SAINTS OF THE DAY FOR APRIL 03

 SAINTS OF THE DAY FOR APRIL 03 

St. Agape, Roman Catholic Martyr, Agape and her sisters Chionia and Irene, Christians of Thessalonica, Macedonia, were convicted of possessing texts of the Scriptures despite a decree issued in 303 by Emperor Diocletian naming such possessions a crime punishable by death. When they further refused to sacrifice to pagan gods, the governor, Dulcitius, had Agape and Chionia burned alive. When Irene still refused to recant, Dulcitius ordered her sent to a house of prostitution. There she was unmolested after being exposed naked and chained, she was put to death either by burning or by an arrow through her throat. Feastday April 3

St. Richard of Wyche, 1253 A.D. Richard of Wyche, also known as Richard of Chichester, was born at Wyche (Droitwich), Worcestershire, England. He was orphaned when he was quite young. He retrieved the fortunes of the mismanaged estate he inherited when he took it over, and then turned it over to his brother Robert. Richard refused marriage and went to Oxford, where he studied under Grosseteste and met and began a lifelong friendship with Edmund Rich.The remaining eight years of Richard's life were spent in ministering to his flock. He denounced nepotism, insisted on strict clerical discipline, and was ever generous to the poor and the needy. He died at a house for poor priests in Dover, England, while preaching a crusade, and was canonized in 1262.  

ST. JOHN, BISHOP OF NAPLES

Bishop of Naples in a particularly turbulent period, John is remembered for having had the remains of St. Januarius translated from the Ager Marcianus to the extra-urban cemetery. He died on Holy Saturday 432 at the beginning of the liturgical celebration and was buried on the feast of Easter.  April 3

ST. SIXTUS I, POPE,  succeeded St. Alexander and was followed by St. Telesphorus. According to the "Liberian Catalogue" of popes , he ruled the Church during the reign of Adrian "a conulatu Nigri et Aproniani usque Vero III et Ambibulo", that is, from 117 to 126. April 3