Pierre Léger, 1600. Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.

    John Baptist came from a rich family and became a canon of the cathedral of Reims. Franciscan Media

    He got involved, almost by accident, in helping start a school for poor boys. Franciscan Media

    Read the full story of St. John Baptist de La Salle

  • Sun 113rd Sunday of EasterSunday
  • Tue 13Saint Martin I, Pope and MartyrOptional memorial
    Bronze statue of Pope St. Martin I seated, raising his hand in blessing.
    Enric, 2022. Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

    Martin became pope in 649 when the emperor was backing a teaching that Jesus had no human will. Franciscan Media

    Martin called a council at the Lateran that condemned it. Franciscan Media

    Read the full story of St. Martin I

  • Sun 184th Sunday of EasterSunday
  • Wed 21Saint Anselm of Canterbury, Bishop and Doctor of the ChurchOptional memorial
    Engraved portrait of St. Anselm in profile, with long gray hair.
    Unknown author. Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.

    Anselm left home in the Alps after fights with his father and wandered into the abbey of Bec in Normandy. Franciscan Media

    He became a monk, then abbot, and one of the great thinkers of the Middle Ages. Franciscan Media

    Read the full story of St. Anselm

    “Faith seeks understanding.”

    St. Anselm, quoted in the Catechism. CCC 158
  • Fri 23Saint George, Martyr/Saint Adalbert, Bishop and MartyrOptional memorial
    Medieval painting of St. George on a white horse spearing a dragon, a princess and a castle behind.
    Bernat Martorell, 1434. Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.

    George was very likely a soldier who died for Christ in the persecution of Diocletian. Franciscan Media

    Almost everything else we have about him is legend. Franciscan Media

    Read the full story of St. George

  • Sat 24Saint Fidelis of Sigmaringen, Priest and MartyrOptional memorial
    Wall painting of St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen in a Capuchin habit, holding a palm and a sword.
    Photo: Andreas Praefcke, 2006. Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.

    Mark Rey was a lawyer known for taking the cases of the poor, so people called him the poor man’s lawyer. Franciscan Media

    Disgusted by the corruption around him, he left law and became a Capuchin friar, taking the name Fidelis. Franciscan Media

    Read the full story of St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen

  • Sun 255th Sunday of EasterSundayAlso the usual day of Saint Mark the Evangelist, not celebrated this year
    Painting of St. Mark in a red cloak, writing in a book, a winged lion at his feet.
    Ricardo André Frantz (User:Tetraktys), 2006. Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.

    Mark set out with Paul and Barnabas on their first mission and went home partway through. Acts 13:13

    Paul refused to take him the next time, and Paul and Barnabas split over it. Acts 15:39

    Read the full story of St. Mark

    “The beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”

    The opening of Mark’s Gospel. Mark 1:1
  • Wed 28Saint Peter Chanel, Priest and Martyr/Saint Louis Grignon de Montfort, PriestOptional memorial
    Engraved portrait of St. Peter Chanel as a young priest.
    Claude Nicolet, 1885. Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.

    Peter Chanel was a country priest in France who joined the Marists to go to the missions. Franciscan Media

    He was sent to Futuna, a small island in the Pacific, with one lay brother. Franciscan Media

    Read the full story of St. Peter Chanel

  • Thu 29Saint Catherine of Siena, Virgin and Doctor of The Church, Patron of EuropeMemorial
    The tomb of St. Catherine of Siena beneath the high altar of Santa Maria sopra Minerva, Rome, behind a gilded grille.
    Lovio, 2009. Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.

    A young woman from Siena arrives at the papal court in Avignon. Catholic Encyclopedia

    She has been imploring the pope to leave Avignon, reform the clergy and return to Rome. Catholic Encyclopedia

    Read the full story of St. Catherine of Siena

    “Everything comes from love, all is ordained for the salvation of man, God does nothing without this goal in mind.”

    St. Catherine of Siena, quoted in the Catechism. CCC 313
  • Fri 30Saint Pius V, PopeOptional memorial
    The marble monument of Pope St. Pius V in the Sistine Chapel of Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome: a seated statue of the pope blessing.
    Joseolgon, 2024. Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.

