Saints of the Day & More

Maria was a beautiful Italian young lady that was twelve years old, who lived on a farm. One day Alessandro Serenelli, a teenager of nineteen years of age, who helped at the farm. He stayed in Maria's house and wanted her to to lose her pureness. He tried to rape her. "No! No!" Maria screamed, "Don't touch me Alessandro! It's a sin. God does not want it! You'll go to hell." When Maria started to fight back, he took a knife and stabbed her in the heart fourteen times. Maria fell to the ground with a yell of pain, "Oh my God, I will die! Mama! Mama!" Alessandro ran away from the seen. Maria was taken to the hospital where she stayed for two day. When a priest asked if she forgave her assassin she replied "Yes I forgive him by the love of Jesus and I want him to be with me in heaven. God forgive him." Maria died kissing a crucifix and hold a medal of Our Lady. She died July 6. 1902. She was beatified April 27, 1947 by Pope Pius XII a...

St. Bernardino Realino was born into a noble family of Capri, Italy in 1530. After receiving a thorough and devout Christian education at the hands of his mother, he went on to study medicine at the University of Bologna, but after three years he switched to law and received his doctorate in 1563. Word of his learning, dedication, and legal brilliance spread rapidly, and in 1554 he was summoned to Naples to assume the position of auditor and lieutenant general. Shortly afterward, his exemplary young man came to the realization that he had a religious vocation and, aided by our Lady's appearance to him, joined the Society of Jesus, being ordained in 1567. For three years he labored unstintingly at Naples, devoting himself wholeheartedly to the service of the poor and the youth, and then he was sent to Lecce where he remained for the last forty-two years of his life. St. Bernardino won widespread recognition as a result of his ceaseless apostolic labors. He was a model confessor, a p...

Saint Venantius was according to Christian tradition a 15-year old who was tortured, and martyred by decapitation at Camerino during the persecutions of Decius. Martyred with him were 10 other Christians, including the priest Porphyrius, Venantius' tutor; and Leontius, bishop of Camerino. Before Venantius was killed, he was scourged, burned with flaming torches, hanged upside-down over a fire, had his teeth knocked out and his jaw broken, thrown to the lions, and tossed over a high cliff. His 11th century Acts state additionally that he managed to briefly escape from Camerino and hide at Raiano, where a church was later dedicated to him.

From his life, compiled from his writings And other monuments, by Peter and Jerome Ballerini, two learned priests of Verona, and brothers, in their third dissertation in the excellent edition they gave of this father's works, p. 109. See also the marquis Scipio Maffei, Historia Diplomaticae Monumenta, at the end, p. 329. Also the same author, Veronae Illustratae, par. II. The history of the translation of his relics by an anonymous monk; and Serie Chronologica dei Vescovi di Verona, par Biancolini, a Verona, 1761, 4to. This holy prelate is styled a martyr by St. Gregory the Great, and in several martyrologies. But was honored only with the title of confessor, in the ancient missal of Verona, before the time of Lewis Lippoman, bishop of that city, in 1548:. and it appears, from the manner in which St. Ambrose, who was his contemporary, writing to Syagrius, our saint's successor, speaks of his happy death, and extols his eminent sanctity, that he did not die by the sword. Living ...

Founder and mystic, one of the first Servants of Mary or Servites. The son of a wealthy merchant in Florence, Italy, Alexis and six companions joined the Confraternity of the Blessed Virgin in Florence in 1225. Gathered together on the Feast of the Assumption in 1233, the group experienced a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary which inspired them to found a new religious community dedicated to prayer. They founded such a group at La Camarzia, near Florence, moving eventually to Monte Senario, on the outskirts of the city. Another vision inspired Alexis and his companions to form the Servites, or the Servants of Mary. All in the group were ordained priests, except for Alexis, who believed he was not worthy of such an honor. He helped build the Servite church at Cafaggio, and he managed the day-to-day temporal affairs of the congregation. The Servites received papal approval from Pope Benedict XI in 1304. Alexis was the only founding member still alive. He died at Monte Senario on February...

