Saints of the Week: Peter Damian, Matthias, Noël Pinot, Polycarp, Margaret, Ethelbert, Peter’s Chair, J.Marto, Caesarius, &More

Happy Sunday! This past week in the traditional calendar were the Ember Days, on which we practice particularly strict Lenten penance. But even as we mortify our bodies our spirits should draw ever closer to God and more filled with His love. That is how the saints we celebrated this week lived their lives, practicing penance even while joyfully glorifying God’s immeasurable love
St. Peter Damian (Feb. 23), “a Benedictine monk, was nominated Cardinal-Bishop of Ostia on account of his learning and high virtues. He rendered immense services to Gregory VII in his struggle for the rights of the Church. He retired to his abbey of Fonte Avellano, and died in 1072.” St. Matthias (Feb. 24/25, Latin Mass), “one of the seventy-two disciples of Jesus, was chosen as Apostle in the place of Judas. St. Matthias preached the Gospel for more than thirty years in Judea, Cappadocia, Egypt, and Ethiopia. He was stoned by the Jews in 80.” [Missal]
Bl. Noël Pinot (Feb. 21) was an 18th century French priest who particularly ministered to the sick. During the French Revolution, all clergy were required to sign the secular, anti-Catholic government’s pledge, but Fr. Noel refused and convinced others who had signed to recant. During a brief period of local triumph for counter-revolutionary forces, Fr. Noel came out of hiding, but when the revolutionary forces conquered again they arrest Fr. Noel in the middle of Mass and guillotined him in 1794 while he was still in his vestments, reciting the opening of the Mass.
St. Polycarp (Feb. 23), “bishop of Smyrna, disciple of Saint John the Apostle and friend of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, was a revered Christian leader during the first half of the second century.” He was sent to the pope to settle the question of when to celebrate Easter. Arrested, he was condemned to be burned to death for the faith, but survived and was stabbed to death c.155.
St. Margaret of Cortona (Feb. 22) was a farmer’s daughter who eloped and lived with a noble. His murder left her and their son alone, and she confessed her sin and took refuge with the Friars Minor at Cortona. She cared for the poor, had religious ecstasies, and started the religious congregation Poverelle (Poor Ones). She had a devotion to the Eucharist and Jesus’s Passion. She died in 1297 on the date she predicted. St. Aristion of Salamis (Feb. 22): “One of Jesus's 72 disciples. Preached in Cyprus. Martyr.” [Missal]
St. Ethelbert of Kent (Feb. 24): “Raised as a pagan worshipper of Odin. King of Kent in 560. Defeated by Ceawlin of Wessex at the battle of Wimbledon in 568, ending his attempt to rule all of Britain. Married the Christian Bertha, daughter of Charibert, King of the Franks; they had three children, including Saint Ethelburgh of Kent. Convert to Christianity, baptized by Saint Augustine of Canterbury in 597; his example led to the baptism of 10,000 of his countrymen within a few months, and he supported Augustine in his missionary work with land, finances and influence. Issued the first written laws to the English people in 604 [catholicsaints.info].” St. Liudhard (Feb. 24), chaplain to Ethelbert’s wife, helped convert the king.
St. Peter’s Chair (Feb. 22) commemorates the Apostle’s being bishop of Antioch and then of Rome, which became the prime see of the Church. The chair is a symbol of episcopal authority, and the pope’s chair in Rome is the preeminent seat of episcopal authority as established by Jesus Christ through the apostles and their successors.
St. Jacinta Marto (Feb. 20) was a merry, energetic, but sometimes willful little shepherd girl in 20th century Portugal. She was also very pious, however, and this piety was rewarded when she, her brother Francisco, and their cousin Lucia received visions of first and angel and then the Blessed Virgin Mary herself. Mary’s appearances included showing the children a glimpse of Hell and all the souls that go there. Jacinta practiced penances to atone for sinners, and also suffered the mockery and skepticism of many. Not long after the miracle of the sun Our Lady of Fatima worked, Jacinta died of tuberculosis at the young age of 10 years.