    The new pope is a Dominican friar who has spent his life in poverty and prayer. Catholic Encyclopedia

    Michele Ghislieri, now Pius V, has inherited the work of the Council of Trent and means to carry it out. Catholic Encyclopedia

    Read the full story of St. Pius V

May 2027

  • Sat 1Saint Joseph the WorkerOptional memorial
  • Sun 26th Sunday of EasterSundayAlso the usual day of Saint Athanasius, Bishop and Doctor, not celebrated this year
    Icon of St. Athanasius, bald and white-bearded, in bishop’s vestments, holding a book.
    Unknown author. Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.

    As a young deacon, Athanasius went with his bishop to the Council of Nicaea in 325. Catholic Encyclopedia

    The council taught that the Son is one in being with the Father, against Arius. Franciscan Media

    Read the full story of St. Athanasius

  • Mon 3Saints Philip and James, ApostlesFeast
    Icon of the apostle Philip standing in a blue robe on a gold background.
    AnonymousUnknown author. Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.

    Philip, from Bethsaida, was one of the first Jesus called directly with the words follow me. John 1:43

    At the Last Supper he asked Jesus to show them the Father, and that would be enough. John 14:8

    Read the full story of Sts. Philip and James

    “Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you such a long time, and do you not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father. How do you say, ‘Show us the Father’?”

  • Thu 6Ascension of the LordSolemnity

    For forty days after His Passion the risen Jesus showed Himself to the apostles. Acts 1:3 Then, as they watched, he was lifted up and a cloud took him out of their sight. Acts 1:9

    “who also said, ‘You men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who was received up from you into the sky, will come back in the same way as you saw him going into the sky.’”

  • Sun 97th Sunday of EasterSunday
  • Mon 10Saint John of Avila, Priest and Doctor of the ChurchOptional memorial
    Inside the Basilica of St. John of Avila at Montilla: white walls, rows of pews and a gilded altarpiece.
    Tyk, 2025. Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

    A young Spanish priest is in Seville, waiting for a ship to the New World. vatican.va

    A celebrated catechist, impressed by his preaching, persuades the Archbishop of Seville to keep him in Andalusia. vatican.va

    Read the full story of St. John of Avila

  • Wed 12Saints Nereus and Achilleus, Martyrs/Saint Pancras, MartyrOptional memorial
    Two stained-glass windows, each showing a saint in a red cloak holding a palm.
    Man vyi, 2013. Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.

    Pope Damasus wrote an inscription for their tomb in the catacomb of Domitilla. Catholic Encyclopedia

    It says they were soldiers who carried out cruel orders, until they were converted. Catholic Encyclopedia

    Read the full story of Sts. Nereus and Achilleus

  • Thu 13Our Lady of FatimaOptional memorial
  • Fri 14Saint Matthias the ApostleFeast
    Medieval painting of St. Matthias in a red cloak on a gold background, holding a green book.
    Workshop of Simone Martini, 1317. Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.

    After Judas died, Peter said someone had to take his place among the Twelve. Acts 1:21

    It had to be someone who had been with them from John’s baptism to the Ascension. Acts 1:22

    Read the full story of St. Matthias

    “They prayed and said, ‘You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two you have chosen”

  • Sun 16Pentecost SundaySolemnity

    When the day of Pentecost came, the disciples were together in one place. Acts 2:1 A sound like a mighty wind filled the house, tongues as of fire rested on each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:2-4

    “They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak.”

  • Mon 17Mary, Mother of The ChurchMemorial
    The Virgin in Prayer, by Sassoferrato: Mary in a blue mantle, hands joined in prayer.
    Sassoferrato, The Virgin in Prayer, 1640–1650. National Gallery, London. Public domain, source.

    From the cross Jesus gave His mother to the disciple he loved. John 19:26-27 The Church honors Mary as the mother of the members of Christ. CCC 963

    “Then he said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother!’ From that hour, the disciple took her to his own home.”

  • Tue 18Saint John I, Pope and MartyrOptional memorial
    A plain typographic plate: St. John I, with the feast day.
    Typographic plate by Stone & Incense: we found no public-domain image of this saint we could verify.

    Theodoric, the Arian king of Italy, was furious that the emperor in Constantinople was persecuting Arians. Franciscan Media

    He forced the elderly Pope John to go to Constantinople and plead for them. Franciscan Media

    Read the full story of St. John I

  • Thu 20Saint Bernardine of Siena, PriestOptional memorial
    Marble statue of St. Bernardine of Siena in a Franciscan habit, in a niche.
    Antonio Raggi, 2005. Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.