Born in Italy in 1474 and is credited with having founded the first female religious community to educate girls. She grew up in a peasant family in a believer, where every night reading the life of a saint, and that the aroused much and excited by religion. Lost her father and mother while still very young and it impressed her very much. After all her life she would ask God for forgiveness for not trusting enough in her youth in Divine Providence that no one leaves. Her childhood is very patient and has to work hard but that makes it strong and makes sympathetic to poor girls who need help in order to be adequately instructed. Franciscan Tertiary and is made without having primary school but, becomes Minister of governors, bishops,doctors of the church,and priests. It had received the Holy Spirit the gift of the Council, which consists of knowing what is best to do and avoid each time. Seeing that the girls who were not educated and free her from mortal danger, and that theories were n...

Benedictine hermit. Also called Peter Orseolo, he was a member of one of the most noble houses of Venice and, at the age of twenty, became an admiral in the Venetian Navy. After a series of successful campaigns against the Dalmatian pirates, he was elected Doge of Venice in 967, supposedly securing his elevation by poisoning his predecessor Peter Candiani IV, as was charged by St. Peter Damian. For two years Peter ruled with consummate skill, assisting Venice to weather a series of political crises. Then, without any warning and without informing his family, he disappeared from Venice and secretly entered the Benedictine abbey of Cuxa, in the Spanish Pyrenees. There he devoted himself to a life of severe austerity and asceticism, working as a humble sacrist until St. Romuald suggested that he become a hermit. He lived alone until his death. PRAYER Lord you blessed us with the memory of St. Pietro I Orseolo, may we ask for his interssession at the moment we are before you and the Holy C...

St.Lucy was born in Sicily 283 AD.Lucy was a beautiful rich virgin.Lucy had a many young men who wanted to marry her.Lucy denied them because she took the vows of virginity.One day one young man saw her and asked to marry him.She denied him.He got frustrated at her and accused her of being Catholic.In 304 the emperor tried to make her denounce her faith.But she would always say "Long Live Christ the King and the Holy Spirit." So he asked her "Is the holy spirit in you?" She responded "Those who's hearts are pure are the temples of the Holy Spirit." The emperor was furious and told her furiously "Well I will make you fall in to the hands of sin and the Holy Spirit will abandon you." She responded again saying "I will never happen because the Holy Spirit will protect me." But nothing could make her sin. She said to them "Do you not see I am the temple of the Holy Spirit and that he protects me?" The emperor had her eyes take...

The anniversary of the dedication of the Lateran Basilica, which was erected by Emperor Constantine, has been observed on this day since the Twelfth Century. This feast was at first observed only in Rome but later in honor of the basilica, which is called the mother church of Christendom, the celebration was extended to the whole Latin Church. This action was taken as a sign of devotion to and of unity with the Chair of Peter which, as Saint Ignatius of Antioch wrote, "presides over the whole assembly of charity." This Basilica is know for its many different works of art. It is known to have many Papal tombs/remains, but it also holds St. Helen's remains in a sarcophagus. By decree of Pope Clement XI the basilica added all 12 apostles made by 7 different artist. Prayer Father, Each year we recall the dedication of this church to your service. Let our worship, always be sincere and help us to find your saving love in this church. Grant this through Christ our Lord. AMEN .

Prosdocimus of Padua is venerated as the first bishop of Padua. Of Greek origin, tradition holds that he was sent from Antioch by Saint Peter the Apostle. Thus, he is often depicted in art with this Apostle. The cathedral at Feltre is dedicated to him and Saint Peter the Apostle, and the artist Il Pordenone created a work depicting Prosdocimus with Peter. He evangelized the region and is said to have founded the parish church at Isola Vicentina. He was the first bishop of Padua and survived the persecutions of Emperor Nero. His tomb is situated at the basilica of Santa Giustina at Padua. The chapel dedicated to him there was built over his tomb outside the walls of Padua. The church also once contained the relics of Prosdocimus's deacon, Saint Daniel, though these were moved to the Paduan church of Santa Sofia in the 11th century. Prayer Lord you led your servant Prosdocimus of Padua, to evangelize the nation Italy and Northern Europe, let us be guided by the Spirit and proclaim yo...