There were several particularly inspiring saints on Feb. 25. St. Caesarius of Nazianzen was the son and brother of saints, including both Gregorys Nazienzen. A scholar, skillful physician, and imperial courtier in Constantinople, he was a wealthy bachelor who donated his whole state to the poor (d.c.369). St. Laurentius Bai Xiaoman was a 19th century Chinese laborer, husband, and father who converted and protested the arrest of his spiritual mentor. He was arrested, tortured, and beheaded. Bl. Sebastian of Aparicio was a rich Spaniard in Mexico who was married twice but lived chastely. He built a 466 mile road still used today and became a Franciscan and miracle-worker. St. Walburga was an 8th century English princess who became an evangelizer, healer, and abbess in Germany, assisting St. Boniface.
St. Robert Southwell (Feb. 21) was an Englishman who studied in France and then Rome, where he was able to be ordained a Jesuit priest as he desired. As he requested, he was sent back to England where he spent six years doing covert missionary work, writing a catechism and poetry too. He was eventually arrested, repeatedly tortured, and executed in 1595. The Martyrs Uchibori (Feb. 21) were a samurai father and his three young sons tortured and martyred with a group of other Japanese Christians in 1627. All the martyrs, even the five-year-old, displayed impressive courage under excruciating pain. Read their story here.
St. Quodvultdeus (Feb. 19) bishop of Carthage in North Africa, a Father of the Church, and friend of St. Augustine. Put on ships on the verge of sinking by Arian heretics with his flock, they miraculously made it to Naples, where Quodvultdeus continued to fight heresy (d.c.450). St. Conrad of Piacenza (Feb. 19) was a married nobleman who accidentally started a devastating fire. After admitting his guilt to save an innocent man blamed for it, Conrad sold his property to pay the damages and became a Franciscan hermit. He had the gift of healing.
St. John the Baptist’s Head (Feb. 24, Byzantine) was not buried with his body after Herodias achieved his execution, but the queen’s pious servant hid and buried the head. Many years later a monk miraculously discovered the the buried head and whose it was. Miracle reported through it.
St. Odran (Feb. 19) was St. Patrick’s chariot driver who sacrificed his life to save Patrick from a deadly ambush. Bl. Mohammed Abdalla (Feb. 22) was a Mercedarian friar in Spain known “for his personal piety and outlook that saw the hand of God in all things.” St. Papias of Hierapolis (Feb. 22) was a 2nd century bishop and Father of the Church. St. Amata of Assisi (Feb. 20) was a Poor Clare nun, the niece of St. Clare and friend of St. Dominic. Bl. Josef Mayr-Nusser (Feb. 24) was a pious and zealous layman, husband, and father who, being drafted by the Nazis in WWII, was killed in Dachau for publicly proclaiming his moral inability to fight for the Nazis. Bl. Eleanora (Feb. 21) was a 13th century English queen who, after being widowed, became a Benedictine nun. St. Serenus the Gardener (Feb. 23) was a hermit particularly devoted to caring for his garden; martyred in 302.
Bl. Alvarez of Cordova (Feb. 19) was a Dominican who preached Crusade, opposed an anti-pope, and founded a religious house of strict observance; known for his miracles, including angelic aid in construction and food provided by a stranger who vanished after. St. Maximian of Ravenna (Feb. 22) was a bishop who commissioned illuminated manuscripts, built a basilica, and may have been the first “archbishop” (d.556). St. John the Saxon (Feb. 22) was invited by English King Alfred to restore abbeys ravaged by the Danes; martyred in 895. Bl. Avertano of Lucca (Feb. 25) was a Carmelite lay brother, miracle worker, and pilgrim (d.c.1366). Bl. Richard Henkes (Feb. 22) was a German Pallottine priest, teacher, and preacher who was martyred in Dachau for forcefully condemning Nazism. Bl. Pepin of Landen (Feb. 21) was a married Frankish mayor of the palace, highly influential during several reigns. St. Toribio Romo González (Feb. 25) was a young Mexican priest martyred during the Revolution there in 1928.