    During a plague in Siena, young Bernardine and his friends ran a hospital for the sick. Franciscan Media

    He became a Franciscan and a preacher, and at first his voice was weak. Franciscan Media

    Read the full story of St. Bernardine of Siena

  • Fri 21Saint Christopher Magallanes and Companions, MartyrsOptional memorial
    A plain typographic plate: St. Christopher Magallanes and Companions, with the feast day.
    Typographic plate by Stone & Incense: we found no public-domain image of this saint we could verify.

    In the 1920s the Mexican government closed churches and outlawed priests. Franciscan Media

    Father Cristóbal Magallanes kept ministering in secret, and opened a seminary in hiding. Franciscan Media

    Read the full story of St. Christopher Magallanes and Companions

  • Sat 22Saint Rita of CasciaOptional memorial
    Painting of St. Rita kneeling in a black habit as a ray of light from a crucifix touches her forehead.
    NN. Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.

    Rita wanted to be a nun, but her parents arranged a marriage for her at about twelve. Franciscan Media

    Her husband was by many accounts harsh and unfaithful, and she stayed, prayed and was kind to him. Franciscan Media

    Read the full story of St. Rita of Cascia

  • Sun 23Trinity SundaySolemnity
    The Trinity, icon by Andrei Rublev: three angels sit in peace around a table with a chalice.
    Andrei Rublev, The Trinity, early 15th century. State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow. Public domain, source.

    Jesus sent His disciples to baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19 The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the central mystery of Christian faith and life. CCC 234

    “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s love, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.”

  • Tue 25Saint Bede the Venerable, Priest and Doctor/Saint Gregory VII, Pope/Saint Mary Magdalene de Pazzi, VirginOptional memorial
    Painting of St. Bede, an old white-bearded monk, writing at a desk.
    The original uploader was Timsj at English Wikipedia., 2005. Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.

    Bede was given to the monastery at age seven, and he stayed there for the rest of his life. Franciscan Media

    He spent his days praying, teaching and writing. Franciscan Media

    Read the full story of St. Bede the Venerable

  • Wed 26Saint Philip Neri, PriestMemorial
    Painting of St. Philip Neri kneeling in prayer in red vestments.
    Didier Descouens, 2016. Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

    Philip came to Rome as a young man from Florence and lived as a layman for years, praying in the catacombs. Franciscan Media

    He walked the streets talking to young men, and they followed him into prayer and good works. Franciscan Media

    Read the full story of St. Philip Neri

  • Thu 27Saint Augustine of Canterbury, BishopOptional memorial
    Icon of St. Augustine of Canterbury, blessing and holding a model of a church.
    NN. Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.

    Pope Gregory the Great sent Augustine, the prior of his monastery, with about forty monks to England. Franciscan Media

    Partway there they heard frightening stories about the English, and Augustine went back to ask to be excused. Franciscan Media

    Read the full story of St. Augustine of Canterbury

  • Sat 29Saturday of the 8th week in Ordinary TimeWeekdayAlso the usual day of Saint Paul VI, Pope, not celebrated this year
    A color portrait of Pope St. Paul VI in 1969, in red mozzetta and embroidered stole.
    Fotografia Felici, 1969. Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.

    Giovanni Battista Montini is elected pope in the middle of the council his predecessor began. vatican.va

    He takes the name Paul, after the apostle who traveled the world. vatican.va

    Read the full story of St. Paul VI

  • Sun 30Corpus ChristiSolemnity
    The Last Supper, by Juan de Juanes: Christ raises the Host among the apostles.
    Juan de Juanes, The Last Supper, c. 1562. Museo del Prado, Madrid. Public domain, source.

    At the Last Supper Jesus took bread, gave thanks, and gave it to His disciples, saying that it was His body. Luke 22:19 The Church believes that in the Eucharist the body and blood of Christ, with His soul and divinity, are truly, really and substantially present. CCC 1374

    “I am the living bread which came down out of heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. Yes, the bread which I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.’”

  • Mon 31Visitation of the Blessed Virgin MaryFeast
    The Virgin in Prayer, by Sassoferrato: Mary in a blue mantle, hands joined in prayer.
    Sassoferrato, The Virgin in Prayer, 1640–1650. National Gallery, London. Public domain, source.

