Saints of the Day & More

Faustinus and Jovita were brothers, nobly born and natives of Brescia. All the incidents in their reputed "Acts" are of doubtful authority, and we can only be sure of their names and martyrdom. According to the tradition of Brescia, they preached Christianity fearlessly while their bishop lay in hiding. Their zeal excited the fury of the heathens against them, then they were arrested by a heathen lord called Julian. They were tortured and dragged to Milan, Rome and Naples, and then brought back to Brescia. As neither threats nor torments could shake their constancy, the Emperor Hadrian, who happened to be passing through Brescia, commended them to be beheaded. The city of Brescia honors them as its chief patrons and claims to possess their relics. On April 18 the Roman Martyrology names the martyr St. Calocerus, who figures largely in the legendary history of St. Faustinus and Jovita, whose heroic confession he is said to have witnessed when, as a court official, he accompan...

Agnes was born into a family of Christians and Roman Nobles in the year 291. Agnes was raised Christian and had a huge love for Christ and God. Agnes was a beautiful, wealthy Roman maiden who had, in childhood, dedicated herself to God. Though at the age of 13 the Prefect Sempronius went to ask for her hand in marriage for one of his sons. Agnes refused and was condemned to death due to her refusal. But due to Roman Law, it was not allowed to kill Virgins, then the Prefect stripped her and dragged her all the way to a brothel. As she was being dragged to said place she never stopped praying. Along the way her hair grew and grew until it covered up her body, in order for no one to see her body. When they arrived at the brothel, there were already men ready to rape her, but as they were getting close to her they all went blind. After she this she was taken and tied to the stake. The soldiers prepared everything and lit the firewood under her feet, but the hay and the wood would not ligh...