St. Giovanni Theristi (Feb. 21) was a slave boy who escaped Muslim captivity to become a Basilian abbot and miracle-worker. St. Adela of Blois (Feb. 24) was a married princess and mother of eleven who endowed churches and monasteries (d.1137). Bl. Tommaso Maria Fusco (Feb. 24) was a 19th century Italian evangelizer, theologian, priest, and educator who founded religious congregations. Bl. Caterina Dominici (Feb. 21) was a novice mistress and then Superior General of the Sisters of Saint Anne, a friend of John Bosco (d.1894). Bl. Maria Adeodata Pisani (Feb. 25) was an Italian Benedictine abbess who loved the poor and had ecstasies. St. Eustathius of Antioch (Feb. 21) was a 4th century bishop and theological writer deposed and kept out of his see by heretics. St. Cumiano of Bobbio (Feb. 19) was an Irish monk who served as counselor to many in the Italian Lombard kingdom (d.c.735).
Bl. Constantius of Fabriano (Feb. 24) was a Dominican reformer, peacemaker, and peacemaker with the gift of prophecy (d.c.1481). St. Praetexatus of Rouen (Feb. 24) was a 6th century bishop exiled and then martyred for rebuking the evil French Queen. St. Milburga (Feb. 21) was an Anglo-Saxon princess who became an abbess renowned for sanctity (d.c.716). St. Willigis of Mainz (Feb. 21) was an archbishop who advised and assisted emperors, patronized the arts, and founded monasteries and churches (d.1011). Bl. Stanislawa Rodzinska (Feb. 20) was a Polish Dominican sister who cared for children; died in a Nazi concentration camp while caring for Jewish prisoners. Bl. Robert of Arbrissel (Feb. 25) was a hermit, teacher, reformer, peacemaker, and preacher (d.1116).
St. Cumine the White (Feb. 24) was an Irish abbot and biographer in 7th century Scotland. St. Barbatus of Benevento (Feb. 19) was a 7th century Italian priest whose fiery preaching and assurances during a siege converted many pagans. St. Eleutherius of Tournai (Feb. 20) was a bishop in Belgium martyred in 532 by Arian heretics. St. Eucherius of Orléans (Feb. 20) was a French Benedictine bishop exiled by Charles Martel. Bl. Isabella of France (Feb. 22) was a princess who joined a Poor Clare convent.
You can also read about Józef Zaplata, Boniface of Lausanne, Frederick of Hirsau, Elizabeth of Mantua, John Sullivan, Lucia Yi Zhenmei, Zambdas, and Gabinus (Feb. 19); Pietro of Treia, Leo of Catania, Bolcan, Juliana Kubitzki, Wulfric of Haselbury, and Colgan of Clonmacnoise (Feb. 20); Thomas Pormort, Hadrumetum Martyrs, Paterius of Brescia, Germanus of Granfield, and Ercongotha (Feb. 21); Émilie d’Oultremont d’Hoogvorst, Limnaeus, Diego Carvalho and comrades, Aristion of Salamis, and Miguel Facerías Garcés (Feb. 22); Josephine Vannini, Ludwik Mzyk, Alexander Akimetes, Our Lady of the Divine Cry, Alerino Rembaudi, Rafaela Ybarra, and Primianus of Ancona (Feb. 23); Florentina Nicol Goñi, Josefa Naval Girbes, Marco de' Marconi, Sergius of Caesarea, Berta of Busano, Betto, and Antonio Taglia (Feb. 24); and Tarasius, Domenico Lentini, Maria Ludovica, Ciriaco María Sancha Hervás, Luigi Versiglia, Callistus Caravario, Nestor of Side, and Didacus Yuki Ryosetsu (Feb. 25).
Have a blessed week!