    Mary, newly with child, hurries into the hill country to visit her cousin Elizabeth. Luke 1:36 Luke 1:39-40 At her greeting the child in Elizabeth’s womb leaps, and Mary sings her song of praise. Luke 1:41 Luke 1:46-47

    “Mary said, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord. My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior,”

June 2027

July 2027

August 2027

September 2027

October 2027

  • Fri 1Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, Virgin and DoctorMemorial
    The chapel of the Carmel of Lisieux: a statue of St. Thérèse lies in a shrine surrounded by flowers and candles.
    Chatsam, 2014. Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

    In the last years of her short life, a young Carmelite nun writes three manuscripts about her soul. vatican.va

    A year after her death they are published as Story of a Soul, and the world begins to read them. vatican.va

    Read the full story of St. Thérèse of Lisieux

    “I want to spend my heaven in doing good on earth.”

    St. Thérèse of Lisieux, quoted in the Catechism. CCC 956
  • Sat 2Guardian AngelsMemorial

    The Church teaches that from its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by the watchful care and intercession of angels. CCC 336 Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd. CCC 336

    “See that you don’t despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.”

  • Sun 327th Sunday in Ordinary TimeSunday
  • Mon 4Saint Francis of AssisiMemorial
    The Basilica of San Francesco in Assisi, seen from the hillside: two stacked churches and a long arcade above the Umbrian plain.
    Timothy A. Gonsalves, 2023. Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

    A young man kneels in a crumbling chapel outside Assisi and hears a voice from the crucifix. Catholic Encyclopedia

    “Go, Francis, and repair my house, which as you see is falling into ruin.”

    Read the full story of St. Francis of Assisi

    “May you be praised, O Lord, in all your creatures, especially brother sun, by whom you give us light for the day.”

    St. Francis of Assisi, Canticle of the Creatures, quoted in the Catechism. CCC 344
  • Tue 5Tuesday of the 27th week in Ordinary TimeWeekdayAlso the usual day of Saint Faustina Kowalska, Virgin, not celebrated this year
    A black and white photograph of Sr Faustina Kowalska in 1931, in the habit of her congregation.
    Unknown author, 1931. Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.

    Hidden in a convent in Kraków, a young nun writes down what Jesus has told her. vatican.va

    She sees two rays of light shining from his heart, and he explains that they represent blood and water. vatican.va

    Read the full story of St. Faustina Kowalska

  • Wed 6Saint Bruno, PriestOptional memorial
    Painting of St. Bruno in a white Carthusian habit, kneeling in a rocky wilderness and looking up.
    Nicolas Mignard, 1638. Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.

    Bruno was a celebrated teacher at the cathedral school of Reims; one of his students became Pope Urban II. Franciscan Media

    He clashed with a corrupt archbishop and left. Franciscan Media

    Read the full story of St. Bruno

  • Thu 7Our Lady of the RosaryMemorial
    The Virgin in Prayer, by Sassoferrato: Mary in a blue mantle, hands joined in prayer.
    Sassoferrato, The Virgin in Prayer, 1640–1650. National Gallery, London. Public domain, source.

    The Church honors Mary with special devotion, and counts the Rosary among the prayers that express it. CCC 971

  • Sat 9Saint Denis and Companions Martyrs/Saint John Leonardi, PriestOptional memorial
    A plain typographic plate: St. Denis and Companions, with the feast day.
    Typographic plate by Stone & Incense: we found no public-domain image of this saint we could verify.

    Denis was sent from Rome to Gaul as a missionary bishop in the third century. Franciscan Media

    He made Paris his center and converted many. Franciscan Media

    Read the full story of St. Denis and Companions

  • Sun 1028th Sunday in Ordinary TimeSunday
  • Mon 11Pope Saint John XXIIIOptional memorial
    A color photograph of Pope St. John XXIII smiling, in red mozzetta and stole.
    De Agostini Editore, 1958. Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.

    After the death of Pius XII, the cardinals elect the 76-year-old patriarch of Venice, born near Bergamo. vatican.va

    Within three months, Angelo Roncalli announces an ecumenical council. vatican.va

    Read the full story of St. John XXIII

The popes, from Peter to Leo XIV · Photo credits